New-York tribune., 1917-10-21

Inc bcIglans nave """N N
complete and satisfactory statement OF
the non German Socialists position
since the war. Il is embodied in their
splendid manifesto prepared for SUB
mission to the executive committee OF
the Entente Socialist and laborite CON
ference in London in September Inc
manifesto reached London too late for
consideration by the conference, ana
comics of il have just lately been re-
ceived by American Socialists.
The manifesto opens with a carefully
matured statement OF the crucial ques-
tion of the war, the invasion Of Bel
gium and of the failure Of certain So
cialist factions to react against TINS
stupendous international atrocity.
Neutrals Avoid Responsibility
an neutral countries Socialist opin-
ion. like public opinion everywhere,
espoused the cause of Belgium, but
even if one can understand that the
governments in the presence of this
great world conflict tried to insure
their countries against it, it is still in
credible that certain sections OF the IN
ternational did not take sides more
clearly in the conflict by denouncng
the policy and the acts Of the Central
Powers and of their Socialist parties,
but took refuge behind general formu-
las, which avoid determining response
bilities. 1t was particularly painful TO
US TO note the incoherent attitude OF
certain English Socialists, who, from a
particularly keen hatred of imperial
ism, set themselves up to blame their
government for having taken part in
the war, not seeing that England's abb
stention would have aided the triumph
of the worst Of imperialisms and mill
tarisms. The Belgian working class,
its heart beating with boundless love
and admiration for heroic France. will
be eternally grateful to England for
having respected the treaties and saved
its independence, instead of playing
without courage, like the neutrals, the
part of Pontius PLATE. which certain
Socialists recommended to her"
All this is very obvious to the demo-
cratic and international mind-when
NOT befuddled by German propaganda.
The Belgian manifesto IS not stating
The obvious where it analyses the Ger
man Socialists, and shows that even
/ the minority, which so many people
are hoping may bring about effective
resistance 70 the Kaiser, IS weak and
powerless This minority is not to
be confused with the handful of i'm
prisoned revolutonists, led by Karl
Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg
Always Weak and Hesitant
( Having recalled that in the struggle
against Prussian militarism the Ger
man section Of the international has
always shown itself weak and hesitat-
/ ing. l0e NidNlltoNo NohNiHNN''
I How right Jaures was when from
the tribune Of the Amsterdam Congress
he flung at the German party his
/ thrilling reproach: You have no revo-
lutionary tradition; you are politically
powerless!' But there was something
worse than that. Subterranean cur
rents did their work among the orr
ganized masses; chauvinism and inn
! perialism had their defenders in the
ranks of the party and laid bare the
/ corruption of minds and hearts which
tho German barracks and schools had
/ begun"
It may be said, continues the mani
festo. that the German Socialists at
the beginning did not realize the re-
sponsibility of their government and
could not anticipate the atrocities
which were to follow. But later, when
the documents appeared and when the
atrocities had been committed? The
manifesto takes them one by one and
in each case establishes the completely
of the German Socialists, sometimes
active. but most often silent or pusil-
luminous. and it goes on:
~ \ Ill