The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-12-14
THE SOCIALIST
ORGAN IS NOW
FOR THE WAR
appeal to Reason" Tells Why
1t Now Is With Govern
ment In Conflict

GIRARD, Kas., Dec. 13.-The Ap-
peal to Reason, the pioneer Socialist
organ in the United States, has
espoused the. "war of descent" of
the United States and the allies
against Prussian militarism, accord
ing to statement by the editor.
"President Wilson's clear and def
mite statement of war aims before
congress is mainly responsible for
the Appeal to Reasons espousal of
the war;" he said.
In changing the policy of his pa
per, the Appeal to Reason, Louis
Kopelin, the editor, gives the fol
lowing explanation of this new posi-
ton:
beginning with the issue of De-
cember %, the name of the paper
will be changed to The New Appeal,
to more distinctively conform to its
broader national and international
policy" the statement said.
Socialists are vigorously opposed
to imperialism" continued Mr.. Ko-
pelin's statement, and "while they
never suspected the motive of Amer
lea, they were not sure of some of
the influential elements in the allied
{r~ I,afi pn n
made his address there was no speci-
fic statement as to the purpose of
the allies after Prussian militarism
had been crushed"
eve contended that such q state
ment was timely, even though the
war was not yet decisively won. The
fact that the Prussians were silent
on the terms of peace was no ar
gument that we should also sidestep
that question. In dealing with en-
lightened peoples frankness is re-
quired. The old school of diplomacy
however. forbade discussion of this
subject and, in spite of the en-
'reaties for a statement on the part
of the worlds Liberals and Social
lists, no statement was Forthcoming.
at was this refusal to state the
aims of the war that complicated the
situation in Russia. 1t gave the
German agents a chance to slander
the cause of the allies. But, for
tunately, President Wilson does not
follow precedents and he realized
that a restatement of the aims of
the war was desirable. The re-
suit has been that the cause of the
allies has been greatly strengthened.
There is even yet hope that this
splendid statement is not too late
to influence the Russian situation.
Now that there is no longer sus-
picion against the cause of the allies
and Germany is still silent as to
Belgium and the other territory
she has invaded and devastated, a
Socialist cannot do anything else
than vigorously support the side
which stands for right and justice.
"The Appeal to Reason stands for
democracy and to be consistant it
must uphold the present world bat
tie for democracy.
81 cannot understand what excuse
there remains for the German So
cialists to support the Kaiser, now
that the defense of the fatherland
argument has been so neatly dis
posed of by President Wilson. The
only nations that are fighting wal
of defense are the allies. A glance
at the military map will easily
prove that"
The Appeal to Reason was founded
in 1895 and long has been one OF
the strongest mouthpieces of So
cialist sentiment. 1t, according to
Mr.. Kopelin, has a greater circula-
tion than all the other American
Socialist papers published in the
English language.