The Washington times., 1917-06-21

good deal OF loss TO understand the
Significance Of the Stockholm Social.
list conference and the inwardness of
the row about It. they may console
themselves with the reflection that
they are not much worse muddlsd
than people a good deal closer 20 the
heart Of European affairs. 1t Is now
perfectly clear that the Stockholm
conference is a bit of made in Ger
many mischief. and that II has poten-
tialties OF serious harm unless II Is
skllfully and vigorously handled by
ers.
1t Is likewise becoming increasingly
apparent that the entente govern
ments have not thus far been able TO
agree how the thing should be treated.
International socialism with which
the name of Karl Marx has been as
ISOLATED has for years been preaching
against militarism and war, and con-
Quoting propaganda in favor Of tne
theory that wars are made by gov
ernments which impose themselves on
the people; that no government could
make war II the people would not
fight, and that war, even II once
started, coulu be starved to death II
the people refused to work.
Everybody knows that the Official
Socialist party in Germany in recent
years has mustered more voting
strength than any other party in that
country. Everybody remembered that
few short years ago 1t was a com
monplace that autocracy could not
maintain its grip on Germany as so
cialism continued to flourish and ex-
pand.
Socialists Remained Silent.
Yet today everybody knows like
wise that the German Socialists never
made effective protest against the con-
struction OF the great military machine
that made Prussia the leader Of Ger
many and Germany the standing men,
ace Of world war. Carrying their doc
trine OF pacifsm and anti-militarism
20 other countries, sowing the seeds
Of non-resistance propaganda in other
countries all over the world. these same
German Socialists were, at home in
Germany. taking their training as SOL
diers. manufacturing the weapons and
munitions OF war. permitting themselves
to be organized into the supreme threat
against the worlds peace.
But when Germany went in for a
navy. which the Kaiser repeatedly in
timated must be great enough TO defy
even that OF England. 1t became ap-
parent that there was a purpose OF ag-
erosion.
But. plain as all this must have been.
the German international Socialists went
right on. training themselves into the
most perfect military scheme that ever
had been devised. paying the taxes that
were demanded. and still preaching the
propaganda OF anti-militarism and uni
yersal peace.
BuneOed Fellow Socialists.
To the world that is now drenched
in blood It is not particularly material
whether the German Socialists were
sincere but stupid or utterly insincere
and profoundly Machiavellian. The fact
remains, and every week OF the last
three months has made IL palmer. that
the German combination OF iron listed
militarism and soft voiced socialism
has been diligently. insidiously. unre-
mittingly plotting and planning Ger
many's tiger leap at the throat Of civil
iZation unready.
Repinings are VIGOROUSLY futile. Con-
sciOusly or unconsciOusly. Intentionally
or unintentiOnally, whether executing a
deliberate plan or merely permitting
itself to be made the dupe OF Pan
Germanism. German socialism has
been buncoing the socialism Of the rest
Of the world II has been everywhere
IN, nd Of that
which aimed TO array class
against class. which wept endlessly over
the woes Of the ''proletariat." which
sought to array the weak minded among
workers and the sentimental among in
telleCtuals against established conditions
and constituted authority everywhere.
But whatever mischief 1t might do else
where the prupa Canda has never in
terfered with the firmer establishment OF
conditions, the soldier constitution Of
in Germany.
There is no longer room for doubt
that the first Inspiration Of the Stock
holm conference was Germany. The idea
WAS not enthusiastically received in the
beginning by many Socialists Of neutral
and allied countries, who. though still
innocently adhering to their ideals and
hopefully clinging to the notion that
socialism might force peace became sus-
picious Of the origin OF this particular
proposal But the scheme was under
suspicion and seemed destined TO fail
ure.
Entente Nations Baked.
Then the German intrigue give 1t
a new direction. Germany attempted
to withdraw from the chief direction |
OF the enterprise. and the SOCIALISTS
Of Russia, forsooth. took up the sIO- |
gan and gave their Endorsement to the |
idea of a conference. Thus the situa- |
ton was decidedly changed. Whether |
or unconsciously. ipten |
tionalIy or unlntentiOnally, the Rus !
sian Socialists were now falling into /
the Prussian craft. just as the Ger /
man Socialists had previously done |
But when the thing was presented in |
garb. II was not so easy for |