The Washington times., 1916-09-24

defense. was the keynote Of a. cent?
meter address delivered last night by
the "millionaire Socialist" J. q. Phelps
Stokes. at the ninth session OF the sec.
ond summer conference Of the Intercol-
legiate Socialist Society. at Sherwood
Forest. near Annapolis.
The subject for consideration at the
session was Defensive Warfare"
Mr.. Stokes, who Is a prominent MEM
Der Of the Socialist party and president
Of the Intercollegiate Socialist Society,
declared that the Socialists of the
world believe not only In defensive
wars, but In aggressive" wars as well
under certain circumstances.
He said that organized defense OF the
nation has been the policy of the world
wide Socialists since the origin of the
socialist movements.
He Indicated those Socialists In the
United States who take no interest in
national defense and who "hurl an
athemas at those who advocate appro-
priations for the support OF military
and naval forces as being out Of accord
with the most widely approved Socialist
traditions.
Ridicules Advanced" Claims.
lie ridiculed the claim OF the Social
list pacifists" that their anti-militarist
views are advanced" and charged
them with not rejecting the views of
the "ablest and wisest" leaders and
founders Of the Socialist movement.
When II comes to Intervention. Mr..
Stokes said, II IL the duty of a strong
government like the United States to
| make use OF Its army and navy TO defend
the weaker nations of the world against
nations.
William English walling, another
wealthy college Socialist, and a writer OF
many books on the European war. bonn
I shelled the audience I'm an address fol-
lowing that delivered by Mr.. Stokes.
Mr.. Walling declared that the '.Eu-
ropean war should 20 on until the Ger
| man people learn that there Ii law
on earth above that of the Kaiser.
namely. the Will Of the majority Of the
natIon-the viii of the majority Of the
human race,
Though defense of the nation"
said Mr.. Stokes. has often been de-
cried in Socialist assemblies, yet since
It's earliest beginnings there has
never been In the organized Socialist
movement any widely successful OPP
position to organised defense of ones
nation against the incursions of those
who would rob II OF Its independence
of action-its freedom to assume such
form and functions as Its people
| choose.
ITO be sure. the Socialists never
| have seen advantage In perpetuating
the capitalist state as such. But they
tage In preserving such of Its ma
| chinery as can be used In further.
ahce Of the cause Of democracy. and
| in preserving even the capitalist
be conquered from within by the bal
| lot and economic pressure, and con-
verified from a capitalist state into 0
cooperative commonwealth"
Existence of Nations Necessary.
After declaring that international
ism" requires the existence of ma
lions as constituent elements" in or.
der that II may function and assert,
ing that national traits and ideals
and customs and ways of doing things
are dear to the respective peoples.
and should not be hastily supplanted
Mr.. Stokes delivered this indictment
Of those Socialists in the United
States who oppose national defense:
Defense OF nation that is makinl
progress toward democracy, as though
II were a garden In which the fioweri
of life can best grow, Is nearly Away
approved by Socialists. even though
weeds tend ut times to overshadow anC
crowd out the flowers.
Just at present, among the Socialist
OF the United States. a very large pro
portion and possibly a majority appea
to take no interest in national defense
and many among them hurl anathema
against those members Of the socialis
party who advocate appropriations 70
the support of military and nava
forces.
But those who hurl anathemas ar
out OF accord with the most widel.
approved Socialist traditions. Thei
of accord with the views of those whom
they have always honored as the ables
and wisest among the founders an,
leaders of the Socialist movement, an,
relating to the subject adopted as au
thoritative by national and interna
tional Socialist party congresses.
Duty to Defend Nation.
Three days after the battle Of Sedan
in September. 1870. Karl Marx, tn
founder OF the modern Socialist move
ment. wrote a manifesto which wa
circulated by the Social Democrat
party of Germany. addressed to tn
German working people. in which Mar
and the party declared: 80 long a
the mercenaries OF Napoleon threatene
Germany, II was our duty as German
to defend the independence OF tn
Fattherland.'
The various international socialls
congresses since the time OF Marx, con
| tlnueO mT. bIOhtb. nave declared ina
wars of national defense are justifiabl
and that II Is the duty OF threatene
nation and its working class to defen
} their independence against attack.
Mr.. Stokes cited at length declare
lions by numerous able and wise lead
: ers' OF the socia1istlc movement In sur
port of the war for national defense DC
sition taken by the Socialist congresses
: Among the leaders cited were Engel.
Bebel and Kautsky, in Germany; Jaurei
Guesde, and Compere-Morel, In Francs
Hiluuitt and Congressman Meyer Lof
don, In the United states. Furthermor,
I the Socialist parliamentary groups 1
/ every country had adhered to the polio
| OF defensive wars.
Mr. Stokes quoted Congressman Lor
3 don as having said in the House {
Representatives on January IL, 1915:
5 III the American people were attacke
n every Socialist would rise In defense {
the American republic. The socia list
movement everywhere recognizes tn
y right Of defense"
e Pacifists in Minority.
After his complete survey of the d,
sition of the worldwide Socialist NOV,
ment on the question OF defensive war
Mr.. Stokes reached the conclusion tn,
. the Socialist paciflsts do not represer
: the movement In general. and predicte
that the leadership of the Social
y party In the United States would pas
y 10 Socialists of a more militaristic typ
II IL aaid In conclusion.