If I were hungry and friendless today, I would rather take my chances with a saloon-keeper than with the average preacher. Eugene V. Debs More Quotes by Eugene V. Debs More Quotes From Eugene V. Debs While there is a lower class, I am in it, while there is a criminal element, I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. Eugene V. Debs equalitydiversityclass I am guilty of believing that the human race can be humanized and enriched in every spiritual inference through the saner and more beneficent processes of peaceful persuasion applied to material problems rather than through wars, riots and bloodshed. Eugene V. Debs spiritualwarbelieve When we are in partnership and have stopped clutching each other's throats, when we have stopped enslaving each other, we will stand together, hands clasped, and be friends. We will be comrades, we will be brothers, and we will begin the march to the grandest civilization the human race has ever known. Eugene V. Debs brotherracehands The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. Eugene V. Debs battleclasswar No war by any nation in any age has ever been declared by the people. Eugene V. Debs warpeacepeople Anybody can be nobody; but it takes a man to be somebody. Eugene V. Debs greatnessmen I would rather a thousand times be a free soul in jail than to be a sycophant and coward in the streets. Eugene V. Debs cowardjailsoul As long as this great army of workers is scattered among so many craft unions, it will be impossible for them to unite and act in harmony together. Craft unionism is the negation of solidarity. The more unions you have, the less unity. Eugene V. Debs unityarmylong I do not want you to follow me or anyone else; if you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of this capitalist wilderness, you will stay right where you are. I would not lead you into the promised land if I could, because if I led you in, some one else would lead you out. Eugene V. Debs landbusinesswant Do not worry over the charge of treason to your masters, but be concerned about the treason that involves yourselves. Be true to yourself and you cannot be a traitor to any good cause on earth. Eugene V. Debs truthearthworry The workers are the saviors of society, the redeemers of the race. Eugene V. Debs saviorracework If it had not been for the discontent of a few fellows who had not been satisfied with their conditions, you would still be living in caves. Intelligent discontent is the mainspring of civilization. Progress is born of agitation. It is agitation or stagnation. Eugene V. Debs intelligentcivilizationlife Intelligent discontent is the mainspring of civilization. Eugene V. Debs progressintelligentcivilization Wherever capitalism appears, in pursuit of its mission of exploitation, there will Socialism, fertilized by misery, watered by tears, and vitalized by agitation be also found, unfurling its class-struggle banner and proclaiming its mission of emancipation. Eugene V. Debs tearsstruggleclass Labor is today the most vital and potential power this planet has ever known, and its historic mission of emancipating the workers of the world from the thraldom of the ages is as certain of ultimate realization as is the setting of the sun. Eugene V. Debs organized-laborlabour-movementrealization Speaking of myself, I was made to realize long ago that the old trade union was utterly incompetent to deal successfully with the exploiting corporations in this struggle. I was made to see that in craft unionism the capitalist class have it within their power to keep the workers divided, to use one part of them to conquer and crush another part of them. Indeed, I was made to see that the old form of unionism separates the workers and keeps them helpless at the mercy of their masters. Eugene V. Debs long-agocrushstruggle In all the history of organized labor, from the earliest times to the present day, no body of union workingmen ever served in a more humiliating and debasing role than that in which the railway unions appear at this very hour before the American people and the world. Eugene V. Debs rolespeopleworld From the crown of my head to the soles of my feet I am Bolshevik, and proud of it. Eugene V. Debs crownsproudfeet When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. Eugene V. Debs majority-ruledemocracies-havefreedom Why should the railroad employees be parceled out among a score of different organizations? They are all employed in the same service. Their interests are mutual. They ought to be able to act together as one. But they divide according to craft and calling, and if you were to propose today to unite them that they might actually do something to advance their collective and individual interests as workers, you would be opposed by every grand officer of these organizations. Eugene V. Debs differentorganizationtogether
