The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1915-03-04
A STINGING INDICTMENT OF
CAPITALISM
Conventional Wars Phases Of the
Glass War Says George
r Kirkpatrick

When comrade George II. Kirkpat-
rick, author of "war-What For?" the
worlds greatest book on the evils OF
militarism, made his appearance on
the stage of the Peoples theatre Sun
day. February 81. very few of his big
audience suspected that they were
about to hear speech that would
later serve to measure time by--"it
was the week we heard Kirkpatrick
great anti-war speech" Kirkpatrick
had not come to Everett heralded as
one of the worlds greatest orators.
Many who came to hear him did not
know that he was an orator at all.
They came to see and hear the fam
Sous author of "War-What For?" And
so no one sat on the chairs edge as
Kirkpatrick began in low. scarcely
audible voice to state his thesis, and
explain what points he hoped to be
able to elucidate. AS he progressed
in the development of his theme, 1t
became apparent that George r. Kirk
patrick was master not only of his
subject, but also of the orators art
and power. Finally, 1t began to
dawn upon most of us that we were
listening to the greatest speech we
had ever heard Now let us attempt
to convey some idea to our readers
as to-
WHAT KIRKPATRICK SAID
After pointing out that modern
wars, such as the present struggle in
Europe. or our own Spanish-Ameri-
can war, and. in fact. all wars in the
conventional sense, are but the age
old class war, as it manifest itself
in the guise of political warfare and
militarism. the lecturer explained the
following social phenomena:
a. The origin of the working class.
b. The origin of the ruling class.
c. The origin of the struggle be-
tween these two classes.
Kirkpatrick's explanation of these
origins did not differ from the con-
ventional teaching Of all Socialist
teachers who thoroughly understand
he handled his theme in more in
teresting way than it has ever before
been our good fortune to hear.
After showing how impossible it is,
by the very nature of the case, for a
ruling class to give freedom and JUS
tice to a subject class, the working
class, or even to think freedom and
justice for them, comrade Kirkpatrick
proceeded to illustrate the inevitable
limitations that must mark the CAPT
talists' idea of justice, and Of free
dom. Never before had we heard
such a powerful stimulus to class
consciousness on the part of the
workers as was this part of the
speech. 1t was terrific in its graphic
eloquence. His every word penetrat-
eners. No wage-slave could ever for
get such lesson, burned, as it were,
into every fibre of his being. The
liberal applause that, at brief inter-
walls, broke the tense stiffness of the
theatre-save for Kirkpatrick's own
voice-showed that the vulnerable
spots were being struck in each and
every man, woman, and child present.
Yes, even the young folks present
seemed to feel the sting, and often the
humor, of the lecturers words, or his
apt illustrations.
After presenting most startling ex.
amples of what could be accomplished
in constructive work.. e., the build
ing of homes for the workers, increas,
( ing the number and the pay Of school
| teachers, founding of Libraries and
| establishment and maintenance of uni
lversities, etc.-with the money now
tspent on war and preparation for war
Il