The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-15

ernments that drive their workers into wars in
which the workers have interest This country
isn't driving anybody to war; II il being driven.
and the only possible choice 1t has Is to surrender
its sovereign existence fight
But besides all this, which ought to be enough
for any American by whatsoever means he may
earn his bread there is something else of nature
to appeal particularly to every worker that will
stop to thing about 1t. The war between the
United States and Germany is not a quarrel about
the sinking Of ships. The ship sinking is only an
incident. '. .ss
"The real basis Of the struggle il contest be.
tween two tremendous ideas, and there is
nothing else in which working men can have SO
profound concern. II Germany wins, then the Ger
man ideas become triumphant and dominant
around the globe democracy is overwhelmed every
where and set back for centuries; the principle Of
arbitration among nations receives its death blow:
Justice and liberty become the worlds memories:
nothing is left for standard Of actions and morals
but the creed Of sheer brute strength the stronger
arm becomes the only gospel and the bigger bat
talon the only faith
IN other words everything the labor movement
has aimed at and strivcn for goes down in huge
cataclysm The suggestion that working men
should strike to bring that disaster upon them
selves and upon all the world OF progress can be
entertained only by one who has no knowledge OF
the real nature of the issues involved in this
has never thought about it.
1T is a terrible error to think that only the
wealthy have anything at stake in this war. We
all have something far dcarer to us than all the
money in the land, millions Of times dearcr and
that is the survival Of the democratic principle in
this country and this carth.'
Meyer London at his home last night said:
while we sane let us talk sense. Before
has been declared it is the duty Of Socialists to
oppose it and prevent 1t II possible. But when
war is accomplished fact. then there must be
unity. That has been the policy of Socialists
throughout the world. and it should be the policy
of Socialists in the United States. I would not
advocate adding civil to the crime Of inter-
national war"
William English Waling, author sociologist and
contributing editor of THE Masses" took more
bitter view Of the spirit excmplified by Mr.. Debs'
speech.
Il believe the program Of the American So
calist party written in Berlin" he announced.
and then accused Morris Hillqut and Victor Berger
men high in the councils Of the party, with being
under German influence.
"FIillquit" he said has stated time and again OF
Of late that he is in constant communication with
Dr. Scheidemann and other Socialist leaders in
the German reichstag. who serve the kaiser just
faithfully Hindenburg In view of the fact
that Hillauit, the crony of Schiedcmann, and Ber-
ger. frankly German. rule the party justi-
fled in saying that the war program and policy
of the American Socialist party actually writ
ten in Berlin.
But, thank the Lord have many good So
cialists who not blinded by Debs Berger and
Iillquit. Professor Charles A. Beard. Of Colum-
bus of the most brilliant of the younger radi-
calls in this country has repeatedly stated that the
allies fighting for the principles of democracy
and poor Jack London said just before he died that
if he thought Germany could win the war he would
enlist and risk his life on the battlefield"