The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1917-09-13
PAGE EIGHT
AS a Brainy Socialist Sees tt.

article by John Spargo entitled, ESQ
cialism and lnternationalism." Mr.,
Spargo is recognized as one of the
foremost leaders of Socialism, espe-
cially international Socialism, in the
world. In the article he 'conclusively
shows that the German Socialists were
false to their vows at the outbreak Of
the war in 1914 and acquiesced in the
outrages perpetrated on their brothers
in Belgium and France, and what sur
prises Mr.. Spargo most is that the
American Socialists, or majority of
them, seem to be hand in glove with
the German militarists. We quote a
few of the closing paragraphs from
Mr.. Spergo's article. I'd
The Socialist party of America is
the most cosmopolitan of Socialist par
ties, as this is the most cosmopolitan
of nations. Inevitably, therefore, the
war gave rise to many controversies
within the party. In the circum-
stances it might reasonably have been
expected to keep to the old interna-
C1O11OA 1OCd1o, C111u IL Is pIOUdUlc Cll1C
it would have done so but for the pre-
ponderance in its membership Of ma
tional groups whose sympathies were
naturally with the Central Empires, as
in the case of those of German and
Austrian birth or parentage; or ma
tional groups opposed to those of the
Entente Powers, as in the case of the
Russian Jews and the Poles, bitterly
hostile m Prussia o,,I 4ho Oh ac.,,o1
ly hostile to England. Largely, per-
the movement in this country by Ger
man influences, it has never appealed
with any great degree of success to
French, Belgian, Spanish, or Italian
workers. The small representation Of
these nationalities in the party men,
bership probably accounts for the fact
that the policy adopted by the party
has, almost from beginning, conceded
in remarkable manner. with the in
terests of Germany.
Germany protested against our in
sistence upon our indisputable' right to
sell munitions to belligerents. Her de-
mand in the name Of humanity" that
we place an embargo on munitions of
war, was in reality a demand that we
revise international law in her inter-
est. Such revision Of international
law would admirably serve to enslave
the world to militarism, for it would
place the world in subsection to the
nation best equipped with arsenals. It
was, in a word. demand entirely in
consistent with a policy of true inter-
nationalism, yet it was urged by the
Socialist party Of America as energet-
ically as by the German foreign office.
At the very time the German ambas-
sador was urging that the government
of the United States warn it's citizens
to keep off ocean-going steamships,
the Socialist party was making an
identical demand; and it offered the
excuses of Potsdam for the Lusitania
outrage as we'll as for the invasion and
spoliation of Belgium. For the ruth
less violation of those limitations upon
warfare and militarism which consti-
tute such an important part of the
fabric of internationalism- as
the protection Of hospital ships, the
immunity of on-combatants at sea,
and so th,-Potsdam and American
Socialism offered the same vain ex-
cuses and explanations. Never once
was there any condemnation of Ger
many's conduct. Even the deporta-
ton into the worst kind Of slavery of
many thousands Of Belgian workers
called forth no protest. When Presi-
dent Wilson was urging Germany to
respect the rights of all neutral ma
lions, the official party organ, in big
black headlines, called him ''The Man.
lac in the White House."
It was quite proper that the, party
should oppose our entrance into the
war. That was legitimate exercise
of the prerogatives Of citizenship. But
Socialist opposition to participation in
the war by this nation did not need to
be cast on the same model as the prop
uganda of the German secret service,
and to adopt the excuses and sophis-
tries of German diplomats and states
men.
Following the declaration by con-
gress that a state of war existed be-
tween this nation and Germany. the
Socialist party, at the emergency con-
vention, attended by some two hun
dred delegates, adopted a resolution
which cannot be regarded otherwise
than as reputation of Socialist in
ternationalism and an adoption of
anarchist d-ndtlOIld1lSlIl. L. HOIlllS ClAS
assaults Of Germany upon the funda-
mental rights Of the nation, it de-
clared our declaration of war to be
"a crime against the people of the
United States and against the nations
of the world It placed our entrance
into the war on lower scale than
Austria's war upon Serbia or Ger
many's upon Belgium. In all modern
history there has been no war more un-
justifable than the war in which VIC
are about to engage It declared thai
no single government was to blame fol-
the war, and that the war was mot
the concern of the workers. It made
no distinction between the Belgian
workers fighting to repel an invading
foe and the German workers fighting
to subdue friendly and neutral ma.
ton. Utterly disregarding the great
moral issues involved, which are Of
fundamental Importance to any true
internationalism, it called upon the
workers of all countries to refuse sup