The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-31
A WORD TO SOCIALISTS.

mocracy and Peace. to be held at Min
| ncapolis in September. Among the
| purposes OF this convention as an
| nonnccd in the call. the details of
OF this newspaper. are these:
To demand that our government
shall state its aims in the war and
seize every opportunity to achieve
these aims through negotiations un-
| hampercd by the ambitions of other
governments; tn strive for an early
democratic and general peace in har-
mony with the principles outlined by
the Russian people. which include no
forcible anncxations and no punitive
indcmnitics: to work for the repeal Of
the CONSUMPTION laws: to meet the COS,
of war by the taxation CT wealth.
other purposes including the defense
OF the rights of free speech and free
press are announced. but those we
have indicated seem more important
The Socialist party in Montana and
elsewhere has included many worthy.
intelligent and conscientious citizens.
sometimes, as we have thought, the,
have pursued mistaken policies in d
program that has also included thu
advocacy of many very necessary re-
forms The strongest appeal of social
ism to us has been the absence from
heir ranks of grafters. money grab
bers and the hunting hounds for the
zig trusts. We have believed that many
the things they stood for would
ultimately be worked out in modified
forms for the good OF the republic.
We are convinced, however, that the
present Socialist organization is work.
ing on lines distinctly harmful to this
government. and we fail to see how
ihtelllEent Socialists who hold patriot
ism above their party can follow these
leaders
With the nation hardly into the war.
md Germany showing the sternest re.
sistance this is no time to announce
any war aim beyond that of winning
tne war Discussion along that line
would be distinctly harmful to our
'ause and encouraging to our enemies
IN addition to that, we have
the interests o. our allies to con-
slider. We can enter into no negotia-
ions without consultation and agree
tnent with them. The aim of this So
eiailst program as announced is to
lrive wedge into our relations with
The governments fighting by our side.
With regard to fbrcible annexations
II may be said that any demand of
)ur government for annexation of Ger.
man territory is inconccivable at this
time. Yet it is possible that the war
nay develop to the point where annex
alton would be necessary. II Germany
is defeated, France will ask the return
IF Alsacc Lorraine. France will not be
content with less and after her heroic
struggle we believe that the United
States would be entirely justified in
upholding this demand
We believe also that punitive indcm-
aitics may be demanded from Germany
in event of her defeat. She has de-
StfoSed American lives and ships and
~ violating the laws of international
conduct has put the United States to
cost of billions. Why should she
not be made to pay for it? Would
my fair-minded citizen say she should
not be made to pay for all that she has
cost the Bclgians in lives and prom
erty?
The plank in the platform that |
should call for righteous anger from
all patriots is that which demands the
repeal of conscripton laws That pur- |
'ose is distinctly inimical to the United |
states government in this struggle for |
such liberties as the Socialists enioy
dong with the others The conscrip-
ton law was found necessary to form |
al army to protect our country, 1t is ,
thoroughly fair and democratic and |
provides no distinction for class or
Aealth. If the consumption law were
as these Socialists who sign
,he call desire. we fancy that it would
'ot be long before the German army
would be ready for invasion of the
United States.
We do not think the Socialists OF
can do better than listen
o some of the Socialist leaders who
lave been expelled or have resigned
rom their party because they could
not stand for such program as is out
lined in this call for the MINNEAPOLIS
We suggest that they give
iced to the recent comment of UPTON
who said; IF Germany be
allowed to win this war then we in
america shall have to drop every other
activity and devote the next twenty or
thirty years in preparing for "A last
ditch defence of the democratic prin-