The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-04-12
TO THE CAPITALIST CLASS

| ~ 1HE CAIII ALlSI GLASS
We wish to call attention to the
fact that the effort to hurl US into
war has not received the sanction of
the people.
AS we have often pointed out that
it would be overwhelmingly repudi-
ated if put to the test, we point out
now that it has been tested and our
contention is proven absolutely
sound
The sporadic outburst of enthus-
iasm at the patriotic meetings can
not be cited as a criterion by which
to judge the sentiment of the people,
owing to the fact that they so sig
nally failed Of their intended pur-
pose. AS proof, we call attention
to the response to the call for re-
cruits. We call attention especially
to the fact that the business men
themselves have completely repudi-
ated it also, since not one of them
here has signed up for cannon fodder.
The sincerity of men is determined
not by the amount of noise they
make, but by the manner in which
they back up their pretenses. These
thousands who hold the meetings
should have furnished some material,
but we observe as usual that the
material is not coming from the ele-
ment that makes the noise. 1t is al
ways so.
1t is beyond all bounds of reason
to expect the laboring men who Gre
ate the wealth but own nothing, to
go and fight for those who create
nothing, but own everything, when
they themselves will not go and pro-
tect the system that makes it i'm
possible for them to become rich
from the contemplate traffic in war
munitions; and Incidentally, we would
be doing the fighting for those who
detest US in times of so called peace,
beat down our wages, club US from
town to town and shoot US down for
asking for more of the product of our
own toll. We do not need to look
across the ocean to see our enemies.
and we refuse to go there seeking
them.
When we are denied our constitu
tlonal rights of free speech on the
streets, and when the constitution is
regarded as mere scrap of paper"
by Commercial Clubs, who use pick
handles for law, can you marvel that
the public which witnesses those law
less deeds and outrages, are not go
ing to uphold regime that has to be
maintained by violence?
We call attention to the fact that
there were thousands of "patriots"
assembled at various meetings to
to create a psychological noise to
hypnotic young inexperienced boys
but we haven't seen nor heard of
one of those noisy patriots" getting
imbued with enough real genuine sin
certify to enlist and offer himself to
subserve the interests of Morgan &
Co.
We do not believe this mania has
the remotest bearing on the question
of defending America, nor is it a
question of OUR RIGHTS being at
stake, for labor has no rights in any
country that the ruling class of that
land feels imperatively bound to re-
spect.
To America, and the basic and
fundamental rights of the human
race, we are more loyal than those
who seek to drive this nation on to a
blind Unsuitable and inexcusable war
at the behest of an avaricious and
lustful mercenary plunderbund.
We are an awakened, alert and
class conscious proletariat, and we
see within our own borders an enemy
more dangerous and sinister than any
foreign foe. 1t is that enemy of
which Lincoln warned the nation,
'The powerful aggregations of wealth
that will ultimately destroy the re-
public" We see the very founda-
tons Of our guarantees being de-
stroyed by those who ask us to FIGHT.
We see gradual retrogression to
despotism. We see a society de-
cadent and hypocritical, whose bene-
ficiaries plead with its victims to do
their fighting for them.
No nation has ever died in the
hands of the laboring class, but all
nations that have gone down to obliv-
ion have done so in the hands Of the
master class, who hide behind flag
while urging the slaves on to fight
the battles.
If the aristocracy of idlers will not
fight to protect their privileges, ther
why should we fight to maintain ou
slavery and our economic chains.
We shall decide for ourselves who
our enemies are, when we SHOULD
fight, whom we shall fight, and wha
we shall fight for.