Denver labor bulletin., 1918-10-12
CHARLES E. RUSSELL PICTURES
WAR CONDITIONS in EUROPE
Germany Be Her Knees Says Noted Writer Paciss
Are Active but Poweress, He Finds, in Tour of France
Britain and Italy; Warns Against Premature
Peace Talk al Present Time.

in this fashion. If the Independent
labor party puts up man in a GER
tain borough and he is elected, he is
Immediately counted as a member cf
the British labor party, because the
British labor party has endorsed him.
In other words, the British labor party
is a loose term under the head of
which fall number of organizations,
which curiously enough, seem to be
divergent and irreconcilable in their
views with respect to certain impor-
tant issues.
Thus the independent labor party
is out-and-out pacifist, whereas the
majority of the organizations whose
members constitute the British labor
party appear to be supporting the
war.
"Jn its general idea, the British
labor party is to secure control of
the government of Great Britain for
the sake of carrying out a general
program of proletarian benefit, which
goes under the name of industrial de-
mocracy. What such a program
means concretely, just how it would
be carried out, is difficult to ascertain
because at the present time the voices
behind it are still speaking in terms
of generalities."
During his last visit to France, Mr..
Russell said he was thrilled by the
lived under the trials of the war.
Steadfast and resolute, the French
people wish for peace, but only for
such a peace as can be achieved by
the complete and unqualified defeat
of Germany.
"The spirit of France he said, ''is
too fine, too noble for anything less
than victOry-and to victory the peo-
pie are determined to sacrifice every
thing they have. They have suffered
terribly from this war, yet they are
determined to go on with the job no
matter how much more it may cost.
In spite of the staggering losses which
they have borne, the terrible privation,
the masses of the people are abso-
lutely unmoved by any thought other
than the determination to win this
war.
In France, however as in England,
there is an element that is obsessed
with the idea of immediate peace.
There is a Socialist bloc dedicated to
the dream of Utopia, fundamentally
stronger than in England. Yet in
France there are very few pacifists
of the kind we know in America
that is, conscientious objectors. In
other words, there are no 'peace-at-
any-price' people there. The peace
element in France believes that de-
sirable peace may be obtained by sit
ting around the table, but it insists,
however, firmly upon the restoration
of Alsace-Lorraine and the rehabilita-
ton of Belgium, and holds that, if
these objects cannot be obtained in any
way other than by the war, then the
war must go on. But all France, But
side of these dreamers, has its jaws
clamped on the tasks of the war"
Discussing the situation in Italy,
Mr.. Russell declared that in that coun-
try the outcry for peace was due
largely to the dire economic needs of
the masses, which have suffered great
of coal and food.
''Italy was last winter without coal
and the suffering of the people was
intense. Only the rich could afford
the luxury of fuel To add to tie
unusually long.
There is, also. in towns and villages
a distressing shortage of food.
But Italy is going on with the war
in spite of the syndicalists, and is
carrying it on at the present time with
extraordinary skill. organization and
success. Since the disaster of Capor-
etto, which was largely caused by Ger
man and Socialist propaganda, the
entire Italian military organization
has been remade.
propaganda could never achieve
again what it achieved at Caporetto.
The whole italian people is on its
guard against it.
But Italy needs the help of the al
lies. She needs supplies, sympathy
and recognition. She must have re-
lief. She has earned it. AS full
cue of democracy, she is justified in
looking to us for all the help that We
can give her in the way of coal, steel,
food and other supplies"
In all of the allied countries, Mr..
Russell said, it was noticeable that
Americas presence in the war had
strengthened the morale of the peo-
Piles and had increased their faith in
the righteousness Of the cause for
which they are fighting.
German propaganda has spread the
most monstrous lies in Italy and
France, representing the United
States as having gone into the war at
the dictation of the capitalist class
for the sake of profits. These lies also
declare that no class in this country
was in favor of the war, outside of
the financier and the manufacturer
Wherever the truth is made convinc-
ingly clear the United States is af-
fording to the world the one great ex-
ample, in all history, of nation that
assumes the burden of war for the
sake of principles, the scheming paci-
f,et 1anjarc fs,,i that fbau ore ,tpn h1a
to get any considerable number of
persons to follow them. The greatest
thing is to make clear to all these
nennlrs then the Lofty natilre of the