South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-30

uon and theory made and maintain
ed in Germany.
Facts troubled this philosophy as
little as they do Prussian professors
explaining how Germany was forced
into war. That phrase in the social
list htany, They who would be free
themselves must strike the blow"
was intOned in worship of Prussian
paternalism. German workers were
touted an especially favored class.
although they worked longer hours
at lower wages and suffered a high
or death rate than the workers of
other western nations.
The death rate is generally admit
ted 20 be the best general test OF the
well-being Of a people IL varies di-
rectly with wages, food supply.
housing, sanitation and nearly every
other feature that enters into the
standard of life and makes life worth
living The following table showing
the death rate per thousand of pop
ulation in 1910, acco- ling TO official
statistics Of each nation constitutes
a final. overwhelming answer TO all
these claims of the superior condi-
tons enjoyed by German workers:
Death Rate per 1000. 1910.
New Zealand acknowledgements. 81
Australian Commonwealth. ...1O.4
England and Wales ..........-13.5
United States Registration area $50
Belgium ............. 15.S
German empire ..............17.2
Hupuort- - =
would give fun credit to the good
accomplished by the elaborate social
legislation OF Germany. 1t did in
sure its population against a mass Of
evils. But its administration by an
autocracy also insured the subserv-
iency of its benefciaries 10 autoc-
racy's imperialistic schemes. With
the exception of a few, the socialism
of most OF whom antedated this CO.
cial legislation, the Prussian war
caste manipulated the social demo-
Gratis almost as easily as the con-
scripted armies. Worst of all, these
socialists eagerly did the will of this
caste in the international socialist
movement.
One of the parties that fell most
easily under this influence was that
of the United States. The reason for
this was partly historical. In the
thirties there was a labor movement
in this country that contained, as
does every labor movement the
germs of socialism. This movement
preceded almost any European So
cislist movement. II was a half
century ahead of any German de
velopment But it disappeared, leav-
ing little trace behind it, When
labor next began TO formulate it's
political program IL was largely
largely under the influence of Ger
man refugees, who were often widely
separated from the actual union
union movement. The native social
list movement expressed itself intel
lectually in such directions as Bel
lamy's 'nationalism," single tax, and
various democratic and reform move
various democratic and reform
movements. The German socialist
movement, largely isolated from the
reality of the labor struggle and
from the native intellectual radical
ism, because dead and doctrinaire.
This situation was aggravated by a
development which began, with the
socialist party. about seven years
ago. At that time foreign language
declarations were organized, each
with it's translator secretary"
There were Il of these at the open
ing of the war. Not all were pro-
German, but all were well insulated
against Amerisanism. They contain
ed. almost one-half the membership.
Much less than one-half of these
were naturalized. Since it is very sell
dom that 90 per cent Of the mem
bers voted upon any referendum it
was easily possible for the policy OF
an American political party TO be
directed by nOncitizens.
Other developments increased the
un-American character Of the party.
Disgust with its mechanical and in
effective character caused those with
knowledge of or sympathy with
American institutions 10 withdraw
until when war was declared the
party had but half the members it
possessed in 1912. So il was that Of
the 5000 who met in the St Louis
convention and adopted resolutions
denouncing the United states 1000
were members of the foreign Ian
guage declarations" and nearly all
the others, save those brought in by
a sudden and temporary growth
among southwestern tenant farmers,
had accepted German ideas and
philosophy.
Throughout the war the socialist
party followed closely every policy
announced from Berlin. Its peace
program was practically identical
with that Of the German govern
mentally directed socialists. Every
outrage by Germany was belittled or
denied. Every charge against the al
lied nations was enlarged upon and
exploited When the Lusitania was
sunk not a single socialist paper con-
demned the act. The invasion Of
Belgium and the enslavement OF its