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fact； be the outcome of the proposals of Marx and Engels； they cannot
themselves be accused of any glorification of the State。
The Manifesto ends with an appeal to the wage… earners of the world
to rise on behalf of Communism。 ‘‘The Communists disdain to conceal
their views and aims。 They openly declare that their ends can be attained
only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions。 Let the
ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution。 The proletarians have
nothing to lose but their chains。 They have a world to win。 Working men
of all countries； unite！''
In all the great countries of the Continent； except Russia； a revolution
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followed quickly on the publication of the Communist Manifesto； but the
revolution was not economic or international； except at first in France。
Everywhere else it was inspired by the ideas of nationalism。 Accordingly；
the rulers of the world； momentarily terrified； were able to recover power
by fomenting the enmities inherent in the nationalist idea； and everywhere；
after a very brief triumph； the revolution ended in war and reaction。 The
ideas of the Communist Manifesto appeared before the world was ready
for them； but its authors lived to see the beginnings of the growth of that
Socialist movement in every country； which has pressed on with
increasing force； influencing Governments more and more； dominating the
Russian Revolution； and perhaps capable of achieving at no very distant
date that international triumph to which the last sentences of the Manifesto
summon the wage…earners of the world。
Marx's magnum opus； ‘‘Capital；'' added bulk and substance to the
theses of the Communist Manifesto。 It contributed the theory of surplus
value； which professed to explain the actual mechanism of capitalist
exploitation。 This doctrine is very complicated and is scarcely tenable as a
contribution to pure theory。 It is rather to be viewed as a translation into
abstract terms of the hatred with which Marx regarded the system that
coins wealth out of human lives； and it is in this spirit； rather than in that
of disinterested analysis； that it has been read by its admirers。 A critical
examination of the theory of surplus value would require much difficult
and abstract discussion of pure economic theory without having much
bearing upon the practical truth or falsehood of Socialism； it has therefore
seemed impossible within the limits of the present volume。 To my mind
the best parts of the book are those which deal with economic facts； of
which Marx's knowledge was encyclopaedic。 It was by these facts that he
hoped to instil into his disciples that firm and undying hatred that should
make them soldiers to the death in the class war。 The facts which he
accumulates are such as are practically unknown to the vast majority of
those who live comfortable lives。 They are very terrible facts； and the
economic system which generates them must be acknowledged to be a
very terrible system。 A few examples of his choice of facts will serve to
explain the bitterness of many Socialists：
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Mr。 Broughton Charlton； county magistrate； declared； as chairman of
a meeting held at the Assembly Rooms； Nottingham； on the 14th January；
1860； ‘‘that there was an amount of privation and suffering among that
portion of the population connected with the lace trade； unknown in other
parts of the kingdom； indeed； in the civilized world。 。 。 。 Children of nine
or ten years are dragged from their squalid beds at two； three； or four o
clock in the morning and compelled to work for a bare subsistence until
ten； eleven； or twelve at night； their limbs wearing away； their frames
dwindling； their faces whitening； and their humanity absolutely sinking
into a stone…like torpor； utterly horrible to contemplate。''＇4＇
＇4＇ Vol。 i； p。 227。
Three railway men are standing before a London coroner's jurya
guard； an engine…driver； a signalman。 A tremendous railway accident has
hurried hundreds of passengers into another world。 The negligence of the
employes is the cause of the misfortune。 They declare with one voice
before the jury that ten or twelve years before； their labor only lasted eight
hours a day。 During the last five or six years it had been screwed up to 14；
18； and 20 hours； and under a specially severe pressure of holiday…makers；
at times of excursion trains； it often lasted 40 or 50 hours without a break。
They were ordinary men； not Cyclops。 At a certain point their labor…power
failed。 Torpor seized them。 Their brain ceased to think； their eyes to see。
The thoroughly ‘‘respectable'' British jurymen answered by a verdict that
sent them to the next assizes on a charge of manslaughter； and； in a gentle
‘‘rider'' to their verdict； expressed the pious hope that the capitalistic
magnates of the railways would； in future； be more extravagant in the
purchase of a sufficient quantity of labor…power； and more ‘‘abstemious；''
more ‘‘self…denying；'' more ‘‘thrifty；'' in the draining of paid labor…
power。＇5＇
＇5＇ Vol。 i； pp。 237； 238。
In the last week of June； 1863； all the London daily papers published
a paragraph with the ‘‘sensational'' heading； ‘‘Death from simple over…
work。'' It dealt with the death of the milliner； Mary Anne Walkley； 20 years
of age； employed in a highly respectable dressmaking establishment；
exploited by a lady with the pleasant name of Elise。 The old； often…told
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story was once more recounted。 This girl worked； on an average； 16 1/2
hours； during the season often 30 hours； without a break； whilst her failing
labor…power was revived by occasional supplies of sherry； port； or coffee。
It was just now the height of the season。 It was necessary to conjure up in
the twinkling of an eye the gorgeous dresses for the noble ladies bidden to
the ball in honor of the newly… imported Princess of Wales。 Mary Anne
Walkley had worked without intermission for 26 1/2 hours； with 60 other
girls； 30 in one room； that only afforded 1/3 of the cubic feet of air
required for them。 At night； they slept in pairs in one of the stifling holes
into which the bedroom was divided by partitions of board。 And this was
one of the best millinery establishments in London。 Mary Anne Walkley
fell ill on the Friday； died on Sunday； without； to the astonishment of
Madame Elise； having previously completed the work in hand。 The doctor；
Mr。 Keys； called too late to the death bed； duly bore witness before the
coroner's jury that ‘‘Mary Anne Walkley had died from long hours of work
in an over… crowded workroom； and a too small and badly ventilated
bedroom。'' In order to give the doctor a lesson in good manners； the
coroner's jury thereupon brought in a verdict that ‘‘the deceased had died
of apoplexy； but there was