Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-12-24

l he INkANO CONhS OkA4
some lectures on municipal questions,
city planning and civic life; among
other places at the University Of Wis
consin. In August Of this year DIR.
Suedekum went to Italy on behalf of
his party for the purpose OF setting at
rest certain mistakes circulated by
Italian newspapers in regard to the
attitude of the German socialists to-
ward the present war.
l met DIR. Suedekum at the reich
stag building and found him a most
courteous gentleman. He gave me
this statement:
To Defend to the Last.
The foreign newspapermen whom
we now have the honor to greet here
in Germany may see for themselves
that the rumors circulated abroad in
regard to military and industrial
collapse in Germany are utterly false.
We are we'll aware that the fighting
spirit and the resistance of our enc
mics. in spite of all disillusionment
and the defeats which they have suf-
fered, have by no means yet been
broken, and we know that the terrible
danger threatening our people with
utter destruction has not been finally
banished. But for this very reason
ence of opinion in this, that as one
man we must put forth every effort to
defend ourselves as long as any de-
fense is necessary. The unaniinity of
the nation proclaimed by the reichstag
on August remains unbrolien and
cannot be shattered.
This deep and essential unanimity,
which has shown itself on the bloody
field as well as in the daily life of the
people, does not by any means pre-
clude all criticism of individual meas
ures taken by certain officials or par
ties On the contrary, it is {; sign of
strength that even in times like these
criticism OF our domestic policy is
wide awake. This has prospered the
difficult work not only Of orga nizing
the business Of caring for our people
life Of Germany, which has been shut
Off on nearly every hand.
All Cooperate.
Every where VIC see the results of
these, our efforts. Government sup
port, the work OF congregations and
of Independent charity, the grand
achievements OF labor unions and 9TH
er Industrial organizations, support
and supplement one another and have
verdict OF those also who. like myself
and my political associates. still see
many wishes untul!ilied and many
needs unsatisicd. We feel assured that
in the social political field many Of
our undertakings for the betterment
OF conditions among the people Will
be carried through.
AS to the attitude of the German
social democracy toward the world
war 1t has been made perfectly clear
TO friend and foe by the declaration OF
the social democrats in the rcichsta: g
on August i. Free OF all jiugoism
and absolutely true to its old ideal Of
d peaceful agreement q between the
cultured nations, The German social
democracy has by It's united stand for
the cause Of the fatherland only de-
times have emphasized: AT the time
OF the common danger we do not leave
our homeland in the lurch.
Tried to Avoid War.
The German social democrats have
hent every effort to save the world
from the awful calamity Of war. But
since their efforts have been in vain
they know their duty and do it as one
man. The great masses OF our people,
who are under the influence of the
socialistic labor movement. have kept
themselves as free of foolish over
confidence and sordid race hatred as
of despair on account of the terrible
sacrifices demanded by the war; A
consciousness Of the great danger
threatening the German people has
brought about the firm purpose for
the time being to relegate all old Diff
ferenccs to the rear, and unite all
effort in active work for the preserva-
ton of our common couptry. We
know what it is that we thus defend,
and we know what to expect from
Ccssacks, Sikhs, GurRhas and their
allies.
Laborel,s Suffer Most.
The laborers bear the heaviest bur-
den in this war and will come to feel
the most dire results. This unhappy
business is bitter pain to the socialists
more be appreciated by fair minded
opponents and by unprejudiced neu-
trails.
This war was forced upon Ger
many, and it goes without saying that
We socialists as all others have the
patriotic duty to defend our country
We believe in the right of the several
nations to exist. Our work is in it's
scope international, but we are not
| antinational. At every general DEM
ocratic congress the German social
democratic party has declared against
strike against military service for
the defense of the fatherland."
DIR. Suedekum deplored the stand
taken by some Of his party associates
in other countries in urging that So
| cialists should not fight even in just
war. am assured that there are none
such in Germany, and that DR.. Suede
KUN really speaks for all men of his
party. In loyal love of country and
the conviction that in this war she is
eternally right, there are now no par
ties in Germany. All German hearts