The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-08-19
0pen Letter to Local Everett
Conradesl
From Ernest Untermann

Comradesl
Permit me to call attention to the
fact that my article on "Pacifist Uto-
pias," which the editor of "The North
west Worker" considered worthy Of re-
production, is not an endorsement OF
the stand taken by Local Everett No.
on the war question. ! consider the
attitude of Local Everett No. ] every
bit as utopian as the other manifestos
and resolutions on peace and war
which have been presented to the
American Socialist Party.
Local Everett No 1 takes the posi-.
ton that It's members will rather stand
up and be shot than submit to enlist
ment for the purpose of killing the
workers of other countries. Accord
ing to an editorial in No. 238 of "The
Northwest Worker" 1414 members OF
your Local have endorsed this posi-
ton.
However, these members do not In
tend to stand up all together without
resistance, II 1t comes to test. AT
least numerous articles in your paper
written by those who endorse your
attitude, threaten retaliation IL any
members of your organization should
be killed by the American capitalists
during resistance to enlistment
Admittedly, then, at least some
members of your Local, perhaps the
majority, declare that they will rather
kill their American fellow-workers
who may be under the orders of Amer
lean capitalists than go to war against
foreign workers commanded by for
eign capitalists. At least this must be
the effect of your attitude, for Local
Everett No. / surely will not pretend
that its members would kill only capt.
talists in retaliation, but would quiet
| ly submit to being killed by republi-
can and democratic workingmen. II
you mean to kill only capitalists in re-
taliation, your Civil War will come to
a rapid end through your being killed
by old party workers whom you do not
care to resist On the other hand, II
you mean to kill also old party work
ers who may threaten your lives,
wherein is your attitude superior, from
the Socialist point of view, to the at
titude of those who, in pinch, will
kill foreign workers in self-defense?
Local Everett No. claims, through
the mouths of it's speakers and writ
ers, that the Socialist Party would
rise to a pinnacle Of glorious Socialist
eminence, if our Party would adopt
your attitude as general party pol
icy. 1t is asserted that not only one
million Socialist voters, but also mil
lions of non-Socialists would back up
your attitude in such case. This is
a bare assertion on your part, and
consider it a very dangerous delusion.
History has always demon/trated
so far that small groups of organized
workers do not receive the support of
millions Of unorganized sympathizers,
as soon as martial law supercedes
civil law. We have only about 100,-
900 regular party members. The 9TH
er 100000 Socialist voters have never
yet followed any policy laid down by
tn party majority. There is no indi-
cation that they would follow the
party majority in a matter of life and
death, and there is most certainly still
less reason to expect that they will
take orders from Local Everett. Mel
Their is there much probability that
Party membership will eendorse your
attitude. This majority has enough
judgment to see through the surface
of your attitude and weigh the cost
Of it to the party. The majority will
not be able to see any essential diff
ference between killing American
workers and killing foreign workers.
Rather, so long as they have any
choice in the matter, will they incline
more towards self-defense against for
eign workers than towards civil war
against their neighbors.
Socialists believe in the principles
and methods of orderly majority rule
A sober review of the situation will
in foreign war