The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-19

Richest Woman Socialist Gives Up
Party for Love Of Flag and Ideals
Rose Pastor Stokes Says De
inocracy Is at Stake in
World War.
Marguerite Mooers Marshall.

Marguerite Mooers Marshall.
AT the beginning Of the wsSl did
not sleep for six nights. For months
was bowed down to earth. It seemed
to me that chaos ruled. that my own
individual world was being swept ut
terly away. Thsp there came to me
- vision OF what was to gov out Of
the war, or the breaking of the old
moulds Of oppression, of new freedom
for all peoples.
always this vision has remained
with me And 80 Ecannot align my
self any longer with q party which
says that the issues OF the war are
meaningless to us, that the United
States Is committing u. crime of all the
ages in entering the strife. To pro-
test against universal service for the
cause of democracy seems to me uh-
Just, unfair, indefensible. Personally
/ am willing to serve the government
in whatever capacity ! am deemed
most useful"
Country Ahead Of Party.
That is how Rose Pastor Stokes. the
most distinguished woman Socialist IN
the country. read herself out of the
Socialist party and into an America
fighting for democracy.
There are two words. both begin
ming with It" which summarize the
wife of J. G.. Phelps Stokes-tensc and
tawney, voice and body and electric
ally tense, eyes are both adjectives.
From the time Of her romantic mar
nf aVa nf New
York's Oldest and richest families.
Mrs. stokes has been q leader III
many radical movements. but always.
SINCE July. 1906. a standard bearer OF
the Socialist party. Now she and her
husband have announced their resig-
nation from the party. because they
have lost faith in 1t and their. earnest
support Of Americas entry into the
world war.
Finds Party LAsoard.
FIRST last and all the time. I am
a Socialist" Mrs. Stokes explained to
me SO carefully and emphatically that
must not keep back the statement
any longer. "But l believe that, l
can serve better working outside the
Socialist party, although it was the
happiest day Of my life when l joined
that party. Socialism must come
first in the countries most nearly
democratic. Those countries are the
allies. Germany Is the one nation in
Europee which stands in the way of
democracy. admit that the war
was brought about by capitalists. but
1t Is. q tremendous weapon in the
hands q, those who believe in dcmoc-
racy. we must not shrink from us
ing It. SD.
Ideals at Stake.
There are people who cannot sec
that they, that VIC. are fighting for an
IDEAL added Mrs. Stokes. There
are always scabs who will keep their
jobs, will even take the jobs left by
other men, when that battle for de-
mocracy known as strike is in prog
ress. The scab says. Why should I
20 into this fight" How does 1t con-
Germ me? You may not even win
what you want for yourself
"Thc neutral who says the year
means nothing to America, that it will
accomplish nothing is as bereft of
vision, OF an ideal, as the scab."
Changes Must Come.
Il believe that war will ripen
America and every country for great
social changes" Sc concluded ear
nestly. 1t is like a fever, q typhoid
fever, from which the patient recov-
ers with increased appetite and
weight. Already, as q result Of the
war, we have free Russia. We shall
have free wOmanhood.
I'VE may. we must. love and respect
our country. realize that it Is ours
that we. the American people. car
make Of It what we will. Only our
feeling for America must not inter.
fore with our respect for other coun.
tries. Germany never. has respected
any other country but herself. Tha
is why Germany must be beaten"