The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-25
DEFENCE IDEAS STIR
SOCIALIST PROTEST
Russell's Stand Branded as In.
consistent by State Com
mittee Of Party.
CALLED CAPITALIST PLAN

The views Of Charles Edward Russell
in regard to preparedness are charac-
terized as entirely inconsistent" with
the attitude Of the Socialist party In a
statement issued yesterday by the State
executive committee Of the Socialist
party.
Tho members OF the committee are
Ludwig Lore, L. 3. Boudin. Julius
Gerber. Algernon Lee. Jacob Hillquit.
Mary @. Shonberg hnd Alfred Bieben-
kapp. The statement follows:
In view of recent utterances of
Charles Edward Russell ON prepared
ness. bringing to "a focus the intense
discussion within the ranks Of the Social
list party Of the ger eral subject Of war
and ornaments which followed the OPEN
ing OF the European war and the action
Of the European Socialists in connection
herewith. the State committee of the
party finds 1t necessary to call public
attention to the fact that these utter
ances are enirely Inconsistent with the
party's position as deliberately expressed
both by the national committee and by
general vote of the membership.
THE Socialist party of America has
since the beginning OF the present war
" ttihiN 81 hIt'' ~ vlIO'lNloIl 4 MY
increase of the army and navy II has
explicitly instructed it's representative
In Congress to vote against all military
and naval appropriations there IL no
reason to doubt hat these declarations
express the conviction OF an immense
majority ~ the party membership. and
the State committee heartily concurs In
them.
Those who support the preparedness
ea0rn ~, vvnu ~, that Nha vvptgaA Gtataa
Is in danger OF being attacked by a for
eign enemy and that the best way to pre-
serve peace is to make preparation for
war. We deny both statements. The
United States IL not now In any greater
danger OF being attacked than at any
previous time in Its history. The great
M to its future peace Is in the pos
sibllity of its embarking upon the same
policies of imperialism which have led
the European nations to their present
miserable condition.
Recent events In Europe have COM
pletely disproven the theory, always re-
jected by the Socialist movement. that
the maintenance OF large armies and
navies tends to prevent war.
ION the contrary. every increase OF
the armed forces OF a nation tends to
! promote the spirit OF so-called patriotism
and thus to increase the danger OF war /:
t1oTNoNcEs W tiuS ~ dtiHe lUc spirit
OF so-called patriotism and d~istracting
the workers thoughts from their wi
class interests and by giving added in
fiuence to the militarietic and reaction
airy elements II is "A menace to such
liberties as the people already enjoy
and an obstacle to further progress In
the direction OF political and industrial
democracy.
THE present cry for preparedness. in
so far as IT is not merely due to hys-
terical excitement over the war in Eu-
rope. has two sources. both OF which
+, are inimical 10 international peace. TO
social progress and to the welfare Of the
working class. The one is the imme-
diate Interest, OF the manufacturers of
arms and munitions In creating an ever
larger emnnd for their wares. The
other is the desire of various capitalist
elements TO make the United States Gov
their tool in dominating and
exploiting foreign markets in Latin
America. the Far East and elsewhere.
W therefore deprecate the express
sions OF some Socialists in the press and
on the platform advocating Hationalistic
views and preaching the suspension OF
the class struggle when national strug-
giles are concerned. believing. as We do.
that whether so intended or not these
views lead directly into the prepared
ness camp, and we brand those views as
in conflict with the declared policy of
the Socialist party of the United States
OF America.
From the point OF view alike OF
future peace among nations and OF
future progress for the working class
IL is vitality important that all possible
resistance should be made 10 the mill
taristic policy which our ruling classes
are trying TO foist upon us under the
name OF preparedness. The enemies
whom the American working people
have reason to fear are not the peoples
OF other countries. but the capitalists
and their henchmen here at home.
" therefore call upon all members
and supporters of the Socialist party In
this State. as well as elsewhere in the
United states. To support the Socialist
party In its endeavor to educate the
workins class of this country TO a con-
seriousness OF class solidarity OF the
workers of the world. whether in times
of peace or war. and 10 do all in their
power to counteract the ~insidious in
iluence of the doctrines of nationalisn,
whether they be presented in The old
garb OF frank natlonalism. or under the
new and misleading garb of a so-called
newer socialism"