Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-02
War and the WOrkingmen
Arthur nuilara in The OUTLOOK. :

-
mitted as a truism every side During the
first six or seven months OF the great war the aborng
classes OF the different countries OF Europe have
with very few exceptons-given support 70 tneir so
ernments. The class war has been swallowed up IN
the OF nations To what extent viii this social
truce persist after the war;
For many years the organized workers OF Europe
have bon ardent apostles of peace. IL r. they who
furnish most OF the food for cannons; It Is they
In the last analysis-who bear the burden OF the APP
palng cost OF armaments and the working class has
the least gain from successful war. 1t was nat
ursl that they should love peace and hate war ana
the military classes
when war became imminent the workers OF all
countries strove vaiianty to prevent It. Even in
Berlin ant-war demonstrations occurred up TO the
last minute. In Paris Jaures had just returned
from such demonstration when he was assassinated
when spite of their efforts war broke out the
various socialist and labor organizations with almost
equal unanmity decided TO support their respective
governments.
Universal military service is. in its social phase,
democratic. The sons OF bankers and butchers fight
side by side in the trenches. Friendships which would
be the exception in face OF tho preudioes OF peace
become common in the camaraderie OF danger. AS
often not the workingman gets mentioned In the
of the day and gets his seevesraps before MS
boss. And many people are prophesying that TINS
sacred union will last after the strain OF war has
ceased.
From Germany we have very httle-and conflicting
information At the outbreak Of the war the ma
ority of the socialist party and OF the labor unions
decided that Fatherland had been attacked that
this defensive and they therefore rallied
to the government II was officially announced that
the German people were entirely united However,
hardly week had passed before the government
found IL advisable to suppress some OF the working
mems papers
Russia IL the only country where organized so
calist party has definitely opposed the war In the
Duna the deputies of one OF the socialist partiesand
not tho largest one-refused to vote for the war
credits Several of these deputies being tried
on charge OF high treason But this affair does not
have much significance in Russia as II would have
In the advanced western countries of Europe.
The police repression Is stringent in times OF
peace that there s chance for open democratic
discussions within the socialist movement There is
way of knowing how nearly the action of these
deputies represented their constituents As far as the
censorship allows to judge-and this is not far-lt
seems that the Russian werkingmen and peasants.
where they not enthusiastic for the war; have
accepted it without opposltion-just they would
accept an earthquake or famine
But in Russia there has been such union sacred
exists In France and Belgium and is claimed in
Germany The government has, to certain extent,
accepted the collaboration Of the educated middle
classes The municipalities and county councils have
been allowed a degree OF liberty In the organza-
tlon Of Red Cross and relief works. This may well
lead to permanent Improvement In Russian politics
II may even beas the intellectuals believe
definite step towards liberal constitution But
far the people gothic city workers and
the peasans-the accepts their sacrifices his
divine right. He has made no suggestion OF giving
them any political rewards for their patriotism
In England the opposition TO the war did not come
exclusively. even mainly, from the working class.
The three members of the cabinet who resigned be-
cause they unwilling accept responsibility for
the liberals one OF the leaders Of the labor
party, Ramsay Mcdonald. and the Socialist Ker
Hardie were at first bitterly opposed to the But
they have changed their position. and at the
conference in London of the socialist and labor
izations OF the allied countries they both voted for
the resolution which proposed by the French and
Belgian delegatesthey pledged their entire support
TO the war until the definite defeat Of German mil
itarism.
In England perhaps to an even greater extent than
In France. the voice OF the rank and file could make
itself heard and could prevail over the individual
convictions Of the leaders" For all practical pur
poses the working class OF England has been
imous in its support of the government in this
It's patriotism has been much evident than that
Of some sections of the middle class.
The labor organizations have valiant service
ia the routine detail work OF relieving the distress
caused by the war Their committees have faced and
TO large extent solved the problems OF unemploy-
ment They have recruited the necessary skilled
artisans for the government factories. In hundred
ways they have cheerfully and ably co-operated in
meeting the situation caused by the The
railways furnish good example. The military
thorltes the entire transportation system at
the outbreak of the war In each station you find
military commandment who generally does
know the difference between fiat and flying
machine II It had been for the loyal help OF the
railway unions there would have been an unimagin-
Another action OF immense value to war office
the responsibility which the workers accepted
OF supervising the carrying out OF government
tracts The time-honored practice OF cheating the
government shoddy material has almost died out
Ina Engiand-thanks 10 the patriotism of the unions
Never before has tho British 0ftce-or any other
office. far know-reeeived such full value
for its money. The British soldiers being shoc
with paper shoes. poisoned with condemned beef
The army furnishers forced 70 entirely new
integrity II might be possible TO estimate the
OF this service in pounds and shngs but It's greater
significance. quite beyond computation In the
creased comfort and health and effectiveness OF the
men at the front
But OF all the patriotic services OF the British
ingnen tho most costly TO them and valuable TO the
nation been their surrender OF their wage de-
mands For years the industrial situatiUn IN England
has been developing towards crisis The working
OF the principal trades OF England had been plan
ming strike together last fall. They going to
present their demands-and IL necessary, strike for
! Observation-Disclosures II is moro than probable that
| the German government fully informed OF these
plans II the workers had carried them out. Great
Britain would have been paralyzed industrialy. Il
every bit as serious menace the Irish crisis
IL Is not too much to that the workers held
fate OF the British empire IN their hands Their plans
matured. But the moment was declared
1