The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-09-08
SOCIALISTS
WAR VIEWS TOLD
BY HILLQUIT.
sMurderous European Capital
ISM Blamed for War by
Radical Leader
WORKINGMEN FORCED TO
FIGHT AGAINST WILL
Policy Of Imperialism by Relent.
less Logic Forces
Them In
~ NORRIS HlLLoulT.

~ NORRIS HlLLoUIT.
What makes the present war q par
ticularly gruesome and almost I'M
canny horror to us, Is the seemingly
incomprehsnsible cause of Its out
break and the fatalism of Its course
and spread.
No one will ascribe the war to the
assassination OF the Austrian heir. No
one can indicate any other specific
cause.
None Of the involved nations, with
the sole possible exception Of Austria,
seemed eager TO precipitate the con
iict. Each realised the far-reachint
disaster of . general European confla-
grafton.
The greatest of all wars In the his
tory Of the world IL fought over no
definite issues, has evolved no inspir.
Ing rallying cries. and produced no
popular war heroes.
slaughter without spirit or enthu-
siasn.
And still the causes Of the war are
quite plain. and the wonder Is only
that II has been deferred 30 long. The
entire Industrial and political develop
ment OF Europe within the last gen.
Grafton has predestined II with the
memorable determination of fate-the
murderous war In Europe n but the
inevitable elimination Of murderous
European capitalism.
The countries most prominently In
volved In the war are among those
In which capitalism has reached the
highest levels of development. Their
industries have long been conducted
for the private benefit Of individual
capitalists, thus leading to the enrich
ment OF q small group and the I'M
poverishment Of the large masses.
The vast majority of the popula-
ton were left without means to Sc
cure the necessaries and comforts OF
life which they produced for the cap.
italists. The capitalists on the other
hand were left without a SUFFICIENT
home market for the sale OF the com.
modities which their workers created.
And 20 production Of necessity be-
came hating and restricted, while the
productive forces increased steadily
through the introduction of ever more
perfect laborsAving devices. Thus
there soon were more workers than
jobs, and the problem of unemploy-
ment became q standing and burning
question In all modern Europe.
Unemployment served to reduce
wages and thus to curtail still fur
then the purchasing power OF the
workers, and increased prices of all
necessaries OF life aggravated the
evil.
The economic life Of the European
nations was hopelessly demoralized,
Production became stagnRnt and bus
mess chronically depressed. Rumbles
OF revolt became audible among the
workers.
In this critical situation the short
sighted capitalists OF Europe saw but
one solution--fnding Of new outlets
the national territory and the con-
quest OF colonies.
And 80 the fateful policy Of impe-
rialism sprang up. AZ each individ-
ual capitalist competed with his COM
patriot capitalist for the markets OF
the home country, so the collective
capitalists OF each country competed
with the capitalist OF the other coun-
tries for the world market
The foremost capitalist countries
Of Europe were forced into o most
ruinous policy Of military and naval
rivalry as necessary counterpart
OF their commercial rivalry-for the
conquest and maintenance OF its for.
eign markets. Bach country tried to
Guido the other In the size of its
standing army and In the number
and deadliness Of It's dreadnaughts
until the nations groaned under crush
ing military burdens.
Each of them saw at least q tenn.
porary salvation In drowning the 9th.
er and robbing It Of it, colonies and
markets. Fss ~
Each waited for an opening,
II the present war will not end IN
a complete collapse OF capitalism, II
will not be the worlds last war, al
our professional peace apostles fond
ly predict. The barbarous institution
of periodical International slaughter
Is the inseparable companion Of the
barbarous system of economic rob
berry called capitalism-the two are
partners In life and death.
As yet the powerful movement Of
European Socialism has proved itseli
powerless to prevent the appalling ca
tastrophe. The Socialists and organ
ICED workers Of Europe could no more
resist the brutal logic Of capitalist
warfare than they could escape the
class wars and horrors of the capital
| list regime in times Of international
peace. Reluctantly but irresistibly
they were drawn into the insane vor-
| tex of mutual slaughter.
But neither the revolutionary spirit
nor the struggles OF the workers will
be crushed by the war. Their ranks
will be denlafad by murder. their or.