The Co-operative news. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1917-1918, 1918-02-14


fluential of the Socialist world.
He says the old Socialist parties
have become hindrance to the
revolutionary movement of the
working class. and n new Inter
national must arise with methods
adapted to the new era which Is
upon us.
The Balkan intrigucs are no con
Germ Of international democracy,
and he bitterly flags the German
Socialists for maintaining that
the war began against Russian
Czarism He quotes Marx: "The
governments with their old-fash-
toned diplomacy will never solve
the difficulty. Like the solution
of so many other problems the
Turkish problem too is reserved
for the European revolution"
He prophesies that in case of
successful Russian revolution
the bayonets of the Hohenzollerns
would be turned on the revolu-
ton; and the German proletariat
stands behind them. 1t has ca
pitulated to nationalistic militar-
ism, and the revolution under
such circumstances would be an
historical miscarriage, unless the
European proletariat interferes,
and enters as revolutionary fac
tor into the plans Of the dynas-
ties and capitalistic governments.
Over and over again he re-
proaches the Socialists for stand
ing behind the Junkers, on the
grounds that this is war of ma
tional independence, of defense. for
the preservation of their culture,
of strategy, against the tyranny
OF England. He says their silence
on the Belgian outrage is mon
strous. But what is of funda-
mental Importance to Socialists is
the question of the historical role
of the war. Is the war calcu-
lated to effectively promote the
productive forces, and to acceler-
ate the concentration Of the work
ing-class forces? Or is the re-
verse true? Win it hinder this ?
The materialistic evaluation of
wars stands above all formal con-
siderations. Trotzky reviews very
carefully the war of Bismark and
Napoleon III. in 1870. in regard
to its relation to working class in
terests He states succinctly the
views of Marx, Bebel, Liebknecht,
Engels, Kautsky and others. In
the Franco war the Ger
man nation was struggling for ma
tional unity, which would further
the Capitalization Of the German
working class. After the victory
the anti-Socialist laws were pass
ed; and there is no reason to ex-
pect any different results now.
Germany's victory would mean
the taking Of the edge off the rev.
dictionary movement, making it
shallow and reformist, and reduce
it to a propaganda sect.
In war as in peace we are
party Of opposition, not a party of
power The Social Democracy
cannot let the fate Of any nation
depend upon military successes.
The German Socialists failed as
| Internationalists on the very eve
Of war. Socialist parties cannot
/ pledge themselves 10 obstruction
list tactics Mt the time Of mobiliza-
ton, when Socialism is more than
ever politically isolated About
an they could have done was to
/ limit themselves to condemnation
Of the present war, to decline all
responsibility for it, refuse the
vote Of confidence in their govern
ments, and for the war credits.
But the blow which broke the
back of the Second International
carries a deadly dagger for bour-
Reois society itself. When a gun
is put into the workers hand in
stead of a hammer he has been