New-York tribune., 1918-08-03
No Socialist Peace
An Interview With John Spargo


tions. The present interview touching
the statements issued By the German and
Austrian Sociolists sros g1uen BY him IN
London.
w T E DO not trust the German and Aus
" trian Socialists. We see no reason
why should trust them, after
the shameful manner in which they have
betrayed our movement and dragged it into
the mire.
But even if we leave aside the question
OF their ntrustworthiness, we must al
ways remember that German Socialists.
and Austrian Socialists, too, in less de-
gree have never in the past been on equal
terms with US in discussing great ques-
tlons OF policy. At the Stuttgart Congress,
tor example, which held, mark you, in
1907, when British, French, Belgian and
Italian comrades wanted to discuss the
policy of opposing a great general strike
IN all nations to any policy of the gov
ernments the Germans begged like the
cravens they were that they be not forced
TO record themselves on the matter, be-
cause they could not face the bitter hos
tllity of their government Secretly, how
ever, they pledged themselves to adopt that
action should war arise-a pledge which
their trusting comrades unwisely accented
In good faith. 1t was my colleague in this
mission, Mr.. Simons, who conveyed that
German pledge to the British and French
delegates
inf 81
at Carlsbad and Salzburg-to quote only
TWO lnstances-the German delegates
begged that the question of a strike
against war be not forced to vote, but on
the quiet they assured the delegates from
other lands that at the right time thew
would be the first to strike Of that fact
l can supply irrefragable evidence. They
freely asserted that they could not incur
the hostility of their government.
Well, the leopard has not changed it's
spots 1t is still impossible for US to trust
tne German and Austrian Socialists. We
nave to bear in mind that at any such in
ternatlonal congress as they propose we
socialists should hold the delegates from
the Entente countries would represent a
real power to directly influence their re-
spectlve governments. German and Aus
trian Socialists, for all their numbers and
their boasting, would not represent such
power. lhey would, as in peace times, only
10 greater degree, be the slaves of their
despotlc government
IN my Judgment, the Entente Socialists
ought TO say: I'VE will meet only with
1yCf1 IL
oocla'ists from those countries in which
representative democratic government ia a
TACT and with those minority Socialists
from autocratic countries who are in
actual open revolt against their govern
ments Revolution against autocratic gov
ernments when they are at war with de-
mocracles Is the first duty of Socialists in
those countries; revolution against demo-
crallc governments when they are at war
win democracies is treason to the So-
cialst cause"
Such response would clarity the situa
tlon' 1t would call upon the German So
clallsts to prove that they are Socialists
IN the only way possible-by assuming tho
Socialist burden Of revolution AGAINST an
tocrncy. Those who are too white-livered
LOT mat have no rightful claim to fellow
snip with u.s. AS the chairman Of the So
clal Democratic League of the United
states, which represents, as I saw. OK nor
cent of the organized workers of America
and W per cent of the actual Socialist vo+-
ers, am ready as their spokesman to adont
that attitude
IN the German statement reference ia
made to the memorandum submitted to +ho
Stockholm conference l have read +bo+
statement 1t is an old story to mo and
unhesltatingly say that it does not satisfy
the great mass Of the Socialists NJ
America 1t is evasive, tricky, ambiguous
and uncandid. 1t would be easy to drive a
team or mules through its loopholes The
Germans must learn to be candid. II IL
not enough to say that they accept ain
principle" the terms which President vii.
son set forth and the Interallied Soc;.,s+
conference adopted. Those terms. which
MIR. Arthur Henderson described as "tbe
lrreducibe minimum" are set forth IN
PLAIN language. If they are not accented
as the "lrreducible minimum" conference
IS useless. If they are accepted a Social
ISL congress is unnecessary The obvions
duty OF the German Social Democracy ia
TO proclaim its adhesion to these terms
and to fight to make it's government ac-
cept them
The qualification implied in the words
in principle" is impossible in view Of The
German record. It is camouaage Of the
worst type. 1t means that we are 70 meo+
and haggle and barter. That we cannot
90. The terms are not the "frst offers" ~
pedlers and jousters, but the minimum
upon which we have decided to insist
The older German Socialists, like Rehe,
and Liebknecht. knew that the only hone
for freedom in Germany (and the same
hOlda of Aus iaA L.. ~