The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-30
GERMAN SOCIALISTS
BLAMED FOR WAR
Frank Bohn, Labor Leader,
Says They Tried to Glorify
the Kaiser.
DOMINATED PARTY HERE
Asserts That Hillquit and
Russian Jews Followed
Berlin Leadership.
DOMINATED PARTY HERE

Frank Bohn, a prominent figure in
the labor world, made scathlng at
tack last night upon the brand OF
socialism that was made In Germany
when he appeared as the chief speaker
at a mass meeting OF pro-war Socialists
at the New Star Casino.
"If there Is any group OF people, ne
said, "who more than any other are
responsible for this war. responribIe
for every act OF crime comuitted during
the war-all the rape, murder, arson,
starvation and cruclfyinss in Belgium
and everywhere else---that crowd is
Socialist majority leadership OF Ger
many.
I'VE expected the Kaiser TO act Ike
a Kaiser. We expected the Prussian
Field Mar.hals TO act like PrusSan
Field Marshals have always acted. But
we expected the German Socialists 10 act
like Socialists. In that we were grew
ously disappointed.
THE machinery of the German So
cialist party-all its leading politicians
and writers-acted like the miserable
vermin they were and still are. 1t lay
In their power In August, 1914. to pre-
vent the war. Instead of preventing the
war they were one OF the biggest infiu-
ences in Germany in advocating the
war and furnishing materials for Its
conduct. The traitorous action or these
German Socialists constitutes failure
number one of the international Social
ist movement
Aim to Ala Kaiserism.
1.-THE German Socialist organization
has always manipulated and controlled
the international organization at the In
lori taI OF
German Socialist politicians always Sc
cured an enormous majority for their
policy and their policy was the upbuild-
ing of kaiserdom throughout the world.
German students in this country have
told me that they wanted Germany TO
win this war throughout the world so
that German Socialism would be every
where established. With rare exceptions
the representatives Of the American So
cialist party at the International con-
crosses during the last fifteen years
have been the lapdogs OF the German
Socialist majority leaders. Whenever
any question OF policy was to be decided
In any such congress H!llquit and those
who were with him asked merely What
do you German comrades want done?
How can We best serve you"
Russian Socialists wanted German
arms to break down the power Of the
Gar so that they could organize revo-
luton. When the revolution came we
saw the unutterable failure OF Socialist
leadership and Socialist membership in
Russia. Yet this is caused fundamen-
tally by weakness and ignorance more
than by venality.
No Real American Socialists.
"The third great failure of the Social
list movement has been here in the
United States. AS in Germany We have
expected something vastly different. The
American Socialist party has been from
tho very beginning completely dominated
by two elements First. the old original
German Socialist movement in the
United States, and second. the later
Russian Jewish movement.
The Socialist party has never taken
root among the American working peo-
pie The Socialist party has never
gained victory in single state. city
or Congressional district, where a large
percentage OF the workers were native
born. International socialism has nevsr
taken root among the American work
ing class because IN the Socialist move
ment the rank and file were taught by
the leadership to despise America.
This Socialist leadership has always
based it's point of view and method
upon German State Socialism. Under
such leadership and with such ideas,
working people OF New York city. YOU
are doomed to be despised and hated
by the American people i'll general and
by the American working class in par
ticular. Last year your ticket in this
city received 10000 votes. That vote
was a combination OF vicious pro-Ger-
manisn and ignorant misunderstanding
of the war. ! do not know how many
votes you will get this year. You may
elect two or three candidates. But your
organization has absolutely no future
in America. You can never carry a
single Congressional district or city of
$4,000 inhabitants outside of New YORK
and Milwaukee. When the working
class ask for bread you give them a
stone The working class demand to i've
led 70 the heights Of freedom and
democracy and you rush into the swamp
up 10 your recks.'