H ORA CE TRAU B E' L

HIS LIFE" AND W“ ORK

D A V I D K A fR sN E R

j ' r E fl E R AUTHOR GE f nmszf ms AU TH O RI ZE D LIF E A ND L f S

‘ E E } M e P fl é i mh ad 52V E G M O NT AR S m

B o o le Sh o ) N e w Y r k Wuskmgam S qu a r e; t , o

CONTENTS

C H AP TER I G o WHERE M Y HEART GOES

Two BEE K M AN PLAC E

EAR LY DAYS

T H E M AN I N T H E MA K I N G

WIT H WA LT WHI T M AN

A N EX P ERI M ENT I N CO M M U NIS M

COM RADE A N D LOV ER

SOCIAL REV OLUTIONIST INTERNATIONALIST

’ I LL SEE IT A LL FROM SOM EWH ERE

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FOREWORD

’ N prese nting this statement o f H orace Trau be l s o W life and w rk, hich is at once an appreciati on and a o o f o an interpret ti n his endeav rs , I have tried to accentuate the qualities of the man whose sign ifican ce t o me e m n o , at l ast , was easured t by his literary m b fie rce o achieve ent, but rather y the , dev ted and last i n o f or o m n e . g l ve he bore his fell w That love , that o o o f f s cial s ul his , that universality o his rare mind o o o o f they were the f undati n st nes his life ; and, b e o m o f m m l nded, they f r ed the keyst ne o his onu ental work . own o o to m As his intr ducti n this book i plies , w I o o h im H e Traubel kne that w uld write ab ut . read the second draft o f my manuscript W hich was com l te d m 19 1 o e e 6. m p in S pte ber, The b ok at that ti e om n ow o to in c prised what are Chapters F ur Twelve , o m e lusive . Early this year I res lved to bring y state m to to to ent up date, include his later years , and pub lish the record while he lived . To that end I raised a cash subscription list with considerable assistance from th ose most directly and personally interested in o b o f o Traub el . It is nly y reas n o such supp rt indi cate d m n o b to m o o w that I a w a le send y bo k f r ard . I was at work on the fin al draft of this book when the ’ n ews came o f T ra u b e l s death . That fact necessitated o f first o . slight revisi ns tenses , and the three chapters Otherwise my statement is intact in letter and spirit as

Traubel saw it .

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’ We o th b ok . Well, dear H race , here s e o at last o f o o You o f or talked it ften t gether . , y urself paid five o f b oo f or fiv ou ou these ks e children , and y said y o r m m You too ou w uld write you na e in the . said , , y were proud o f your friends when on e day a bunch of m in m o f m o m o . S a o . rders ca e o I pr ud the The f r al, m o ma o i e inent, lettered w rld y ign re this book as it g w f f o m . n w o o u . n o n red y But o atter You, a ay there om e m I o VV al s ewh re with Whit an, Bucke , ngers ll , little lace , will understand that what sings in the heart o m Y n o o b o w . ou cann t e f r ed int ords will k w now , ou o da o n ot o as y knew the ther y, that l ve , w rds ,

— su fii i n . the thing . Love that understands is self c e t DAV D I KARSNER . 2 1 m e 8 19 9 . Septe b r , o Y rk City.

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® IN TR ODU CTI ON

’ V E been allowed to see this bit o f genuinely good ’ o of K arsn e r w rk s. But is Traubel worth such ? ’ serious attenti on On e o f K a rsn e r s be st friends ’ and a ma n who kn ows who s wh o in literature said to ’ h im : n o it : one day Believe me , boy, he s t entitled to ’ ” o - y u re wasting your time . But Karsner kept stub b o rn ly o n the job till he got it more or less satisf ac torily fin ish e d and seems to have some preposterous o n tion that he can secure a publisher f or it some day . m o Traubel hi self , while appreciating and recipr cating ’ K r n r H e a s e s o o to . dev ti n , has tried dissuade Karsner ’ said to Karsner Don t publish it now : wait fiv e years ” “ or o : Wh s . Karsner asked y Traubel replied ’ o : first ou m to F or two reas ns , it ll give y ti e study ’ m : o ou ou t and solidify yo ur state ent sec nd , it ll give y ” Wh o a chance to change your mind . y sh uld Karsner commit himself to an enthusiasm he might in a f e w years regret ? But he made light o f all entreaty and ? Wh o b o b o continued . would pu lish a bo k a ut Traubel It would have to be a man wh o believed in h im again st h man ? n o fate . W ere is there such a Traubel has Wh o market f or his own books . y sh uld there be any ’ market f or a book about h im? I v e been informed lately that Karsner intends writing about Dreiser . ’ man an d N ow, there s a the world wants enjoys being

o m . a told ab ut . Dreiser has a arket And Dreiser r h im k o biographer will fin d a market waiting f o . I n w ’ o W a lot abo ut Trau be l s personal hist ry. hen he was 9

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 10 HORACE TRAUB EL a young fellow he was a h ot advocate o f Whitmanism ’ w r mi h im and ent f o Walt s e ne es baldheaded . Walt self many times cautioned Traubel to hold his ”

o to sa . o o . h rses , as he used y That is , g sl w That is , n m w s m o ot clai too much . But Traubel a i petu us in his fie r o b y pr paganda . Karsner is much as Trau el was in ll m a . ff b that But the circu stances are di erent . Trau el had a rich nut to crack . But Karsner has a shell with ’ ’ o u t a m u stifi e d Tr au be l s kernel . Walt s after fa e j o passionate protest . But n thing has happened in ’ ’ Trau be l K r n r o fir st s career to j ustify a s e s ch ice . The ’ thought I had in reading K arsn e r s quite flowin g and wa s m vivid narrative that it was a sha e, as his friend h im to o had warned , waste all that skill in a directi n w k n hich was li ely to foredoom it to oblivi on . Joh Burroughs years ago wrote Traubel a frank letter in which he said : That part of your wo rk which does ” n m m m A ot ake e laugh akes me ma d. t the best ’ T rau b e l o n to n o o s only kn w a ha dful f pe ple . And ’ even with that han dful of people he s on ly rated as ’ wn w Walt Whitman s errand b oy. His o riting i s o N either to tally ignored or wh lly despised . o maga m o zine in A erica w uld print anything that he writes . n f i T h Even the newspapers have o use or h m. o t e ’ c o o o da ow llege he s unc uth . Just the ther y he sh ed ’ ot ou old oo me a letter he d g starting y dear f l , ’ e o o o ld f o an and nding y u re a l ving ass , o c urse , but ” b m all . e ass , nevertheless Trau el gets tangled up and ’ o m m . u t f h i o c nfused I can t ake anything o o . I sh uld o h o be prejudiced in his fav r . But e often pr vokes me to o o - o m S the pr f undest c nte pt . o I can well under wh him stand y the critics never take seriously. A “ ’ to : o ol man lawyer said Traubel Y u re all right , d , ’ ” f o r n ow m and then , but your writing s da ned rot !

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® INTRODUCTION 1 1

’ It argues well f or K arsn e r s courage that in the face o f m m such facts , and an inter inable list like the , he ’ still contends that his hook s n ot caught in s ome snag mu d bu t fi sh on in the that he has a genuine his line . I f Karsner had substituted s ome mo re plausible name ’ f or T rau b e l s throughout he would have - found a pu b lishe r f or H o m n it without delay . w a a as cute as I know Karsner to be could have been betrayed into such o m an infatuati n it beats e to explain . But then we k n ow every ma n marries the w oman none o f his o i om n friends w uld have chosen f or h m. And every w a marries the man none o f her other lovers w ould have o f or ma n m w sa ch sen her . When the arries e y to “ ’ ” h im me : o m . Believe , boy, you re wasting y ur ti e And when the girl marries we say to her : Believe ’ m ” ’ me o o . , dear , y u re wasting y ur ti e Perhaps it s ’ n ot so true that everything s a mistake to somebody ’ l f f o so o e se as that everything s di erent t meb dy else . ’ o we But we marry in spite o f everyb dy s pity. And ’ choose ou r bo oks in spite o f eve rybody else s choice .

o . . And ou r pictures . And s ngs And what we eat o f do And n o matter what you can think . We as we

to do m . so please . And we please what we ust And n in the universal scramble e ve rything gets a cha ce . '

m n o e . Every lobster of a a . Every r tten gg All the — N o ma n god forsaken monstrosities in art . is left ’ N o o o w behind . o thing. There s an ap l gist s me here I ’ n o m h o w . t s b f or every derelict , atter feckless y suppo sing such a saturnalia o f idiocy in which the b rainiest people participate with the crudest that we ’ c n n ot K arsn e r s a , if understand , at least excuse de u ion Wh o f of u m l s . y, Karsner , in a series chapters o o doubte d force and pungency, actually c nstructs a s rt t o to ou r o f Traubel my h , in which we disc ver surprise

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’ that the man we ve always on ly tolerated as a fair to middling o rdinary companion in the commonplaces o f life is after all gifted with uncommon spiritual graces . ’ I oo o to o con t s a the ory t outrage us be c nsidered, o structed and propounded with gravity and l gic . I concede the importance of the sign ifican t exceptional individuals th e world over who accept Traubel if n ot ’ at K arsn e r s valuation at least as voicing a force ful democratic seership and international vision of frater i o o n ty . And I also c nsider that Traubel has a l ving heart whatever mistakes o r exaggerations o r wilful o e nesses his head is guilty f . But ven with such quali fi cation s o f or m o all wed , this problem still re ains pen , ’ ’ w me om a n d I m n ot the man to settle it . He s sho n s e o f the extraordinary letters he gets fro m day to day w o exhibiting this side o f his case . But he al ays d es so with the air o f a man unconvinced if n ot u n con ’ H e m cerned . frankly says he s a uch greater tangle t o m o to o or hi self than he w uld be any ne else , enemy ’ fin a ll o f K arsn e r s o friend . I feel y like saying b ok “ what Burroughs said o f Traub el : That part of it ” w o n o m me m m hich d es t ake laugh akes e mad. Though I dont really allow that an y o f it makes me

a m . m d. But it certainly akes me laugh 1 1 9 8. June,

HORACE TRAUBEL .

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® CHAPTER I

I GO WH ERE M Y HEART GOES

ORACE TRAUBEL lived on e of the fullest and H freest lives it is p ossible f or a man to live on

. oo m e this earth Like a giant tree , he r ted hi s lf i n hardened soil and was b raced to weather an y storm m h im fie c r th o f ad that ight attack . The r e e winds versity assailed h im the more determined he became to stand his ground and challenge the elements that h i h would subdue m. There were times in his life w en it seemed a s i f he would indeed be conquered by the of sub winds fate and chance, but when the fury had wa s on om sided he still deck , c pass in hand , steering o o o m his craft ver treacher us sh als , and s iling like a radiant boy unconscious of the perils through which e m o o he had travel d , feeling a supre e satisfacti n ver the adventure . N o matter h ow dark the clouds that hovered ove r o h im T o and ar und , raubel knew that shad w was but o f o o me the reverse shine , that night was nly an ther na m on o da for the sa e c dition that pr duced y, and that H dark but suggested the coming light . e kne w that th him o ut t in t e door that shut kept o hers , tha the lock th at barred him was equally forbidding to those o ea i mo th n behind it . N ne r l zed re clearly a he that in o w e m of ow e very s rro ther was an ele ent j oy, h ever slight an d obscure ; that in eve ry full and satisfying

u t e r e howe re r t . c p h re we e dr gs, bit er l g

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Traubel wa s more than a poet ; more than an editor mo o f w om m re than a literary critic, the like h A erica has never known in fin ite ly more than the interpreter

f o m . H e was o his friend and fell w , Walt Whit an o H e b the spirit o f elemental l ve . was the har inger and the herald o f j ustice and equality between man man o o m f or and , nati n and nati n , ulti ately pleading the universal spirit in the individual and the inter national qualitie s o f the state . d m m Supremely indivi ualistic in anner , atter and m o o f or o eth d, he had a care and a c ncern the f rtunes o H e f others that wa s beautiful to behold . insisted upon living his own life at all hazards an d costs ; think in w own o n o m g, speaking and riting his th ughts atter I n in what the penalty. a sense he was ruthless in his m o f m dividualis . But n ne su fered re orse keener than he w to om o o hen he felt he had caused pain c e t an ther. H e was b o m H wa s o y turns arr gant and hu ble . e b th r H e wa o asse tive and reticent . s at nce a seething o m — sea, r lling, restless , crashing and cru bling and a placid stream shimmering in summer ’ s sun and sing o o o o r fl we re fi ld ing as it r lls al ng in shad wed lane o d e . H e was a fon d friend to those wh o shared his life and fi e rce f oe to o h o his ideals , and a th se w o pposed th e social principles and precepts o f life upon which he had based h is being . H e was a hail fellow well me t b an o e t y y pers n , y Traubel selected his frien ds with Th great care . e association of people was as necessary to h im as the food he ate . H e could n ot endure lone lin e ss. That is why he loved th e cities and shunned o m . o o oom the c untry Tur il, n ise, b ing trains , whistles of o e m fi rc b ats , loud voic s in heated argu ent, e e debates , c n l t an d c ntes of ide an emo ions a t o f ic o t as d t , f c ory

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® I G O WHERE M Y HEART GOES 1 5

sh u f fle o f on m whistles , the feet pave ents , the shrill of e o m o o cries n wsb ys , sy ph ny c ncerts and the applause, ” baseball and the shouting fans the se were the things Traubel loved and in which he m oved and had

. o o o f to h im his being The rich red c l r life appealed , an d h im on on captured his heart lured and , up the ff o H cli s and d wn the vales . e was caught in the whirling currents o f life and thoroughly enj oyed the f thrill o chance and adventure .

o o o - oo o f Th ugh he was a p et , the st ry b k lives the n o t im N o m n r poets did t apply o h . o m on ush o star z n wa wa s ga ing fou d the ir y into his verses . But there m an d b life in the , rich red, vi rant and vital , inspired

H e m n ~ an d inspiring . ight have writte with a trip m o f f or o m o ham er instead a pen , his p e s and pr se of o f plumb the very depths all there is life , and too f or h im to o too nothing was sacred attack , n thing rough f or h im to condone i f it had the elements of ' h o it . wa s t e o justice and l ve in His l ving heart, his h m o o . 1 o t e universal ind , his the s cial s ul g where ” o o ot h im my heart g es , he nce wr e , and his heart led H saw it into all the highways and byways of life . e

H m s o . all . e is ed n thing Traubel was most methodical in his habits o f living o e t wa s o im an d w rking, y he indeed pr digal and o e h im sa b o prudent . I have ften h ard y that as y and “ o f m youth he took care hi sel f , never bummed " o h oo o o around, b ug t b ks with spare m ney that ther ” on om fellows used to spend w en , and lived regularly in the sense that he never wasted his substance n or drained his vitality in ways commo n to youths c oming o m o f o f age . Yet he r bbed hi self necessary sleep , ffi i f or be lie ving absolutely that four hours were su c e n t

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 6 HORACE TRAUB EL h im o or w o . H e would w rk eighteen t enty h urs a day, o or fiv e with a little play in between , and sleep f ur at o to the most . In his later years, pri r his illness in 9 18 o f m 1 , Traubel ate practically all his eals in res n H o so o so tau ra ts. e w rked l ng and hard and slept so o m d to m m oo little that his b dy see e de and uch f d, and Traubel often ate at irregular hours and such

- o om foods that would challenge even a cast ir n st ach . o an m ob Having very little m ney at y ti e , he was liged to first o of on n . scan the c lumn prices the me u cards befo re he looked to see what he wanted to eat . H e invariably complained that he did n ot e at what he h im w b ut o . w t anted, what prices f rced upon But ha m m he issed in quality he ade up in quantity. of o r His writing and editing his paper , The C nse va tor o f m o w n o mome f o , required all his ti e and all ed nts r

. H e o exercise would travel the streets in New Y rk, o o to B st n , Philadelphia , wherever he happened be with o f da h n o his friends , at all h urs o the y and night, wit o of e m H e n ot th ught incl ent weather . would wear o o mb r rubber versh es , rarely carried an u ella, and would not wear an overcoat on the coldest winter day . wa of 1909 This y living, coupled with the fact that in he me t with a severe accide nt on a Camden f erry b oat o to om of fice g ing his h e from his in Philadelphia , when o o h im o am o him a h rse kn cked d wn and tr pled up n , h im re crushing his ribs , gradually wore down and du ce m d his arvelous powers o f resisting physical ills . e m o h im His int nse ental w rk tired greatly, and even b o ef re his last illness , he would often sleep at his mo o or con desk, in a theater, a ving picture sh w , at a H . e cert had burned the candle at both ends . The fi rst re al break came in 1 914 when h e was ill

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® I G O WHERE M Y HEART GOES 1 7

m m to . was fi r st b u t al ost extre es That sickness his , m H it arked the beginning o f the end o f his life . e was m man ma never the sa e physically again . Rheu tic e m it h im fev r was the trouble at that ti e , and left with n ot sa h o a valvular heart leakage . One could y j ust w much damage was done to h im by the fiv e years o f the Wo m o o mo o rld War, but it is y pini n that the e ti nal b oo con flict t strain caused y the bl dy , and the fact hat the hurricane of war swe pt s ome of his dearest friends o o o f m o into pris n , while thers the ren unced the ideals o f their lives and became apologists f or the war

m n o m o o . akers , was s all fact r in sh rtening his days an d mo o Being hypersensitive intensely e ti nal , such ’ logical consequences of the world s insanity caused h im

' te rrific mental agony and wrenched his soul . The World War was the colossal co llapse o f his dreams and even though he live d to see it fought to a re v olu ” o o 1 9 14 oo ti n , as he pr phesied it would be in , and t k o o great heart from the so cial rev luti n in Russia, the political revolution in Germany (the native land o f his r o o om u father) , and the th eatened s cial and ec n ic p h l o e av a s in other countries , the initial bl w had been struck and it went straight to his heart . Since the f 19 1 7 m latter part o , Traubel was per anently ill , In although he believed he would ultimately recover . the summer o f 1918 Traubel became very ill and in July he saw his old of fice in Philadelphia f or the last H o f time . e left it in charge his faithful printer, man o m b James He bron , a lder than hi sel f y perhaps wh o f o r Con ten years , and had set the type The se rvator f or ten or twelve years . It was that summer when he had a hemorrhage which impaired his sight temporarily and which was accompanied by a shock that paralyzed his left leg

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 18 HORACE TRAUB EL

o o to o from the hip d wn . Even pri r this sh ck Traubel m bu t b o b li ped a little in his left leg, he ascri ed the tr u le m to what he called ptomaine poisoning . It see s appar ent that the seat of his trouble was really deeper than 1 9 1 7 w o . hat he th ught As far back as June , , Traubel o had an acute heart attack which nearly to k his life . b o It was the night ef re his daughter, Gertrude , was

m o . b N e w arried in N e w Y rk . Mrs Trau el was in Yo rk with her daughter assisting in preparations f or w b of fic the edding . I had been with Trau el at his e H o m m all the evening . e was in n r al spirits and see ed ’ oo o o two o o in g d health . Sh rtly bef re cl ck in the mo rning he locked his door and we rode down Market m wa m to . s o street the Ca den ferries As his cust , he

o o r oo . st pped int a dai y lunch r m That night, I recall , o o of ba b o o f he ate a large p rti n ked eans , an rder f H o o . e wheat cakes, c f ee and d ughnuts was interested w wh f m wh o in the aiter, o was o Ger an birth, and had told h im that two of his brothers had been killed in the a w w b o w r . As he ate he talked rapidly ith the aiter a ut m om w e b ut the war in general and see ed s e hat excit d, n mo o su b o re than usual , I th ught, in discussing such a je ct . When we got to Camden Traubel saw that he had o It missed th e last car h me . H e was greatly agitated . wa s a calm June night and I wasrather glad that we o w t o h im to c uld alk , feeling hat e xercise w uld assist di 2 Elm o . n h 00 gest his fo d Whe he reac ed street, his om m o to b h e , he excused hi self and went at nce the ath oo n co floor m r m o the se nd . I ade a light in the dining o t o r om and read the mo rning paper . After a ra her l ng while I b ecame uneasy over his absence and went u p o f f o f or stairs . H race was su ering ag ny want of b o o o n of f reath . Being th r ughly ign ra t the cause o his

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20 HORACE TRAUB EL

o o h im critical state o f his illness . Each pr strati n left o b u t o f m weaker in b dy, the virility his ind was never m H e n o w o o f i paired . could t walk ith ut the aid a ow man cane, and he dragged his left leg in a very sl n e r a o o h im to o con . Natur lly, this c nditi n caused l se side rabl o bb fi u re e weight , and his r tund and chu y g was so on reduced to slenderness without the qualities o f m o e aciati n . 1 9 19 an d w m to In April , , Traubel his ife ca e New o n o m o o n Y rk . They rented o e ro in a r oming h use o w e b o West T enti th street , near Ninth Avenue , a l ck om o f from the h e their daughter, Gertrude Traubel A h olm n o m al so . , her husband and infant , Malc l During the few weeks that Traubel was at the Twentieth street house he seemed to b e getting along w H e m f f r no fairly ell . was extre ely weak but su e ed w o o b ut oo was pain . His appetite was al ays g d, his f d limited and his diet chosen with great care as his physi cian s were of the opini on that improper and too much of f ood wa s a contributing cause his illness . to b to N e w o o n e of H e was glad get ack Y rk again , l m o At m his o d sta ping gr unds . ti es he fancied that he f could go around with his flock o f friends as o old . But he soon reali z ed that with h im those hectic days o H e was old man n ow e e o were d ne . an , f ble in b dy on m on ly , li ping a cane , virtually helpless in the physi mo mo cal sense , and depending re and re upon the aid and comforts rendered to h im by his wife and friends .

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® T WO B EEK M AN P LACE

HE T rau b e l s m to om ca e live at the Karsner h e , Two m b o i M a Beek an Place , a ut the f rst o f y. o f u s R o o f om There were j ust three , se , wh o ou r H race was very fond ; daughter , Walta Whit man fiv e o ld om o Karsner, nearly years , wh he l ved m on dearly, as he did all children , and yself and ly two f t m o M n t om r o o e i . he , H race and Anne g e We o ccupied the parlor floor and basement o f a four story brown stone apartme nt house facing the East River . Horace wa s given a table that fitt e d into on e of the windows o f the front room looking ou t upo n the

o was . river . The ro m fairly large , airy and sunny There was n o obstruction to the view o f the river with its constant traf fic and Brook lyn on the farthe r f N e w o re o . e t sh re We were in the heart o Y rk , y ’ moved from the city s clash and clang by reason o f m o o ou r somewhat re ote l cation . We all h ped that here Horace would b e able to rest and write as he willed . Whe n he fi rst e ntered the front room he remarked : ’ ’ n I w fi e . f This is I can t get ell here , Davy, there s ’ - o n o use trying anything . His and Anne s bed ro m firs w or adj oined the front room . The t t o three weeks n o a n wo m h e did ot seem t get y rse . Then ca e a severe H e to o f heart attack . dreaded even think these n m t e spells . Each o e see ed o drain his bbing strength om me h e an d left h im prostrate . S eti s felt a warning 21

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 22 HORACE TRAUB EL o f m o n ot these i pending rdeals , and infrequently they o o b o m f or c uld be f restalled y str ng edicines, digitalis ,

to omo o o . instance , pr te circulati n and heart acti n Per f e ct rest and quiet helped greatly in checking these a mm encounters with what w s i inent death . The fi rst two or three weeks of his stay on Beekman o m n m It wa s Place H race ca e dow stairs to his eals . f o f or h im to o o a painful e f rt g up and d wn the steps , At and the j ourney either way required much time . fi rst omo b b there were little aut ile trips , arranged y o o kind and th ughtful friends , thr ugh the city streets f o f f or and Central Park . The e f rt o getting ready o b m mo mo these utings eca e re and re exhausting , and fin all o mo the y y stopped alt gether . His rnings sitting at his table by the window writing letters o r doing other w ork connected with The Conservator became s w mo ome to les frequent , and we ere re accust d seeing h im a rm- w sitting in a large chair , resting, ith his head l in a ain st o r on o b y g g his hand , else lying a c uch y the boo ow kcase , with three large pill s under his head, the lower shelves o f the bookcase containing his daily let o b two or ters held t gether y an elastic , and three glasses o f on e or two of m o water, which ight have c ntained medicine . b m oo an d wa s w diffi cult His sight eca e p r , it ith y that he read print eve n o f the si z e o f letter used in his H m w paper . e had a large agnifying glass hich he H e m n ot to t o o seldom used . see ed care use th se in firmit H e o articles which suggested y. w uld rather forego whatever comforts or pleasures th at could be derived from their u se . I n the early stages o f his last illness orr Beekman Place he took a lively interest in f f of m the current a airs the day , especially atters per to o o m taining f reign p litics , the peace ter s , which he

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® TWO B EEKMAN PLACE 23

o m m severely c nde ned with their akers, strikes and m o or i pending s cial industrial upheavals . Toward the end o f his stay at ou r home his interest in these things m to a om see ed w ne . S etimes he was too tired to be to b o m talked a ut the . o m Visit rs ca e frequently, and it was a rare after noon when several people were n ot in the front room w m h i . o oo w o f om ith H race s n earied their c pany, o was and ften he glad when they were gone . o b m His v ice eca e husky and thick , and his enuncia o e o o o o f u w ti n exce dingly p r . Even th se s h o were with h im daily often had dif ficulty in understanding o — w H o his br ken and half hispered sentences . e w uld have the newspapers and the liberal magazines read to h im w b n ot o , the reader al ays eing careful t read tho se m m h im m ite s which ight cause excite ent . Toward the to h im o o end he had his letters read , and ften he w uld o m wa s request that they be read a sec nd ti e . This especially true when a letter from a near and de ar m friend had co e . Although he could n ot come down stairs to eat with u s t o o w ou r , he disliked eat al ne, and t ice we all had e vening dinner in the large front room upstairs . On these occasions we ate on the table which had b een b o used by Eugene V . De s in his prison room at M unds o o ville , West Virginia . H race l ved that table and had o i o m much se ntiment ab ut t . When visit rs ca e he rarely failed to tell them the table had been used by o o m bo Debs in pris n . B th ti es that we gathered a ut it ’ o o o o to wh o H race pr p sed a t ast Gene , had been his f r friend o many years . Almost every evening he would sit in the great arm o H chair by the window and watch the b ats pass . e H e o n ot e loved the river and the lights . c uld s e

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h the names o n the boats and would ask u s to tell im. H e had gone up and down that river on man y o f those m bo to o o o to sa e ats and from B st n , and he l ved think bo o h ro a ut th se full and free days . Often e would p

o - m amo u s p se an ice crea party ng , and he was always fi rs T rifle s the t to insist that it was his treat . like m m h i H o o that eant uch to m. e w uld ften give Walta

m f or - m o or o - o s all change ice crea c nes l lly p ps, and he never f orgot his promise to her f or a treat o f this kind o m i nce he had ade t . As the day approached f or the Walt Whitman Cen te n ar M a 3 1 1 9 19 b oo r y, y , , Trau el t k a lively inte est in o H m the plans and preparati ns . e was deter ined to o to o B re voo rt g the H tel , Fifth Avenue and Eighth e m oo Street , wh re a eeting was held in the aftern n, and a the annual Whitman dinner at night . There w s a j oyful patho s in the appearan ce o f Traubel at this f f f o f o wh o a air. O c urse he knew nearly all o th se m wh h im m ca e , and many o saw ust have felt that H e Traubel could scarcely live much longer . was in a wa o r g y spirits , and in his enfeebled y to k pa t in the festivities . At e o was the dinner in the ev ning, h wever, he m mo t 200 supre ely triumphant . There were re han o o h ot pe ple in the d uble dining room , and it was and oo so clo se . Traubel sat at a table near the d r he could retire easily if he should feel an y ill ef f ects from the o m th gaiety. The inf r al spee ches that followed e dinner had a distinctly revolutionary flavor and this o n o m wh o pleased H race greatly. It was t Whit an so m m th e was uch discussed as the peace ter s , Russian o o of m Rev luti n , the curtailing A erican liberties , and m m the ention o f the na es o f Eugene V . Debs and mm ma th t d E a Gold n , in e la ter connection evoke

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® TW O B EEKMAN PLACE 25 applau se f rom those wh o had come oste nsibly to cele ’ o T rau b brate The Good Grey P et, e l s friend . Helen Keller was prese nt on this occasion and the m f wonder wo an, deaf and blind, and ormerly dumb, me t first m Traubel for the ti e , although they had o e xchanged letters for se veral years . The diners lo ked o n as Miss Keller place d her sensitive finge rs on ’ Ho race s lips in order to understand his words f or of herself and without the aid her teacher, Anna Sul In livan Macy. the forum, Miss Keller was called o : up n to speak . These were her words Dear Comrades and Fe llow- Admirers of Walt m m o n t t : t ot o . Whi an I ca e here listen , speak But , m o me om since the Chair an has called up n , being a w an ,

I avail myself of this opportunity to talk . There are so many here paying eloquent tributes to Walt Whit man to sa to , I want y a word the chiefest of his

e b . lovers , Horac Trau el To stand up here and talk about Horace Traubel is like proclaiming the charms and the desirability of ’

n w f o o . i s o e s s eetheart r m the h usetops The truth , I T o h im love Horace Traube l . discuss in this public o m mb fashion is , therefore, s ewhat e arrassing, espe r m cially as this is our fi st eeting. But since we are all “ comrades and lovers you will let me te ll of my

admiration and aff ection f or o n e whom we all love .

There are two me n in Horace Traubel . I suppose that is why we love h im twice as we ll as we love other

n m . me . He is a ystic, and he is a realist His heart m e t is f ull of dreams and ardent senti ents , and y he is

a most profound observer o f me n and their actions .

He has thought ou t a sch eme o f life f or himsel f . His w in w d interpretation of the w orld e live , hile eeply

i r m . H e o th e poe tical, s ve y practical and hu an l ves

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 26 HORACE TRAUB EL

j ust and the unj ust, the wicked and the good , the rich

th e oo b of of . and p r, ecause the inclusiveness his nature H e These antitheses are revealed in his writings . is angry with evil ; he hates inj ustice and wickedness . But he holds out his kind hand to sinners and draws h im f m bu them to with cords o hu an lov e . There is t on e thing he asks of me n and women that they shall m m love on e another . His kindness and agnani ity are m b . o of inexhausti le Indeed, there is s ething the o o m Savi r ab ut his interest in hu an beings , and his m w To h im sy pathy ith their struggles . neither the individual n or the crowd is vile . H e fin ds in e ach man m ommo m and in the ass beautiful , c n , ele ental m o qualities o f hu anity. It is up n these qualities that o o f r F or H race Traubel rests his h pes o the future . him ov o — sacrifice l e , val r, self and the free spirit exist, n and they are the o ly vital facts o f life . They consti tute the important and essential part o f his scheme of th stru c a better world . Yet he penetrates far into e of ou r o o om w ture s cial rder, and c prehends hat is o i m wr ng with t . It is here that the ystic and the H m . e realist clasp hands is the great Opti ist , and his m work is wholesome and encouraging . His drea is wh o o persuasive and inspiring . That is y we l ve H race b Trau el . m m o f m o e The dra atic cli ax the evening ca e , h w ver, when on e of the speakers proposed that everyone stand

up f or a few moments in honor o f H orace Traubel . to As we were standing, Traubel struggled his feet , overwhelmed by the tribute and manifestation of love om o f o Whitman ite s w e an d regard . S e the lder er n quite surprised at this incident , but the you ger ele ’ m o f om w Trau be l s ent , nearly all wh ere friends or

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28 HORACE TRAUB EL destroyed by a printer wh o issued the second edition of the book in paper covers in 19 14 under the imprint f be o of o wa s o Al rt and Charles B ni . The fact this l ss i i H om h m o f t . e kept fr , and he never knew had practically completed a b ook of labor quotations and

b I o . b of o G . references R ert ngers ll, his friend Trau el was to write the introduction and a publishe r had a u w rolific greed to bring the bo ok o t . Al ays a p b mo o o writer, Traubel pu lished st f his w rk in The o o o o o f it o C nservat r, and gave a good p rti n , with ut m o to b o o f b re unerati n , pu licati ns the radical and li eral

. o f oo ow e variety One his b ks little kn n is ntitled , ” n b oo o The Do llar a d the Man . This k c ntains f oo o f om o f or many o the best cart ns H er Davenp rt , w b o a n d t hich Trau el wr te the texts , a rather leng hy o o intr ducti n . Traubel wrote his last long p oem in the front roo m

H e o - o f Two Beekman Place . wr te it in a half sitting

o o f - b o p sture, with a heavy sheet card ard as a sup o H e to p rt f or his paper . had take frequent rests as o wa s w om he wr te , and he glad hen he had c pleted the

o m. I B on o u p e t was entitled, Walt, at Ech , Aug st , ” n in e e n o m N i e te e n Hundre d N e t . This p e was written o w B on o o as th ugh Traubel ere already at Ech , Ontari , f or e on 1 on which place he l ft August , arriving 3 two o e n o August , having spent days at M ntreal r ute to b reak the trip . This last unpublished poem was written f or a celebration at B on Echo in memory o f m Whit an .

Extra cts from the poem follow

I sa Wa t de a Wa t : y, l , r l ’ Ain it f n n con side rin th e i h wa th e u se d to dismi ss t u y, g l g t y y ou h ow th e h a e to e at th e i words? y , y v r

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’ h — T ey we re always so su re yo u d come to n oth in g th at th e i r u n ive rsitie s an d e dito ri al ch ai rs c omp ri se d all h e ave n an d e arth ; H ow th e y pa sse d you by with ou t a wor d or with con te mptu o u s words o r f o ul e pith e ts : ’ ’ We e come u on a milde r e r io d Wa t : th i s e a r t h e re v p p , l y y sayin g k in d th in gs o f you in ch or u se s : An d th o se o f u s wh o we re with you wh e n you we r e ou t lawe d a re a most f ash ion ab e so re a t i s th e de ma n d l l , g f or u s :

I wa s oin t o sa I don t k n ow wh a to mak e of i t a ll bu t g g y t , ’ th at wou ldn t be q u it e tru e : ’ ’ F or I do k n ow wh a t to mak e o f it : it s a st ory we re a ll ’ f a mi liar with : it s a s old a s an yth in g n e w : So h e re to da wi h th e se f rie n ds I stan d with m h at o f f , y, t , y , a ck n owle dgin g th e a n cie nt le sson : ‘ D e ar Wa it ak e s me clo se r to ou h an e v e r : I u n de r stan d lt, t y t b e tte r th an e ve r th e me an ing o f my bi rth in t h e world i sp rit.

’ Wait I co d o on all da in h is st l e : I m so con in ce d b , ul g y t y v y th e se p e op le h e re a n d by you : bu t I won t : I j u st f e e l lik e a s if I was h avin g a n oth e r ch at with you as you sit in t h e big ch a i r a n d with me on th e be d opposite : ’ Oh ! th ose b e sse d old time s Wa t ! h e r e sa cre de r -to me l , l t y th an th e scriptu re s of rac e s : ’ Th e y re th e scriptu re s o f ou r two pe r son al so u ls ma de on e in a sin gle su p r e me visi on : ’ ’ Th a s all f o r his mome n t Walt bu t it s th e wh ol e world of t t , ; m f h a e a an ce an d i lu in ation or all t at . pp r l ,

w o o oom One evening as e sat al ne in the fr nt r ,

bi a rm- b w ow me Traubel in the g chair y the ind , and o - o b n o on e n the foot sto l y his side , he said , Dave , , n n ot ow w a te rif fic ot a soul , even Anne , kn s hat struggle I have had to put up all my life to be what ’

! om m . little I am. Oh God s eti es it s been awful The id a s s m o m d to o o wa t e lway , o eh w , see e g the ther y,

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 30 HOR ACE TRAUBEL and I trying to be myself wa s o ften stran ded in mid m It o of strea . was the utter l neliness the struggle that m man tr to h im ade it hard . Let a y be himself Let try to follow the light o f his own soul ! What does he come to at the end ? A G od damned fool ! Look at ' Debs in prison ! The world says he s a God damned o ! o fool . Look at Wilson and Lloyd Ge rge The w rld ’ m wh o w says they re G od damned wise e n . But ill the re - made world remember and revere ? The God ’ damned fools like Gene wh o do the worth- while things that become immortal or the G od damned wise me n like Wilson and Lloyd George wh o do the popular things that bring them contemp orary notoriety ? T o ’ be anything at all a man s got to be an ass i n the ’ m I v w f or f popular estee . e al ays been the asses o ’ I ’ m o . o . the human ra ce . Y u ll see Wait till g ne If ’ I m talked ab out at all it will be with a shrug of the o or o m o f : Wh sh ulder , a s le n shake the head at an wa s bo b o oo ass he , braying a ut r therh d and all that f G od m oo wa s n o to kind o bunk . What a da ned f l he t know this is a practical w orld . And just l ook at the ’ - bob - ow w ! rag tag, tail cr d he traveled ith Wasn t it ’ ’ h l o f f r a pity You ll hear it all . I ve eard a ot it o ” thirty years . ’ A little while later he said : As you ve got to write o to o oo to te an ther chapter y ur b k , bringing it up da , m m ou to aking it an inclusive state ent , I want y put , w h m do n on reco rd ow uch Wil liam F . Gable and a w F rank Bain have done f or me . I w nt a full ackn o l m l e e he e dgeme n t ade . I cou d n v r have con tinued T Conservato r if these me n had n ot helpe d me ge ne r s m h o ou ly. The da ned t ing would have g ne unde r l ong

a o . an d g Gable d Bain exhibite a rare faith in u s.

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. e m . w m m They bridged ev ry chas These t o e n , ore than u stifie d me m o be anybody else , j and y w rk . They lie ve d th e odd in thing against every and every defeat .

They have put up the money year after year , and t o da hey put up their l ve y after day, when I was fi htin m b t w g g with y ack o the all . Make your state ’ m o f or h ow m ent plain and unequiv cal , that s I ean it . Without the assistance o f William Ga ble and Frank Bain I could never have amounted to the even ever ” om o m so little that s e pe ple think I have a ounted to. At another time we were talking about the labor movement of th e United States and the principal fi u re s i H : o g of t. e said I w uld like you to put me on record in your book as saying that in my opinion mo the four greatest , biggest, truest , st lovable me n that ou r labor movement has ye t produced are Eugene

m . oo V . D Debs , Willia Hayw d, Ben Hanford and ” Fred Long . Traubel had two distinct feelings concerning his ill

. wa s of ness One was that he very tired it all , tired of the te rrific struggle that he had put up to live on f r H e the terms that he cared o life . knew that with the best luck h e could n ot go on much longer in his o m o conditi n , and that even if he i pr ved he would still r m in fi r i be stricken with more o less per anent m tie s. m m to o In spite of this feeling, he per itted hi self h pe

o . o strongly that he would rec ver M re than that, he allowed his physicians to fool h im concerning the real He o m and serious nature of his disease . w uld beco e elated when visitors told h im h ow well he appeared and suggested with him s ome plan or plans f or th e H e to w futu re . struggled live hen death had already h im m laid its cold h and upon . Several onths before

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 32 HORACE TRAUB EL

i n b he died there was a glassy stare his large lue eyes , and an ominous pallor in his cheek . His physicians Tw o f o o o wh o m knew the truth . o the f ur d ct rs ca e

‘ to o m to h im told me the h use inter ittently attend , after o o n ot o b o inquiry, that H race c uld p ssi ly live thr ugh ’ mm T rau be l s own conv ic the su er . Whatever Mrs . ’ tions and opinions were concerning her husband s ill n ot o ow con ness , she did nce let d n in spirit in her h im o a n o stant association with . M re than y ther per

son . o o , Mrs Traubel kept alive in H race the h pe that o m o o h im he w uld ulti ately rec ver, th ugh she did tell

ou b e o ob . that it w ld a l ng, hard j o f o mo o of im Back all this , H race had pre niti ns In b w ow pending death . the evening y the ind he f or o w R o m w ould sit h urs ith Anne , se and yself ; An sometimes on ly on e o f u s would sit with h im. y number o f times when I happened to be alone with h im in the evenings he wo uld express his wish that it At mom I n h im were all over . such ents , and fou d in f m o om many o the , life had l st all r ance , lustre and h i H e o charm f or m. talked but little in th se last days was at ou r home . When he did speak it frequently G o or bo m o . a ut Walt Whit an , R bert Ingers ll , Richard m w Maurice Bucke , all dead . His drea s , he said , ere f old an d fille d with pictures o Walt, and his friend h im o w greater brother seemed to be calling . Th se ere

his thoughts in his last days . ’ Trau be l s last writings were principally about Wh it n I n M a mb o f o o ma . the y nu er The C nservat r his “ ’ m wa s At K ar sn e rs o poe called , As I Sit Fr nt ” w fi rst : Window . Follo ing is the verse

’ A I sit at K a rsn e rs f ron win dow s t , D e a Walt with th e r ufii e d Ea st Ri e r ass n b e ow r , v p i g l An d B ro k l n osite an d th e b rid e at th e n or h o y opp , g t ,

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An d th e in te rmin able maj e stic boats going u p an d down str e am

Th e u s i h e r s b ar e s an d th e h u d n fi t g , l g t , g , ge ig i e d ste ame rs crowde d with p e opl e An d ove r it all th e sh if tin g pan ora ma of th e du ctile sk ie s I th in k myse lf b ack to my youn g days with you : ’ I m ove rwh e lme d by me mori e s o f an u n f orge ttable past An d n othin g c an p e r su ade me f rom it : It fixe s me to a mome n t of in e x pu gn a ble time I se e m t o look b e yon d th e li f e b e f ore me to th e an te ce de n t lif e of olde r ye ars : An d I con e m la te i t wi th o I ca n x r t p a j y t e p e ss.

H e was reminiscent in his talks as well as in his H f o . e o u s o o om writing t ld st ries pe ple wh he loved, m A m so o . t o o m e dead , thers still living s e ther ti e , mo om mm perhaps , farther re ved fr the i ediate scenes

“ ' o f w n ow om his waning life hich are nipresent , sharp v ma ow om of fin al edged and vi id , I y set d n s e his mo a f firmation s o f o testi nials and his faith , sp ken o s of mm t u in the quiet and hush su er evenings , with h flowin b f e w w m t e river g y a feet away, ith his war , o w dim mo thin hand pressing urs , ith his eyes and ist, ’ o f o beholding the beauties life s farther sh re , seeing clearly things with his dim eyes that ou r sharp vision de fin e o o could never , kn wing that up n his silent lips o f o wit w om were w ords l ve , and isd , the jest and the

o . too oo to o r j oke , and the s ft chuckle It is s n speak to write o f those l ong summer days and the longer nights here in the front room at Two Beekman Place . m f or m Some other ti e will do that , and if that ti e

m om o o . should never co e , s e ther pers n will do for that

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® CHAPTER III

“ ’ U G F OR G D K LAU G H LA H , O S SA E ,

EE ou r om b H R weeks before he left h e , Trau el wa o o to B on o o s bent up n g ing Ech , Ontari , —fiv m om o abo ut twenty e iles fr M ntreal , in a h o wh o p ortion o f t e Canadian wilderness . Th se have been there say it is noted f or its grandeur o f I n n o b o rugged scenery. There is an c nducted y Fl ra M acD on ald wh o f or n Dennison , ma y years has b o o f m wh o b een a dev tee Whit an , and pu lishes ” m B on Th a little agazine at Echo called e Sunset. o Mrs . Dennis n had invited Horace and Anne up two there . Mildred Bain and her children , Betty o and Paul , were spending their vacati n there , and o other intimate friends were e xpected . H race knew that Frank Bain would go up from Havana to o m o wo spend his vacati n with his fa ily, and n thing uld bu t m of do he ust go . There were days and days plan ld h e o . o t ning and talking ab ut this trip His friends , ’ w h im Bains , ere the biggest card that lured . Mildred o to him Bain was as dev ted as Frank , and she is his fi rst o of m bi grapher , having written a series inti ate sketches and appreciations of h im and his work and published in 1 91 3 under the title o f Horace Traubel . There was n o dissuading h im from going to B on H o o on Echo . e w uld g if he died the way . The o of anticipati n the trip and the change , and the greater joy of being with the Bains in what he might have o w th ught ere his last days on this earth , cheered and h i o n buoyed m. Frank Bain arrived fr m Havana o 34

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36 HORACE TRAUB EL

o f ou the love o f heaven . I think y and Dave and Walta and the East R iver room and the bustle of

N e w York with longing . o With wh le heart, II r o ace .

o u s h e w of Late in August he wr te that , ith a party friends had crossed the lake in three boats and dedi ca te d m n o m the great Walt Whit a r ck, na ed Old f or Walt its ruggedness , hugeness and grandeur . Then they came back and Horace turned the f i rst spade of earth in breaking th e ground f or the Walt Whit H e o o man . e library c ncluded the n t with, Happy

o . in spirits , but tired in b dy In a note which he wrote to u s both on August 23 “ : o ob f or the m ob he said Y urs is a j cradle , ine a j ” - f or the grave digger . Ou 26 o : August , he wr te I had a heart attack last night and sn fi e re d great w o con se agony f or two hours . I feel eak t day in u e n ce o ou e no m q , but l ve y with unalter d faith atter ” w f da ma b hat the experience o the y y e . The last word from h im to u s wa s dated August 28 ' ’ Bad days these f or me and Anne s also under the ’ m weather . Heart s playing e tricks again . Bad days an d worse nights . o L ve always , Tired

Traube l took a turn for the worse after th e Bains wa e s o f . l ft, which during the last week August It became necessary f or them to visit the ir friends and re latives in Canada before leaving the Dominion finall a y for Havana. Horace broke b d with their

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® F OR G OD ’ S K 3 LAUGH , SA E , LAUGH 7

u depart re . It was apparent that life f or h im from h o n b t en hung y a slender thread . H e became weaker and weaker . His power of speech was almost gone mm t and his sight di ed nearly o the point of blindness . m o o His ind was str ng, h wever, and his tireless brain o to bu t o n o o c ntinued act , it c uld l nger direct the ener of o gies his body . When he c uld still sit up and talk a b o b o m H little , Trau el c nversed a ut Whit an . e would ’ say that he heard Walt s voice calling h im from beyond o o the great r ck acr ss the lake . On t mb 6 Saturday, Sep e er , Traubel had two cere b mo e . a n o o ral h rrhages Death w s t far away n w. o mo o Early M nday rning, with Anne , Mrs . Dennis n , a wom o n e o r two o b an nurse, and thers standing y his b ow m. edside , Traubel turned his face slightly t ard the A wan smile was playing around the corners of his mo to o o h im h o e uth , and he whispered th se ab ut w w re w fin al of u f or itnessing the flight his life , la gh , ’

o H e . o G d s sake , laug turned his head H race ’ H —first Traubel died at five o cl ock . e was in his sixty year . M r N b s. o e w Mrs . Trau el and Dennis n arrived in o Y rk Tuesday evening with the remains . Arrangements were made to hold informal services

omm - o at the C unity Church , Thirty f urth street and N e w o m 1 1 Park avenue, Y rk, Thursday, Septe ber , at o b in the afternoon . Alth ugh Trau el never had n o o or o a y patience with the o rth d x instituti nal church , o f o o m he was ve ry f nd o J hn Haynes H l es , and his “ o ow of omm ass ciate, Harvey Dee Br n , the C unity ” to Church , which was liberal Unitarian , the sect which

Traubel adhered in his boyhood and early manhood .

It had be en arranged that Brown should introduce Dr . ’ Wik se ll e - Pe rcival G . , one of Horac s life long friends,

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 38 HORACE TRAUB EL

o n o who wo uld then preside . There w uld be services I o mo in the formal sense . t w uld be re in the nature o f a Hail and F are we ll The hearse reached the church a few minutes before Behind it rolled the limousine containing the pall - bearers chosen by

b . o D b . , o o Mrs Trau el They were Le nard A b tt, R ger e i k W . re de r c P L wis , Bernard Weinig, Frank Bain, F . A l C . a h olm Hier, Arthur and David Karsner . Cro wds o f people were on the sidewalk by the church and it looked as though there w ould be a convention instead o f oo n o a funeral . We s n lear ed the reas n f or the o fir . w cr wds The church a s a e . Blue rings o f smoke om m were already c ing fro the roof . Hasty confer e n ce s w m e ere held, and in a few inut s the hearse rolled ou t from among the clanging engi nes and bust ’ fi r e me n o x ling with their h se and a es , to the People s o e o omm o 7 H us , a S cialist c unity instituti n , at East

. n o ow on Fifteenth street Ma y f ll ed street cars, Fifth

Avenue busses and subway trains . cofli n o o The , c vered with fl ral pieces , was carried m n m flo r A o o o o . t th int the audit riu the ain e last, o wa s mon o b H race a g his pe ple, in the vi rant atmos n o f ph e r e o f learning and revolt . Ma y u s regretted that Ho race himself could n ot e n j oy the humor which we found in our failure to attest ou r faith in h im in a church . D octor Wik se ll read several selections from Opti mos o m to b f or o o b , a p e Trau el written the ccasi n y his old m o om friend , Willia Struthers , a pr se tribute fr Lillian We tste in Mende lssohn and a telegram from m I M dan s. or Max . y Other inf al tributes were read

o P . o o r sp ken by Frederick Hier , R ger Lewis , Edwin M acD on ald m om B . o Markha , Th as Harned , Fl ra

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® L G OD ’ S K AUGH , FOR SA E , LAUGH 39

Dennison and David Karsner . Helen Ware gave a o o vi lin selecti n . Friday afternoon a small party went to Harleigh m m f fin Ce etery in Ca den, New Jersey. The co was placed in a receiving vault until a b urial lot could be r A omb fi w arranged f o . t the t nal o rds were said in ’ of Tra u be l s b o the presence clay y Ralph Westc tt , mm m m mb David Cu ings , Eitaro Ishigaki ; a Ca den e er f o o m . o f the S cialist Party, and yself A bunch red roses were taken from the casket and distributed to all wh m fif t o u m 8 o o . O o had c e , maybe y pers ns N ve ber , ’ Trau be l s remains were fin ally committed to the earth in Harleigh . n H o Traubel left o will . e had ften said that he wanted his Whitman collection to go to the Library o f o Congress . The large g ld watch which Walt Whit man to h im d had given in his will , he in turn requeste to o m alh olm that that be given Malc l A , his infant

- n o o m f f grand so . All ther pers nal atters and e ects come into the p ossession o f Anne M on tgome rie b Trau el .

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® CHAPTER IV

EARLY DAYS

G be wa s o m ORA E Trau l b rn in Ca den , New H wa s fi t mb 19th 1 858. e f h Jersey, Dece er , the mo of of seven children . His ther was Chris o f o b tian , and his father Jewish , rigin . Trau el said

- he was a half b reed . Early in his life Maurice ’ o o o o Traubel , H race s father, devel ped pr n unced o initiative both in character and in thought . B rn m of o in Ger any religi us parents , Maurice Traubel began thinking his own thoughts in the narrow of o om H o circle an orthod x h e . e questi ned at fi rst o b o silently, then penly, at last reaking all b nds and turning his back once f or all on orthodoxy

o f an o o or . y rder, either in religi n , art literature It m m o of was the Tal ud , with its rigid and inute rdering of n e very detail life , that precipitated a quarrel betwee b o Maurice Trau el and his religi us father . The parent insisted that the b oy should n ot on ly conduct his life o o to o f m bu t and th ught acc rding rules the Tal ud, f r m On on should als o read the book o hi self . e such ' ’ occasion Maurice snatched the book from his father s

o fire . hands and threw it int the The father, aghast was n o o at the sacrilege , declared the rebel l nger his on o h i b s and rdered m from h ome . Maurice Trau el went to another part o f Germany and pursued his m o m f . a t study o art A few years later he c e A erica , im landing in Philadelphia , a friendless and penniless m of ob . e igrant , in search a j This he s cured in his o H mar trade as printer . engraver and lith grapher . e 40

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u o f ried Katherine Gr nder Philadelphia . Both parents ha d dropped their church af filiation s before they m reached ature years . Traubel furnishes u s with a striking n ote of what his o m t h im n racial rigin eant o . O this point I will quote “ him : am M in full I a half Jew . y father came of m mo of o a Jewish , y ther Christian , st ck . I m a half b e — r ed . Huxley says a half breed is a man wh o i n h e r o f b o o f its the vices th parents and the virtues neither . ’ oo o r That s a bad l k ut f o me . I have b rothers and n m sisters . Lo g b efo re I ca e along in the family ro ster my father had ceased to be a Je w and my mother had I ceased to b e a Christian . wa s never taught either

' or . M Jew Christian I was let alone . y father said ‘ ’ fin d o u t o ou o You will y urself what y are . Pe ple om m m an o m s eti es discover e . A m said t e the other ‘ ’ ’ day : B y God ! I believe yo u re a Jew ! I said ' ’ ’ o n ot fir t on h o it man Y u re the s e w o disc vered . A ’ said to me the other day : B y God ! I believe you re ’ a Christian ! I said : Yo u re n ot the first on e wh o it ’ I I . am discovered S o cant hide myself . unveiled ‘ ’ ou m again and again . They ask : Are y asha ed you re ’ ‘ ’ a Jew ? They ask : Are you ashamed you re a ’ ‘ Christian ? I answer : When I meet a mean Jew m m I wish I was all Christian . When I eet a ean ’ m o o Christian I wish I was all Jew . But that see s t ou n ? enigmatic . What the hell are y a yway Then ’ I have but on e answer left : I guess I m neither all I ’ m m ’ m . Christian n or all Jew . I guess si ply all hu an ’ That s where I have to leave them and they have to

I man i n n . H e ot leave me . sat next a a restaura t g

o ow h im. H e con fide n tial . I d nt kn what started ‘ ’ H e : w thought h e hated Jews . said Any Je s hard me enough to bear, but for a real stinker give a half

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’ ’ — so . H b Jew ! I assented . Yes that s e right D o m a d o i ? ened up . o y u feel the sa e w y I o ab ut t ‘ ’ ’ I said : Sure : I o ught to know : I m on e o f e m I H o m w myself e took his size at nce . Put e do n f or m oo da m a da n f l he said . I did . But that y ade i o m o f f h m wise . One f y dear friends g es o ab out the

o m . Jew . Often d es in y presence I then say : Look ’ ’ — I H e o ou t m a Jew . shakes his head : I d nt ’ a : Y m mean your kind of a Jew . I s y ou dont ean ’ ’ m o f I m w I m y kind a Jew when present . But hen ’ ’ b n n a sent there s o ly o e kind o f a Jew to you . So it ’ o . om m m I m om g es S ething in e tells e a Jew . S e m I ’ m thing in e tells me m a Christian . S o ething tells ’ m I m e w me m e both and neither . But the J in akes m m w fin ds flav ors e sensitive to so e Je ish things . I ’ n i and glints in Za gw ll s stories which set me trembling . Yet there are of fice s o r Observances which I do n ot

of m . understand . The feel it all is in e But the w n o n o e wa s o . kn ledge is t th re . I t raised a Jew I

m . it dont go to churches o r te ples Rarely risk . I feel

o . safer in my outside w rld . In the streets With the m - Z n il in u ow a w l . ixed p cr d . But I take g I guess n ome bo o ativity will tell . S thing a ut the st ries stirs

oo m . o my bl d . It gets under y skin I easily resp nd

i mo . t N ot o . t to . bj ectively, perhaps But a spherically The half Jew in me gives me a half look into Jewish h me om to a re istory and life . Makes half c petent pp o me o o hend Jewish tragedy. Inv lves pr f undly in

Jewish humor and Jewish prophecy. I have read these stories as if they were portrayals of my own m M o m o to e . experience . N thing in the is f reign y ’ m h im father s people never had uch to do with . They do ne ver h ad anything to do with me . I not even d v kn ow where they are . Recently by accident I isco

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44 HORACE TRAUBEL

I bo . two veins of being unite in me . feel either and th I St om b o to me be read . Th as as if it el nged and I o it Zan will b o l nged to . And I can read g as if I el nged t i o o f two o h m and he belonged to me . Th se halves m o om am things in me ake a wh le o f s ething . What I ? n m me The half Jew cant a e . The half Christian m a m cant na e me . What When Horace Traubel came into the world the United States wa s being divided by hostile opinion mo over the questi on o f human slavery. The st furious revolutio n that had ye t smothered any nation was being preach ed in the land . Although he had n o o o o f it o m rec llecti n , his baby eyes saw s ldiers arch away to save the Union and destroy with fi re and steel ’ the Southern claim to barter and sell the Negro s fle sh and spirit . o wa s h o H race a s y and puny youngster. Neighb rs ” o o m mo wo n ot ften t ld y ther , he said , that she uld m o b m fi rst raise e . Religi us li erty ca e in the educa o f m tion of the children . Several the attended a n oo o o Su day sch l , and later , when the lder nes seceded , and fiou te d the younger sister because she remained “ : o faithful , the father decisively said Let her al ne m wo f ou t or . children . She ust rk things herself That r n f s “ m is the only way f or a y o u . e ust have free ” m w om of wa s m do . The isd the father anifested o n another occasion when the group o f boys were h i wrangling as to w o should f rst read a desired book .

N o mine o r thine in this house the father declared . m to o o o . Fr ldest y ungest , each in his turn That is the way This was the la w of the Traubel home all

' Re ie w of Israe l Zan will s Gh e t o C ome die s Th Con v g t , e or r se rvat , O ctob e , 191 1 .

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o fi n thr ugh life . We d Horace spending all o f his spare moments reading everything he could lay his

on . om o w hands His greatest c pani ns ere his books . o wa s ou t of m Bef re he his teens he had head E erson , m In f Spencer, Carlyle , Ruskin and Whit an . spite o his wide range of reading Traubel always advised oo against what he called b kishness . Even in those early days he entertained n o regard f or books merely boo m m as ks , but he revered the as oving and com a ritiv e o f p rec rds o life and thought. This learning wa s supplemented by his education acquired in his om m h e in which artists , usicians , thinkers and workers o f o m w th e o o f all rders ca e and ent, each exp under

some live question of the day . Maurice Traubel wan ted Ho race to become a por wo of o trait painter, but it is rthy n te that children om w m rarely bec e hat their parents design the to b e . om H orace did a little crayon work . I have seen s e specimens of his ef f orts in this line and they prove the ’ H e boy s natural bent f or brush work . attended the m wa s old public schools in Ca den until he twelve years , m w caring f or a newspaper route ean hile . After leav w o wo ing school he continued his ne spaper r ute , rked as wh o an errand b oy and helped his father , later , kept a b w r o . o stationery st re H race Trau el , after ard se ved as ’ a printer s devil in a Camden printery. Next we find h im as a comp ositor in the plant of the Camden N e w

b b o . wo Repu lic, edited y Harry B nsall This rk was o o o so too staid and orthodox to l ng h ld his attenti n, he m o went over to th e Ca den Evening Visit r, where oo o o mo he set type , read pr fs , wr te edit rials and did st o l m m d of the local reporting. It sh u d be re e bere that Traubel was taking a post- graduate course in the most

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 46 HORACE TRAUB EL approved school o f j ournalism which produced such ow o m o ren ned j urnalists as Benj a in Franklin , H race o o fi u re s Greeley, Charles Dana , and ther n table g in the m fi l early A erican newspaper e d. The course pursued by Traubel in newspaper w ork is n ow almost obsolete and unobtainable in American cities where the daily production o f newspapers de pends almost entirely up on specialty workers from wh editorial writers to the boys o pull the proofs . But o o m o it is als a fact that t day the anaging edit rs , o w w o o to do edit rial riters , ne s edit rs and ther having with the directing end of big dailies are in most in stances me n wh o have had an all - round training in w o b ne spaper w rk such as Trau el acquired . In o to m additi n this training, Traubel beca e an ac complished lithographer and n ot infrequently he would flaws o o o fin detect in half t nes and c l red prints . We d him in turn factory paymaster and bank clerk in Phila w b w . e It delphia Here see Trau el the age earner . was his delight to tell h ow he w orked f or wages f or

- H o o thirty four years . e had a w rking kn wledge of the industrial and social evils which he attacked . His hatred of the past black slavery in th e S outh was n o more intense than wa s h is loathing of the present H e saw social inequalities . clearly the inj ustices under which workmen toiled in the factory o f which he was n h i paymaster . Later o s eyes were opened to the wh o o o on chicanery of bankers , gl rify and gr w fat the H o om o f rofit . ec n ic evil rent , interest and p e talked w o n ot om o o m and r te fr his the ries nly , but fro per H e o fi rst to m om sonal experience . str ve free hi self fr short pay and l ong hours that threatened to sap his vigor and warp his spirit B ouck White says that

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® EARLY DAYS 47

Christ fi rst revolted against the economic thraldom in which he found himself unable to make a decent liv ing at his carpenter trade before he decided to lay aside his tools to preach the most revolutionary o m pr paganda of all ti e . It wa s n ot until he wa s thrown into j ail in 1 895 f or his activity in the Ameri l w o can Rail ay Uni n strike that Eugene V . Deb s rea liz e d h ow imp ossible it was to secure the industrial om o f o o freed railr ad w rkers , whose cause he cham o o pi ned , until the entire lab ring classes o f the United om States had achieved their liberty fr wage slavery. ow m o m That kn ledge ade Debs a S cialist . Willia M orris reali z ed that to free art the artsman must also be free ; that to accomplish good craftsmanship the craftsman must receive the full product of his o fin d m M o lab r . Hence , we in Willia rris , the artist

m o b o . and writer , Willia M rris , the Socialist and li erat r So w o om of , when it da ned up n Traubel that the freed the collectivity meant also the freedom of the indi o to vidual , he discarded his anarchistic the ries free o m o o o o the w rk an , and ad pted the S cialist phil s phy that he might contribute his share towards the e man ci m pa tion of the w orkers of the world . In freeing the m freeing hi self . ’ There wa s only one period in T rau be l s life when o f o m o he regretted his lack f r al c llege training, and m that wa s prior to his marriage . The incident is ade “ note o f in his second volume o f With Walt Whit ” man m o o s to m : In Ca den , as f ll w I said Whit an ’ I used to regret that I missed going to college . You regret it no longer ? ’ I see n ow that I wa s in luck . You m You e in . Good f or you . w re luck ade a

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 48 HORACE TRAUBEL

F or t provide ntial escape . a fellow wi h your rebel w h t t a o f o independence, it your abili y o take c re y ur Self with your almost nasty resolution to go your

m m f b w n be a onster ounta in o obstruction . As et ee

o i n of da f o s rt the quick every y li e , the life c urse CHAPTER V

THE M A N I N THE M AK ING H E eighties and nineties were full years f or b H Trau el . e had lo st himself in the wo rld o m man and f und hi self in . His scattered ideas had taken root in the soil o f coherent ph iloso h p y. Having learned the lesso n o f what was he be gan to write his message o f what ought to be . I n 1 89 1 m M on t ome rie he arried Anne g , — a wom o f b o o an r ad visi n and intellect . One o ob b cann t help but feel enn led y her presence . Her name stood as associate editor o f The Co nservator

. Two w b o t o m until the last children ere rn the ,

n M-rs A lh lm ow . a o wh o Gertrude , , and Wallace, died

o f fi v e . wh o at the age years The daughter, sprung om o of o fr this f untain intellect and l ve , is a talented m i . o b oo us cian Alth ugh she never attended pu lic sch l , at the age of twelve years she had read more and m o thought ore than the average high sch ol graduate . She has her own ideas on all subjects and frequently to ok issue with her fathe r on some matter of uni m o f versal interest . When but a ere slip a girl she ’ staid awake on e night until two o clock until her father came home to get the news from Russia . ” Did the Czar hear the people ? she called to h im from the top o f the stairs . ” N o o o m , answered her father, the s ldiers sh t the ” n ot o m down . There was an ther child in A erica that night more moved by the s orrows o f a people far away. 49

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 50 HORACE TRAUB EL

m o m m The fa ily, when t gether , ade their ho e in m f f m two o Ca den, living at di erent ti es in little st ry om b 200 Elm brick houses, their latest d icile eing at Street which is but a f e w minutes walk to th e ferries to Philadelphia . During the nineties Traubel held a clerical p osition F m on ow in the ar ers and Mechanics Bank , l er Chest in w o f or w nut Street, Philadelphia , r te ne spapers and z mom maga ines during his spare ents, and edited and managed The Conservator which he established in Of fi cials of wa s 1 890. the bank learned that Traubel the exp onent of certain fundamental principles which they construed as hostile to the interests which they

represented . I m never talked y ideas in the bank , Traubel said ,

f o m o but when asked r y opini n I gave it frankly. m m ” H e declared he knew he wa s a arked an . There wa s n ot the remotest connection between his duties and to his beliefs , hence it is quite easy discern the dis

cordant note . In order to avoid p ossible criticism resulting from b o f of fi discharging Trau el because his radical ideas , cers o f the bank resurrected an old rule and applied it to h im ; it wa s that n o employee of the bank was al

l owed to conduct an outside business . This referred

to Traubel editing and publishing The Conservator . He wa s given the alternative o f retaining his position b b o o or y a and ning his literary w rk , keeping the latter

H o t o o o o . and losing his p osition . e ch se l se his p siti n There are many employers wh o n ot only demand the ’ o f m o m o f or best the e pl yes ti e and lab r, which they a m wh o o p y s all and unfair wages , but als strive to

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52 HORACE TRAUB EL

One day as he and I were passing the hall Traubel gripped my a rm and exclaimed ' Man y a time I used to come ou t here and sit on the curb when the maj ority o m appeale d from my decisions . Then they w uld beco e so interl ocked in argu ment that they wo uld fin ally send ou t a committee to wait upon me on the curb and ask ” n o o me to return to the chair . A yb dy c uld walk in from the street and throw his hat in the ring o f intel c w le tual debate . The atheist vied ith the the ologian f or floor th e o the , while anarchist and S cialist were

o o i n o om o z . h pelessly deadl cked ec n ic the ri ing This , and othe r similar expe riences were n ot lo st upon h im o o Traubel . They taught less ns un btainable in an y H z wo school . e began to reali e that the rst w oes were n ot the material and spiritual p overty that abounded o b e o f o o mo in the w rld , but rather an a s nce c hesi n a ng radicals to lift the heavy and unequal burdens from m of me n wom the backs and inds , en and children m m m trapped in the hu an aelstro . fi rst o f o o 1 890 In the issue The C nservat r, March , , we disce rn the seed of h is youthful z eal and intellectual o w o f fie rce b o vig r, hich , after many years struggle , l s some d into the fruit of his mature wisdom and spir

itu al o . In firs m o visi n that t nu ber under the capti n , Greeting he stated the initial purpose o f the paper : The Conservator originated in the conviction o f a group o f me mbers o f the Ethical Society that the dif f erent Libe ral S ocieties of this section (as o f all o o to o mo o f m o secti ns ) , ught kn w re the inti ate s cial o f o m and spiritual life each ther than circu stances , if n ot w o now m k un ise inclinati ns , a e possible . This o o to o kn wledge , it was argued , w uld lead a recogn iti n of those things held in common — those ethical veri

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um m w ties, those h anitarian i pulses, hich defer to none but universal ends . n ot It is pretended that this idea, especially at the o b e e mbo utset, can perf ctly e died . Philadelphia has an d o t Unitarian , Hebrew Ethical S cie ies , all wo rking m in si ilar lines . Heretof ore those have been as stran g to th o ers one e ther . The Conservato r will a im to glimpse in each such cardinal utterances and occur e n ce s o o m n as will , br ught t gether, ensure utual b e e fits. The record o f the daily life o f these societies — f or e m of xa ple , studies pursued , charities furthered, whether by platform representatives o r the layman ry so f r o r o . o o is ught p eservati n M re ver, we design to make this a means of brief communicati on between the o ethical s cieties at large , which at present have no o f o s frequent channel interc ur e . “ Our n ecessary immediate purpose is o f course ‘ ’ o m l cal . But it is deter ined that this wo rd lo cal n ot ow o o ou r w ow shall narr the sc pe f o rk . H ever o th e fie ld i to l cal , we shall keep the sp rit universal o methods . N t less than Thoreau at Walden shall we spiritually realize a ll climes and seasons here at ou r o Ch ie fl o to o to d ors . y, the intenti n is , give a v ice the o c an d to o to v i eless, in a sense give a united v ice mm Liberalism as variously spoken f or in this co unity. n m f f o . Whatever the di erences , the unities are ma y re

The Conservator is n ot an organ . It keeps itself fre e to welcome all the broader tendencies and ethical

o i n o o o . It o in gr wths, rth d x life as in radical h pes o to m to the c urse o f its career have uch, indeed, tell o f what the orthodoxy of Philadelphia may be doing n o o ome to enlarge the vision of ma . Alth ugh the utc o f the labo r o f memb ers of the Philadelphia Ethical o it i n ot o f t e S ciety, s the organ tha soci ty, but, in the

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 54 HORACE TRAUB EL

m o f o o it o om drea those c ntr lling , the br adest welc er o f f o o o and chr nicler of e rts , h wever partial, t wards B of ou r m richer moral p ossessions . y right na e we w o come into limitless o nerships . Experience al ne can u r show if we justify o heritage . o r o Thus The C nse vator was launched . In th se early o f t years its life it adhered o its original purpose . But late r on cliques and cults began to sprout from th o w m e parent s cieties hose cause the paper cha pi oned . D ifif e re nt groups had dif f erent opinions and propa ganda which they thought shou ld be aired in The C on se r a o to n e u m o of f v tor . Fav r o cliq e eant c urting ense om o o l o wa s fr an ther gr up , and again intel ectual disc rd b rought into play until Traubel threw down the gaunt to o wh o o to o ro let th se s ught c nt l his pen , gathered his ideals together and planted them firmly in The o o b e r C nservat r, which he afterward pu lished as his p o f o s nal vehicle o expressi n . Alth ough the business end o f the paper had at vari o u s m o b ti es been c nducted y other willing hands , o Traubel not once, in the thirty years of The C nser ’ v ator s h m life, surrendered t e editorship even te po r o arily. Alth ugh the January number sometimes an d m appeared in April , the June nu ber in August , ’ ’ o m f or I m m Traubel said , It d esn t atter, so uch ahead of th e age that a few months makes n o dif f er ence . There is n o person wh o could co ntinue his m or o o i . edit ial wo rk . N ne w uld atte pt t The paper was mostly all Traubel and was built around and re fle cte d o re fle cte d his pers nality. It the optimism of h is o m r th e o f s ul , ir ored hopes the Oppressed , chal en o h o o o m o l ged th se w sat up n thr nes , cha pi ned the o s o f th e an d e o to o t iler earth , gav v ice the v iceless .

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H e n ot mo or did ralize sermonize . With h im m n ot o . de ocracy was a cl ak It was a faith . “ ” am o ot om All that I and have , he nce said , I g fr ” o . It o b o the pe ple all g es ack t them. His poems and o om w pr se pieces were inspired s e here, at sometime o o n thr ugh his daily c ntact with people . They were ot m . m t mo anufactured They were hu an tes i nies . H e once told me o f a talk he had with an Englishman wh o had been in the trenches in France at the outbreak o f o a r the Eur p ean w . We were within three feet o f ” m shaking hands , said the English an in telling h ow o to m cl se the British were the Ger ans . Traubel caught the fundamental sign ifican ce of the English ’ man s phrase and wrote a word Collect in The Conservato r on We Were Within Thre e Feet o f Shaking Hands H e did n ot write to fill so man y on H e o lines so many pages . wr te to throw so many

' m o so so m o f sunbea s int many hearts, and many ge s n n tho ught into so ma y minds of me . Many o f the daily incidents o f life which othe rs consider trite o r o f slight consequence contained a certain sign ifican ce to

b . H ob Trau el e observed the un served . We have o o on mm ridden in pen tr lley cars su er evenings , a a o o m decade g , when he w uld suddenly direct y atten tion to nocturnal pictures painted by the moon and h im stars on the canvas of night . We have seen strug to b b e gling keep ack urning t ars as he passed a gaunt, fi u r of man starving g e a , and the next instant he would empty his p ockets in the hands of the unfortunate and curse the social system that took n o better care of its children . An ide a in the mind is as much a revolution as a o n ot o o r seed in the ground . Pe ple are rev luti na y until m an d o they think revolution . Platfor s res lutions

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 56 HORACE TRAUB EL without purpose and action are as wo rthless as a loco m o re otive with ut steam and wheels . The is inj ustice in the w orld n ot because most people do n ot want b o o m o justice, but ecause only the vig r us in rities battle oo — o th e f or justice . There are j ails and p r h uses in w orld n ot because people would n ot rather have their b o o om be r thers and sisters in h spitals and h es , but cause it appears to be more convenie nt to society to punish the erring and penaliz e the pauper than to remove the impulse o f e rror and ab olish the cause of poverty. m Traubel rarely dealt in the abstract . His ind did n ot o travel in circles . His chart of life c ntained to of w m straight lines the earthly peace hich he drea ed , and in h is course he answe red apologetic negation with b af firma tion H e n o o rutal . never said when he c uld

a b w omm . s y ye s. Trau el had al ays been a c unist The H e Russian B olsheviki revolution stirred h im deeply. could see bu t little good in a j ust p olitical govern ment o r in a fair industrial s ociety unless people were drawn t o H e b e o each other in happy acc rd . expressed the lief o f the Socialist when he said that a co- ope rative commonwealth w ould identify the individual . Yet a ' S ocialist administration o f p olitical or industrial afi airs would have be en irksome and intolerable to h im if its conduct ob scured the identity or throttled the ex pres om r u sion o f those wh it mea nt to se ve . Traubel arg ed that the only remedy f or this possibility was in the b m o f omm or co—o admin is esta lish ent c unity, perative , tration o f such affairs as e f f ect the welfare and needs o H e o o f the pe ple . was a S cialist because he wanted o H w s o o society th e people to g vern . e a in th r ugh He was accord with the Soviet government of Russia . o b w m suspicious f ar itrary rulers in hatever for , and

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® THE MAN IN THE MAKING 57 h ad faith in th e ability of the governed to govern m o the selves . Traubel went bey nd the S ocialist politi

. H e o n or o n ot cal orthodoxy c uld, w uld , harness his t an on e o m r o philosophy of life o y pr gra o platf rm. o m an d o m m Pr gra s platf r s i ply restraint . Traubel was t o n ot wh was a curren that c uld be restrained . Then y he a Socialist ? Because he held that that o rganization was the only one which was democratically controlled and which was sincerely working through political channels to abolish industrial and economic ine qual

- . Th e or o or ities thod x, Marxian Socialist adheres tenaciously to a material program and holds firmly to ” t was the material conception o f history. Tha o H e re where Traubel br ke away and went beyond . fused to believe that everything we take an emotional H e n ot joy in is illusion . was a spiritualist who did lose sight o f the fa ct that material wrongs can be n ot righted through material channels . I do wish to con vey th e impression that all Socialists are fie rce

t M n o . mater ialis s . a y have quite c ntrary beliefs But it appears to be patent that be cause of the fi erce and sordid economic struggle f or existence and the dis covered treachery and hypocrisy of many religious m o of o e f or a re creeds , illi ns c ntestants in the battl life

pinning their faith to material deliverance .

“ Traubel conte nded f or the larger aspects of the labor m the o f move ent . I f struggle the working class hinged entirely upon th e bread and butter question it might not be so furiously combatted by those who hold rrific tt the keys to the social storeho uses . I f the te ba le of th e worker resulted altogether from small wages and long hou rs his figh t might possibly be made less m s intense by the ruling class . The industrial aster do not want to starve their workers f or they quite clearly

Digitiz e d by Micros oft® 58 HORACE TRAUB EL realize that an empty stomach makes a man an in ef fi m mo m cient work an . The derately fed are ore indus trially productive than the underfed . But the grant ing o f more wages and the lessening of the hours o f labor presents an o pportunity to the w orkman to read o and to think and increases his s cial vision . That is more dangerous to the ruling class than increased wages . When the workman gets up o ff his knees he is as m e tall and as erect as his ast r. As the serf approaches o ow o f the thr ne the cr n his king becomes less dazzling. An imitation diamond flash e s most when you stand om it ou m away fr , but if y exa ine it closely it loses ’ much of its brilliance . The flash of the master s acquire d power is blinding to the workman because he m i stands away fro t . But if given a chance to enlarge ’ his vision he will soon see that his master s power is H ephemeral and deceptive . e will strive either to ’ m o or o usurp his aster s thr ne ab lish it. The spiritual mo m n o or aspect of the labor ve ent is the desire , t f mo or o o re wages only, but f pp rtunity in which to reach ou t f or fin e r o o in quest p ssessi ns and richer truths . The te rrific industrial struggle may account for the m o n ot o aterialistic doctrine , but it d es all w for the n equally intense ethical and i tellectual discontent .

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60 HORACE TRAUB EL path and listened to the turmoil that Le aves o f Gras s created . Although Camden did n ot open her arms to receive h im wa s mm w om o b , he i ediately elc ed int the Trau el ’ om Tra e l h e . ub s father had read his message and mo m o it . o ind rsed What is re, he ind rsed Whit an , the man o m m fif t . H race was at that ti e a ere lad o f e e n H o years . e opened his b yish heart to Walt and took h im in o o . , giving the p et his truest , purest l ve Years w b o b m man m later, hen the y eca e a , Whit an referred to their fi rst meetings . Traubel records the conversa tion in his third volume o f With Walt Whitman I n Camden o ou m b o : we m t H race, y were a ere y then e ’ don t you remember ? N ot so o ften as n ow — n ot so intimately : b ut I remember you so well : you were so m so s o of o . sli , upright, s rt electrically buoyant You were like medicine to me — better than medicine : ’ o ou o ? o on d n t y recall th se days d wn Stevens street , ou t o t th ? Yo wo om fr nt here , under e trees u uld c e o o b e : wo o u r al ng, I w uld sitting there we uld have ! o chats . Oh y u were reading then like a fie n d : you w w me b o o e oo ere al ays telling a ut y ur ndless b ks , oo : o ou oo ou t f or boo ! b ks I w uld have warned y , l k ks had I n ot seen tha t you were go ing straight n ot ’ oo e mo o cr ked that you w re safe a ng b oks . I asked h im : Well Walt — do you still think I ’ go straight — that I am safe ? ‘ ’ H e t m on m pat ed e the head . You ve gone fro ’ good to better right al ong : it d have to be a damned o Wh o to oo ou . o m crazy b k f l y y, H race , I tre ble in my boot s f or Leaves of Grass every time I see you open your eye s ! o u m m I said Walt, d yo re e ber the day you buried

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® WITH WALT WHITMAN 61 little Walter ? H ow we me t — walked a bit : h ow we had a little chat : h ow you took the car at Fifth stree t — at Stev ens there : h ow we me t again an hour or so later on the boat ? I loo k b ack and see it all ou d : o o me oo y sai H race, it d es g d this air does me goo d : sort o f makes me whole again after what I have ’ o gone thr ugh today.

W . v f or was ery quiet a while . I w ondered if he m m m re embered eeting e that day . Finally he stirred around on th e bed and exclaimed : Yes ! n ow I do remember it : n ot all the de tails you mention b u t the circumstance : and I remember what maybe you have f orgotten : that on the boat you b ought some wild flow ers from an old nigger mammy wh o had been all day trying to sell them in the city and was going home dispirited : you bought her flowe rs and handed them m m ? o of to me . D o you re e ber that When he sp ke

mo . it W . , ye s. was palpably ved At another time Traubel que stioned Whitman “ Just h ow do you suppose it came about — this ’ o o ? relat i n of urs Walt , after a pause said quietly ’ I om b o o . t didn t c e a ut, H race I think it always ’ was . ’ I n an introduction to the Everyman s Library edi o f 19 12 b w o tion o f Leaves Grass , ( ) Trau el r te Eve rybody found some reason f or discrediting to m mot o Whitman . They went y her and pr tested ’ against my association with the lecherous old man They wondered if it was safe to invite h im into their

o w mo o f o . h uses . I gre up in that at sphere suspici n

i an . I got accustome d to thinking of h m as outlaw ” But I had n o doubts o f h im. ’ Trau be l s absolute belief and con fide n ce in Whitman ’ e ndured through all the years of Whitman s declining

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26 1892 e m life, until he died March , , in the littl fra e

N 328 e . dwelling at o . Mickl street b m om o Trau el saw Whit an s e part f each day . As fle d old o mo b the years and the p et grew re fee le, ’ Trau b H e to e l s vigilance increased . catered Whit ’ H man s needs in a hundred dif f erent ways . e would bring Old Walt such papers an d magazines as he knew m o h i . H e n ot w uld interest ran his errands, in the ’ f o f o T raub l sense o bedience but in the spirit o l ve . e s excellent training in a printing of fice qu alifie d h im to assume th e details and responsibilities connected with the printing and publishing o f th e later editions o f ’ m o m fir st to r o n Whit an s bo ks . Whit an was the ec g ize ’ “ f or in o n e of Tra ube l s o o f om this , c pies C plete ” Poems an d Prose Whitman wrote the f ol lowing inscription : To o om o H race Traubel fr his friend the auth r , m m o Walt Whit an , and y deepest heartfelt thanks g T o — i with it to H . . in getting this b ok out t is his ’ book in a sense f or I have been closely imprison d prostrated all the time (June to December 1888) by H r T . m f o sickness disability . has anaged it all

me w oo . ith copy , pr fs , printing, binding, etc The ’ o m o m o or V lu e, especially N ve ber B ughs and p o n ot n ow orm re traits , c uld be existing, f ulated as he , o o r except thr , his faithful l ving kindness indust y, m m daily, uninter itted , unre unerated

W . . W De c. 1 888.

Ca m n . de , New Jersey In the third volume of With Walt Wh itman In Camden Traube l says I told h im h ow good I fe lt over his inscripti on in ‘ ’ th bi o . ou e e my copy of e g b ok Ah l y lik it ? Y s.

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So do I l — and what a trifle it is l — the expression of o o — o mo : in an bligati n n thing re fact, the obliga ’ on n ot n ti half said ot at all said . I put in : I did n ot accept it in that way : I took m ’ ‘ ca e ra d . : ! h m it in the o spirit W. then Ah ow uch b can etter that is . Such a debt never be paid f or in m ’ o o o . ney, in c nfessi ns On 28 1888 to Wednesday, March , , Traubel began o rec rd the daily conversations he had with Whitman . o om om o b N thing was itted fr the rec rd . Trau el had set down a small part o f this record in three massive m m o f or o b v olu es . There is aterial en ugh p ssi ly seven m oo others . Whit an underst d and trusted Traubel quite as much as Traubel understood and believed in m Whit an . ’ m h im : It o be o Once Whit an said to w n t l ng, and I will be dead and gone ; then they will hale you into court — put you in the witness box — ply you with questions — try to mix you up with questions ; this Walt Whitman — this scamp p oet — this arch pretender What do you make h im ou t to be ? And you will have to answer — and be sure you answer o so ou h nest, help y God Traubel says that Whitman was always willing that he should take along with h im th e scraps of things w which he started to throw a ay. Traubel rescued many prescious scraps from the wood box in Whit ’ n ot m n man s room. It is likely that Whit a threw away much valuable data about himself and his peri od for Traubel was always cautioning h im to be less reck m mo less in such matters . Whit an hu red Traubel in this and frequently gave h is future biographer letters of m o and portraits , pieces his own anuscripts and ther

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 64 HORACE TRAU B EL documents which Traubel put away with th e record m o f the conversation relating to such aterial . Whit man did n ot know that Traubel wa s keeping such a o o wo of rec rd , but he knew that H race uld write their In m m o . o co experiences t gether fact , Whit an ften m o h im so do on m 25 1888 issi ned to , as Dece ber , , ( third volume) I ou om da to w to o me : want y s e y rite , talk ab ut to tell what I mean by Calamus : to make n o fuss but to speak ou t o f your knowledge : these letters will help you : they will clear up some things which have been m ’ isunderstood : you know what : I don t need to say. o so o so to o s The w rld is t psy turvy, afraid l ve , o afraid to mo so oo so so oo de nstrate, g d , respectable , al f , that w two o or mo o wh o a hen it sees pe ple re pe ple re lly, o f or o sa so greatly, wh lly care each ther and y when they see such people they wonder and are incredulous

" or o or m o om suspici us defa at ry, j ust as if they had s e h m f H ow been the victi s o an outrage . e paused . : F or i an mo o w m n Then nstance , y de nstrati n bet een e a ny : it is always misjudged : people come to con e lusions about it : they know nothing : there is nothing to be known : ye t they shake their wise heads they m o : ow w n ot eet, g ssip , generate slander they kn hat is to be known they see what is n ot to be seen : so they n fid o : old co e in each ther , tell the awful truth the wom me n old me n om en , the w en , the guessers , the

— false - witnesses the whole caboodle o f liars and ” fools . ’ I said to W : That s eloquent enough f or Con ’ f r b gress and true enough o the Bi le . “ ‘ H e shook his fi st at me : What do you k now ? about either , anyhow

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At another time Whitman said to Traubel : You will be speaking of me many a time after I a m do n ot be to or dead ; afraid tell the truth, good f or or o b bad , against nly e afraid n ot to tell the ” b truth . Trau el replied : I promise n ot to send you ’ ” o o w o m o d wn in hist ry earing an ther an s cl thes . “ ’ Whitman nodded and said fervently ! That s all I o o mo m c uld ask , H race The nu ental record in three volumes n ow before the public are proof o f h ow faith b om m fully Trau el kept his pr ise . Whit an always H evaded the questioner . e hated to be prodded into I n o action . everything he did he pr ceeded with the con fide n ce that he had all the time in the world t o b h im In necessary achieve the task efore . speaking o f m w this trait in Whit an , Traubel said that hen he desired an immediate decisi on from Walt concerning o m o f or h im m w rk which he ight be d ing at the ti e , wo m o or he uld tell Whit an that he had d ne this that , knowing that to have done thus or so would be against ’ m Whitman s wishes . Whit an would then explode with : What the hell did you do that f or ? I wanted ” this wa w w it done y, explaining exactly hat he anted b o e done . Trau el w uld th n assure Old Walt that o a w e nothing had been d ne gainst his ish s, that he simply wanted to k n ow ~ wh a t Whitman did want h im

to do .

’ o o on e of Horace , I do believe y u re the nly the o o f of wh o w to me fell ws all , all , is illing let do as

' I ple a se . ’ n o w w ou That s t because I al ays agree ith y , Trau “ m w : bel replied . Whit an laughed , and ans ered I o ow ou e ou kn w, I kn , but y never int rfere , y never push in ou me b , y never take y the neck and shake the life

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 66 HORACE TRAUB EL ou t o f me f or disagreeing with you about the use of omm or z f m o r o of c as , the si es o the argins , the col rs ” A o m muslins on the backs o f books . t an ther ti e Whitman con fide d to Traubel thus : o ce ou o o o o H ra , y are the nly pers n in the w rld wh se o m be te n oir questi ons I tolerate . ! uesti ns are y ; even ou m m ou tr me w o y at ti es , da n y , y , but I ans er y ur questions because you seem to have a superior right to m m an on e a o . ask the , if y has , which y be d ubted

Cross - examinations are n ot in the terms o f ou r con ou om m me o tract, but y do certainly s eti es put thr ugh ” ! . ow the fire in great shape . Walt laughed Then N You o ou h ow m o ou . H race , y see uch I l ve y have ex You m me ou torte d my last secret. have ade tell y why you are an exceptio nal person ; you have forced f ” from me an avowal o f a fection . Traubel wa s writing his own thoughts while under the in flu e n ce of Whitman . One evening in the eighties Walt said to h im : I a m watching your pieces as they appear in the m z m ou on papers and aga ines, reading the all y are the ’ — o m m right track y u will get so ewhere . I do n t see to a n to ou : have y advice give y except , perhaps , this B m B e be . e oo natural , be natural , natural a da ned f l , ’ b e ou m it o wise if y ust ( can t help ) , be anything, nly mo a n w wh o to be natural . Al st y riter is willing be himself will amount to something — because we all mo to om to o m a unt s ething, ab ut the sa e thing at o mo w om the roots . The tr uble stly is that riters bec e writers and cease to be me n ; writers re fle ct writers ; re fle ct w m n w writers again riters , until the a is orn Yo m o o . u to w to o thin , w rn thr ugh see ant be h nest ’ ’ I m o with yourself . sure I c uldn t think of a better ” thing f or anyone .

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68 HORACE TRAUB EL

H e o n ot h o man was talking about . c uld ave d ne the work at all had he n ot p ossessed a wide knowledge of

F dim- writers and literature . requently, in the lighted room Traubel would be able to make hurried notes d At o m while the conversation flowe . ther ti es this ’ T r u be l m n o . a s could ot be d ne Again , retentive ind and an almost perfect memory enabled h im to put down on paper the entire conversati on immediately ’ m om after he left Whit an s presence each day . S e times his notes were written on the ferry boat going to o o o f o f Philadelphia . I treasure the p ssessi n several o o of o o w m these riginal n tes c nversati ns ith Whit an, and they appear in his books exactly as they were w a o ritten thirty years g . In 1 906 appeared the fi rst v olume of With Walt m m o 1909 Whit an in Ca den . The sec nd appeared in , 1 1 w oo c the third in 9 4. In revie ing these b ks ritics “ m w ” have called Traubel the A erican B os ell . One critic called th e Whitman books the most truthful ” biography in the language . ’ In 1 893 m 5 , a year after Whit an death , Traubel had i n o o m In R e a large share editing the quart v lu e , m o f w m m Walt Whit an , a cluster ritten atter ade up to include several articles much esteemed by Whit man o o f o o as interpretati ns his hist ry, and ther — b o o l pieces a stract , descriptive , anecd tal , bi graphica , o o m o of statistical and p etical This v lu e , the edit rs ’ w m o hich were Whit an s literary execut rs , Traubel ,

a m B . Richard M urice Bucke , deceased, and Tho as o o on e o Harned , had a restricted circulati n , nly th u mb o b sand nu ered c pies being pu lished . ’ The universality of T rau be l s fame as Walt Whit ’ man s biographe r is acknowledged even by those wh o

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® WITH WALT WHITMAN 69 deny h im his own right to the title o f poet and o r pr phet. Had T au be l n ot written a single line outside o f his Whitma n books he would still be accorded high rank in literature . One critic said that no complete life of Whitman can be writte n until Traubel had pu b ’ “ lish e d his full record o f With Walt Whitman In ” m me . two n oo o Ca den The st d t gether, in life as in mmo m w i rtality. Their na es ill be as inseparable in his ’ o t th e f m t ry as hey were in sunset o Whit an s life . ’ e t rau be l s m o And y , as great as T Whit an bo ks are , an d in spite o f the claim o f the critics that he has ou t ’ B oswe lle d o w T r u b e l s own o B s ell , a pers nal w ork de o o him serves the higher c nsiderati n , and entitles to a m o o f da f aj r place in the letters his y and o the future . It should be remembered that Traubel wrote the ’ o a or on e it m bi gr phy, , as critic has called , Whit an s u o o o o mo o f nc nsci us aut bi graphy, re than a score a In m o om f years go . recent years he erely c pied s e o o m o b his n tes and put the int ooks . ’ Since Whitman s death Traubel wrote his own me s m sage to the w orld . Were Whit an alive he w ould probably be the first to accord Traubel a high rank An m as poet and prophet . increasing nu ber of per b o sons are insisting that Traubel , the i grapher, shall o f o not usurp the place Traubel , the p et . The Whit ’ man books were only an incidental part of Trau bel s ’ o f o r m o a tre w rk . O c u se Whit an s pers nality had ’ Tr a b l mendon s in flu e n ce up on n e s life . But we shall see that Traubel wrote ou t o f his own soul and contact f with life and a fairs . w Whi tman was to Traubel hat the sun, the rain and the b d of wind are to the earth . Trau el , the earth , absorbe all ’ m m ou t o f T rau be l s own o Whit an , the ele ents ; and s ul

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 70 HORACE TRAUB EL and brain grew the perfect fruit in the f orm o f what a devoted and discriminative minority believe are among the most classical and democratic poems and short monographs in the language . Traubel never on e o h im appraised his own w ork . When t ld he had o m or written a good p e essay he turned his searching, “ inquiring eyes up on h im and asked : D o you think so m n o m m f or h im Like Whit an , Traubel did t ake clai s

H wa s m m f or ow . self . e too busy aking clai s the cr d I have caught h im in moments of deep reverie when he appeared to be doubtful if his writing was worth the f f o o b m o e rt, but he never d u ted if his essage was w rth I the e tI ort of the writing . n the latter he never fal I o w m te re d ; never pulled in the lines . g here y heart ” o o goes, he said . That is the best reas n Traubel w uld m m b give anyone f or his writing and his ove ents . Trau el ’ H e oc never got in Whitman s way. never bl ked the ’ current o f Walt s democratic and prophetic message . H e declared Leaves o f Grass was the greatest book — - the Bible of the cosmos and that Whitman wa s ’ i ifi fi r m the most s gn can t gu e in literature . Whit an s ’ o wa w rau be l s o spirit travelled a l ng y ith T s ul . Traubel had in a sense popularized Whitman . Also people have o o became more searching . Thr ugh all the l ng years o f fie rce struggle and adversity in his own career Trau ‘ bel never let N h itman down . H e was the constant o m o and invisible f rce behind the Whit an pr paganda , insisting always upon recognition f or the Bard of m Ca den . M a 31 f h Each year, on y , the anniversary o t e birth o f Walt Whitman is celebrated by his friends and admirers wh o constitute the Walt Whitman Fellow f o o . ship , Internati nal , which Traubel was secretary

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The biggest event was always held in New York City o B re o r f or at the H tel v o t . Traubel quietly arranged m b these gatherings each year . Speeches were ade y om o o o pr inent pers ns , and it was n tew rthy that Trau sa It o o bel had the least to y. was a celebrati n f Whit an m m . Traubel kept in the background busying hi self with details that fall upon the chairman of an enter ta in me n t omm o m w c ittee . Th se Whit an gatherings ere o m f b th inf r al a fairs , each cele rant having e privilege m In o to say his say after the progra . the f rum Trau m f bel so etimes said a few w ords . In spite o his illness in the Spring o f 1 9 1 4 which prevented him from being o present at the celebrati n , Traubel arranged the details wa s fi rst m from his sick bed . That the ti e the Whit man ite s had occasion to realiz e the unostentati ous w om o of man p o er that radiated fr the pers nality the , wh o f or twenty- six consecutive years had made the ’ T rau be l s b o celebrations p ossible . a sence pr ved the o o o strength of his presence . I t ld H race that R se Karsner and myself had arranged with a mixed group

w - o f freethinkers at Arden , Dela are , a single tax f or m b o colony, a Whit an anniversary cele rati n , dur ing which we planted a sprig o f lilac in memory o f the wh o wa s con v ale sc poet . A few days later Traubel , ' ri e to u s i g, sent this lett r 1 1 4 m 2 9 . Ca den , June ,

’ I m so m o . o o f . Dears , b th you ever uch better t day ’ It seems to me it cant be long before I m ou t again . You must had some beauti ful ho urs together there I w Sunday celebrating together . Anne and ere here o oom ou r alone . We had r ses in the r and said prayers in silence . o o L ve , H race .

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Although Whitman was impartial towards revola tion a ry p olitical and industrial propaganda he in stin c tiv e ly uttered the spirit o f revolt the word e n ” wa o b e masse . A y back in th se years Trau el persist d b in drawing Whitman ou t on the la or question . Whit man wa s n ot always willing to be drawn ou t f or at w n o w o t o o . t t least reas ns First , because he did ish m o o b o be plunge hi self in c ntr versial de ate sec nd , cause he admitted to Traubel that he might brush wa s n o up a bit on the labor questi on . But Traubel t w w satisfie d. Traubel thought he kne hat was wrong m w w . b ith the orld So did Whit an . But Trau el was o of o m w m c nvinced the pr per re edy, hile Whit an was n n m i ot and did ot much concern hi self about t . This situati on prompted man y spirited discussions between l n the o d p oet and the y ou g revoluti onist . The foll ow ing from the third v olume o f With Walt \V hitman f m In Camden is typical o such an occasi on . Whit an had received an anarchist paper and put it aside f or

Traubel . ’ Whitman said ' I don t see what they are driving at — what the anarchists want : I do n ot understand what they want : I do n ot understand what the Henry o i George me n want : n or do I tr uble myself about t . ’ b o i ou o o t I . But y do tr uble y urself a ut , said “ ‘ ’ ‘ What do you mean ? Your book is full o f ’ o anarchism and Henry Ge rge . H e l ooked at me : You mean by implication ? that ’ w of f wa o ? . I I thr sparks that y Yes Well , sup o I do : I am wa m p se sure , taken that y, that I ight ’ o o f o o be c nvicted a hundred phil s phies . ’ You say you don t know what the anarchists w o me n w : ou want , hat the Henry Ge rge ant are y sure

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’ you don t ? H e replied : If you ask me to tell you w ’ ’ hat their contention is I can t tell you . Y re Their contentio n is the same as yours . ou ’ member what you told Pease here in this room ? ‘ Oh ! he was the S ocialist ? that English fellow : a w I ? You o too . nice fell , What did tell Pease said ’ you didn t so much object to Socialism as to being ’ ‘

b i H . I ? talked to a out r. e laughed Did say that ’ ’ ’ Well why shouldn t I have said that : that s what I m ’ ’ wh o ou sa ? trying to say n ow . But y d n t y y it then The way you talked I should judge your obj ection to ’

o ow to o s . Tucker and the ther fell s be general , wh le ale o n o m : N o indeed . I w uld t have that i plied I honor them : I know they are prob ably working in their own way to produce what I w orking in my o wn ’ You : w do way am trying to produce . ask hat they want : what do they want ? Let me ask you : what do you want ? D o you mean that as a questio n f or me ’ ‘ ’ ’ an w- u i to s e r ? Yes ; I d like to hear yo answer t . Suppose I would rather n ot answer it ? I w ould continue to want to hear you answer it ( Traube l notes that Whitman weighed the question a

f e w moments before answering . ) Then : I want the people : most of all the pe o : me n wom : w m to w ple , en , children I ant the have hat b o to m : n ot o f it b u t o f it : el ngs the a part , all I want anything done that will give the people their proper o — : : pportunities their full life anything, anything b on e m or o I o e to whether y eans an ther , want the pe pl ’ ’ I : o o be given their due . said That d n t s und like a ’ ‘ I n ot : m plea f or millionaires . suppose the illion ’ aires don t nee d anyone to plead f or them : they are in ’ o : th e o to possessi n . I inquired You want pe ple

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 74 HORACE TRAUB EL have all : h ow are they to get all Oh ! there is the ru b : h o w are they ? Do you know ? wh o knows ? I ’ wo nder if an ybo dy knows . e o : r o Well, Tuck r thinks he kn ws Hen y Ge rge ’ ‘ thinks he knows : Pease thought he knew . But do 7’ k ow . : o o o they kn W cried Every d ct r n ws , but do the doctors cure people ? ’ I : H ow e n asked W . do you know these m don t ’ know if you don t look into what they propose ? H e ‘ ’ smiled . Damn you ! Yo u re like a lawyer ! That ’ ‘ b I : was a blow etween the eyes . added What they w t o w ant what Tucker wan s , what Ge rge wants , hat Pease wants — is e xactly what you want : you want the people to own their product to n ot make beauti f r ful and useful things o the masters to enj oy. There ’ m b wa u t h m ust e a y o . W y isn t it as uch your busi ’ ness as any other s to try to fin d what this way out is ? H e answe red at once : I suppose you are h olding me up with good reason : I have n o right t o discourage the : o o — wo too boys they are d ing their w rk big rk it is , , I acknowledge : they are devoted— they sa cr ifice them selve s to it : it needs to be done : the people must ’ ’ m t Or m it : resu e their inheri ance . assu e , I said They have n ever so far had it — therefo re have n ot ’ lost it . You are cute : you see all around it all around me : ow I am o , in fact I ackn ledge that wh lly ignorant that I might b rush up a bit in this line and n ot be hurt by Traubel persisted in probing Whitman farther . Suppose millionaires were abolished — that mil lion airism b me m wo ou e eca i possible , uld y fe l unhappy over it ? What me ? God no ! Ain t that my pro

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76 HORACE TRAUB EL

i s m m u c m. I have said that Whit an exercised a tre e n fl n I am n ow w to sa dous i u e ce over Traubel . illing y x in flu n c n that Traubel also e ercised an e e over Whitma . I have heard persons ask : What would Traubel have b o m ? o o d a een with ut Whit an We c uld, in go t ste , ask : What would Whitman have b een without Traubel ? ” ’ Following is on e o f T raube l s poems in memory o f his days with Walt

Y D E D M R 0 M A CO ADE .

F OR W . W .

O my de ad comrade — my gr e at de ad ! I sat by your b e dside — it wa s th e close o f day

' I h e ard th e dr ip o f th e rain on th e r oof o f th e h ou se Th e i h sh ado we d — de a rtin de ar tin l g t p g, p g You al so de artin de a r tin p g, p g You an d th e li h com an ion s in lif e n ow t oo com an i on g t, p , , , p s in de ath ,

R etirin to th e sh a dow ca rr in e se wh e re th e b e n e dic g , y g l ti on of o u nbe am y ur s s. I sat b o b e dside I h e l d o h an d : y y ur , y ur O n ce you ope n e d your e ye s : 0 look o f re cogn iti on ! 0 l ook o f b e stowal ! r om ou to me th e n a sse d th e commi ssi on o f th e f u tu r e F y p , r om ou t o me th at min u e f rom o e in s to min e F y t , y ur v , Ou t of th e flood of assa e a s ou s i e d awa with th e p g , y l pp y tide rom bu r h an d th a t ou ch e d min e f ro m o sou h at F y t , y ur l t tou ch e d min e n e ar 0 so n e a , , r Fillin g th e h e ave n s with sta rs En e re d h on e u on an d ou t o f me th e owe of th e s in t , s p , p r pr g,

th e se e d o f th e rose an d th e wh e a t, A f f th e to son a s o f b roth e r to b roth e r a s o f od t o s o a r , , g god ! 0 my gre at de ad !

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® WITH WALT WHI TMAN CHAP TER V Il

AN EX P ERI M ENT I N CO M M U NIS M

H E logical sequence of economic reasoning is th e desire to emancipate the workman b y rewarding h im f or his honest labor with to to o ho nest pay . It is the desire give the w rk n o f o to ma the full product his t il, and also give to th e purchaser the full product of his invest m t of e nt . The latter par the nineteenth century saw the development o f the machine and the degrada tion o f the mechan ic . Thomas Carlyle suspe cted the trend o f industry but he did n ot fathom its potential m o misu n d r eaning . J hn Ruskin saw the triangular e b wo m m an d standing etween the rk an , the anufacturer the consumer when he said : m The false , unnatural , and destructive syste is when the bad workman is allowed to off er his work at a h ak o f the oo or h lf price , and eit er t e the place g d , force h im by his competition to work for an inadequate ” su m. William Morris sensed the economic problems and h e adopted a philosophy through which he thought the y might be solved . Walt Whitman u nde rstood that th e workman and his work must find common groun d if socie ty was to be b ene fite d and th e vision o f man w s h e nlarged. He a the c ampion of the toiler and h e was toleran t o f a ny organization o r program through t t B which the labore r sought o digni y his labor . ut 78

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® AN EXPERIMENT IN COMMUN ISM 79

more de fin ite mo o an f Traubel was , re p sitive than y o m o . H these thinkers and d ers e experi ented . F rom 1903 to 1907 he was associated with Hawley M cLan ah an and the late Will Price , Philadelphia

in. b Th r m f architects , pu lishing e A ts an , a so rt o o a s it o f o parish rec rd , they called , R se Valley, a M Lan ah an crafts experiment . c gives u s the purpose o f this movement launched on the outskirts o f Phila H e ' delphia . says Rose Valley is n ot an impractical or visionary o b o o undertaking but a c ncrete usiness pr positi n . The o o o 1 901 R se Valley Ass ciati n was chartered in July, , f or o of under Pennsylvania state laws , the purp se encouraging the manufacture of such articles involving fin ish in de c ra t artistic handicraft as are used in the g, o o o ing and furnishing of h uses . In entering up n this work Rose Valley unites with various other s ocieties throughout the world in a general protest against the o ften vulgar product o f the modern machine and against the consequent degradati on and ruin of the m o f h craftsman . The inute divisi n o labor t hat a s come about in ou r almost automatic industry seems indeed n ot only to destroy the craftsman but to man threaten the . Rose Valley is to do wh at it can to break down the artificial distinction made in modern s ocie ty between the work of the hand and the w ork of the brain . Rose Valley is convinced tha t manual labor must be ” restored to its rightful place o f priority and honor . f or re o Here was the ideal struggling exp ssi n . The site taken up comprises ab out eighty acres o f land once largely occupied with spacious stone mills ” m and picturesque tenant h ouse s . The ill walls were to be utilized in the development o f the shops . The

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 80 HORACE TRAUB EL former tenant houses were remodeled in to comfortable m om w mo o . h es, supplied ith necessary dern app int ents f or o o f f A small garden was provided each h use , ering o opp ortunity f r flowe r and vegetable cultivation . A creek running through the settlement af f orded diver o f r wh o f o r si n o those cared boating and bathing. ” o m o o o The w rk an in the R se Valley Sh p , wr te M cLan ah an oo ou t o fie lds , l ks up n green trees , distant flowin m — a mo and g strea s re inspiring scene, truly, . than brick walls and chimney tops . William M orris said tho se wh o are to make beautiful things must live o m to in a beautiful place . R se Valley ai ed practise this . It M cLan ah an o to is absurd c ntinued , expect me n wh o spend eight hours each day in an u n com f ortable or o u n com fact y, and sixteen h urs in equally f ortable e om to o o of wo str ets and h es, pr duce the s rt rk which under the proper auspices the same b rains an d th e same hands would be sure to evoke . The great distances between the scattered h omes o f the city workmen makes mutual life which comes easily at ” o m R se Valley i possible . o n e o f o : o Will Price , the f unders , asks Is R se Valley worth while ? Is anything worth while e xcept a blind acceptance of customary conditions and a dumb hope that s omehow through evolution o r through some agency extern al to man a better condition will come ? It is at least worth while to consider what all ou r pain l bo wh we on me n ful strugg e is a ut and y carry it . All at some future time and in s ome faint degree have m of o o m drea s a g lden age , and a h pe so universal ust ” o ow m always f re shad so e new epoch . m mb o f m n o 1 903 In the sa e nu er The Arts a , Oct ber, , om o o o o fr which the f reg ing qu tati ns are taken , Trau

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® AN EXPERIMENT IN COMMUNISM 81 bel wrote : Rose Valley is a cross between economic o o o o e n ot rev luti n and the st ck exchange . R se Vall y is shutting on e door an d Opening another; Rose Valley o in n ot c nnects the open with industrial fact . It is a

e . i o n o br ak It s an ev lutio . R se Valley is n o It t altogethe r a dream or wholly an achievement . I I n m t c o f . t o is an experi ent . is also an a t faith is t w o to sa illing to say what it will do. It is nly willing y do fir st what it is trying to . Rose Valley pays a mod t u o o b . rib te to labor . Lab r is the s cial ase Our ern wo rld had quarreled with this disposition of values . And many who do n ot share its quarrel still shrink m o o o e fro making a c ncessi n to labo r . R s Valley o knows and acknowle dges the situation . R se n o n ot Valley is not under a y illusions . It d es think it is doing singlehanded a wo rk which is at last winning on e fi u re mo m intercontinental allies . It is g in a ve ent much more p ortentous than any individual instance of o r dev otion c uld shape o we igh . The carver carving wo od is at wo rk scriptu rin g the daily life of n To m o o f w o b e ma . ake the j int a chair hat it sh uld o is an act as holy as hymning an abstract creed . R se Valley does n ot say an y contradicting formula is wholly n ot m its o m ol wrong. It does assu e that f r ula is wh ly to o to first of right . It is un dertaking pr ve itself all that work may be made holy through the freedom of

o m e ma . its its w rk an . Ros Valley y fail But faith t m o m m ma o too cannot fail . Its e p ral i ple ents y pr ve Th om or b o f co—o weak . e wisd the ackbone its pera e m tive force may break in the test . But the exp ri ent o is wo rth putting to the proof . The R se e me n Valley shops are temples . Her pray in their

me n e o in t o . work . Here practic fell wship heir w rk

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 82 HORACE TRAU B EL

t c o d Th e shops have only on e creed . Tha reed is g o o on e o at o e ~ work . There is nly ap stasy R s Val

Ie o is . o y. That ap stasy bad work R se e o its a v Valley w ould make very to l of c r er, every its o o f t o e m lette r of f nt ype , c ntribut so ething can to the su m total of practical piety . I see can Go God in the honest j oint of a chair . I see d; woven in tapest ries and beaten in brasses and bound in h o You k w t e covers o f bo ks . have ta en the ideal a ay from the commonplace and refuged it on th e side o f o th e i special acts and hours . R se Valley sees deal in o da s ce a th e difi e r its sh ps, in every y ervi , rbitrating n h as n om e ce s of work . Rose Valley ot withdrawn fr

is in th e . It is to fi h t the world . It world g its battle n ot on the fiel d up on which it h u ds a challenge . It is

a . is n ot an ideal . It is a step tow rds an ideal It standing in th e way of a ny agent o f social evolution .

- Wh o It is co operating with agents . y sh uld n ot the man an d the machine sit down and reason together ? We have got the man an d the machine at i n s o f o odds . Instead of a sking quest o e ach ther they Th e m are accusing e ach other. achine

h Th man - m ma made man is again st t e race . e ade h e T n u a m chine is f or t race . e tho s nd achine successes n o ma do t togethe r ke one success . The only successes that guarantee an d perpet uate su ccess are human suc~

s Th ma e can m a m . cesse . e chin ake achine

It cannot ma ke a man . It can produce miracles . But the one miracle that is worth while comes in the old N man m ai m . o a way ust be g nst th e achine . But every man must take care that the machine is n ot m n Th e m e d m n a gainst a . achin that efers to a should wa th e o be given right of y. But philos phy u nder

Digitiz e d by Microsoft®

CHAP TER VIII

COM RADE A N D LOV ER

FEEL a certain timorousness in attempting to sketch the daily life of Horace Traubel as he lived it in those full and flowin g years prio r to his fir st of 1914 wh o illness in the Spring . All knew n to o w h im H Traubel were bou d reck n ith . e was a ‘ tremendous personal fo rce and h is magn e tic person ality had in flu e n ce upon all who came into contact with h im. The que sti on as to whether persons received more o om b o a inspirati n fr Trau el pers nally, th n they did rom m on nu f his writings , or vice versa, ust pass a w 0 two o o n ns ered . N pers ns w uld likely give a iden t m o ical analysis of the sa e pers n or his utterances . o wh o 1 n f or There are many pers ns , their quest o o f r m i n interesting pe ple l ok o the the gilded places ,

' b rillian t arlors o the p , the banquet halls , the rendezv us o f intellectuals and the haunts and habitats of scholars

o wa s to o and literary f lk . Traubel never be f und in H e wa s mo ow mo u n such places . a ng the cr ds a ng the t itled and untutored mob ; in the common restaurants in the dingy halls where some rich message was being e xp ounded ; maybe h e was in th e crowd standing in front of a baseball score board in Philadelphia on most an y scorching afternoon ; or maybe he was in the b m o e i bleachers at the all ga e , sh uting xultantly w th ” the excited fans .

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o 1914 m o o f mo Bef re , in the s all h urs the rning, of o o w when the pulse the w rld was l west, hen the de moo m o om parting n was aking its adieu t the c ing sun , whe n the revelers and strayers abandoned conventional o f re e rou n d o f on e restraint in the n cturnal g the spirit , m h arm ig t have seen Traubel , a green bag under his , ’ ome w o wo h ard b und after his day s rk was d one , trudging down Chestnut street to the Camden ferry o o b at, st pping here and there to greet a tired police man or r w o t om , an ale t ne sb y, or speaking o s e hapless of o o f N m girl the streets , a w rd kindness . o atter o o o o r whether he was in New Y rk, M ntreal, B st n , o om m at h e in Philadelphia , Traubel ixed with the o o m cr wds . I w uld rather iss the stars and flowing river I would rather miss anything else than on e of m f o r n o m the , he said, it is t the fla e that lights fi re s fir s m the little , it is the little e that ake the On o flame . the ferry b at in that W itching hour he me n r o n usually t o e o tw newspaper me . In the few minutes that it took the b oat to cross the river the se me n had approved o r criticised and arrived at conclu sions on the current news happenings o f the day b o o w several ho urs ef re the w rld had ashed its face . When Traubel reached h ome in those days of his physical vigor he invariably critically read a book until ’

o to . He o fiv e or six clock . Then he went bed w uld ’ b o o fiv e o rise again y ten cl ck, sleeping h urs at the mo A oo os st . t n n, he cr sed the river, walked up h o wo to m C estnut street, dr pping a cheery rd his nu er n o old om ou s acquaintances , t excluding an apple w an Al ” h and Blind , w o kept a fruit and paper stand at

I f or - five ndependence Square twenty years . It was ’ usually one o clock before he reached his study and

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 86 H ORACE TRAU B EL printing shop in the garret o f a four story ofii ce build 1 1 ing at 63 Chestnut street , situated in the business ’ A oo wa s T rau be l heart of the ! uaker City. t the d r s o a : ample wo den mail box . It was true when he s ng

Th e wo rld l e ave s its mail at my door : e ve ry morn in g an d all day le ave s its mail In to th e littl e b ox th e re a f e w i nch e s by a f e w in ch e s pou rs th e flood o f its in te rch an ge : Lik se a c owde d in to a cu ik e ta rs ack e d i n to a case e s r p, l s p , lik e th e wh ole con ce n trate d i nto a f ragme n t Eve ry mor n in g an d all day st re ams in to th at littl e r e se rv oir th e tre asu re o f th e e arth : From h e re an d e ve rywh e r e : f rom lan ds I k n ow a n d l an ds I do n t k n ow : b rin gs it s sa cr e d t rib u te : Th e mails : le tte r s o f love an d h at e : l e tte r s o f trade a n d r evo i ll lut on : b rin gs it a .

Traubel wrote each day a score o f letters by his own in o c o r two hand . A frie nd distress w uld re eive a line o do o w o f cheer . Like a faithful ct r atching ver his m ou t om patients , Traubel sent these daily issives fr his heart to people he knew and to those he had n ever seen . To little children would come his notes of endearment ollowin n o w o and picture postal cards . F g is a te he r te \ wh o wa s on his birthday to o u r little baby girl , Valta , then scarcely a month old

o em 19 1914 . New Y rk , Dec ber ,

Dear Walta, old lady . ’ ’ - An d o n o I m fi f ty six years young today. y u re o a s years old today. Acr ss all discrep ncie of age and experience I pa ss myself to you and you pass your m self to me . Who can penetrate the ystery which has ? brought you here for me or kept me here for you

Horace Trau bel .

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I ’ choose at random on e of T rau be l s typical letters from a batch :

8 1913 . New York , Dec . , I ’ ve been sort of listening f or good news from you I today. came away on this mission with n o heart m f in e or it . My long figh t against adversities in this damned money tussle has made me hate the system wo om o f rse than ever . S e the children at some future time will be born into a world in which s ome o f the m om oo ma f lfi drea s of s e of the f ls y be u lle d. o L ve , Dave .

Horace .

Fre quently Tra ubel passed letters he had received

on to o to . h ther friends read Thus , an acquaintances ip wa s o ften establish ed between persons wh o had never m wa e t face to face . In this y many friendships were m ade . Radica l newspapers and magazines by the hundreds ’ c ame to Trau be l s oth ee and n ot on e was thrown away until he had carefully scanned it f or matter he either w to f or or to to anted keep reference send his friends . Traubel devoted on e or two hours each day in looking over these exchanges and the half dozen newspapers o he purchased . Like a trained edit r , he glanced at m o m o a c . c lu n fter lu n , clipping here , penciling there To his friend wh o worked in a bank Traubel would on fin an T send clippings and articles banking and ce . o his friend on the stage would go bits about the drama co m m and theatrical folk . His friend nte plating other hood w ould receive clippings on the care children o h e was a should have . In other w rds , literally bureau o f o a m v lunt ry infor ation .

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 88 HORACE TRAUB EL

N 0 on e could meet Traubel without immediately being conscious o f his unusual and p owerful person o wh o ality. His appearance al ne instantly attracted all i came in contact with h m. His stature was short and o ob thick, the full thr at, the n le , splendidly shaped mo head , the intensely alive bile face with its large , b m m o eager , lue eyes , and lips deter ined and i petu us o mo o o f under the sh rt ustache , the cr wning glory oo o w to m thick, l sely t ssed hite hair, all go ake up an individuality which is at once that of a radiant b oy ” o f m o in and a supre e seer , wr te Mildred Bain her f h im ! H m o . e o o sketch w re the si plest cl thes, and used to go without an overcoat even in the coldest o Canadian weather . His hat was s ft, grey felt which h o e f lded up and stuck into his pocket . The inevitable flowin o n e g tie , usually a black , was adj usted carelessly to an exceedingly low collar . ’ T ra u b e l s m m o of intense agnetis , his sp ntaneity o o utterance , his untiring c nversati nal and physical vigor left an indelible impression up on all wh o me t i h m. o o D ubtless there were many pers ns , who, while ’ T rau be l s o o of h im in presence , were c nsci us as a own m o wa s n ot o b writer . But his de ean r acc unta le of f or that impression . The sincerity his friendship and his freedom- loving disposition were more readily discerned . ’ T rau be l s wo o o of two oom rk sh p c nsisted r s , in the of 163 1 on e garret Chestnut Street , Philadelphia . In there were cases of type from which he n ot in f re quently set up the pages of The Conservator when he m m was too poor to e ploy a co positor . Then there were

! “ ” H orace T raube b Mi d e d B ain a e 14 A 81 C. l , y l r , p g . . B on 1913 i, .

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o o huge , dust c vered piles and b xes of back numbers o f his o f w publicati n , while stacks o faded ne spapers m o m o o f mis and agazines , t gether with an accu ulati n ce llan ou s m e printed atter were strewn over th e floor . ” o oom h i 0 h But it was in the fr nt r , s sh p , as e called it m o o im , where the chief interest lay . Nu er us b xes , r ov ise d oo o w o p b k cases , c vered three alls and c ntained

thousands of books on every subject under the sun . Hundreds o f these were old prints which a ny modern co o o o o m llect r w uld c nsider a g ld ine , while hundreds f o o of o others were aut graphed c pies . Such spaces the walls that were n ot hidden by shelves of books were o w old o o w c vered ith p rtraits , riginal paintings, dra ings o o o of o o and carto ns , and ph t graphs auth rs , p ets , On t o friends and children . a dus y c uch and equally ’ t Trau be l s mb dus y chairs were hats and u rellas , maybe r o mo b oo w a garment o tw , and re ks and ne spapers o f floor oo and magazines . In the center the st d a flat

desk groaning under the weight o f long paste - board m o o o o f me n boxes o f letters fro all s rts and c nditi ns . There were letters written between Walt Whitman and Tennyson ; from Brand Whitl ock and William om Jennings Bryan , and fr such critics as Edmund m o o w Clarence Sted an , J hn Addingt n Symonds, Ed ard w Dowden and William Michael Rossetti . There ere o o others from John Burr ughs , J aquin Miller, Jack o ow of o om Lond n , Julia Marl e , and hundreds thers ; fr artists and artisans ; from the famous and th e obscure ; o o from the ambitious and the disc ns late . On the same desk and packed away in drawers were of e o packages of manuscripts , many which wer th se of Walt Wh itma n o th ers were from latter day ce le b re tie s known in every nook and corner o f the i l s om world , while st l other were fr struggling scriveners

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 90 HORACE TRAUB EL wh o hoped , and perhaps succeeded in having their e f o fusi ns printed in The Conservato r . Lined u p all about this desk were more boxes containing clippings c oo m o o f t In and art ns , an accu ulati n thir y years . ’ a nother corner by the window was Trau be l s work f m desk. Such a deluge o atter ! Every pigeon hole w om and drawer ached ith its c pact treasure . Traubel wo o om of o o of uld ften c plain the c nditi n his studio . When visitors came he would ap ologetically clean of f a o o o o chair , place its l ad nt an ther, and explain that he to n o om intended clea h use , a pr ise he had n o intention of f u lfillin . o om w h orri g Fastidi us w en especially, ere ’ fie d a o f T rau be l at the app rent carelessness s quarters . ’ New York had its B oh e mian a in P f afi s where free s n o thinker and writers gathered , but Philadelphia , 1840 w o ro less , had its Market Street, here c llege p f e ssors me n o o , newspaper , pr fessi nal singers and u o me n wh o t t rs , and business were rigid in trade but ’ e Tom fre in spirit , gathered at Mills ( the waiter) , to o b m table stensi ly eat their eals , but to especially tear the world into shreds and then place it safely back up on its axis after vigorous and o ften white ’ T r be l s o . o o au o heated discussi ns Unc nsci usly, pers n ality was the motor that drove the current o f free expression through the minds of these me n and women . At a casual glace there wa s nothing unusual about the on n f or restaurant Market street ear Nineteenth , it had the exterior and interi or appearance of most an y m t to on e odern cafe . But at a able side and in the r w w or center o f a long o there ere eight , ten twelve me n and women crowded about it during th e luncheon and dinner hours . Other patrons coming to and f ro w ould stop and

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o o took little cat naps . Within th se f ur walls free w spirits conspired to set the world at peace . We ere m o i e t mo om aterially a part , y spiritually re ved fr the struggles o f the earth as ou r dreams s oared to the oom m heavens and kissed the stars . Our r s ight well have been termed a sort o f headquarters f or a small group o f radicals wh o dropped in and ou t at their own m f or on pleasure . Frequently Traubel ca e supper , and such occasi ons he w ould assist in making ready f or the w b H e wa s meal and help in clearing a ay the de ris . at w o o o mo ease ith un stentati us pe ple , and was de cratic in m o ommo anner and th ught to an unc n degree . I n o o f or o m 191 3 The C nservat r N ve ber, appeared ’ T rau be l s p oem entitled M y Dear Comrades Live n o w m me mor Just Rou d The C rner, in hich he ade b o e o a le th se inspiring ev nings we spent t gether . The f ollowing is the fi rst stanza :

M y de a r comrade s live j u st roun d th e corn e r : I go t o th e m in th e eve n in gs : we si t u n de r th e ligh t an d talk Some time s little i s said : a word o f th i s or th at : o nl y sil e n ce can some time s te ll wh at we f e e l : h th r e o f u t h n m m de e T e e s t e ma y co ra , d a r to me : th e w m m m e o an y co r ade , de a r to m : T h e sim e man wh ose common s e e ch e ts clo se r t o me pl , p g th an th e son gs of D avid : Th e sim e woma n wh ose wh ole some u ie t i s swe e t e r t o me pl , q th an th e odo r o f th e r ose : Th e th re e o f u s : on e in th re e : th re e in on e : coming with ou t le t oin wi h u t h in r e , g g t o d an c : Th e y j u st rou n d th e corn e r f rom me : I j u st r ou n d th e corn e r f r om th e m: so n e ar : a lways with in call : U n de r stan din g e ach oth e r we ll : n ot n e e din g to h ave e ach i th e r e x pla in e d : T ak in g th e f a ir an d good f or gran te d wh e n thi ngs l ook th e oth e r way : always doin g th at :

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K nowin g f or n ow an d a ll th e simple f act : k n owin g th at h e ave n i s min e an y t ime I r e a ch f o r it : a n d th e ir s In th 1 s war o f p rofits livin g this pe ace o f se rvice : th e y with me : I with th e m Wh e n th e clou ds a re so th ick th e y hide e ve rythin g n ot hidin g th at : n ot h idin g th e m f rom me or me f rom th e m M c omra de ir darlin o f mil e s a n d h ou r s : a n d h im h e r y g l, g , comra de o e r with wh om I sh a re th is o l v , j y N e ar e r to me th an th e sk in on my bon e s : b oth of th e m : a s n e ar t o me a s th e dr e ams o f my soul : T akin me t o th e mse l e s as h e ir s : th e de man din me : tak g v t y, g d a in h m in g th e m to myse lf a s min e : I , e m n d g t e : In th e e e n in u n de th e i h r ou n d th e corn e f rom v gs r l g t, r wh e re I live : th e y with me : Se e in g so mu ch : sayin g so littl e : b rin gin g th e world in to th e littl e r oom t o sit with u s In to th e e ve ry day ye s an d n o o f ou r lips an d h e ar t s fla shin g immortal time : a man an d a woman an d th e ir com r ade :

i u d th e c rn e r M y de ar comrade s l ve j u st ro n o .

H e wa s f or Traubel was so easily pleased . grateful

the smallest favo r and the slightest recognition . A little gift of this or that some little t oken as an ex pression of a big love fille d him with profound appre of omm ciation . In a copy Chants C unal which he o in scri presented to Rose Karsner, Traubel wr te this p tion on the fly leaf :

P h ilada . 1 N ov . 4, 19 3 . o Dear R se , ’ If you re half as willing to receive this book from ’ me as I am to give it to you you ll be doing me such ’ I to oo honor as I ll n ot readily f orget . like l k back upon the days and nights you and Dave and I have m ou spent together in this r oo and up where y live . You have sort of provided me with an extra home

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m o e o w to e . Or wh s f ur alls are sacred , rather, with an extra home without dimensions whose witness is o ou so m the l ve y have fully p oured ou t in y behalf . I say this from my heart and I want you to realize that it stands f or much more than could ever be put into words .

H orace Traubel .

F or a similar avowal o f his aff ection I turn to the fly leaf in the third volume o f With Walt Whitman I n Camden : 1 914 April, . ’ This is a sort of workman s copy o f my book f or Rose and Dave Karsner whose lives have soundly become part o f my life and whose j oys and sorrows are therefore mine : f or Rose and Dave my darling

' comrade s towa rds whom my heart always rea ches in a rdent love .

Horace Traubel .

A few days after the last mentioned book came we o om b b received a n te fr Trau el , penned y his daughter, telling u s that he got back to Philadelphia from Montre al all broken up and wa s torn with pain ” H co from head to foot . e contracted a severe ld in w d o o o o M ontreal hich evel ped in B st n and New Y rk, re a ched its climax in Philadelphia and force d him to go to bed in Camden with a complicated illness that was so grave as to threaten his life on two occasions fi during the five we eks o f his con ne me n t. This was the first time in his life o f robust an d vigorou s heal th vis te t hat he was oblige d to lay of f f or sickn ess. I i d im was to e xtrem h frequently, both when he sick es

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e o n m and whil he was c nvalescing, and at o ti e did h e om or o o H utter a c plaining desp ndent w rd . e was ” always getting along nicely and expecting to be ” ou t in a few days . When he was better I asked h im if he realized h ow close a call he had and he re plied that the doctors made a bigger fuss than was n ecessary. But I feel sure that Traubel was deeply concerned about his conditi on during the critical stages of his i a m s llness, and I equally certain that his u preme optimism and indomitable will together with the constant care given h im by his wife were potent o o o da o r tw fact rs t ward his rec very. A y o after he got ou t of bed and wa s able to be propped up on a ow o m chair by a wind Traubel wrote a p e . I happened im H e o in to see h a few days later . was c rrecting oo h e t o me to the pr f which handed read, saying, ’ ” See if that s ounds like a sick man s poem. Follow ing is the fi rst stanza

I f e e l lik e a you n gste r again e ve ry morn in g : Eve ryth in g b e gin s a ga in : all i s n e w o n ce more : I start re ~ ju v e n ate d : Wh at e e r ma h a e h a e n e d th e da b e f or e th i s h a en s v y v pp y , pp t o tak e i ts place Th is re n e wal of lif e : th is f r e sh p e r f u me o f th e fir st da wn Th e stale ye ste rdays ar e all r e pe ale d : th e old th in gs a r e a ll youn g : th at which was de a d is alive Th e tire d wo rld is re ste d : th e sick wo rld i s we ll : th e cru e l world i s k in d Out o f space an d time th e sta rs are r e born : ou t o f th e vast dark n e ss th e su n is re lit : I wh o was so man y ye ars n e ar de ath a m so man y more ye ars n e ar lif e : H e re I am at th e th re sh old : h e re I am h e lpin g myse lf f re ely to youth an d faith :

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’ It s a ll my own f or me to do with a s I ple ase : h e re I can tak e a ll I n e e d At th e e dge o f di scove ry : on th e rim o f th e un se e n : to fill myse lf with tre a su r e ’ Th at s h ow it come s to me e ve ry morn in g wh e n I wak e up I f e e lik e a ou n s e r a a in e e r morn in l y g t g v y g.

’ in n . We tste o e o f Tr l Mrs Lillian Mendelssohn, aub e s o w o ob many friends in M ntreal , r te a letter in Oct er, 1 91 3 to a wh o Miss Esther Mendel, friend, was at m o o h e o — the ti e, t uring the c untry with t S thern Mar ow o n h ak s e ri o o l e C mpa y in S e p an plays . The f ll wing ’

om . o extract fr Mrs Mendelss hn s letter, which was f or ow h ow o o never intended the printer , sh s pr f und m o m o o wh o me t h im an i pressi n Traubel ade up n th se , and h ow naturally this impression was conveyed to others : While we are speaking of tempera m — o b I w ou s ents as to H race Trau el . ill tell y ju t w f h im om o hat I think o . Fr a literary standp int I can say without th e least exaggeration and without

b o . eing ver enthused , that he is an intellectual giant ma n w of o o o w A ith a breadth visi n that is gl ri us , ith of o e t w m the heart the p et, and y ith the greatest ental balance ; a most retentive mind and an e ye that sees below the surface of everything right down to the H m . e o funda entals is daring, c urageous . Then j ust as a ma n — well it is hard to express ’ H e man w om on e one s feelings . is a in h could place m I o n the most i plicit trust . w uld stake everything o H o . e his abs lute sincerity has a singularly full nature, n of o n o n o a ature that feels the need l ving, t o e pers n , bu t many . But he is also like a child in his craving or H e r f love . is ve y sensitive and he likes to have

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own wa bu t own wa his y, as his y is usually the best ’ a o m h im w . ! an y I d n t bla e Just think, Esther If y one o f u s should die why it would be only ou r own o mm pe ple and a few , a very few i ediate friends wh o w ould feel any sense of loss ; but when the time comes f or h im to cross the bar ! Think what it will mean to v m o f o h f a ast nu ber pe ple . W y a part o their ” — a f m o e o m . very lives will be g n part the selves , al ost ’ Men o f T rau b e l s type always attract a variety o f b radicals and faddists . Trau el expressed a literal truth when he said : Every time a n eccentric comes along the street h e aims straight f or me and asks : ” H ow are you comrade ? H e wa s unusual because H e m so many others are usual . never clai ed a patent on or n ot m anything he said did ; in fact, he did clai anything f or himself that he would n ot claim f or th e n w o f humblest ma . The ever recurrent rangles party ’ and creed paled before T rau be l s stout doctrine f or all m To h im m wa s mo si n ifican t hu anity. hu anity the st g H m work in the language . e vehe ently denied there were any foreigners except those wh o alienated them w o wo m o o . selves fro w rld ideals , rld l ves , rld truths ’ T rau be l s attitude toward life was n ot a supe rficial m ma n ou ma n H : a . pose . e said I a and y are a ” H e Let u s greet on e another gladly . was a writer H wa s o t because he could n ot help writing . e a p et n o o o m bu t b m because he wr te p e s , ecause he atte pted wa s to live a p oetic life . His life surcharged with the fi re o f idealism that consumed the bad and conserved If n ot w o o the good . he had been a riter he w uld pr b i r o ably have been an art st o an agitat r . Traubel claimed there wa s in each o f u s a divinity so much akin to God that we were impelled to express the

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f u r o . N yearnings o o s uls atural , useful living ex b o o : presses itsel f in worthy deed . Trau el nce wr te Some people imagine that a purpose and a mission m m . an are the same thing . But that is a istake A m man w m o with a purp ose is a pilgri . A ith a issi n m w w . o ou o is a pirate , Men with issi ns beat y d n ith a f f t man w club . What are your petty a airs o a ith a

m o ? of f o . issi n Get the r ad Step aside . See that he I ’ m b e te s om . t o o o g acc plished d esn t atter a ut y u . f lfill r m n Whether you are u e d o n ot . But the a with

m o H e m con firme d. o o the issi n . ust be P stp ne every f r h i f i n or h m t . f r h i thi g o m. Die o live Starve o m man wh o m t o eat . The akes my shoes has as much m o man h w m b o o a issi n as the w o rites y oks . St p

D r . wa the printing presses . y up the inkwells Make y ” r h n t ? f o the shoemaker . W y o b o wa Trau el detested literary show . Alth ugh he s known in literary circles in N e w York and B oston he f I n did n ot court favo r o editors o r writers . his days o f health when he visited either of these cities he would hunt up a little group of radicals and revolutionists wh o were practically unknown outside o f their own H e wo o w m to circle of acquaintances . uld g ith the th e unpretenti ous restaurants and there they ex o or oo changed st ries , discussed a strike a b k and waxed eloquent on subj ects o f fundamental import . m m e rfi i li H wo H e shrank fro all hu an su p c a ty. e uld engage on e in conversation about matters in which he H knew his visitor was interested . e sought to learn ’ o o f another s p int view , but never hesitated to assert his own . His keen wit and incisive satire were f re quently construed as an af f ront when n one was in o o m tended . Very ften he w uld re ain quiet during the

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1 00 H ORACE TRAUB EL personal obligations other than those f or the bare f necessities o life . It was both humorous and pathetic to watch h im open a letter containing some small su m from on e of his many Conservator debtors or from a new sub

H e o o - imm i scriber. was th r ughly business like in e d ’ su m to b o ately crediting the the de t r s subscription , bu t his disregard f or money and busi ness methods was manifested by the fact that he frequently slipped the or b o o cash check ack int the envel pe , and carried it f or o o to fin all days in his p cket , nly y place the letter

o o o . in a packet with thers , f rgetting its c ntents A case in p oint was when he once showed Rose and me old om o o o f an letter fr J aquin Miller , the p et the ” o was ow w Sierras . The envel pe br n ith age and the w ink had turned a reddish hue . As e opened the m o o to oo b issive a d llar bill dr pped the fl r . Trau el mo was surprised, but he reverently placed the ney w H e back into the envelope and tucked it a ay again . has shown me several old checks f or substantial sums that had become devoid o f value because of just such ow h im t o m b of practises . I have kn n skip eals ecause lack of ready cash and his reluctance to impose upon h is credit which was always extended to h im by tradesmen . After all has been said and written about Horace w oe h e Traubel as a riter , as a critic and as a p t , still

m man . sta nds out pree inently as a , as a friend o omm o Eugene V . Debs nce c ented ab ut Traubel , saying : Horace Traubel has the distinctest person ality o f any man of letters now before the American to no h th o or pe ople . He can be like ned ot er au r t r i or e u a al di i e and wri e , l ving d ad. Altho gh loy sc pl

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e of m om m n d votee Walt Whit an , fr who he u

doubtedly caught his earliest and deepest inspiration , h e o m H goes far bey nd his revered aster . e not only brings the old Prophet of Democracy up to date but he traverses untrodden fi e lds and explores new realms in quest of truth that is to light up the heavens of m om of hu anity, banish darkness fr the face the earth, o m and set free the c untless captive children o f e n . o o f H race Traubel has the clear vision a prophet, m of o o the analytical ind a phil s pher , the daring m i o o o o o f m i ag nati n of a p et, the her ic s ul a artyr, and o f I n the unpolluted heart a child . his fearless search for truth and his passionate demand f or j ustice there is nothing too sacred f o r this brilliant iconoclast to to mb f or him t attack and nothing o hu le o love . In ’ him the most p owerful and popular of earth s rulers have an implacable f oe and the weakest and most de

spise d an uncompromising friend . The world may starve h im to death bu t it will never bribe him into pro stitution ; it may destroy his o o o body but it can never p llute his s ul , and l ng after i o f m he has left h s trail light up the heights , the na e of Horace Traubel will shine with all the lustre of a ” sta r .

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® CHAPTER IX THE WRITER A E w R U B L wa s n ot al ays genial and tolerant . om m wa s b o S eti es he rutal and arr gant . o Brutal in defending a just cause , and arr b f of gant in his elief o the j ustice the cause . The b wa s mo o Jew in Trau el e ti nal and idealistic, while i the German in h m was thorough and practical . These racial elements in h im were harmoniously o welded in the American . This grows up n the reader more and more as he follows Optimos omm b ot o f w and Chants C unal , h hich express ’ f T ra ub e l s o m th e idealism o all races . p e s are the challenges o f centuries o f me n from the farthest cor of ou t om ners the earth creeping fr the crevices , the o e o b o f z caves , the h l s , the h rri le streets civili ed cities , climbing upward and on towards the sunlight o f mo de cracy. They are poems o f economic revo lt e le ctr ifie d with m m o f o spiritual idealis that defy the asters pr perty, o o o b gl rifythe creat rs f useful and eautiful things , and banish forever the multifario us superstitions and dog ma s that engulf the s ouls and benumb the minds o f m n on b s to o e . As e reads Traubel he egin see the s cial world f or which Traub el plead ; a world of human rights above property rights a w orld in which master and slave merge in the common need o f mutual serv ice ; a wo rld in which pauper and prince are welded in th e man a world in wh ich love and tolerance are 102

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ou w ow ? I Do y realize hat this sh s was bankrupt . M I o y capital was all gone . was an utcast . Little as as man I b m i of I was a eca e b g as an fender . I never h man o I do o dispute t e wh o dispr ves me . cauti n the h I man w o endorses me . was guilty of the fin a l I oo f or m f o o o o . idi cy. st d pe ple in the idst pr perty oo f or o m f l I oo f o r I st d l ve in the idst o aw . st d the omm m r fi I f r m c une in the idst o f p o t. stood o the ean man mi o f ob boo est in the dst the n lest ks . It never o to me to f ccurred put anything ahead o folks . When bo o M I said every dy nob dy was left ou t . y course was so m so so o o so w o so si ple , crude , th r ugh , h lesale , with ou t e n d or beginning or ap ology that it was laughed at ’ o of o m I as the fr th a c nte ptible emotion . v e taken ’ m i ow I v y place w th the cr d . e me t the sayers of de moc rac I m m . w to M y But ant eet the de ocrat . y heart n is the general heart . I have o desires that wo uld me m m mm separate fro all the rest . Let e be as co on

- fiv place as the dust . After twenty e years o f life and death I still say life is n ot death and death is in e v itablv ’ ’ I m u . t mo . I m life j us a blind , deaf and d mb de crat a democrat in spite of all undeniable logic and in the f I w face o f every axiom o aristocracy. ant the pe o ’ I d eo f or ple on an y terms . rather have all the p ple I b a d than just a few saints f or good . like the feel o f the people . When Chants Communal appeared in 1904 from m m Co . o o o co S all , Maynard , B st n , few pers ns prehended the pro found meaning and social sig ’ n n u o of ifica ce of Tra be l s message . The bo k is full questions and challenges addressed to the economic o f mo an d m n m o o e . asters , e xpl iters , l rds ney Nearly all the pieces which are in prose were first contributed

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® THE WRITER 1 05 to o o o f the New Y rk W rker, a S cialist weekly out o t h e N e w o which grew Y rk Daily Call . These pieces n m on c mr dsh i are like a si gle hy n equality and o a p . The fundamental motive o f Chan ts Communal is the m o f sa e as that Leaves o f Grass . In America the boo wa o I ot u k s c olly received . t g b t scant notice f rom critics . But in Germany the book me t with an mo o o ob al st instantane us resp nse . A n le translation E b . rm o y O . Lessing appeared in Ge any fr m the house of R . 81 o a 1907 F e b Piper C mp ny , Munich , in . The ru ar 191 3 o f m y, , issue Die Lese , Stuttgart , Ger any, ’ o was a Traubel issue . It c ntained Lessing s tribute ’ and Arthur H olitsch e r s estimate o f Traubel and his ’ wo o o f ~ rk, t gether with three full pages Lessing s Ger man reprint o f Chants Communal . Several o f Trau ’ bel s writings in The Conservator have been translated b o o into the French y Le n Bazalgette , translat r and H biographer o f Walt Whitman . e has many friends I n w o w . too o and f llo ers in England Japan , , he is kn n m old and has been translated there . Thus it see s , the o o who fir st v ir ny repeats itself . It was Eur pe re ealed t m P oe m o m o A erica her , E ers n , Whistler , Whit an , m ma M acD owe ll and Henry Ja es . And we y fairly

depend upon Euro pe to tell u s wh o is Horace Traubel . o N e w o b o ou t Albert and Charles B ni , Y rk , r ught a sec

on d edition o f Chants Communal in paper cover . But the fact remains that literary America ha s n ot ye t

recognized Traubel . 191 0 b When Optimos appeared in , (published y m B W . e . Hu bsch) the A erican press , with but few mo o r exceptions, either cked it threw it aside as an

imitation of Leaves of Grass . Optimos and Leaves of Grass are identical in thi s

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o no t respect : they are the bibles of labor . D es nature repeat itself in e ve ry recurrent spring ? Shall we deny the sun today because it shone yesterday ? Is n ot a grain o f sand on the banks of the Mississippi as mysteri ous as a grain on the banks of the N ile ? Immitation ! I s n o t everything we see in man and wrought by h im a replica and repetition o f what was before ? Whitman himself said he wa s n ot the first or ” f I n o m o ts To om the last o his race . his p e , P e C e, Whitman says :

P o e s t o come : o a o rs sin e r s mu sician s t o c ome ! t r t , g , N ot toda is to u stif me an d an swe r wh at I am f or y j y , B u t ou a n e w b roo d n ative a h e tic con tin e n a re a e r y , , , t l , t l, g t h a k w t n b e f ore n o n , A e l f r ou mu u if me rou s o y st j st y . I myse l f bu t write on e o r two i n dicative words f or th e f u t r u e , I b u t a dvan ce a mome n t o n ly to wh e e l an d h u rry b ack in h e d rk n e t a ss.

I am a man wh o sau n te rin alon with ou t f sto in , g g ully pp g h is f c tu r n s a ca su al look u pon you an d th e n ave rt s a e1 L e a in it to ou to ro e a n d de h n e it v g y p v , m Expe ctin g th e ma in th in gs f ro you .

’ The long shadow o f Whitman s figu re has cast itself o upon Traube l o nly in t h e eyes of his critics . But th se h of b wo w o have traced the life Trau el , studied his rk, and analyz ed his methods feel that his genius would m e o i have anifested itself in spit , rather than because ’ in fl e n ce m n ot m u . bo o f Whit an s Alfred Krey rg, in a ” fi u r on m o able g e article Traubel , A erican , New Y rk M a 3 1 1 9 1 4 m M orning Telegraph , y , , e phasized this point when he said : Beethoven supplemented Bach

n H e o e o n . n a d Mozart . is n ne the less Be th ve Wag er

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108 HORACE TRAUB EL it o o floodin o o y, s aking int your skin , g y ur s ul with sun light and permeating the deepest recesses o f your mind m o b o o o o m o . with their u yant, c ntagi us pti is and phil s phy b wa s Whitman was impersonally indirect . Trau el per n ll m n o so a y direct . Whit a gave hints and suggesti ns that something was wrong wi th the w orld in which the n so w f e w ma y struggle and have little, hile the idle so m b w b w and have uch . Trau el ent at his su ject ith

mm to n- o w ha er and g, pr ving his case ith irrefragable w o o . b fact His exhi its ere p verty, s cial ills in the upper ow of o m and l er stratas s ciety, cri e that is legal and m o o bo o cri e that is illegal, strikes , l ck uts , yc tts . tears and broken heart s . Whitman was a mystic whose p oint o f view on e om b wa s m w o a s rac had to fath . Trau el a ystic h se b t o o own of ti ns were shad wed by his logic . Leaves

- f l m n l r h Grass is all inclusive and is a b ook o e e e ta t u t s. f o n ot de fin m cut But Leaves o Grass d es e . Whit an the path through an almo st impenetrable wilderness of o ow n b o f o th ught , breaking d n ma y arriers superstiti n ’ o o m o and dogma . Traubel f ll wed up Whit an s pi neer work and constructed a smooth roadbed . m was m n b u t on e m Whit an vital and funda e tal , ust ma f go on to Traubel . One y read Leaves o Grass and revolt against the sundry injustices in the world with o ut knowing just whe re to begin in humanizing the n o tim globe . One ca n t read Op os without realizing ’ to b o timos c n that the place egin is in ne s self . Op o tains the essence of Whitman and the purpose of Trau e l b . There are even some wh o b elieve that Optimos is more complete than Le aves o f Grass because it con tains the spirit ual force augmented by the economic f act .

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There is n ot the slightest technical similarity between ’ m o Whit an s pr se and that of Traubel . With Whitman on e may go o f f into the woods an d lie down by th e of oo m side a c l strea , rest his head up on the protruding root of a giant tree and feel the sacred silence o f th e ” o on wide f rest . As e reads The Good Grey Poet h e may often b e tempted to l ay his book aside n ow and then and fall to dreaming as he gaz es beyond the veil of o — o m k ver arching b ughs into the illi itable s y. b f f om fin is With Trau el it is di erent . Fr start to h ’ the normal serenity o f one s mind is jarred and j olted b m o o o f H e y the yriad c nv luti ns o his crisp sentences . of f mo o o b e starts with an ad niti n such as , D nt afraid ” t w o go ith the pe ople . Later on he convinces you that the new individualism sets its persons down in the thick of the crowd and that an autonomy that has to hermit itself to maintain its integrity is the worst ” slavery. H e declares to you that the crowd is my home and assures you that nothing so pacifie s h im ” o H as the drive and drift o f the m b . e reminds you ’ that it s the man at the b ottom to whom you owe the ’ m man to to w om ou owe ost . It s the at the p h y the f ou can least . Out o the printed page y see Traubel fin e r ou m ommo shaking his g at y , exclai ing that the c n people are the hewers o f wood and the drawers o f ” w Y o o u ater . ou hear y urself saying amen and y ’ wonder why you haven t always thought of the same thing . You t o o b pause o rec ver y ur breath and alance , and b o f o o race y urself r the next inevitable t rrent . Civi li Zation is coincident with injustice . It goes with the o o f oo th r bbery the p r and e starvation of children . It ” e our e s an d re fine me nts ou a re go s with luxuri , Y

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 10 HORACE TRAUB EL de f e an e d by the crash o f your cherished superstitions and blinded by the flying debris o f your conventi onal You on on af firmin ideas . read and , g, acquiescing w o b o o of against your ill ; d u ting, disappr ving in fav r om o ou what you believe is common sense . S eh w y al ways thought the wall o f tradition and respectability bo ou was m b b u t n ow ou r m a ut y i pregna le , y see it c u bling under the weight o f social consciousness that ow w o ou w ow o sl ly da ns up n y , ith the p er and pers nality H o f Traubel that speaks ou t from the printed page . e does n ot leave you stranded amid the wreck and ruin o o H e ou f y ur illusions . takes y by the hand and M b o o ou o b ? calmly asks , y r ther, d nt y kn w etter ’ D ont you understand that you ve been misled by false ” ? ou guides Return t o the mob . And he hears y dis " I w ” sent : cant live my life in the cro d . But he answers : You cant live your life e xcept in the o o om b o w to cr wd . G ing s ewhere ey nd is like anting ’ It s w to b e a tree in a desert . like anting get near ’ o o It s G od by staying far fr m pe ple . like expecting m H e to shine in a sky that has n o other lu inaries . tells you a simple story ab out a sunb eam that got ’ you thp rou d and said : I ll have n o more to do with ’

on b m. the sun . But that ly ended the sun ea It didn t ” ’ Yo h put o ut th e sun . u shake your ead and say that s o H e u n mo n to o nly a st ry. gives yo o e re cha ce be fo olish enough to come with the people f or love against your wisdom to remain with persons f or prop t m e r . o of y Here is his s ashing, p uring, ripping torrent logic that engulfs you and breaks d own the last bar “ rier between you and the people : A grain o f sand ot o f m om m g tired being a ere at in a countless ass . A ’ drop of water spoke up an d said it didn t see why it

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1 12 HORACE TRAUB EL

m f m m in a class apart and play the ga e o te pera ent . You oo o m o o f ls , liars , rna enters , hyp crites , pr stitutes , ’ f o You wh o o o b o b u t wh o o w rds . w uldn t sell y ur dies o You h o f or sell your s uls . w have taken to the street o Y r fl t r pr fit . ou wh o hunger f o a te y and thirst f or m Y u h . Y u h fa e . o betrayers o f t e people o w o put o on o You oo to w rds y urselves as chains . are g ds the m b . of ou o to sa highest idder All y , I have s ething y ’ t ou . You ma I o y y have said it to yourself . But m o f or o o o to sa . o o m g ing y it anyh w B th y ur g d and ine . om o om to S ething seri us . S ething that goes the root . ’ I ll ou F o r om o ou wh m b talk right t . s eh w y o ight e n ot You t om b are . o wh a trust is given have etrayed it I . believe in the sacredness of the wo rd . I want I o to o . o w rds be g ds , paradises , service want w rds I o m w o be o . o to live . ant w rds t creat rs S e writers are so vital they cant say and or the or bu t without om so thrilling you . There are s e writers dead they mm I w n cant say i o rtality without a funeral . a t the H o I i ? B wo in living word . w can get t y using rds o B o u t of m stead of being used by w rds . y speaking y

ou . B n ot t heart instead o f t o f b ooks y trying o write . B om o w y living . S e auth rs rite as if they never had

“ been born .

‘ M y words belong where my heart is .

I am n ot willing to feel o n e thing and write an other . m ow o Let me be the se rvant o f my e otions . D n bel w

a ll m o m oo o . Es y w rds is all y life . R ted in the s il

! i h ta bl s e d in the unalterable laws . Dedicated to the m I f m o sa supre e inferences . y w rds dont y that they o m am o to lie ab ut e . I the fact the w rds are supposed

I f o m I o . report . they d nt express e g unrepresented The re are so many writers and there

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® THE WRITER 1 1 3 is so little writing . There is so much painting and

so . ov e rcloth there are few pictures We are e d. Our

o i s . e on wardr be rich We are jew led . We are placed o thr nes . But what are we anyhow ? We are humbug kings . We are fraud citizens . What we are n ot we

. w n t m are What e are we are o . The sa e thing which makes some me n look f or s ocial prestige makes an o oo m auth r l k for literary prestige . We give up the sa e f r i things o t . We lie and duck and play sycophant f or i o t . oo m We f l pe ple . We ake black white and

. trifle o white black We away seri us things . And we o f or ? I n are seri us o ver trifles . All what o rder t o w m . appea r hat we are n ot . We are asqueraders o W rds are the tools o f ou r burglary. Words are the c o f ou r o o o f ou r ant religion . W rds are the s phistry

. o f o o ou r a ih law W rds are the g we l se w y . . G o oo a t b oo i n l k the ks libraries . T o f o me n m hey are the r ster o the dead . M st bury the i n o o o o man selves bo ks . Only ccasi nally d es a resur H m h i rect himself in a book . e akes s writing the m . b parade It arches with brass bands . Every ody ’ o w om o o f kn s it s c ing. And everybody kn ws it after ’ o n m it s g ne . But nothing ca ake it live . Active as it ’ m You wh o so see s to be it s still a burial . have tried hard and have n ot succeeded may ye t learn that he only ou tr — succeeds wh o dont try at all . When y y that ’ ’ m o it o ot to eans that y u re up against . When y u ve g ’ e i e Wh ou ot to o s s. ng ne r . en y ve g watch y ur p and q You You merchants in words . m You wh o f or traders of drea s . are always trying art Y u wh o e sth e ticise but never try for love . o always with the e lect but refuse to fraternize with the crowd . a o You who go the w y the wind bl ws . You who

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 14 HORACE TRAUB EL yield to art the tribute of life instead o f exacting f or m You wh o . life the tribute of art . are the cli bers w o You You wh o ould give up your s uls f or a phrase . h You wh o w o w ould rather write a pretty senten ce . wo You wh o wo be uld rather have a style . uld rather Y u ou classifie d with the intellectuals . o whatever y are o m You b o o r u wa o . beg, rr w steal yo r y int e inence

f You m o . You distorte rs o scripture . cri inals of w rds

You o o f o . parricides o f go spels . executi ners disc very Y o You ou sm therers of freedom. writers who are ” trying to write . The gram-marians and scholars are still h orrifie d at the manner in which Traubel violated the rules of o o o sch ol ro om and university rhet rics . In his pr se he ” f or n ot o frequently used aint have , and d nt n o without the apostrophe f or do n ot and does t. “ H e do n ot o m o used t be e phatic, and d nt H e o o f on e of casually. t ld an incident when his subscribers sent b ack to h im The Conser vator in ” which the errors in spelling had been corrected . The reader courteously acknowledged that the m errors were probably those of the co positor. Traubel said that if he did n ot fin d the word he wanted ” In n O timos b o . he made o e . p is a Trau el w rd explaining its meaning to a curious friend he said : sa o mo m o wh I f I can y c s s eaning the wh le, y ’ shouldn t I say ou timos me aning the cheerful whole ? To many persons Traubel is mo re significa nt as a m f critic . S o e o his friends said they read his paper f r ot oo o n hing else but his b k reviews . Without being o an m o inclined t ward y such discri ination of his w rk, I realize the prophetic message he expressed in his r m are a book c iticis s . His reviews nything else but

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1 1 6 H ORACE TRAUB EL

l f so e , m circ s o his craft, and al in his writing being al ost totally ignored by the moulders . an d purveyors of pu blic

I b uild n o ti res to burn X CHAPTER .

P OET A N D P ROP HET T is not as technician that we are n ow considering o o of n e w Traubel, but as p et and pr phet the o rder o f m o h n d in de ocracy. N where do we Traubel a , m k o e . He m in r y inevitably strikes the aj or note . His o m rhymeless verses , which are devoid of the f r al lilt , o o m m m alth ugh they p ssess an un istakable rhyth , ust needs be considered in the light o f their strength o f mm w spirit . In Chants Co unal , Traubel has ritten the o m o of o o u n pr cla ati n lab r, serving warning up n the just elements of the w orld that the spirit of democracy has arisen from its tomb and challenges th e priests wh o r ifi H om c u c e d it. e takes fr the streets the wrecks in m orm m m o hu an f , re oulds the in the s cial spirit and H dedicates their brain and brawn to loving service . e o f oo takes the huts and hovels the p r, secreted in the sunless niches o f our cities and fills them with happi ness and hope in the day when every house and tent that shelters a man and a woman shall be a mansion o f love and a palace of fellowship . As we read Chants Communal it seems that Traubel had written the manifesto of the coming s ocial de moc oo o om racy o f the world . That b k contains the ec n ic reasoning of Ka rl Marx and th e Spiritual doctrine o f i o m o Jesus Christ. In t, lab r akes b th an appeal and

a . oo a threat, warning and a challenge The b k is ele ctrifie d with th e inclusive spirit of the man who 1 17

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 18 HORACE TRAUBEL

o it o be n o o o wr te , and he c uld ther than a p et who had a vision of a grander day when all the sons of me n will rej oice in the liberty they have won at so omm o preci ous a price . Chants C unal c uld have been written by n o o ther than a prophet wh o f oretells the

first coming o f the worker . Man y people knew of Traubel as the intimate friend m m o o o f . b and c pani n Walt Whit an Li rarians , scholars and literary persons knew h im as the biog raph e r of The Goo d Grey Poet bu t to many radical thinkers and writers he wa s known as a poet o own wh o o f and pr phet in his right, sang the divinity f I n of all me n and preached a gospel o love . the midst o f perplexities an d disappointments and con flictin o a : g situati ns , Traubel s ng

I h a e h u ch o o n th e e arth v ad s j y , So man y of th e th in gs th at se e me d to h ave starte d wron g ‘h a e e n de d r i h t v g , So man y of th e e cstacie s h av e come ou t o f so man y o f th e orrows o f th e e ar s s y , So man y o f th e most clou de d morn in gs h ave so op e n e d th e h m s a f way to t e o st u n ny te rn oon s. Evil h a s eve rywh e r e a n d always so re f u se d to stop with e vil

a n d h as gon e on to good, D e ath h as e ve rywh e re a n d always so re f u se d to stop with de a h an d h as on e on to lif e t g , Th at I stan d h appy an d satisfie d su rve yin g th e t an gle th rou gh wh ich I h a e b r k e n v o .

Every morning he asked :

H ow a re you de ar wor ld th is morn in g? Cl e a n f rom m ba h o f sle e y t p , Warm f rom th e bosom of m mo h e r sta y t r,

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1 20 HORACE TRAUB EL away from the beaten paths o f old techniques and I n o fie rce po ints o f view . their s ngs are heard the of o o cries of the driven people . Because the ev luti n a ry processes through which labor is slowly ascending ow mo o t ards de cracy, the past generati n , especially the last decade has produced many poets wh o have ex n o f o tolled labor 5 cause . Ma y these are called sec nd ” I wo fi rst Whitmans . uld rather be a Traubel than ” o m o a sec nd Whit an , said H race when he read of a o s p et o called . da o f m o n ot e t The y j ust, erited appreciati n has y w f or b b of o n o da ned Trau el , ecause the star lab r has t w fi rmam n b w o o e t . sh ne, in the rld Trau el ill never be popular in the drawing rooms and f ormal literary m o im circles . There is a de ocracy ab ut both h and ” his message which forbids the vulgar level of p opularity and rears a barrier between h im and the

- w H e w m conventional hero orshippers . kne the easure o f o o o bb in the p lite idlers , p stp ners and da lers in l o te le ctu al subj ects . Traubel will never be wh lly pop ular with the worker until the worker measures his in m o f o o oo stature ter s l ve and br therh d , and realizes his potential power an d grasps the fundamental mean o f o wo wo o ing w rld justice , rld truth , rld l ve , and om o m o m alienates itself fr d g as , jeal usies and s all o m N o t b change ref r s and platitudes . t un il la or fin ds ou t f or itself that it is as great , as true and as worthy a s b to be w bo Trau el held it , ill la r understand Traubel ’ m om f and his essage . S e o the world s keenest think ers ’ and bravest souls have recogn ized T rau be l s real sig i H n f i can ce . e has received the most extraordinary praise from pe ople wh o are in the fore rank o f literature and radical thought . But n ot until the hewer of wood

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® POET AND PROPHET 121 and the drawer of water cease hewing wood and draw ing water f or their masters will Traubel really be recognized . M y democracy has included that which excluded it o om w a o. w , he wr te s e hile g That sentence , it ould m m o wh b n see , su s up the basic reas n y Trau el is ot mo b o b re widely read y the pe ople . Menti ned y m o w m Maxi G rky ith Walt Whit an , Maurice Maeter

o H . G . linck , Anat le France and Wells , Traubel has a much lesser audience than a ny of the four me n n n o o tio e d. Traubel did t speak with the c mmon o o f ow e t b e t ngue the cr d, y planted his flag in the thick f r H of the social struggle o j ustice . e took woman from her little sphere within f our walls and placed her m o f o H e om in the parlia ent the w rld . lifted sex fr om o f o its vaulted t b hyp crisy, prudery and pruriency f fi H re and dedicated it to the sacred o ce s o f love . e m f leased sex fro the conspiracy o silence . This he did away back in the years before the writings of Mrs . o K e o Havel ck Ellis , Ellen y and Charl tte Perkins Gil w man had won a sympathetic audience . A ay back there in the late eighties and the early nineties Traubel was writing prophetically of the ideal ma n and woma n . Thinkers may roughly be divided into two separate ’ and distinct classes : those interested in other persons

own o . thoughts , and those interested in their th ughts Traubel appealed especially to the fi r st class of m mo to o . thinkers , and re tely the sec nd class One ight have observed that intellectuals almost instantly took ’ an interest in and sympathized with T rau be l s me s o o an d sage . Stage f lk , writers , artists , j urnalists many professors were among his staunch friends and ’ Tra b l s o admirers . u e art f und in these people an

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 22 HORACE TRAUB EL

O m t unhesita ting resp onse . ne ust cultivate a aste for ’

m . T rau be l s dynamic writing . That requires ti e The m o generalizatio n o f his ideas will require uch l nger. If the American people were to take up Traubel and read him sympathetically it would signify a new awakening intellectually and socially ; it would signify individual thought preparing itself f or collect ive action

f r o . o liberty, p litically and industrially M y democracy has included that which excluded it b o o o f bo , said Trau el, fully c nsci us the fact that la r was n ot ye t ready to admit h im as being on e of its spokesmen . o o om o m M The f ll wing extract fr the p e , y Plain ” o I s N ot w S ng Heard , strikes hat is perhaps the ’ n ot timos e t o saddest in Op , and y it reveals the p et s supreme con fide n ce in himself and in his work :

M y p l ain so n g i s n o t h e a r d ' It l 1 i ts its sim l e ca de n ce in l o e an d b e n e dic i on p v t , It trave ls th e u su al ways i n th e u su a l dre ss o f me n Lik e th e rive r it k e e ps to i ts n atu ral cou r se an d is n ot e ma rk e d r , An d lik e th e cl ou ds it is dr ive n h e r e an d th e re obe di e n tly to its law B u t th e maste rs pa ss it by h ea rin g n ot h in g o r re se n ti n g wh at h e h t y e ar, An d th e e ch oe rs o f th e ma ste r s pass it by be ca u se th e ma ste r s i n ore or re e ct th e u n accu stome d n o e g j t , An d so th ou gh it doe s n ot stop sin gin g it sings main ly to it se lf An d is joyf ul with in it se l f a n d su f ficie n t an d look s f or n o

re turn .

An d ye t my son g is h e ard becau se I h e ar it with my own

e ars, An d it is an swe re d b e cau se I re spon d to it in my days and n i h s o f lo e g t v ,

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1 24 HORACE TRAUB EL

verse compares in technique and thought with any of his best poetry :

Wh e n we u n de rs an d e ach oth e r a ll in all t , , Wh e n t wo f rie n ds u n de r stan d e ach oth e r a f te r th e y h ave mi u n e r tood s d s , Wh e n n ation s u n de r stan d e ach o th e r in pe ace af t e r th e y h ave m e isu n de rstood e a ch oth r in wa r , Wh e n f ath e r s moth e r s ch ildre n f rie n ds e o l e u n de r an , , , , p p , st d, l d r s d all a l u n e tan , Oh ! th a mu st b e h e a e n — th e re i n oth in b e n d t v s g yo .

The passionate lover o f humanity wh o wa s in ce s san tly talking and dreaming of the dear love o f com rades bursts forth in eloquent appeal in the following stan z a

’ I m j u st talk in g a ll th e time a bou t love : I t ry some time s t o talk of oth e r th in gs bu t I come back t o l ove : T o m sim l e lo e f or me n an d wome n to m lo e f or ou y p v , y v y , to my l ove f or lif e N ot car in at all wh a ma be said o f me be cau se o f it g t y , comin g b ack to l ove : rom wh a e e r e x cu rsion int o oth e r fi e lds wh e re oth e r F t v , moti e s re a il comin b ack to l o e : v p v , g v Some th in g i n my h e ar t dr ivin g me : some thin g in you im pe llin g me : some th in g : some th in g : Th e ca su al day n ot satisf yin g me : th e ca su al a mbition s a n d re wards : T h e b e in g th ou gh t a l ot o f n ot satisf yin g me : th e f ame : th e n oise o f popu lar approval : R ath e r sh r in k in g f rom th at : rath e r p r e f e rrin g to pa ss a ro u n d se e in g bu t r e main in g un se e n : P u ttin g in my word f or love wh e r e ve r I can : e ve n wh e n it se e ms out o f place o r u n we l come : J u st sayin g l ove e ve rywh e re an d e ve ryh ow so th at all may h e ar : sayin g l ove

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® POET AND PROPHET 125

Lowe ring my voice i n th e n oise so I may be h e a rd in th e sile n ce s : Raisin g by voice in th e sile n ce s so I may b e h e ard i n th e

B u t sayin g th e sa me th in g wh e re ve r : sayin g th e same th in g : saying love : j u st love Mak ing pe o ple mad : appe arin g a t th e wr on g time : sayin g o e o e wh e h e r th e i ste n o r a re de a f l v , l v , t y l I wr i e do dre am ook f or b e in l o e : a ll I work f or All t , , , l , g v b e in g love : l Just l ove : j u st l ove : j u st ove .

Traubel closes Optimos with the following verse :

d am i aste d in h e as s re ch of th e da No re s w t l t t t y, N o sou l i s lost i n th e fin a l cou n t o f th e race : Th e ld n e ation s are de n ie d th e u a rds o f lif e an d de ath o g , g a di mi e d h e lon distru s e d s r e am is e f t to its re s ss , t g t t l c ou rse : G ods wh o di sown me n a r e se lf cru cifie d : n o h e ll i s so black

as th e c ou rt th at con de mn s me n to it .

Se r ice i e b e n e diction ru e i s se lf r e s ra in t . v s s lf , l t

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® CHAPTER XI

SOCIAL RE V OLU TIONIST WORLD that might be happy and contented through cooperation and understanding is divided into two hostile camps the oppressors and the

o m to . oppressed . B th sides are ar ed the teeth The oppressors have f ortifie d themselves with the law o o f and l gic their class with pulpit and press , and with shot and shrapne l to prove the worthiness of o de fian t but their cause . The ppressed are equally , w ! On their eapon is much less imposing . Justice o t so o that rests their wh le streng h, and l ng as they m o own th e e pl y it in their class , keep e lin steady o f or and think and act in unis n they will win , they not o o mb bu t o nly have superi r nu ers , they have superi r f or o o o on e . intelligence , and superi r l ve , an ther It was in the camp of the oppressed that we found wh o a e Traubel , , as we h v seen , very early in his life planted his flag in the thick of the political and indus trial struggle . N ow we o o f or shall study Traubel , the rev luti nist, a ny sketch o f his life that fails to e mphasize his sig n ifica n ce m in the labor move ent is incomplete . The thinker by instinct is th e revoluti onist in one form or

o . c e th e re volu an ther I ac ept the view that Traub l , ion i t st o . As o , has created Traubel , the p et a y ung man 25 o v l of years , Traubel sh wed pronounced re o u i r t ona y tendencies . His essays and monographs writ 126

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1 28 HORACE TRAUB EL

b . Y o o o . ou ef re j ustice Yes , bef re l ve practice a m o o o . o o o pr fessi n Your pr fessi n c es bef re j ustice . fi r st . Fatal fallacy. Justice stands Justice precedes fi all th e witnesses o f life . Justice is the only n al wit n Y ma m zss . ou o to life y satisfy every ther clai . But o f tisfi Y n thing is done or life until j ustice is sa e d. ou ou n have ordered your life . But y have left o room f or You j ustice . have taken all the details into ac Y o . o o o or o wo c unt u have f rg tten f res rn j ustice . And fi r s f o j ustice is forever t o all . Justice is the nly thing o that takes care of all . Justice speaks the nly uni f o . o o versal t ngue Anything sh rt j ustice is parley, fli h m ow apology or g t . The hu an spirit es itself a su m b b f m . o pre e de t The de t o j ustice . Justice is the c L o f r o o . ou mon providence . k j ustice When y see d n You n ot bo j ustice you o ot see rulers . do see nds Y b . ou do n t earing interest o see lands paying rent . Y d n t o o r fi Yo ou o o see the st rekeeper p cketing p o ts. u m Yo m n see me n refusing argins and bounties . u see e m refusing to subject other e n to their talents . Justice n o b It declares that talent shall t uy and sell . grants o n talent on e privilege . Surrender . Talent d es ot be

t . h e . o t long o t individual It bel ngs o all . Justice is fi r s f I m n m n t a a on . t o all . starts with the square It n m It keeps the race o loyal ter s with itself . gives n b life general ot special sanctions . What is est your own mo is re than best the inheritance of the race . I cannot separate my personal gifts from the impersonal

om . F r i of treasure . Fr justice o j ustice is forever f rst

. I o o all kn w what the professi nal logicians say. Jus n tice is ot logic . What the preacher says when he

mo s o . faces the ney in his parish . Ju tice is n ot religi n th e m n s is What states e ay in their cabinets . Justice

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filli not p olitics . And when the doctor is n g me with n drugs he says j ustice is ot medicine . And when the painter is painting a picture f or fame or f or money n ot w o h as he says that justice is art . And hen the p et dedicated his verses to a person he says that j ustice w w r is n ot song . And hen the la yer lies in his b ief he n ot law w m says that j ustice is . And hen the trades an

hogs his excesses he says that j ustice is n ot trade . And when the landlord evicts a tenant he says that w wo m justice is n ot rent . And even hen the rk an w n gathers in his ages he says that justice is ot hire . b And so we have reduced life to argain and sale . All ma n are n ot giving life f or life . Each is giving his ’ m ma n m all f or every other an s all . But each is aking f r mo the sharpest dicker he can o life . Getting the st f r m f he can get of life o the least he ust give o life . And this adj ustment is the current adjustment o f re i i f f law w wo l on o o . g , art and That is hat the rld calls om o f o r righteousness . And when I c e al ng crying fill f or . M e d w justice . Weeping j ustice y heart ith o f ille d w o sorrow seeing the lack justice . F ith elati n f m seeing the inevitability o j ustice . They are all at y

m o . m heels decrying y l gic The priest is at y heels . m m o m The states an is at y heels . The p et is at y

m . heels . The artist is at y heels All the sellers and w e me n m . a o buyers are at y heels Even the g , the inn m I cents transgressed , are at y heels . And barely e o fi r escape with my life . And y t justice is f rever st f ” o all . In th e foregoing Traubel has enunciated the funda mental principle of S ocialism in contrast with the m H m f . e pri ary purpose o capitalis says rent, interest and rofit of m m p , the chief pillars capitalis ust be sub

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f r ow stituted o love , fell ship and service , the para m a n me mount principles o f Socialis . But y funda ntal principle o f life or government can only be achieved ifi m m f through some spe c c ediu o organization . w o o w o Principle ith ut purp se is like bread ith ut salt, o o o oo o air with ut xygen , tree with ut r t , body with ut

o o o . breath , class with ut c nsci usness Traubel said Socialism must connect in the open with every—day w o o man wh o m de fin e in life , ith the c mm n , ust its i i m tr n s c o o . value and fath its p tentiality Karl Marx , m o o o om b o the Ger an phil s pher and ec n ist , y p inting ou t w of m the inherent eakness capitalis , indicated the economic method through which the workers may o m bu t n ot o o m achieve S cialis , he did disc ver S cialis a n y more than Luther Burbank discovered the seed om o r fr which he cultivates his w nderful f uit . The principle of Socialism is identical with the teaching of I o of m n Christ . t grows with the s ul a and manifests itself in his acts and attitude toward life . B ecause o f the unyielding and formidable opposition o f the ruling class which is strongly entrenche d in gov e rn me n tal m b privilege , is erciless and insatia le , the workers have found it necessary to hitch their dream o f an equitable s ociety in which there shall be neither n or to de fin ite o m on o princes paupers , a pr gra the p liti fie lds o o cal and industrial , and thr ugh which they h pe om o m o to acc plish their s cial e ancipati n . An awakened conscience abroad in the world has de fin ite b o ou r o taken a stand ef re all instituti ns , saying to them that labo r shall n ot be a commodity subject to omm wo I barter and sale in the c ercial rld . t says that b o b o wh o n la r is inevitably the la rer, is entitled ot only t o o o o o o the superi r respect and c nsiderati n f the w rld,

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1 32 HORACE TRAUB EL w wo n o sa o of ith which he rks , and has y ver the value his hire n or h ow long it shall last . This is especially true in the cases o f unskilled and unorganized workers . Where the wo rker becomes a p olitical subj ect is after he has exercised his sovereign rights o f franchise and voted into p ower me n who later club h im into sa bmis si on through the j udicial , legislative and executive n m o m branches o f gover ent . The S cialist party eets this condition broadly by telling the wo rkman to use his political power by voting into of fice me n of his own wh o o of fice wo class , w uld use their in freeing the rk fi l ma n from wage bondage on the industrial e d. The o S cialist party, then, is the bridge that spans the political and industrial organizations . On fie ld o n o h the industrial , as the p litical eld , H was f or o Traubel took a militant stand . e the cl sed h o w to o o . sh p , ich he said led the pen w rld The o m wo o f world t day see s to b e against u s. The rld the ”

b on ou r . o future will e side , he declared Lab r begins to see that it is o nly protected when it pro I o o . t tee ts itself . Theref re it gets its particles t gether m It ceases to b e a thing o f ite s and becomes a total . It o o It o o o . g es tw ways . g es right and it g es wr ng

b . o o is eautiful , and it is ugly That is , it is in a c nditi n I l r ifi f . t w o o struggle ill emerge c a e d. That f rce which on the march is a class will on its arrival be we o t o . r c me a people . We glorify he cl sed shop O o m damn the closed shop . The cl sed shop is a anifest m It si n ifi e s o f both of af f ir ati on and negati on . g lack first t t n ot faith and hen a greater faith o come . It is a It . . n o virtue It is a shield It is t right or wrong. is

o . om gravitati n . It is a result S ething happe ned pre

it . n h ceding The this t ing had to happen . There was n o way ou t of it . God could n ot set th e tables of its

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® SOCIAL REVOLUTIONI ST 1 33 m n andate aside . And ow that this thing has hap e n om om p ed s ething further is to happen . S ething m n just as little to be evaded . The strea flows o its I a . o o w y t cann t b e diverted . It is g ing toward the om t greatest light . Fr darkness o light and from light o mo om mo o t re light and fr re light t illumination . m The re was supply and de and . There was competi

o wa s . f m ti n . There graft There was the law o oney om f o fin din h im d inating the law o s uls . The laborer g self hopelessly under fi re in the world of figh t has shut m e o o n o hi s lf in the cl sed shop . The cl sed shop is t

. fix e I o here to stay Its function is n ot d. t is here t ma on man on w pass n . And after it has passed it ill ow o w o disintegrate . It will take d n its f ur alls and g o o a m m into v luntary oblivi n . Me nti e it is inter ediately I ? I b N o. vital and preservative . t is against li erty t f r o b f o o f b to ob is o liberty. It is a tr u led e f rt li erty o o o e t serve the c venant . It is the nly res urc left o liberty to play a safe hand with the cards stacked

i n ot sa o o b . against t . I do y the cl sed sh p is li erty I sa o y it leads to liberty. If liberty with the cl sed shop is in danger lib erty without the closed shop is

o You o h n man h . l st . qu te t e o e w o is trespassed I o fif t me n om on e man qu te the y wh the trespasses . I do n ot say the liberty o f the o n e man should be in e fif t me n n vaded . I say the lib rty o f the y should ot be forgotten . o o w o In the f reg ing, hich is an extract fr m an article on o m b 1 908 craft uni nis pu lished in The Arena, May, , Traubel covered the ground o f trade unionism on the basis of which the American Federation o f Labor o e o f o n i z o p rates . The idea craft rga ati n is gradually being supplanted by the principle of industrial organi

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 134 HORACE TRAUB E L z ation of o i o m b . That is , instead rgan zing w rk en y z m o trades o rgani e them by industries . This latter eth d or form meets with the approval o f liberals in the o o m mo m fiv e s cial and ec no ic ve ents . Just years after th o f on o m e publicati n o his article craft uni nis , an b o b e m extract o f which has j ust een qu ted, Trau el do rse d u n u alifie dl i of o r , q y, the princ ple industrial an iz ation o o m g . This is what he wr te Craft uni nis m I was inevitable and has ainly done its wo rk . ndus trial uni onism was just as inevitable and is n ow doing o o h o o o o its w rk . The pe ple w think the rev luti n is g ing o o h to be handed d wn are mistaken . And the pe ple w o ’ ’ It s think it s going to be handed up are mistaken . ’

t w u o n ot flat . going o gro o t o f the b dy and soul . It s ’ ’ n o It s n o o m i or re It s o set f rules . f r ula inher ted ’ ’ to sa : vealed . It s the next harvest . It s as bad y ’ To ou do f or o to hell with y ; we ll this urselves , as ’ man say : T o hell with you ; we ll do this f or you . The ’ ’

man o f o . with the right life . He s the the h ur He s ’ n o o to the ma who s d ing the jb . Whether he happens have come up fro m the social hell t o the earth or down ’ from the social heaven to the earth doesn t matter . ’ n The thing we know n ow is that we re o the e arth . ’ ’ That we re together . That we ve clasped hands . That ’ o m It s o o we are sw rn to the sa e r esult . a fo l c nclu sio n — the idea that only on e thing is b ringing on the

W . n W. o oc r o I . crisis and the change . N S ialist pa ty, , n o program of modifie d or relentless rebellion could Th fi l I . W . e d do . W it all e . is tilling a that has never o I o t been cultivated bef re . t says things and d es hings I mo to with which disagree . But it says re things ” w o S f or . hich I assent . I take it all in all Traubel wa s constantly evolving from on e plane to a nothe r with the progress of social and economic

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’ Traube l s Socialism was n ot merely an orthodox mani o n ot con fin e d b an o o o o fest . It was y y p litical rth d xy

o an o . or c nnected with y industrial d gma It was free , o - - bo - o pen and a ve board life . Traubel c ntended against o wh o o the S cialist was strictly p litical in his agitation, f or he realiz ed that a great mass o f workers in America and elsewhere do n ot possess the ballot and are prop e rt le ss F or h y . t ese there is n o o ther recourse to emancipation than the use of their industrial power in seeking to sever the chains that bind them in industrial

. Ou o m o slavery the ther hand, there is the igrat ry wo m wh o o m bo rk an , being with ut per anent a de and lacking p olitical and govern mental sympathies sees o nly fallacy in p olitical action . And Traub el said that h e too o . m , , was wr ng There is a bridge that ust span the p olitical and industrial arms o f social organization m if the working class is ever to achieve its e ancipation . Traubel stood with Debs and many others in the revo lu tion a ry movement in insisting that it is the function of the S ocialist party to b ridge the gap of misun de r standing be tween the p olitical and industrial forces . m n It This isunderstanding is ot necessarily serious . o n o d es t even constitute a b reach . But there is a lack o f co- o o co- o o b two ow perati n, rdinati n etween these p r o b e f u l branches o f radical thought and acti n . Trau el was constantly saying that it was a mistake to believe o o there can be p litical equity with ut industrial j ustice, since politics are th e threads woven into the fabric of r o on e i f ou nati nal life and v tally a fects the other .

Traubel did not say the Socialist party is infallible . H H e did n ot say th e industrial wing is infallible . e said he knew the job o f humanizing the world was too bi f or t o too f or o o g e i her al ne and big b th t gether , and

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’ so he accepted anything he could get from them that s to the good and did not worry over their individual o H n imperfecti ns . e did ot expect the millennium to be out b o od o H e on handed y anyb dy, g r devil . c tended that if the Socialist party failed to do the work expected of it on the political fi e ld the w ork would get o th m d ne anyway. And e sa e of the industrial organ z ti n o i a o s. The L rd is inte rested in getting the work ” ’ o on r m d ne , he said , and if e inst u ent w on t work o ma o o an the r will That y s und like opp rtunism. I f it is oppo rtunistic to accept a quarter without ceasing m b to o o o . de and the wh le , then Trau el was an pp rtunist wo o o of Then the rld is an pp rtunist world . A cup water to a famishing man in the Sahara Desert is a o e t ma n ot be g dsend, y his thirst y quenched until he

has had a pitcher full o f water . Traubel declared the thing the w orld is going toward very rapidly is

m o ot ~ o~ hu an fusion . The w rking class has g to get t

e . N t on fie l geth r Everywhere . o the industrial d

o . fi l In wa al ne No r on the p olitical e d alone . every y ” to b everywhere . Anything that helped ring that o oo oo to al ng l ked g d Traubel , and anything that tended t h im o prevent it looked b ad to . He never retreated an inch from his p ositive stand f or om f m o f m the c plet e e face ent the capitalist syste , which he held respo nsible f or p olitical and industrial wrongs that cause so much human suf fering in the o b n ot o a n b f or o o w rld . Trau el did h ld y rief the ap l gists wh o admit there is something wrong with the

o wh o o of . w rld, but o deny r evade the s urce social evil

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® CHAPTER XII INTERNATIONALIST H ROU G HOU T the five years o f the world wa r Ho race Traubel remained steadfast to his an two o undying faith in m . The c ntinents have n ot produced a more loyal internationalist than he wh o ranks with the martyred Karl Liebknecht of Ger m o f any, the slain Jean Jaures France ; the banished o f m on Bertrand Russell England , and the i pris ed

m . V . b o f e Eugene De s , A rica I n 1914 m o of that dreadful August, , the aj rity Socialists o f each belligerent nation suddenly found m e o f o the selv s trapped in the v rtex o war , and alth ugh they had pledged themselves to keep the International o to o owm to invi late, l ve their fell en and respect their m b m o utual class interests, they eca e nati nalists and many o f them actually fought to kill their comrades . ‘ oo b e In the United States , as the bl dy attl s on the other side progressed and the pendulum of victory swung between the Allied Powers an d the Germanic rm m ou r own o oo n ot a ies, any of S cialists t k sides , according to their concepts o f international brother oo in flu e n ce of anti a h d, but under the hateful racial p

o o . thies, and nati nal passi ns and prej udices o f m o In a struggle that agnitude , internati nal in

o - w o influ character, and w rld ide in the sc pe of its me we m to t e es , are ade realize individual s rength and m Th o m o . e r weakness , c s ic c urage and i potence o gan 138

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140 HORACE TRAUB EL censors to Ge rmany where those wh o received it t e n It o to I spo de d to its message . has even g ne taly and

me t m o m . Japan , and with the sa e resp nsive sy pathy ’ Trau be l s - s o m o e t war writing were v lu in us , y , as m e o m o ight be exp cted, they c nstituted the in rity o f f o o t f rep rt . The war at least a orded the pp r unity o getting a range on the r e n own e d phil os ophers and o m o f w om b m o b w auth rs , any h eca e h pelessly e ildered when the supreme test of their accredited wisdom came with the hurricane . of o o om mb The issues The C nservat r fr Septe er , 1 914 one mo b o f o to , nth after the eginning h stilities , “ th e of m n um~ signing the ar istice, were all war ’ m m o of T rau be l s o m bers inas uch as the aj rity p e s, Collects and book reviews during that perio d were devoted to various angles of the European holocaust . Any on e having an y doubt as to the in flue n ce o f the war upon American literatur e need only look through l o b m the fi e s o f The Conservat r . But Trau el was erely H e emphasiz ing then what he contended all his life . did n ot need a great wa r to prove to h im the mess ” H e w which Capitalism has made o f things . had rit ten in this vein since fi rst he became a Socialist . In

19 10 Traubel wrote an anti - militarism article f or the fin d m w B oston Sunday Glob e . We in it aterial hich is consistent with his an ti - war and p ro- pe ace doctrine f o four years later . ’ Perhaps Traub e l s best writings on the war were co ntributed intermittently during 191 5 and 19 16 to the m os Altoona ( P a . ) Ti es . In th e brief pieces he r o o eached his p int in sh rt, crisp , incisive sentences that total n ot OV e r three quarters o f a newspaper column . om o mo H e wrote s e f the st startling, daring articles

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f or the Times that are to be found anywhere among mo th mo his writings , and certainly a ng e st fearless m that appeared in A erica . Traubel de fin e d his p osition on the war clearly in the following paragraphs which appeared in the o m 3 1 91 5 ' Alto na Ti es , July , ’ If I believed in wa r I d be proud o f war ’ I o b wa r I m m and say so . As d nt elieve in asha ed a I n ot o i n of w r and say so . nly dont believe this ’ n I m n o ro war : I dont believe in a y war . t p ’ — r I m o- o m . r anything except p yself p Traubel . And

ro- b m b m F or being p Trau el eans eing anti any things . ’ ’ ’ - - I m o . I m o I m instance, anti patri tic anti nati nal . ’ - I m an o w o anti country. anti y the ry which dra s b rder I lines between peoples . And apply that principle l t T m without qu a ifica ion . o the China an as well as to m T o me n o f o o w the A erican . the wild B rne as ell as

t am me n o f o . To o o the t ed Harvard C llege the l west, — — so to so . called, as well as the highest, called ’ In Europe I m looking these days f or popular as I distinguished from geographical or dynastic results. m I o f or care nothing f or the great e pires . nly care

the crowd ou t of which e mpires have been welded . ’ The grandiose empires may dissolve to day and I d n ot m to shed a tear over their re ains . I want get the earth o man to o t gether . I want the average kn w that this n o planet is the fair heritage of ave rage me . Its b unty h I o to as been alienated . want its n ble equities be o placed where they bel ng . “ I care nothing f or Germany but everything f or o f or F e r Germans . S do I care nothing ranc but eve y I ca n m m n thing f or Fre n chme n . And bring y state e t home and say I care nothing f or America but every

thing for Americans . ’ do t That s th e way I belie ve in war . I n Care how soon all the kings are gone ; h ow soon all

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’ You the armies and navies are abolished . couldn t get me ma d by knocking the German or any other ’ m ou o me mad b ar y ou t . And y c uldn t get y sinking th r an o e English o y ther navy in the deepest seas . I want everything that comes b etween people got out

f m n om . o the way. Ar ies and avies c e between There ’ n h fore I want the m ou t o f the way. But they re ot t e o ou o f a I wan t all t nly thing I want t the w y. he lu t t a A r ocmcie s ou t o h e w . ll th e lan dlo ds mon e p f y , y lords an d r o t l ords th e world ove r ou t o th w p fi f e ay. I wa! nt a ll o th e m wi th ou t e xce ti n ou o th wa f p o t f e y. F i e t Th e or th e y const tu te th e mast r obs r u ction . y are th e e re n nial thr e a t th e ar e th e in e xora ble a n d in p , y ’ e me n h u ma n a t r Till th e r t e vi ta ble e l ts of dis s e . y e e n othin can re v e n t th e r e cu rr n ce o wars move d g p e f . ’ Wh e n th e y r e ou t of th e way the re will be n o re ason ar f or w s. The sort of pacifism that expects to stop war with ou t incontinently cutting of f the root o f the evil is as useless as the s ort o f truculency that goes round about the earth saying nothing was ever done by man except ” through force . The following piece which was written in reference ’ n f m b m to the violatio o Belgiu s neutrality y Ger any, a n d the subsequent ravaging of that country by the o m 2 191 5 : Teut ns , appeared in The Ti es , July , When the player gets into a great passion over Hecuba and sheds tears the amazed Hamlet sort o f to b to h im asks : What is he Hecu a, what is Hecuba , that he sh ould go on so about it ? The world is full o m o f ne utrality act rs today, and we are a azed at their mo e m n tears . F ran k Harris calls this lacry s senti e tal ism snobbery in excelsis ! No one can deny that in great masses of people the e motion over Belgium is

e o o . h t sincer and pr f und But there are ot ers , and hese othe rs are th e people on top anywhe re who can violate

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o f You in favor of aut nomy or people . censure any crime in Poland and you condone an y crime in Amer rm o ica . T0 see Ge ans sh oting Belgians breaks your to se o o n o heart . But e y ur w s ldiers shooting the laborers in Colo rado strikes you as the assertion o f r m o f la Wh a the necessa y supre acy the w. t y ou have to say o f the submarine depends up on whose ’ Yo bm o t o . u o su arine y u re alking ab ut kn w it does . What you say o f aeroplanes and gases depends upon Y w o w o . h se aircraft and h se gas ou know it does . ’ What is a man - of - war ? N ot only the boat that s m o m . Yo ar ed . The b at that bears ar s u know it is . ? What is a f ortifie d city A city that tries to protect If b o an itself against assault . a dirigi le cr sses a city y

e to o . o an city tri s pr tect itsel f Theref re , y city is a f rtifi Y ? o ou w . war e d city. kno it is What is itself o T m The terro r f terrors . o b e ade as ghastly and m ’ cruel as the devil brain o f man can ake it . 5 o s the o n on enemy may be f rced to squeal . Even if the combatants are included among the victims of its h m You o . W o cowardly barbaris . kn w it is are the innocent n on - combatants ? N ot o nly the people who o o o wh o are n ot forced to g to war . Als the pe ple are o to f orced to go to wa r . So that in rder get the ’ ’ n n - mb F or guilty you ve got to kill o co atants . they re You o always the pe ople wh o start the war . kn w ’ You h ow m of o that s so . can well understand any y ur noti ons will have to b e revised if you stop being a man braying echo and b ecome an accountable . ’ F or a man who s against some war or most wars ’ In it s hard to stop short of being against all wars . order to be f or s ome war and n ot f or some other war ’ he s got to draw impossible distinctions between m i s crue lty and kindness , urder and killing, what Wh o called barbarous and what is called humane . is the n on - combatant ? Certainly n ot the people at home who are engaged in the work o f supplying the army

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3 with arms and food and cl othing and everything else o n o o h to keep it g ing . Certainly t the m neylenders w o n r n h fin a ce the war . Ce tainly ot the taxpayer w o puts h n o — m ? I up his percent . W o is the n co batant s it the private American wh o sells anything in arms and food or miscellanies to help keep an army equippe d ? I s it the American government that permits the stuf f to be shipped ? ’ Then I m in favor o f having everybody murdere d ? ’ I m o o f ob o m . N ot at all . in fav r having n dy urdered ’ I m t ow h ow difli cult h ow m o only trying o sh , i p ssible, n on is to ow wh o o b e it is , eve the war bas , sh , sh uld ’ ’ murdered . And as we can t determine who s to b e ’ m e o u s to m urd red, it s left t decree indiscri inate ’ t o m I f b slaughter or o refuse t urder at all . it s etter

in the individual law , and in the individual life , that twenty guilty me n should escape than that on e inno ’ man o b e so b cent sh uld persecuted, it s etter in war that twenty guilty prime ministers sho uld go free than o e ow z o r o that the inn cent , ven if unkn n citi en s ldier ,

should be destroyed . ’ w i If that s an argume nt f or ar make the most o f t . But I still say even in using the wa r code as the crite ’ o m m o b to fix rion war is c nde ned . As it s i p ssi le the ’ m u so m o b to fix . g ilt, it s i p ssi le the punish ent “ ’ ’ I f an to b e ot an war s y right war , war s g y right to be as horrible as the impulse to kill may be made h o o h ar . w to b e . I w o hate w always I d nt believe

e to o to . in defensive war, hav every right bj ect war ’ h o o o ou But you w believe in war c nditi nally, and y ’ wh o o o o believe in war unc nditi nally, whether y u re a u n o o on half coward or a whole br te , have gr und up You o law which to qualify yo ur co de . lug internati nal

o o o . into sight . Internati nal law is nati nal cha s ’ ’ - m There s no such thing . There s inter hu an law .

But international law is meaningless .

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Why should we seriously argue about grading w murder ? I dont want you to look my ay. But I oo n a to o do want you to l k o e w y. I want clear up y ur o m m a o c nfusions . Al ost si ult ne usly while England was obj ecting to the victimizing o f n on - comb atants on the Lusitania English mobs were victimiz ing n on - com ’ a I bat n ts in English and South African cities . t s all ’ m o n e o o . o wr ng, of c urse But it s as uch wr ng for as ’ f r . n ow o the other As Brandes says , we re living in a sort o f moral ban kruptcy in which all the ordinary o principles o f right and wr ng are outraged .

Governments are allowed a ny crime . Individuals n m o m wo are allowed o cri e . G vern ents are rking out m s n i . o o f u ot d s u is their designs as they please S e , g ou r o m f or o m ing c nte pt all g vern ents as they exist , are trying to work ou t the new design s as human ” fraternity pleases . Traube l took the view that wars are n o longer b mo b u t b o started y narchs and presidents , y antag nistic o N o n m a capitalistic gr ups . o e but a silly senti ent list living in the past believes that the killing of the Austrian archduke and his consort by the Servian war it bu t student caused the . That act precipitate d , a i u m l ca u se o f did n ot c use t. The f nda enta the recent war and of wars that may be in store f or the future e o om omm m or li s s lely in the c petitive c ercial syste , is m Capitalism. It the inevitable result of the anner in fl ir which the world condu cts its business a a s. Indus o in flu e n ce s om trial , rather than p litical d inate the great o m f o nati ns and e pires o the earth t day, and it is patent to all students and observers o f world af f airs that a in dustrial oligarchies have superseded , in actu l power , political governments . It is a matter of no particular concern to the work ing class whether the ir dictator is a monarch or a

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1 48 H ORACE TRAUB EL t o heir go ds . They sent consuls and trade experts and m o o o to m sales en int f reign c untries dru up trade . These Teutonic emissaries of commerce found the ma r k e t alre ad y supplied with British goods . The Ger l mans started to manufacture their goods a little better n h tha the Englis brand . They put more quality into m o b the , and p ssi ly shaded the price a fraction . Gradu m or ally they succeeded in capturing the arket , a su f fi o o f m o f cient c rner it to excite the en ity England . British capitalists put up the money and Great Britain started to build the greatest navy the world had ever seen f or the purpose o f ruling the waves and re strictin m m g Ger an co merce on the seas . This pro cess cramped the German foreign market and German w o w o o areh uses bulged again ith uns ld pr duct , and German workmen were idle b ecause the had pro , y du ce d mo e mo r than they had ney to purchase . Ger many proceeded to establish the greatest army the o w rld had ever seen . The press an d pulpit and all a uxiliary channels o f communicati on in each nation o f o o preached hatred the ther pe ple , when, in fact o mo there was n ne a ng the people . Gradually the German and the Briton came to actu

r on o e . w or ally dist ust e an th r Either they never kne , they forgot that they both were victimized workingmen with nothing but a geographical an d an arb itrary line a t o t sep ra ing their comm n in ere sts . German an d British ca pita lists con tinued to build armamen t an d competi ng in the sa me trade markets . u ntil the conditions be came intolerable for both groups . They were ready for war an d th e slightest incident ou o o m m t n e de w ld pr v ke the to co ba . The Austria piso

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® INTERNATIONALIST 149 furnished th e excuse f or Wa r between England and

Germany. It is curi ously amusing to recall the manner in which ’ the world s press chided the European Socialists f or o Th m to . e a failing st p the war A eric n press , espe ciall - m o y, flung their ill ti ed taunts at the S cialists a nd o m of o pr clai ed the death the Internati nal which, as a m e of o att r fact, had existed nly in theory. The In te rn ation al was never born in fact and therefore co uld no t have died in fact . It is still but a dream harb ored ’ in the hearts o f the w orld s great humanists and kept b o f o Of o alive y the fruits their fell wship . c urse it is obvious that the press put their taunting question in an attempt to discredit the philosophy of S ocialism which or o o m is f peace under c nditi ns that ake war impossible. Traubel answered f or the Socialists in an article pub lishe d oo m 1 1 916 o ow in the Alt na Ti es , April , , as f ll s e o Christians call Europ the Christian w rld . Yet ’ o o Christians c uldn t stop the war . S cialists never call o o to o Eur pe S cialist . Yet they were expected st p the o m m war . Even Christians have dared t call the na es ’ b b to ecause they didn t stop the war . This is a tri ute ’ m o w Socialism. Christians ad it they c uldn t ith their m m to vast ajorities stop the war . Yet they see ed think the S ocialists with their inconsiderable minorities o t c uld have stopped the war if they wished o . Even if we had to admit th at S ocialists failed we ’ wouldn t have to admit that S ocialism failed . Every Socialist could fail and ye t S ocialism would remain o unhurt . As long as vision is less than life its v taries ma o om the o o f y fail . But when visi n bec es wh le life its devotees are unshakable . Socialists were n ot as many as some pe ople o o n ot e th ught they were . And S cialists were int r nationally as u n ifie d as S ocialists themselves supposed .

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 50 HORACE TRAUBEL

m e But the idea, the ideal, the drea , is still respl ndently m o m b illu inating and pr phetic . A erica esta lished h er be republic in the furtherance of liberty. But li rty has n ot e b Is b o ? y t een achieved . li erty theref re denied Socialism is not a j ourney fin ish e d bu t a place ’ o o ma mb on wa we re g ing t wards . We y stu le the y.

We may sometimes stray from the direct path . But b the great o jective is always in sight . European S ocialists did the best they could con side rin g who they are and what the circumstances ’

e . o happened to b S cialism hasn t gone back . All the belligerents in the war have found it necessary to adopt s m o i o o o e f ts pr cedure . D es that look like going back ? The sign i ficant Socialist development of the war is not found in what avowed Socialists are doing or ’ have failed to do. It s found in what the governments om d have been c pelled to o . Instead o f the war demonstrating that Socialism h a s failed it has demonstrated that nothing bu t the m i on Socialis n the war has succeeded . Lie bknecht 13 e o f the most heroic as well as on e o f the most enlight ’ me n o ened in the world t day. And Liebknecht s a m a m f or o m o Socialist . But uch as I cl i S cialis I d nt o e o o m c nt nd that this pr ves Socialism. S cialis as a world condition is not proved o r disproved by the b or o b b or of ravery c wardice, y the rains lack brains, o f Socialists . The fact remains that the Socialists are the most formidable body o f people in the human s ociety stand f or e r h e m ing peace wh ther o no. And t world ad itted this by its expression of disappointment when they m o ad failed to Check ate the war in 19 14. The w rld mit o r te d it . That w rld which has done eve ything it could to thwart Socialism in peace . That world which impudently assumes to rebuke Socialism in war . The e nemies of Socialism have even gone so far a s to taunt

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1 52 HORACE TRAUB EL o f acifism h p . T ey were wrong. Traubel said

' When the war interests clamored he became one of ” o o t o its ap l gists . Recen hist ry has proved Traube l was right . As to nationalism versus internationalism Traubel : o o o f o f o said Nati ns are b rn the letter hist ry. But o f A the world is born its spirit. nation is only a sta ge o f of u Th growth part the way p . e world is all the wa u . o b om y p Until a nati n ec es a world, until all ’ a o me o ou o n ti ns beco w rlds , y haven t pr ved your ca ’ ci t b o o pa ty for jus ice and r therho d. And until you ve . proved your capacity f or ju stice and brotherhood noth ’ ing else yo u ve proved will dignity and ennoble your o ambitions . When we can pr ve that we can love to ’ let others live and can live to let o thers love we ve " prove d ourselves to be something more than a na ” tion . Traube l was intensely enthusiastic over the Irish re 1 1 e of o 9 6 . H e b llion Easter M nday, called it a beau o H e tiful demon stration of proletarian s lidarity. said ’ mo o I m not interested in having re nati ns . But I mo am inte rested in having re republics . And in the to end the little rep ublics will lead the big republic. tisfi d To o I do wan t peoples to be sa e . have the s rt of Or to n m government they want . have o govern ent at

‘ n I om all if t hey dont want a y. want to see the c bina o o I n em e ti ns as vast as p ssible. But wa t th to be fre o n o to be o combinati ns . I wa t pe ple t gether because n ot b e m they want to be together, ecaus ar ies and n avies force them to be together . Ireland has always obj ecte d to be ing a part of the

o t . B ritish empire . It sh uld be allowed o go When a brave an d beautiful people want to say goodbye we

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® INTERNATIONALIST 1 53 should God bless them with the fraternal right hand te ins ad of God damning them with paper constitutions an d o o invading s ldiers . I d nt think republics are ulti m . m ate But they co e next . And the republic is a wa th e omm passage y to c une . m Many A erican Socialists while consistently 0 p posed to war when the p ossib ility of armed con flict was mo be with a European Power exceedingly re te, m ca e defenders o f th e nationalistic conception of gov e rn me n t and fell in line with the war spirit . The So cia list o n Party, h wever, went o record as being u n u alifie dl o o q y pp sed to war . Through it all Traubel om fi rs H never wavered fr his t principles . e never u stifie d o o o j f rce , even th ugh u t of human struggle do om m of th of c e so e e fruits peace . 1 9 16 W In , hen the United States was aroused over the question of preparedness for the war that came to m V . f ol A erica a year later, Eugene Debs wrote the lowing about Traubel The pen of Horace Traubel is one of th e most vigorous and incisive ever wielded against war and in favo r of pea ce and goo d will among nations and me n . ’ Horace Traubel s instinct against war and bloo d shed is as deeply rooted and all- pervading as is his

- n passion f or l ove and service to h is fellow me . The series of brilliant articles recently written by Traubel in The Conservator and in other papers and periodicals ought to be read by all the millions of mis guided people Who are still crying for preparedness , and wh o in spite of all history still cherish the mu c us delusion that war is the way to peace . mm o Traubel writes in a telling, epigra atic fashi n o w all his own . His sh rt sentences are all charged ith i m s u nmiti lightn ing . To h m war is a onstrou and gated crime without an extenuating circumstance i n

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 54 HORACE TRAUB EL

m m m o . o its fav r It is si ply urder in its st vicious , b m abhorrent and inexcusa le extre ity. When Traubel read 3 11 editorial in a Canadian paper declaring that only when a nati on knew h ow to fi ht om o g did it bec e a nati n , he answered in a te rrific o o to om br adside that blew that edit r at s . he z If ou o o o b Said y pr ve y urself a nati n y war , you prove yourself a better nation by more war and a best nation by entire devotion to war . The is on a o o fi h fact we l g g pr ved we can g t. But we r b n o T never ye t proved ou a ility t to fight . o know h w o fi ht b o b T o o t g is still at the est nly arbarism. ’ w h n o to fi h t wo kno ow t g is at the rst still civilization . “ H orace Traubel is on e of the supreme liberators m f It o and hu anitarians o this age . is a th usand pities that so f e w o f the common people he is giving his i It f life to actually know h m. is the tragic fate o such b t me n t o die efore they begin o live . Traubel is n ot only the pupil o f old Walt Whitman but the master democrat o f his time and the genius incarnate of ” — human love and world wide brotherhood .

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I ’ LL SEE IT ALL FROM SOMEWHERE 1 57

I’ LL SEE IT ALL FR OM SOM EWH ER E

’ I ll se e it all f rom some wh e re : ’ ’ ' I m n ot a f raid th at I ll b e cu t of f f rom you o r th at you ll be c ut of f f rom me ’ ’ I m n ot af r aid th at th e th ing I h e lpe d do h e re I ll n ot still h e lp do f rom some wh e re : ’ I m n ot a f raid th at wh at we call de ath closin g my e ye s will n ot ope n my e ye s a gain : ’ I don t b oth e r b e ca u se a cu rtain i s dro pp e d : I m alway s o n e side of th e cu rtain ’ And maybe a f te r se e in g f or th e l ast time I ll be gin re ally t o -se e f or th e fi rst time : An d wh o k n ows b u t a f te r work in g i n th e dark h e re I may n ot work in th e ligh t th e re : F o r I don t k n o w h o w G o d o r a n yth in g e l se co u ld mak e u s le ss th an b roth e rs a f te r we h ave o n ce b e e n b r oth e rs : F o r wh e n I say b roth e r I do n t ta lk ca r e l e ssly : I say wh at . th e su n sa y s wh e n 1 t say s ligh t : Wh ich mak e s it e a sy f or me h e r e today i n th e p re ss of th e stru ggl e t o f ore cast th e ye ars to come : ’ So th at n o matte r wh e re I may be I ll always a n swe r th e roll ’ call : I ll always an swe r : H e re ! D ea r broth e r : th at mak e s me f e e l so good : f or I wan t to b e with you on e place o r an oth e r a lways ’ ’ You ll bu ry me in th e grou n d mayb e : but do you thin k I ll stay in th e grou n d? ’ ’ Or you ll maybe bu rn me in a fire : but do you think I ll ? di sappear in th e smok e ou t o f a ch imn ey ’ ’ There s more to me than th at : you ll fin d me eq ua l to th at a n d more If th e re was n o more to me th a n coul d be ea te n by th e worms in th e e arth o r con su me d by th e flame s o f a f u rn ace If the re was n o mo re to me th an could be pai d f or in full by the body that house s me :

Digitiz e d by Microsoft® 1 58 HORACE TRAUBEL

If the re wa s n o mo re to me th an you shak e h ands with an d say h ow do you do o r goodbye to wh e n we me e t If th e re wa s n o more to me th an I mak e in to a sh oe o r write into a book : ’ If th e r e wa s n o more to me th an t hat the n th e re wou ldn t b e e n ou gh of me to b e you r b roth e r ’ I f th e r e wa s n o mo re to me to l a st on th e n th e re d neve r h ave be e n e n ou gh of me to b e gin with : ’ An d so I m h appy l ook in g ab ou t me se e in g you all be ing n e x t you all ’ An d so I m h appy tou ch in g you with my h an ds k issin g you with my lips th e se days th e se n ights : ’ An d so I m h appy wre stlin g with you with th e stubborn soil c oupli n g ou r dre ams again st th e drag o f time an d space : ’ An d so I m h appy b rothe rin g you b e ing bro th e red su re as I a m th at my h an d will r e ach you r ha nd f a r or n e a r f oreve r : ’ An d so I m h a : b e n ad t o b e wh e re I e m be in will ppy i g gl , g ’ in g to b e anywh e re I m p ut : match e d with you again st a ll th e odds o f de f e at : ’ ’ Su r e th at you ll f e e l me f rom th e re : su re th at I ll f e e l you e r u f rom h e r : su e , s r e , su re : Wha e e r h a e n s su re : wh a te e r su cce e ds r f ai sure : t v pp , v o ls, wh a e e r come s t ou o r me su re : t v o y , ’ l se i ll f r m me wh e e I l e t a o so r .

’ I ll se e it all f rom some wh e re : ’ All th at I h e lpe d come tru e : I ll se e it come tru e : Wh e n th e crowds asse mble in th e ir re ma de wo rld look f or ’ me : I ll be th e re : ' ’ ’ I don t say a nyb o dy ll se e me : I don t say I ll b e th e re i n my old pe rson : ’ I may be f orgotte n : but I ll be th e re to th ose wh o listen f or ’ me : an d to th ose wh o look f or me : I ll b e th e re My n ame may n ot be sou n de d in th e h u rrah s: but the n ame th at you h e ar will be my n ame dif f u se d : ' And thou gh some of you may still stubbornly deny me I ll conqu e r in you r u nin te n de d appl au se : ’ Th ou gh as f o r th at I don t care : I ll mak e myse lf at h ome in you r assemblage s;

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160 HORACE TRAUB EL

' ? “ b roth e rs h e re o r ther e wh at dole s it matte r ?

’ it s my day or you r day ? wh at doe s it matte r ? ‘ I l se e i a ll f rom some wh e L t re.

P re ss of G EO.