The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-07-19
THE GRAND FORKS FAIR PRESENTS THE FIRST AIRSP
NTHE STATE AND NORTHWEST AT THE STATE FAIR GROUNDS

incompatible with the fundamental
principles of socialism. Moreover,
the army is the bulwark of the en-
pire, and the last line of defense
against the growing socialist forces.
Army is Obstacle.
A revolutionary change in the form
of government and in the order of
society such as Is demanded and pro-
pagated by the Socialist party can
never take place so long as the army
remains true and loyal to the reig-
ing emperor. The Socialists have
long since realized that their move-
ment is doomed to failure until they
can permeate the army with revolu-
tionary sentiment.
But to propagate socialism or anti
military ideas or seditious principles
among the uniformed soldiers of the
kaiser is not merely an offense against
the laws of the land. but constitutes
the crime of high treason. SO that
| every Socialist agitator who tried to
preach socialism to soldiers would
| find himself thrust into one Of the
imperial prisons for the remainder
of his natural life.
| Notwithstanding the dangers of
such propaganda so-le efforts are
nevertheless made to get at the SOL
diers during their term Of actual
service. principally by smuggling
Socialist pamphlets and leaflets into
the barracks, and secondarily by quiet
propaganda carried on in the ranks
by earnest and enthusiastic Socialist
soldiers who desire to convert their
comrades to the gospel of liberty,
equality and fraternity.
But such efforts are necessarily
limited, and, for the most part, the
anti-military propaganda of the Soc
ialist party is directed to the task of
capturing for the Socialist movement
the young men of the country before
they enter the army. The age of be-
ginning the term of compulsory mill
| tary service varies from 1S to 20 and
averages 10, SO that the youths Of
Germany have to be educated in Soc
talism while they are in their teens.
Law Also in the Way.
Here again another grave difficulty
confronts the Socialist party, because
the law of the land prohibits any per-
son uynder 81 years from joining any
political organization, or from par
ticipating in any political movement.
The propaganda among the youths of
the country must therefore be carried
on under certain disguise, and this
disguise is provided by the continu-
alton schools, ostensibly founded for
the purpose of allowing intelligent
boys who have left school and who
have begun to earn their own living,
to increase theirS-knowledge during
the evening hours.
These schools which cannot be
legally suppressed, are in reality hot
hbeds of socialism, OILY that the pro-
paganda is cerried on quietly and
secretly, and in such way as to
evade the law. Through these schools
young Germans are taught to abhor
authority and discipline and militar-
ism, and the result is that when they
enter the army to perform that mill
tary service which every German
citizen has to render to his father
hood. they are completely spoiled
from the point of view to their COM
manding officers. AS soldiers they
are unwilling followers and inclined
to maintain sort Of passive resist
ance against the authority of their
superior officers Whether in the case
of domestic revolution such soldiers
would ever fire on rebellious crowd
of citizens is question which most
competent judges answer in the mega
tive.
1t is alleged that the Socialist par
ty encourages its adherents to remain
in the army voluntarily after they
have completed their compulsory term
of two years. service in order that
they may become non-commissioned
officers. and thereby enable the
Socialist leaders to keep a grip on
the kaiser's legions. 1t Is we'll known
that non-commissioned officers have
in many cases a closer hold on their
men than commissioned officers. and
if at the critical moment of domestic
revolution esnon-conmissioned off,
GERS of the army were, so to speak,
Socialist nominees. the situation
would be far more favorable to the
party of the red flag than to the party
of imperial authority.
Menace to Efficiency.
1t is no wonder that the military
authorities regard the agitation
among the youths that are to become
soldiers as a menace to military eff
ficiency, and that the ruling classes
of the country are convinced that it
constitutes a serious danger to the
present order of things.
One thing is perfectly clear, name
ly, that nothing can be done to put
an end to this propaganda under the
existing law, so that If, as the minis
ter of war declares, energetic meas
ures are to be taken to suppress it,
new law must frst be created to
render such steps legal and possible,
but such law would be exceptional
coercive legislation directed against
political movement, and Germany
would hardly tolerate a reactionary
policy on those lines in its present
mood Of demonstrative discomfort re-
vealed in the remarkable Socialist
victories at by-elections to the reich
stag.