New-York tribune., 1918-12-26
Sabotage Verboten

When, how and what to "SOclalZe" Is
now the burning question in Germany
Two or three groups of Socialists have
their own answers to it.
Immediately after the Socialist revo-
luton was accomplished the Indepen-
dents, or Minority Socialists, began to de-
mand that the new government immedi-
ately set about the task of nationalizing
the leading industries of the country
"Something must be done for socialism
at once" was their slogan, and they de-
manded that industries must first be
nationalized. Let the constitutional con-
vention be postponed, they said, till the
Socialist programme shall have been
fastened irrevocably upon Germany.
DR.. Liebknecht and his "Sparticides"
played a Bolshevik accompaniment to
that tune, and they are still playing it,
Liebknecht frankly recommends Russian
Bolshevism as a model to his "Hohen-
zollern Socialists" He would seize
everything in the shape of factory or
bank and make it national establish
ment; and "das Kapital," the Bolshevist
Satan, would be crushed under foot for
ever.
But Ebert and Scheidemann and even
the saner minds among the Independents
have from the start made it plain that
they would undertake no rash expert
ments in Matchmaking industries. The
thought that seems uppermost in their
minds is that production must not be
interrupted by whatever changes in the
industrial system are carried through;
and the transformation to state owner
ship or operation must be made only at
a time when it can be accomplished
smoothly Like skilled engineers, they
purpose to build the new bridge along
side the old, then slip it into position at
night, so that trains may run next morn
ing as if nothing had occurred.
The Congress of Workmens and Sol
diers' Councils held last week at Berlin,
which was strongly dominated by the
Majority Socialists, discussed the prob
lem of Specialization" and adopted
resolution of moderate character. The
resolution approved state control-it is
not clear whether state ownership is
smeant-for such industries as are "ripe
for it, suggesting that beginning
might be made with coal, steel, potash
and chemicals; but the sentiment of the
congress was for leaving the whole mat
ter to the constitutional convention for
decision
The policy here outlined is an exact
reproduction of the recommendations
put forth by Ebert and Scheidemann
since the first days of the Socialist revo
luton. When the Minority put a series
OF questions to them as conditions for
joining with them in organizing the new
government they answered in a general
way that the Socialist programme would
J be realized; but they referred the whole
matter TO the constitutional convention.
Probably the most authoritative state
ment OF the future policy has come from
the Prussan Ministry of Finance. DR..
Suedekum who was installed during the
revolution as Finance Minister. said in
an interview month ago that the policy
would be to make careful examination
OF industries suitable for nationaliza-
ton, and he warned against any violent
interference with industrial establish
ments as downright sabotaging of
business"
Assistant Finance Minister Herr
Simon said, few days later: eve are
by no means thinking of forcble steps.
There Will be only appropriation. not
contiscation." He said that the govern
ment had appointed commission Of
prominent economists, men of theory
and men of practice, to investigate the
whole problem of specialization of indus
tries, and he regarded this as "plainlv
showing that experiments such as were
made III Russia are to be avoided y
Simon suggested coal, potash and other
mining industries as feasible objects for
naturalization, and said that private
monopolies such as now exist in some
branches of chemicals would be made
state monopolies
Views very similar to these have also
been put forward by Kautsky and Bern
stein, the deepest two thinkers among
the Minority Socialists. Kautsky known
throughout the world as the leading
MARKHAM thinker of this generation, has
recently said that the sudden attempt
to nationalize industries under the cir
cumstances now existing would trans
form Germany into q madhouse''
Bernstein has also recently written in
Die Freiheit, the Minority Socialist daily
ff IN act CIc r;c+