We are entering the new year under a plutocratic rule. A small group of men, the captains of high finance, control the economic destiny of the country and execute their power by fixing a commodity price level which is out of proportion to the purchasing power, and that in spite of a serious unemployment problem and hard going for business. Plutocracy's grip on the economic life is felt the harder when it seems as though it is relaxed for a moment in preparation for a new attack. Plutocracy's 2economic power reflects itself in public life in many; not least in the way of an increased tendency to curb free speech and other civil liberties, thanks to the servility of the judges.

But in spite of all, the Socialistic movement approaches the new year with more courage and vitality than ever. Socialism is far more popular than it was a year ago, and a year hence it will be more popular than it is at the present moment. Even the foes of Socialism have to reckon with its influence which under Capitalism's demonstration of power has brought important practical results. For instance, the Socialists have managed to arouse public opinion in favor of the Russian fugitive, Christian Rudowitz, whose extradition was decreed by the government's commissioner, Mr. Foote, in compliance with Russian law. In this campaign the Chicago Daily Socialist 3played an important role.

Another important issue just brought before the public by the same paper is the fact that the Corn Products Refining Company, located at Argo, outside Chicago, has held its workers as virtual prisoners and treated them like slaves. The publication of these conditions brought about a government investigation.

Locally the Chicago Daily Socialist is the only paper to speak in favor of the Chicago teachers' complaints, or actually the parents' complaints, voiced by the teachers, against the capitalistic domination of the school board.

The public is unable to acquire a perfect understanding of conditions and persons unless they have a chance to look at the issues, not from a Capitalistic 4point of view only, but also from a Socialistic viewpoint. Even those who consider themselves inveterate anti-Socialists are fooling themselves if they neglect the opportunity to be kept posted on a cultural movement which asserts itself more or less the world over.

A wise new year resolution for friends and foes of Socialism (the indifferent ones included) would, therefore, be: not to let one day pass without taking advantage of the excellent and necessary supplementary and corrective comments offered by the Chicago Daily Socialist as a check on the propaganda unfolded by the Capitalistic press.