Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1917-05-15
B WELL KNOWN SOCIALIST
B DEFINES HIS POSITION
, REGARDING THE WAR 4


May H. 1917.
TO The Editor Amarillo Daily News.
The gigantic proportions that the
enemy forces OF the United states
~ assuming calls all men 20 define
their position Boz relation 10 their
country Particularly Is this true 4
men aligned through conyi ltion gith
Zoe militant ranks ~ The Socialist
Party. Socialists of an countries
have been mal.gned aud ridiculed for
their attitude toward war aud In
most cases uniustly az any intelligent
investigation ~ their historic utter
nnces win conclusiyeiy prove. IL i1
Tor the purpose 81 briefly pointing
ont some 90 these sources Of informd
ton that { bog your accustomed gen
crosby in cttcudiug 20 ne The priyi.-
ogc OF your esteemed papes.
Whatever our ideals mas be-
We are well persuaded that the
supreme crisis ~ the United
states now calls for loyalty from
all it, citizens. | am social
IN aud absolutely opposed Ia
mllitarism. Still In view ~ the
avalanche ~ inhuman force that
now hut balances abote So aud
tlr,atens the dcstrurt,0g % our
most cherished ideals am un-
ayoidably cnmpcllc,. 80 sanction
Nuch .tcps ~ arr necessary and
adequate for the safeguarding nf
such democratic institutions rs
We have already gained. To su--
tain this position u b. possible O.
call In evidence thc highest
authority uf socialist orgrnila-
lions aud individuals through
out the world. To .onc of ,hcn
would call your attention.
The resolution passed az the In
trfuaiinutl Socialist Congress OF
~mttgdrt favored universal military
service This position was stated
and defended by Morris llillguit iu
the Metropolitan Magazine 100 part
as follows The military urganiza-
ton which the Socialists favor h.
largely based on tho principle of the
rational militia uf switzerland. To.
der that system all able-hudiel mon
between flc ages of 30 and a years
are kept m military Training and cam
be- relied 600 Tor the defense ~ thr
country iu ease OF emergency The
main body uf the militia. the oletc.
is composed of the young men be-
tween the ages uf go and 30 years
ln the aaue magazine joan Jauros
'ofcudod % proposed s'.tcm hy th,
French Socialist Party Tie said in
part Tho democratic organization
uf the Irm.l nation. 10 % i8 thc best
fafceu.It Tor national independence.
o. also the best safeguard OF inter-
national peace.
Tho attitude Of The German Social
ist Party may be- seen by quoting
from q speech OF Heinrich Schulz 90
The German Party Congress Ia 1913
tie said We DO not oppose PEG
pies army ia fact We demand it Ia
our party platform We call Tor the
militia 10 take the place Of the pres
ont standing army, We agitate for
the hest physical and mental train
ing tram earliest childhood. thus a3-
surfing 10 our people fho most eft
cieut means ~ self-dofcnsc
Ia tine case 81 the French and
German Socialists We sec the logical
carrying out at the plan iud0rsel
hy the Congress OF Stuttgart IN 1907.
where wc find the following clause.
Tho Congress sees in the democratic
organization oft armies in the SOCIAL
cd ritigDu armies In place of the
tandiur armies. a good guarantee
AGAINST vlr-likc attacks OF one B1.
ton by another. and against the cN-
.ejpuCc of national difference.
The British Socialist Party AZ It's
Annual conference at lHl4 consid-
cred a resolution 90 part 3e follow
We can for the organization of q
national democratic citizen army for
puruosna of national defense as the
only sure guarantee Of national and
International peace
70 consider few statements OF
Individuals Allen L. Benson say
y ann not opposed iu principle 90
the defense OF this country from I'm
tasi0n holicyc that Invasion
should le resisted
James ~ Mauior says 'lf we
must prepare. then mine the coasts.
furnish a submarine Tor every rif;y
miles or Jess of our coast. enlist CIV
oy citizen between the age oi twgn-
IS and forty years. arm them wi'h
tIe latest improved rifles land give
ihoml drIll duty each year"
John splrgo says ~ am not O
r0n-rcsiaIant and can readily con
0eiye 10 conditions which would lead
We to feht For example % TO-
ESQ and rcpel actual invasion
would he To- duty of Socialist COM
mouwc1lih
To quote Victor Berger Any man
vh1 b. unwilling 10 tight f1r his
OLAF" rr nation does not deserve 90
ei0ur to class or natiuH Farther
ua boz says we propose that thn
600 'C school ho made "a part of pre-
plr'lnoss m tho following manner
Every citizen should devote one year