The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-04


WHAT SHALL WE DO?
Under this topic the speaker offer
cd no infinitely elaborated, carefully
punctuated program for preventing
wars. But he proposed as prere-
quisite to solving the problem the nee
essity for educating the working-class
in such way that they will under
stand fully the origin of wars, the
cause of wars, the horrors of mill
tarism, and the still greater horrors
OF actual warfare. To this end. the
false teachings and the petty, false
patriotism" engendered by the rul-
ing class in the minds of the workers.
who must do all the fighting and
receive none of the fruits of victory
must be counter-acted by true educa-
ton, from the enlightened workers
point of view. The workers must
themselves carry on the peaceful bat
tie of light against darkness, OF truth
against falsehood and prevarication.
of education against miseducation.
Finally. as preliminary to abolition
of wars and militarism, the lecturer
urged that the workers, first of all,
make an energetic and persistent cam.
paign for the enfranchisement of
women; that an international pass
word be established calling for uni
versal strike against war should hos
tilities be declared: that any states
man who should vote for war should
thereupon be unseated, or recalled;
that the financiers, kings, and pluto
Gratis, and their sons. should be forced
to 60 to the front first. before the
workers are called.
If SOCIALISTS FAILED
to prevent the present European con-
flict, we may find consolation in the re-
Election that so did all other organi-
cations that are opposed to warfare.
The Socialist movement is very
young: the Socialists of Europe are
very much in the minority, and could
hardly be expected to have outgrown
the evil influences Of their capitalist
miseducation in patriotism" national
ism, defense of home and country"
ETC.; when the so-called Christians,
vastly in the majority, after nearly
1000 years of teaching and organiza-
ton, were also unequal to the task of
averting this horrible fratricidal strife
After all, even a Socialist is human,
and subject to the limitations imposed
upon him by the capitalist environ
ment and training-and most of them
were caught young.
Have Done Their Best
The Socialists of the United States
have done much good educational
work since the outbreak of hostilities
seven months ago, said Kirkpatrick,
not the least of which was the distri-
button of over ten million pieces of
literature against war and militarism.
Against this noble effort of the Social
lists to prevent wars is the capitalists
teaching of petty, ignorant, arrogant,
local nationalism.
THE PLEDGE
AS one measure in the War
Against War;" every one in the audi
ence was asked to take the following
pledge. given by the speaker himself,
on page II, of his "War--What For?"
refuse to kill your father. re.
fuse to sIay your mothers son. |
refuse to plunge bayonet into the
breast Of your sisters brother. re-
fuse to slaughter your sweetheart's
lover. | refuse to murder your wife's
husband. refuse to butcher your lit
tie ehild's father. refuse to wet
the earth with blood and blind kind
eyes with tears. | refuse to assassin
ate you and then hide my stained fists
in the folds of ANY flag.
! refuse to be flattered into hePs
nightmare by a class of welI-fed snobs,
crooks, and towards who despise our
class socially, rob our class economi-
calIy and betray our class politically.