The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-09-14
ENGLISH LABOR
----
CALLS DOWN
THE ,JINGOES
(From Proclamation Issued by In
dependent Labor Party of
England.


England.
Whilst the battle RACES with ad-
vance and retreat, it would be pre-
mature to work out detailed pro-
posals for just settlement. There
must be a truce to the fighting be-
fore we can get down to the pre-
else policy that must govern the
peace. But it is not a moment
too soon to rid our minds of hate,
selfrighteousness, pharisaism, and
the can't of jingoism, to look at the
European tragedy with clear knowl-
edge and understanding, and to piece
together the points that might form
sane basis for discussion. Nor
will this be accomplished by windy
rhetoric about the crushing Of Prus-
sian Militarism, which may mean
anything or nothing. The more ex-
treme and violent our demands on
this side, the more we close the door
on common sense and restraint, the
more we countenance the crushing
of Germany-if that were possible
and the destruction of her trade, the
more we strengthen Prussian Mill
tarism, and play the game of the
goose-stepping, sabre-rattling Jdn-
kers.
There are many people in Ger
many opposed to the designs and ag-
gressions of Prussian Junkerdom; but
there is nobody in Germany who
would consent to the destruction of
Germany and the ruin of her in
dustry. All the wild, raving words
that appear in some of the news
papers of the Allied Nations-words
frequently insincere and meaningless
tent-help to rally and consolidate
the militarist forces in Germany, and
to silence or drown the voices plead
ing bravely for sanity and modera-
ton. AS things are, the jingoes in
the enemy countries bark and howl
against each other, hurling threats
and insults at each other across the
frontiers.
In the hearts of the soldiers is no
such black corrupting rage as possess
the souls of old men sitting in their
clubs and editorial chairs. Among
the soldiers there is discipline and
dignity, but many newspaper men
and politicians and publicists have no
more dignity than dancing dervishes.
I They mistake their funk for their
patriotism, their bluster for right
eous wrath, and they imagine in
some strange fashion that their noisy
vulgarities contribute to the cause
of their country. There would be
light comedy in the antics of these
venerable fools were there not also
deep tragedy.
Many of the old men who watch
the young men going valiantly to
death are themselves held by false
ideals and aims. They do not know
wherein lies the true greatness and
glory of country. They filled
their hearts with the dust and Gin
ders of hate, and have persuaded
themselves that by smashing another
country they can advantage their
own. In comparative safety they
roar their defiance and close their
minds against any consideration of a
just and honorable peace, and talk
boastfully of the day when the Allied
troops will march down the Inter
den Linden and denounce as pro-
Germanism every idea that is be-
yond the range of their own crude
brain.
And since the perfecting of the
mechanism of war and the deadly
raking fire of machine guns has
made the defensive almost impregn-
ably strong, and the aggressive cost
ly beyond measure, the war, if these
end, or would end when the young
manhood of Europe had entirely
perished, and Europe been bankrupt
ed beyond recovery.
Peace, a worthy, lasting peace,
will never come back to bloodsodden
Europe if we leave the matter to
these inflamed waspish minds. Kais-
ers, czar, emperors, diplomats, rul-
ers, what have we to expect from
them? Nothing but wretchedness
and slaughter. 1t is not they who
will teach us better way to adjust
the quarrels between nations. If
we are to enjoy the blessings of
real peace, not peace armed and
costly, not a peace which is not
more than a brief, uneasy pause in
the roar of cannon, not peace COW