The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-08-19


of the correct Socialist position In the
event of war between the capitalists OF
the United States and the exploiters
Of some other profit.mongering nation
are presented in this issue for tho
careful consideration of our readers,
His communication Is, through a mis-
understanding on his part. addressed
TO Local Everett No. l. While 1t Is
true that we quoted paragraph from
a resolution which had been unani'
mously endorsed by Local Everett NO
1, and that much OF what we said was
substantially contained in other por'
lions OF said resolution, nevertheless,
our position, as stated In the editorial
of July Goth, deviates somewhat
from the locals official expression,
and should be answered as an edi.
torial not as an organization docu'
ment. Furthermore, Comrade Inter
mann flatters Everett in ascribing to
Local Everett No. membership OF
l414 men and women. We stated,
plainly, that our resolution, after hay
ing been published In the American
Socialist, calling for seconds, received
votes from locals throughout the
United States whose total membership
was 1414 From which 1t may be
seen that by far the greater number
Of Socialists CD in this country are
willing to take part in Capitalism's
wars, defending property which they
can never hope to own, dying for a
country which is far from being theirs,
and which they can never control
while the capitalists are in possession
of the government, dissatisfaction
through which the safe-at-home capt.
talists mercilessly exploit the wage
slave patriots in times Of peace CD
and drag them to be mangled in the
trenches (for profits) in times Of war.
The first question raised by Com.
rade Untermann is contained in hSi
fourth paragraph, TO which we refer
our readers. Before answering his in
curry, let us state briefly the sum and
substance of our attitude-the edi
tors, not that of Local No. 1, though
we have reason to believe that the
latter would endorse our views:
FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES
We insist "a that the Socialist
Party of the United States. through
it's national committee, which met in
convention last May in Chicago, should
have gone on record as positively re
fusing to participate in any foreign
war: (2), that, as internationalists, we
can have no quarrel with our fellow
wage-slaves of other countries over
the division or control of territory by
our masters, the capitalist class; the
workers interests, as victims of CAPT
talist exploitation, being identical, un
der whatever flag we happen to be
ruled and robbed; 60 that inasmuch
as the capitalist class alone can profit
by wars, that we should permit this
class to do the fighting and dying fol
their various flags and countries
that, as Socialists, as Internationalists
we refuse to take up arms against our
working class brothers of foreign
countries for the exclusive benefit OF
our economic masters, preferring, il
we must die in battle. that we die
| fighting for the establishment OF
worldwide industrial democracy
We hold that the above principles
are Socialist principles, and that
nothing short of the above declarations
could be accepted by real Socialists
as consonant with our aims and our
philosophy.
To die fighting for the principles OF
Socialism is far better than to evade
in cowardly manner our duty in or
der to live as moral and economic
slaves under capitalism.
The man who would adapt
himself to the capitalist environment
at the sacrifice of Socialist principles
for fear of getting hurt, is not So.
cialist. To be Socialist is to adapt
oneself to the class-struggle, to meet
it's hard conditions as revolutionist
preferring death as a martyr TO CAPT
talism than life as traitor to one
class.
BEING a Socialist, and BELIEVING
IN SOCIALISM merely, are very
different things. We would infinitely
prefer certain death fighting the pre-.
liminary battles of Social Democracy
than the hazards of the battlefield in
an international capitalist war.
SAFETY FIRST" TACTICS
Considering the question of party
tactics from the safety first" point
of view, we believe that a firm stand
taken against Socialist participation
in capitalist wars would tend to de-
crease the chances of an international
conflict. Germany's practical" and