The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-26
INTERNATIONAL
SOCIALISM WEAKENED
BY THE GREAT WAR
But Prediction Is Made That Even the
British and German Socialists Will
Sit at Table Together Again.

Sit at Table Together Again.
London, Feb. 26-International Social
ISM, though broken down by the war,
will be revived and there will come a
day when British and German socialists
will sit at the table again together, says
Henry Mayors Hyndman, the 75.year-old
leader of the Social Democratic party in
England
AT his unpretentious nome in ST.
James park, within a stones throw Of
buckingham palace, in a study hanked
by piles OF books and newspapers, most
| ~ American, the aged philosopher re-
ceiVed correspondent of the Associst-
ed Press and discussed some of the wars
effects upon Socialism. Northumberland
| ing his advanced age, Mr.. Hyndman is
active and looks strong, with big face
and white beard giving him marked re-
semblance to pictures of the poet Long
| fellow He is now engaged in georgian
izing the Democratic party in
| England
"fhe wars immediate effect upon So
cialism is not apparent he said, "but
NAiG tuiuk II NtAtdEtl az SUM lSt anu Li1l
is that the war has taught the workers
more than they could have learned in
score of years OF peace. The war has
made them think politically and when
they leave the trenches it viii be as new
men. In other words when the soldiers
come back home they will be wiser men
and will not be willing TO go back to the !
hopeless chaos they will demand better |
working conditions, will not permit what |
has gone into the hands of the state to /
be returned to private owners, especially /
the greater part OF the improved machin-
cry provided for by the state, which
means by the people at large. We see
great strengthening OF social democracy
as a result of the war"
Then as ii some happy thought had
struck him, the Socialist leader waved
his arms to map of the United States
and exclaimed: Even in Ameriea--in
dividualistic America-this insistenee on
democracy is being felt more and more
This was shown in the passage of the
eight hour law for railroad employees.
Monopoly had reached such a point in
regard TO the railroads that when the
workers demanded better conditions and
threatened if they were not granted
they would hang up all transport. Pres
ident Wilson as the representative OF
the federal government interfered on
behalf of the community and aided the
men in obtaining by peaceful means
what otherwise would have led TO vio-
ence. 1t is an important economic adj
vance that has been aided by the state.
what has come to pass in the United
States by peaceful means has only come
o us through war. | mean the gradual
aking over of the railroads and public
Utilities. When the war broke out the
apitalist system showed itself incapa
lie of handling the community under cir
which demanded great and j
continuous national effort So the state I
topped in and took the railroads and
las since been Communicating and con- }
rolling nearly everything. e
The result is that to-day we have a :
ystem of state Socialism, which OF
curse. is not true Socialism Under this
ystem the worker Is not free, is not re-
Giving his full return. 1t Is competition 81
Glow and state monopoly above. But ;,
least we have a near approach to one >,
{ the fundamentals of Socialism pub =
C ownership and public utilities--and "
see no reason why it shouldn't be con-
nued after the war is over. The
My argument against it from Social u
tic standpoint is that it leaves society =
with the parasites Of bu
and consequently is most
and wasteful way OF run
ing national industry I,
Mr.. Hyndman was told that the ques-
on has often been asked as 10 why in
irrational Socialism failed TO prevent
ne war.
"I'll have to blame that also on the A,
he said of international So
alism had any chance at all to prevent
MS terrible slaughter it lost It when ,Ju
le Social Democrats of Germany be-
ayed their Socialist brethren the world
rer by voting for the war credits IN the
eichstag The Socialists Of the world Ia
cognized that the German Socialists
ere the most important factor in inter
ltionalism. Le
"The German Socialists broke down
and have done more TO
stroy the faith of Socialists in their
yn creed than anything else on this w
anet The English Socialists remem-
red this at the January labor confer
ce in Manchester when they voted Re
ainst an international Socialist confer.
&c to take place at the same time as
2 peace conference.
Does the action Of the English So Sh
lists mean the end Of international
smfr Mr. Hvndmsn was asked.
BY no means be replied. Socialism LET
not going to break down. II will take
me time before We can sit down 70 the
be with the Germans but We viii DO i
then will see a tremendous revival An
the social democracy. Economic CIR
are bound 70 help % for ~
I'd The reasons which made u neces-