New-York tribune., 1918-03-10
y erman Socialists Supply the
~ Most Painful Disillusionment

''The war has been to the world
series of disillusions," wrote Charles Ed
ward Russell in "Harper's Magazine"
discussing THE New Socialist Align
ment," an article from which The
Tribune has already quoted freely. "But
none Of them" he continues, "of sharper
or more painful meaning than when we
saw all the fine professions of the German
Socialists in favor of peace and universal
brotherhood were soluble at the mere
touch of the imperial sceptre, waving to
war.
when the war broke out the civilized
world was amazed at the spectacle offered
by the German Socialists, ardent in the
support Of their government in a wanton
and wicked assault upon a small country
then at peace with Germany. Nothing
more repugnant to the announced prin-
ciples of socialism could be imagined
than the brigandage Germany practised
upon Belgium; and the German Socialists
not only acquiesced in it, they took
hand IN it. Instead of the beautiful mar
tyrdom IN the cause of peace that we had
been promised, German Socialists. appar-
entity with great good will, seized arms
and went forth to shoot their Socialist
comrades of Belgium and France" Mr..
Russell then asserts:
Not all of them did this. of course: VIC
are not 10 forget the example of Lebknecht
and his handful Of followers; but in these
cases the world deal only with averages
anu no one can pretend that the average Ger
the war than the veriest Junker
"some Of them attempted to take shelter
IN an Ingenious but unsubstantial plea that
an lncxorabe necessity drove them to the
hrlng Inc Civilization. they said, was in
danger from Russian barbarism. Germany
was about TO be overrun By Russian hordcs
German kultur, the real hope Of the world
was IN peril Of annihilation. Russia, en-
vious Of German success, prosperity, and su-
perlor intelligence, about 70 descend
with its vast, ignorant millions upon de-
fenceiess Fatheriard Under these condi-
tons their duty was to fight The cause of
Socialism, OF the worlds intellectual vel
fare, demanded that the invasion be stopped:
that the Russians. standing now with boots
uplifted TO tramplc out this benign light
should be driven back
$50 to drive them back and rescue kultur
from the threatened destruction by the saw
age north, Germany marched due south. in
vaded Belgium, and made its historic ungc
at Paris"
Mr.. Russell disclaims any interest in
indicting the German Socialists, and saws
his purpose IS to estimate what will be
the effect Of all this upon the Socialist
movement of the world In the old davs.
he points out, "the German Socialists
used to bring to the trlennial Interna-
tional Socialist Congress spirit of pride
fui arrogance that other delegates often
found extremely indigestible." And he
thinks that kind Of domination never will
be possible again
"AoreeYer wh.lc there may be EnpIisb so-
cialisls that viii take the chance Of sitting
at an international Congress by the side Of
man mat pointed rife 1T the heart or
rdIth ea"cii, and French Socialists WILLING
70 10 chcek By jow With apoiogists for what
happened al Senlis and Lille, something clse
III 10 he rcckoned with, and that is the feel
ing OF the rank and file Of the workers in
England and France. What the rank and fIc
of Englsn workers think about T. show OF
tenoer amity and warm regard for Germany
they hayc made fairly wcll known, and the
chance rs small that their views will change
much IN this generation; German cir raldcrs
ana s2Dmarines have attended to all that
bot tNs h"nl important Phase OF the matter
stu remains Sociaiisn's advance (outside
Of international congressesJ s supposed t.
be through the conversion Of the proleta
rat. The small chance i. viii have With Tho
KngliFh prolctarjat II English Socialigts NEE.
On terma of ccrdiaIity With the men shat
Killed Captain Fryatt, let say while the
Cerrn~n &ociaiists continue their ardent sup-
port u German autocracy, IL apparent We
are ~ remember that almost every other ma
ton that has been at war With Germany has
gases Ike that If Captain Fryatt. IT. il ron.
txaxx 10 human nature that these things