The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-26
WAR ATTITUDE
OF SOCIALISTS

|OCIAlIS
Vicious system which has .enguhed
them in fratrieidal carnage we
convey to them our untaleer. ,s
faith In the worId-wfde class strug-
TpIe In International Socialism and In
the brotherhood of man
invite your attention to the full
sexr OF the preamble to our antt-war
manifesto and especially TO our
peace program which follows
Anu-war aIanifesto and peace pro-
gram Of the Socialist party OF Amer
The supreem crisis N human history
is upon US.
European civilization is ergu1fed The
worlds peace IS shattered. The 3u-
ture Of the human race Is imperned-
TIE immediate causes OF the var
are obvious. Previous wars and toe
terms of settlement which created
lasting hatreds and bred thoughts OF
revenge; imperialism and commercial
riTalries; the Triple Alliance and the
Triple Entente dividing all Europe IN
to two hostile camps, secret intrigue
of diplomats and lack of democracy;
vast systems of military and naval
equipment: fear and suspicion bred
and spread by vicious lingo press
in all nations; powerful armament IN
terests that reap rich harvestS out OF
havoc and death,-an these have
played their sinister part. But back
OF all these factors lie the deepef
and more fundamental causes, causes
rooted In the very system OF capitalist
production.
fEr$x an Ysfh
PLOTS It's people. The wages received
BY the workers are insufficient to en-
able them to purchase all they need
for the proper sustenance Of their
lives. A surplus of commodities ac-
cumulaIes- The capitalists cannot
consume il all It must be exported
to foreign countries
In every capitalist nation 1t be-
comes increasingly difficult for the
capitalists TO retnvest their accunu-
lated profits TO advantage in their own
country, with thier people destitute
and their resources fully developed
and exploited The capitalists are con-
stantly forced to look for new and
foreign fields OF investment.
In many countries of Europe, linz
tied territorial1y and densely popu-
lated. the supply OF natural resources
IS insufficient to support the large
volume of industrial requirements
The capitalists must look for new
sources OF raw materials and supplies
to less developed foreign countries.
Hence arise the commercial struS-
giles between the nations, the riyalries
for the acquisition OF foreign colon
les, the efforts to defend and extend
the oversee possessions; the policies
Of imperialism. the conflicts for com
mercia1 supremacy, ever growing more
intense and fierce as the nations eX-
pand and the worlds field of conquest
narrows. Hence arise the policies OF
armamen1s every year more immense
and monstrous. Hence arise The
strategy. the intHgues of secret df-
plomacy. till all the world is involved
in deadly struggle for rhe capture
and control OF the world market
Thus capitalism. inevitably leading
to commercial rivalry and imperialism
and functioning through the modern
state with its vast ornaments, secret
diplomacies and undemocratic govern
mencs. logically leads TO war
Reactionary ruling classes some
times also deliberately plunge coun-
tries into war for the purpose OF
crushing progressive movements by
creating false patriotic excitement
and thus siderracking the real class
ISSNSS. Lively Wal, LII LASAAO4C,
used by the capitalists in order to de-
stroy the organized forces Of the labor
movement
For more than half a century the
Socialist movement has warned the
world of this impending tragedy. With
every power at their command the
Socialists of all nations have worked
to prevent it But the warning has
gone unheeded and the Socialist prop
uganda against imperialism, mflftar-
ism and war has been ignored by the
ruling powers and the majority OF the
people of all the nations
too swiftly and TOO trag.cal.y full
filed War, with all its horrors is
upon us.
And it has come as the logical and
inevitable outcome of the. forces of
the capitalist system. II has come in
spite of the warnings and protests of
the socialist and labor movements and
indeed in spite of the personal desires
OF many Of the capitalists themselves
The capitalist system is a modern
F'rankenstein which is destroying Its
own creators.
II this unspeakable tragedy shall
serve TO demonstrate to the world, and
particularly to the workers Of all ma
lions. the real and fundamental causes
Of war, so that by removing these
causes man henceforth may live at
peace. the war may be worth the cost.
II. On the other nand, the people
shall remain blind to the terrible les
sons Of this war. and leave the des-
TIMES OF the world n the hands of
INSCRIPTIONS. warinciting capitalist
rulers. then indeed IS this world-war
an unmitigared curse For. if the
coueeS -|or h-oIr~n4 o., this war ara
left TO operate, then this war viii not
be the last II Will be only the first of.
series of wars more terrible and
more tragic until one mighty and