New-York tribune., 1918-03-11
German Socialism More Deadly
Than All the Kaiser Leqions
Radical Movement Used as Weapon for Conquest BY
Junkers-Bolshevism Teuton Made and Peace by
Agreement Is Traced to Same Source
By William English Walling

Or vitality Of the paclhst moVeH'eh' Ia
England, France and America.
1t is not SO much the kalsers armies
that are conuuering the Wor!d 1or Nei-
many as it is German Socialism.
Are we to suppose the German gov
crnment does not fully realize this fact
and is not prepared to use the Social
lists even more in the future than in the
past?
Influence Still Holds
And vet now we have tie inter-aIlied
Socialist conference proposing thas the
war shall be settled by an lntcrna-
tional congress at which the German
Socialists and their satellites would ao-
soluteiy dominate. The fact that the
inter-allcd Socialists would even pro-
nose such a solution of the war shows
that thev themselves are completely
Fascinated BY the German Socialist
serpent.
Indeed, i. viii be found upon the
slightest examination that nearly every
one OF the ideas of the worlds leading
Socialist parties have come from Ger
many. and they we're under German in
huencc right up to the beginning of the
war Nor has this influence ceased
even for single dav ! refer now not
to the notorious alien Socialists OF
lish and French.
Every day since the beginning of the
war emssaries have come to England
and France from Scandinavia, Holland
and Switzerland to propagate the Ger
manic idea of Socialism and the Ger
manic Interpretation of the present
war and the Germanic idea of the peace
that is to follow. Has there been any
influx of purely British or French So.
o;o ;,, 81
There has not been even a trace Of any
thing Of the kind. Here is the test
German Socialism is still flushed with
its own victories as much as the Kaiser
is flushed with his. German Socialism
is still violently on the aggressive
German Socialism still feels that it;
power extends not only over the con
Quered territories. bat to every corner
of the earth where Socialist parties arc
found for it to dominate.
Partner Of Militarism
German Socialism IS perfect part
ner Of German mii;tarisin. Here is
how the partnership works. In tbs
carly stages Of the war there were Ger
tain Socialist fact ons in nearly every
country that turned against GcrmaNiSr
in ell its forms. But for the victorie.
Of German militarism these faction:
would now be dominant. The success.
Of the Kaiser's armies, aided by tht
Socialists and other German propa
gandists. has brought about a war
wearincss in all countries, especial,
among the masses. The factions which
we're holding out for nonGerman So
! ciaism and for internationalsm ant
democracy have been overwhelmet
within the last few months by a re
viva! OF Germanism in its pseudo-So
oialist guisc.
This revival takes the form OF new
demand Tor an international Socialis
conference to bring an carly settle
issued by the German Socialists Of al
countries to world democracy.
Here is the ultimatum. Only tn,
Socialists represent the people; III,
governments of th~ democratic coun
tries do not represent the people an,
more than do the governments of othe
countries. The people must end tn,
war. and only an international Socialis
conference can bring about this result,
Conditions Not Parallel
This line Of reasoning brings US t,
me very heart of the influence of Ger
man man socialism, and the damage it ha.
done and still promises to do. I'm
doubtedly an international conferenc,
OF the Socialists of autocratic countrie.
would be the only democratic solutio,
OF the WARRIOR these countries. TIL,
situation in the democratic countries
is precisely the reverse. There th,
governments represent the people ant
only the governments. Any Socials
/ delegation could represent only yer,
small minority, and would misrepre
sent the people. In fact, nothing
could be more purely autocratic than
or small group of Socialists to claim
10 represent great democratic nation
Ihus process of reasoning which
is perfectly sound for Germany ant
democratic for Germany becomes ut
terly illogical and autocratic for othe
countries.
FOR democratic nations to permit az
international congress falsely clamin,
to represent the people would amour
to an abdication on the part of thes,
governments of their peace and wa
making functions. The only confer
ence which would be permissible O
desirable would be one at which tn,
leutonlc delegates were composed O
genuine democratic reyolutionists, efu
gees and exiles who ran the risk O
the death penalty on their return +,
their own countries unless those coun
tries actually do go through the demo
cratic revolution that is promised. Blu
this IS not at all the type the Frencl
and British Socialists want to settl
the war
10 permit an international Socialis
conference Of any other characte
would not only be an addiction of tn
peace and war making functions
would be suicide. For the almost Ger
tain result would be that the Socialis
factions which had been permitted t
proceed so far would threaten to ms
the general strike to accomplish thei
purposes not only in a settlement O
their war on Bolshevik principles. bu
also i'll the overthrow Of government
at home.
Menace of General Strike
Let us not laugh ut the idea Of q
lnternatlonal general strike. w
laughed at the Bolsheviki at first. an
while they brought no good to them
selves they were able to do vast harr
10 the world The leading Socialis
. factions of Russia, Germany, Austri
,, and Switzerland were represented .
the third Zimmcrwald conference Ia,
September, and the Italian party wou]
nave sent representatives if its 90,
crnment had permitted. This confe
cnce decided upon an international ge,
eral strike to end the war.
i, A very large part, if not a mniorit
of the advocates of the Stockhol
conference idea in the Entente con,
\rles has already indorsed geuer
strike; and there is no doubt whatcv,
;, that nearly all will be ready to j,
dorsc this worldwide revolution II
moment the OppOrtunitv secms to bo,