New-York tribune., 1918-03-10
War Is Doing Strange Things to the Socialist Pa

o
should be wiped out in an instant and as with
sponge from the memories of men,
Events in Russia and the utterances of
such men as Mr. Russell have been potent
in setting up q ferment in the American So
ciallst body. Representative Meyer Lon
don, who was strongly criticised in earlier
stages of the war for pacifst votes in
the House on big war issues, put reverse
English on his address last Sunday night
in the heart Of the East Side To quote
The Irlbune's account of the meeting:
Not only did Representative London urge
a continuation Of the against Germany
as the only agency that could bring about
lasting peace, but he denounced Trotzky and
Lenlne, the Russian Bolshevk leaders, with
all the eloquencc at his command, calling
them leaders of a group Of industrial pro-
letarians with exaggerated ideas.
81 don't agree with Trotzky and never did,
ard, what is more to the point, | have al
ways had the courage to say so. His inter
rational aims may be sound but he did not
take into consideration the stupidity of tho
people, the masses. those who will do any
thing if you give them time-and a-half and
overtime
"'Trotzky thought it possible to overthrow
autocratc government and build up a So
cialist republic night. The demobiiza-
ton OF the Russian army crime, an in
vitation to Germany to come in and bayonet
the people. Trotzky himself said in 1914
that a revolution during the war would fail.
If Russia had kept her troops on the Eastern
front | would have been in favor of holding
the German people isolated until they them
selves compelled their mlitaristc rulers to
withdraw from the fight"
The Case of Mrs. Rose Pastor
/ Stokes Considered
It must be admitted however, that the
conversion of Meyer London would seem
to be offset in some degree by the "back
sliding" of Rose Pastor Stokes. Born in
Russia this remarkable woman aban-
doned the cigarmaker's bench for the
typewriter, and made a name for herself
in this country as the leader of ''the SEN
timentalists of socialism" so called. With
her husband she withdrew from the So
cialist organization when America en-
tered the war, but later renewed her
affiliation. Mr. Phelps Stokes remains
an outcast from the party, and his brother,
Harold G. Phelps Stokes, is a captain in
the army. Without registering any ques-
ton of the perfect sincerity of Mrs. Rose
Pastor Stokes, her efforts to visualize the
truth that she may impart it to others
SAVIOR to a good many, it would seem. of
the little Mother Goose rhyme.
There ac0s q man IN our toacn,
And he acds acondrous acise;
He jumped into q bramble bush,
And scratched ont both his eyes.
And achen he sdu his eyes acre ont,
With all his might and main
He Jumped into bramble bush
And scratched them IN again.
Her vision restored, it must appear, by
the bramble bush of socialism of one
genus or another, Mrs. Stokes made an
alleged pro-German speech at a Zionist
meeting, also on Sunday night, in the
course Of which she was quoted as saying:
"There are thousands of Jews in labor
CARNATIONS who standing dumb before
British tyranny. If you Socialists you
cannot stand by while Great Britain and
France take the initiative of having Japan
and China do the work in Siberia which Ger
many might fail to do.
"Great Britain and france are no more
democratic than Germany The Allies are
seeking the ends of the capitalists because
they want to get rid Of the Socialists. They
are fighting like dogs among themselves and
are all seeking territory. Watch England
and Russia and you will see how much Eng
land loves democracy. Great Britain has
been the enemy of 90 per cent of the working
people,"
Herman Simpson, former editor of
'The New York Call" who is said to
have repudiated the Socialist party be-
cause of its anti-war declarations, replied
to her II am not surprised at Mrs.
Stolles's attack he said. "becausc it
shows the attitude Of the Socialists, who
say they are neither for nor against the
war But it makes no difference. Noble
France and liberal England have made
the offer without strings
What might be said to heap the scales