Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-25
"Six Months in
Hell and Back"
German Socialists Vicws after
Six Months Traoci Through
out the Empire.
BY IGNATIUS KINAST.
Copyright. international Nows Bureau.

| made up or those who would like to
bring about changes after the fashion
OF the Russian Marxians.
| While the two first Socialist parties
tho majority and minority parties
arc essentially German. the third Gle
incnt Is decidedly and thoroughly men
and women OF international mind.
/ They arc even anti-Gcrman. sc, far as
German nationalism is concerned I
made many serious attempts to find
out the numerical power Of this party,
but am compelled TO state that J have
not been able to come to any correct
conclusion as TO their number in the
empire. They themselves cXaggcrate
their capabilities and power, while tho
other t"0 recognized parties unjustly
and untruthfuliy bciittie the influence
| Of these German Bolshcvik
| This third German Socialist element
would resort to terrorism copied after
all successful revolutions, adopting as
| textbook the French Revolution.
| They arc prepared 10 declare open war
iarc against the government. and even
against the German nation il ncccs-
/ sary. maintaining that unlcss the Ger
/ man arm!c3 arc crippled on the field
/ through open attacks behind the front
by the Germans themselves, the Ger
{ man people are doomed 10 slavery for
ever.
oNFERENC1; TURNS
INTO FIERY DISCUSSIONS
"a / have already mentioned in the
carly part or this chapter, the main
purpose OF this secret conference wa,
/ 10 give correct information to the yari-
GUS Socialist groups in Germany re-
EardinS the course Of the war outside
1 OF ''crmany. and also TO obtain the
views OF the various German Socialist
groups regarding the progress o. peace
/ thoughts in the Fatherland. However
soon INC conference turned into fiery
/ discussion Of war and peace, between
the three groups representing the three
factions Of German socialism.
have attended many other such
gatherings in other German ccntcrs.
ana found the same feeling prevalent
everywhere Therefore. tho arunchcn
gathering. OF which am writing. is
typical Of tho universal German feel
| ing to-day.
As Socialist of twenty years stand
ing am in position 10 gauge the
feeling OF my fellow Socialists. After
endless conferences and interviews
with the leading German Socialists
during my journey in Germany. am
OF the firm mind that the real serious
danger TO the mlitaristic rule in Ger
many viii come from The numerically
fearless. third element. which is an
! element that has been created In tho
fa;hcT!and since the war Although
thcrc are many men of pure German
/ blood in the ranks OF this third party
OF political dcsperadocs, the majority
( OF them arc Poles and Polish Jews.
Another important fact is that nearly
/ halt their numbers arc women, Young
women between the ages OF twenty
t"o and thirty-nvc
/ Some two months later. while inter
viewing prominent Conservative
maEnatc, I had the pleasurnblc salts
faction OF learning that the govern
! men, feared the third element and
/ their poisonous influences" more than
lheE feared the first two recognized
/ socialist parties. Although many adj
hcrcnis of the third party are non
GeTnanic men and women. noticed
/ mat the authorities did not consider IL
prudent 10 make an issue OF the same.
These people are like invisible dis
ease microbes com planned vchcmcntly
my Conservative friend. they arc TO
be found in dense industrial ccnters.
They destroy, but yet the government
Is not able TO discover them
+ II is very true. the mos, useful mem
. hcFS OF this element are men and
women who would be termed out-and-
out criminals IL judged only BIZ their
Immediate acts. But holding in mind
the political aspect OF their programs.
/ any critical observer must admit that
( they are "revolutionar!es" after the
! type OF those OF the French Rcvolu;icn
FIND WOMEN FEARLESS
IN PRESSING PROGRAM
observed that they were fearless
/ OF personal danger, and reckless when
they were certain that they could serve
= certain cause by daring | found
them men and women who had made
UP their minds 10 sacrifice their per
/ sons for the realization Of their
cherished program but they put a
great value on their lives. and in every
case 'hey sell their lives as dearly as
possible