Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-29
SOCIALIST PARTY
BREAKS TO PIECES
Powerful Organization Is Shat
tered on Rocks of Interna-
tional Warfare.
ITS FATE INDEED TRAGIC
In One Day Gigantic Work of
Many Generations Col
lapses.
ITS FATE INDEED TRAGIC
ny FREDERICK WERNER.

BERLIN, August 2S.-Thn war has
accomplished what neither the great
Bismarck nor his minor SUCCESSORS
were able TO do. It has broken up the
great Social Democratic party in Ger
many.
In the Chamber OF Wuertcmberg re-
Gently tho radical Socialists declared
war TO the knife against their old party
when they formed the new independent
party. the Socialist Union. whose actual
program is peace-peace without any
attempt OF conquest or of subjugation
of natlonalities.
Perhaps the most tragic element in
the breaking up Of the great socialistic
world movement is tina; it's downfall
In Germany has been brought about by
a question as typically national and i'm
perialistic as this: Whether or nor Ger
many is to profit by the war by extend
Ing her frontiers.
Here. at least one was inclined to
think. was question on which all in
ternational Socialists must aeree. It
appeared so absolutely evident that Of
course. one must not suppress people
and nations when the foundation Of
ones program is freedom But those
who thought SO were evidently mis-
taken. and the later attempts that were
made to bring about reconciliation
served only to widen the preach.
The fate that overlook the inter
national Socialists when the war broke
out was indeed n tragic one. and es-
pecially tragic 10 the German Socialists.
Never had that party held n stronger
or more proud position-with its 4,ooo,-
600 voters, the greatest party in the
Reichstag. and numerous representa-
tives in the chambers OF the various
countries Of the German empire.
In one day the gigantic work OF gem
erations collapsed. The day when the
German Socialists n whole, like a
flock of sheep, deserted their ideals and
voted in favor of the war appropri-
ations, they sealed their own doom.
BECOMES NONENITY
IN SINGLE MOMENT
In single moment the powerful
party became a nonentity-its ideas and
It's power were swept aside by n word
Of the Kaiser. and the millions Of
voters who for generations had been
taught TO hate and detest war. en-
braced the guns. shouldered the rifles
and went to war with a song on their
lips.
1t was seen then that there must
have been great unsupported flow
In the massive ingot OF international
socialism. II has counted without
taking into consideration that pa
triotism, old ia shioned love OF coun-
try. love of the particular clan to
which you happen TO belong. though a
most primitive and unmodern feeling.
is Still! stronger than the more ideal
love of all humankind in general.
Anybody could see that there was
sense In International Socialists
going TO war against those they used
to call brethren for no other reason
than because they happened to live on
the other side of a political frontier
When the leaders afterwards have tried
TO prove that there was sense in this
ii is small wonder that they have not
succeeded.
SO much has gone to pieces that the
leaders OF the French Socialists
solemnly call for bitter and implaca-
OF German Socialist brethren, lies
crushed and bleeding TO death on the
battle field!
most OF the German Socialist leaders
see nothing repulsire in annexing Bel
GUM. which the German Chancellor
himself year ago declared had been
violated by Germany in defense of her
national existence.
So much has gone to pieces that
German Socialist leaders calmly dis
cuss regulations Of frontiers" as the
result Of q war in which millions OF
people have been murdered
How is it possible to get away from
these facts" says Herr Liebknecht, the
only German Socialist who from the
very first remained loyal to his ideals,
which with him had become convic-
tons. How powerless are even the
most honeyed and clever phrases
against these dreadful events, and
what a bottomless pit of hypocrisy IT
is to pretend that they do not exist