ed [capitalist] mob, and to restrain it, so that the one
paroxysm shall be its last, and the destruction that it brings and the
sacrifice it costs shall be as small as possible."[286]

The majority of Socialists have no inclination towards violence of any
kind at the present time, whether domestic or foreign, and will avoid it
also for all time if they can. But they fear and expect that the present
ruling class will undertake violent measures of repression which will
inevitably result in a conflict of physical force.

The Civic Federation, of which so many conspicuous Americans have been
members (including Grover Cleveland, Andrew Carnegie, August Belmont,
Seth Low, Nicholas Murray Butler, and other prominent philanthropists,
educators, statesmen, publicists, and multimillionaires), had its
earliest origin, to the author's personal knowledge, partly in an effort
to divert the energies of the working people from Socialism and
revolutionary unionism to the conservative trade unionism of the older
British type. It was natural that this organization should give more and
more of its attention to an organized warfare against the Socialist
movement as the latter continued to grow, and this it has done. Its
members have attacked the movement from every quarter, accusing it of a
tendency to undermine religion, the family, and true patriotism. But the
most direct and important accusation it has made has been that the
Socialists are working toward revolutionary violence. In its official
organ it has quoted Mr. Debs as saying: "When the revolution comes we
will be prepared to take possession and assume control of every
industry." The quotation is fairly chosen, and represents the Socialist
standpoint, but if it is to be thoroughly understood it must be taken in
connection with other positions taken by the party. No revolution is
contemplated, other than one of the overwhelming majority of the people,
nor is any violence expected, other than such that may be instigated by
a privileged minority in order to prevent the majority from gaining
control of the government and industries of the country.

That the Civic Federation writers also understand that the violence may
come from above rather than from below is clearly shown in the context
of the article in question. The Federation organ also attacks Mrs. J. G.
Phelps Stokes for having said, at Barnard College, that the present
government would probably be overturned by the ballot. In