Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-14
SOCIALIST CHIEFS,
PEACE ADVOCATES,
NOW MTLTTANTS
Failure of Party to Halt
Hostilities in Europe Laid
to Lack of Iron-handed
Leaders.

NEW YORK, Oct. I.-1The chairman a,
the English Socialist Party, Mr. Hynd-
man. the peacemaker who asitated 40
hotly against the South African war. has
fallen in with the herd and is now with
all his eloquence and force urging Itslv
Ito Join the league against Berlin mill.
tarism." Most Socialists in England. saw,
the New York Evening Sun, edltorially.
probably will fail TO see anything incon.
gruous in this, and indeed in Italy itself
a majority of the same persuasion are
apparently quite ready 30 take up arms
on this occasion. In France ana Bsiaiur,
Socialists have even accepted PORTFOLIOS
In the war Cabinets, and in GeTmanpsf.,y
seem to think It contrary to tlreir,a,o-
trine to defend the Fatherland.
A minority in ell countries are, how
ever, surprised and shocked at the utter
failure of the peaceful professions, ut.
before the trouble began. They took
all these professions seriously and be-
lieved that their party was really
party of peace, that war between ths
professed comrades and brothers of the
several countries was unthtntable. To
them the action Of the European Social
lists seems incompr ana one az
least holds them guilty of atmonstroua
crime.''
John r. McMahon, who uses this
expression in the current independent, IA
one of the few who makes no attenupt
to extenuate what he calls "Socialisrn's
moral collapse" Socialism for ham
century had opposed war ION the ground
that war is due to the clash of economic
interests of the master class and that the
working class has no reason to spill its
blood for the sake of trade and mar
kcts." 1t is idle, he maintains, to offer
excuses for the "orime" that Socialism
has committed. for ''lt has swallowed its
principles. spat upon brotherhood, be-
trayed the class It processes to represent.
everlastngly disgraced the red banner Of
internationalism." Severe as these ac-
cusations are, II know" he says, that
hundreds of my comrades in this country
are making them in their hearts. though
they may not have yet publicly ex-
pressed them"
w
profoundly disappointing failure? Ac-
cording to MIR. Mcmahon we must seek
for it in the character OF the Socialist
movement itself The Socialist move
ment lis q movement of the proletariat
and partakes of the weakness. ignor-
ance sentimental enthusiasm and inef-
hciency of the proletariat. It especially
attracts cranks, failures and weaklinEa.
It is a hospital for cripples and haven
fpr ha HlgNnntantad he trio
iunary. II is inflated and tainted with
numbers of the petty bourgeoisie," etc.
The leaders are mere takers, eloquent
ncompetents," not men of action. and
they have proved worse than worthless
in great crisis"
Mr.. Mcmahon, in short, has made the
important discovery that the rank and
file of his party, like the rank and Ale
of other parties, are mere members of
the human race with the same faings
and weaknesses, His conclusion is not
that Socialism Ia a failure, but that IL
stands in need OF radical readjustment.
The mistake Socialists have made Is in
putting their trust In democracy. Great
captains and commanders are what So
calism needs:
Imperial Germany has great leaders;
so with the other nations. II Socialism
is markedly inferior in leadership It Is
partly due to fetish worship of democ-
racy, again inherent in the movement.
. A new kind of Socialist leader
ship will be inevitable in the near future,
a leadership less democratic and eloquent
but more practical and effective.
II Is TO be gathered, in a word, that
Socialism. If 1t Is to succeed, must be
conducted by strong BOSSES and
as to democracy and equality and fra
ternity, why they are to be rejected az
ancient superstltions of an unenlight-