A Glance at Communism by Voltairine de Cleyre

“Cast thy bread upon the waters, Find it after many days.” (Rev. Alfred Taylor, Harvest Home, 1868) Two years ago, in a little uptown parlor, the home of a Philadelphia weaver, a group of inquirers af t er truth were wont to assemble bi-weekly for the discussion of “Communism vs. Individualism.” There were generally present some fifteen Communists and f i ve or six Individualists. Let it be here admit t ed that while all were earnestly seeking truth, each side was pret t y thoroughly convinced that the other was searching in the wrong direction, and as near as I am able to ascertain we are all of the same opinion still. However, in the course of a year some crumbs of the bread f l oated into sight in the shape of a dialogue presenting the substance of those discussions, which appeared in the TWENTIETH CENTURY. Many more days again passed, and now a new fragment, in the shape of a criticism of the dialogue by M. Zametkin in the “People” of July 17, drifts in with the tide. In at t …