Possibly one of the most amusing spectacles of to-day is the attitude of the American press toward the revolution.  It is also a pathetic spectacle.  It compels the onlooker to be aware of a distinct loss of pride in his species.  Dogmatic utterance from the mouth of ignorance may make gods laugh, but it should make men weep.  And the American editors (in the general instance) are so impressive about it!  The old “divide-up,” “men-are-not-born-free-and-equal,” propositions are enunciated gravely and sagely, as things white-hot and new from the forge of human wisdom.  Their feeble vapourings show no more than a schoolboy’s comprehension of the nature of the revolution.  Parasites themselves on the capitalist class, serving the capitalist class by moulding public opinion, they, too, cluster drunkenly about the honey vats.

Of course, this is true only of the large majority of American editors.  To say that it is true of all of them would be to cast too great obloquy upon the human race.  Also, it would be untrue, for here and there an occasional editor does see clearly—­and in his case, ruled by stomach-incentive, is usually afraid to say what he thinks about it.  So far as the science and the sociology of the revolution are concerned, the average editor is a generation or so behind the facts.  He is intellectually slothful, accepts no facts until they are accepted by the majority, and prides himself upon his conservatism.  He is an instinctive optimist, prone to believe that what ought to be, is.  The revolutionist gave this up long ago, and believes not that what ought to be, is, but what is, is, and that it may not be what it ought to be at all.

Now and then, rubbing his eyes, vigorously, an editor catches a sudden glimpse of the revolution and breaks out in naive volubility, as, for instance, the one who wrote the following in the Chicago Chronicle:  “American socialists are revolutionists.  They know that they are revolutionists.  It is high time that other people should appreciate the fact.”  A white-hot, brand-new discovery, and he proceeded to shout it out from the housetops that we, forsooth, were revolutionists.  Why, it is just what we have been doing all these years—­shouting it out from the housetops that we are revolutionists, and stop us who can.

The time should be past for the mental attitude:  “Revolution is atrocious.  Sir, there is no revolution.”  Likewise should the time be past for that other familiar attitude:  “Socialism is slavery.  Sir, it will never be.”  It is no longer a question of dialectics, theories, and dreams.  There is no question about it.  The revolution is a fact.  It is here now.  Seven million revolutionists, organized, working day and night, are preaching the revolution—­that passionate gospel, the Brotherhood of Man.  Not only is it a cold-blooded economic propaganda, but it is in essence a religious propaganda with a fervour in it of Paul and Christ.  The capitalist class has been indicted.  It has failed in its management and its management is to be taken away from it.  Seven million men of the working-class say that they are going to get the rest of the working-class to join with them and take the management away.  The revolution is here, now.  Stop it who can.