New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12

iOund one DoIitlCdl
rayed almost solidly against it, ms
was the Socialist party.
This party, which has always pro-
fessed a horror Of monarchs and au-
tocracies and has always proclaimed
itself the advance guard Of democracy
has found its best fighting issue in
blocking our participation In strug-
gle which involves primarily the hrst
ideals Of the Socialist party, and has
nearly doubled in size.
! To make its position even more par
adoxical, if such thing were possible
the most radical members Of the party
became the strongest and most out
spoken opponents Of the government
The Socialists Of the United States
] have merely followed the lead Of So
eialsts in the Allied countries, such as
Great Britain and Russia. 1t was only
in Germany, where the Socialists are
numerically strongest. where the So
cialists have the largest representation
in the government, that they showed
feeble opposition TO Germany's war
Leaders Demand Peace
The leaders Of the party demand
peace, immediate peace, though mat
pesce can only be had by giving Ger
/ many what amounts TO victory at the
/ present time. They denounce Kaiser
/ ism, vet are serving Prussian autoc-
| racy. They see no great difference IN
| the moral values Of the two groups OF
nations fighting this war.
The fact that many of the principles
Of Socialism were put into ehect IN
/ Germany before the war may pref
( them in Germany's favor On the
other hand, the apparent triumph OF
socialistic principles in Germany may
he said to be due to the fact that the
! inperial cliaue found these principles
useful TO further its scheme for world
conquest. The German worslngman
was we'll fed, assured of employment and
an old-age pension, but he became a
bond-slave of the state, which might
use him for cannon fodder whenever IL
chose to do 80.
When the great struggle began in
Europe Socialists here and elsewhere
pradicted that the war would not only
mean great blood sacrifice to the work
ing classes, but it would also tear
down the social and economic taorlc
built up through years Of class con
fict The war, they said, was the truit
of the fundamental evils inherent IN
governments built on capitallstic sys-
tenn. The rich would grow richer and
the moor poorer, and capitalistlc inter
ests would be more powerfully IN
| trenched when finally peace was de-
| clared.
The record Of the war has hardly JUS
tilted this belief. The so-called upper
classes of all the belligerent countries
have paid the blood price as heavily as
onv On the other hand, the Socialists
| have seen many of their most cher,
| ished schemes of government adopted
/ bv the European nations, and now tney
/ proclaim that the belligerents Will never
discard the cooperative system brought
/ into practice and found not wanting IN
the hour of need.
Economic Ideals Realized.
Thus while they have seen their
ideals Of world-peace and international
I brotherhood shattered, they have VII
messed many of their economic and So
cial ideals realized years sooner tnan
| thew had ever expected, even IN their
most optimistic mood. ,
| Max Eastman, editor OF ne
Masses" the radical magazine recently
barred from the United States malls'
and later admitted through court &C
ton, states in one of his articles that
| the three countries in which the so
| cialists made the most vigorous stand
against war are Germany, Italy and the
| United States. The statement IS open
TO dispute, especially as concerns Ger
many, where the Socialists claimed AT
! tho beginning Of the war one-thlrd OF
the population and more than one
| third Of the votes.
The total vote of the German Empire
/ in 1912 was less than l2,OOO,OOO, OF
which the Socialists cast about 4,5OO,-
! 900.
However. in the United States, where
/ the party has a smaller representation
IN the state and national government
/ than in any of the belligerent Euro
mean countries except Turkey, the So
/ cialist anti-war agitation has brought
upon the party the charge OF treason
and Of pro-Germanism.
/ These charges have not been WITH
out cause, moreover, for while the
party has fought with all its strength
| 10 keep the United States from night
ing for principles which the Socialists
cannot abjure, the party leaders nave
been shouting for peace at time When
there was no peace possible except the
! kind made in Germany,
But the anti-war stand taken by the
| American Socialists has given the
party a fighting issue. The party mas
been more or less In the doldrums for
years, despite its appeals in behalf OF
certain social and economic Ideals.
Mr.. Eastman points out that THIS Is
due to the fact that the party over
looked that a great many persons are
not particularly interested IN good
government. They may be interested
in what they eat and in the CLONES
that they wear, but connecting edio.es
and clothes with the government that
rules the nation is expecting good
deal from the masses OF people.
But everybody Is interested IN
whether he or she may die tomorrow
The Socialist party is now hgntIng
against having the youths OF the land
sacrificed even 10 save ideals OF gov
eminent without which the Socialist
party would have about as much inhu-
ence as the Socialist party in Germany.
Party Gains in Membership
Nevertheless, by fighting along these
oblioue lines. and by keeping in the
foreground illuminated pictures Of the
horrors Of war, the Socialist party has
gained greatly in membership since the
great war began, and especially since
The United States entered the conflict.
Mr.. II. Solomon, secretary Of the
New York State Socialist party, claims
that the national party has nearly