The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-20
DO ID Now

]
under arms. 1t is not likely that this
viii be realized in the beginning OF the
war, and 1t is more likely to happen
in Russia than on the French border.
Whatever happens In this way, can
not be much of a help in the real con
structive work, without which n Social
list party and Socialist common
wealth cannot be built.
The effective Socialist work will
have to be done in the last stages of
the war and after It. We can always
accomplish more by orderly and peace
full methods than by the methods of
the ruling class. The lingo patriots
prejudlces which the Socialists have
been gradually overcoming, will pre-
vail for while. But they will not
have things their own way.
An Expensive Victory.
No matter what nation wins or loses,
the after effects of the war will be
want and suffering for the working
people of all nations, Even the jingoes
of the most favored nation will find
that they have won very expensive
victory. They may have succeeded in
killing off a few thousand Socialists,
but Socialism will be stronger than
ever. For every Socialist killed in
war, the coming industrial depression,
which will now be worldwide and
Lacute as never before, will raise many
more new Socialists, and many of
them will be made in the armies while
this war lasts.
Even the United States will be
drawn into this vortex of suffering.
For a little while some of the leading
capitalists of America will prosper
through the war, but will lose money
and property invested in Europe and
will, therefore, be in favor of peace.
At any rate, there will be no Ameri-
ing On the contrary, there will be
efforts to bring about peace, even
among the American capitalists. While
the short prosperity lasts, the Ameri-
can workers have an opportunity to
push their demands to the limit. Let
us hope that most of them will see and
grasp this opportunity
American Socialists Face Great OPP
portunity.
But no matter what little or big adj
vantages a few capitalists of this coun-
try may gain through the war, the So
cialists will reap the greater and bet
ter harvest in the end. Especially the
American Socialists are now facing the
opportunity of their lives. To the ex-
tent that We in this country, build up
and strengthen our party organization,
we shall be assisting our European
comrades in the work of reorganization
and recuperation.
1t will be all right for us, over here,
to hold protest meetings against this
war. But so long as war means some
profits to the leading capitalists of
America through our neutrality, there
is no danger of any American inter
vention in the European witches
dance And so long as prolonged
war also means heavy losses to Amer
lean financiers, the American states
men themselves will arrange peace
meetings. Better than our protest
meetings will be the quiet, insistent
and unrelenting house-to-house canvass
for party members. This will be in
finitely more constructive Socialist
work than all the constructive states
manship" of Socialists in few offices
of this nation.
Loyalty by Deeds.
The most pressing needs of our. Eu-
ropean comrades will require money.
We can and should show them our
loyalty by DEEDS. Instead of lurid
oratory and hints of great things which
the European Socialists are going to
do at this crisis, let us give the world
proof of our ability to do real con-
structive work that counts. The best
assistance we can give our European
comrades now is to instruct our ma
tional committee to organize nation
wide collection of funds for the Eu-
ropean Socialist parties. 1t is the
peaceful work of these parties, not the
cataclysmic violence which may arise
out of this war, that will tell in the
promotion of international Socialism.
Although there is no possibility at
present of communicating with the Eu-
ropean Socialist parties, we should get
ready to assist our European COM
rades on the minute that communica-
lions can again be opened. Let us
help them practically in the building
up of the Socialist party, the only
force that can bring about an orderly
and peaceful transition of humanity