Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-18

soJOurn IN the countries
make its corner Of the starry heavens
shine more brightly, like the symbol
of the growing light of Truth" In
editor of the Tageblatt, demands
from Liebknecht, How much longer,
Q Karl, will you abuse our patience ~
With deep earnestness he goes on to
tell OF the need of suppressing the
movement of the %Spartacus group and
organizing the work of the govern
ment along sane lines.
"Liebknecht, no. debased glutton
like Catiline of Rome" says Wolff, lis
worse than the vainglorious fanatic.
Why did they make him a martyr by
taking him from the ReichstagS to
prison. which foolish mistake alone
endeared him to fanatic masses?
Liebknecht is on one side and a mum
Der of would-be Catilines are on the
reactionary side.
I'VE fear much for a government
n a has no organized military power
to rely on.
That despite the present chaos. the
German people will continue to OBJ
serve law and order with their Gus
tomary discipline is greatly to be ad-
mired, but foreign nations only see
machine guns, Liebknecht's armored
car, confusion of Soldiers Councils,
street riots, and reactionary i%ntrigues.
while our inimitable self-discipline
escapes them completely"
h desire of Liebknecht may be to
take on the role Of the martyr Spar
tacus. His tongue is gifted. So was
h tongue of Spartacus, who is made
to say in his final appeal:
20 Rome! Rome! thou hast been a
tender nurse to me-. Az! Thou hast
given to that poor, gentle. timid shep-
herd lad. who never knew harsher
tom h a flute note, muscles of iron
and a heart of flint; taught him to
drive the sword through plated nails
and links of rugged brass. and warm
1t, in the marrow of his foe: to gaze
into the. glazing eyeballs Of the fierce
Numidian lion even as a boy upon a
laughing girl! And he shall pay them
back until the yellow Tiber is red as
frothing wine. and in its deepest ooze
thy lifeblood lies curdled.
- "Ye stand here now like giants as
We. are. The strength of brass is in
your toughened sinews; but tomorrow
perfume from his curly locks, shall
with his lily fingers pat your red
Drawn and bet his sesterces upon you
blood. Hark! hear We you lion roar
ing in his den?. It's three days since
he tasted flesh: but tomorrow he shall
break his fast upon you-and a
dainty meal for him We will be.
"If We are beasts, then stand here
like fat oxen waiting for the butchers
knife! IT We are men, follow me!
Strike down your guard, gain. the
mountain passes, and there do bloody
war, as did your sires at old Their
mopylae! Is Sparta dead? Is the old
Grecian spirit frozen in your veins,
that you do crouch and cover like a
belabored hound beneath his masters
lash? v
ooh, Comrades! Warriors! Thra-
cians!-if we must fight, let us fight
for ouselves! If we must slaughter.
let us slaughter our oppressors! II we
must die. let it be under the clear sky,
by the bright waters, in, noble, honor
able battle!" =
/, The spirit Of s%partacus kept his
army alive for two years. That. his
cause vas worthy none will deny. Yet
in spite Of that. there was in the end
an ignoble. death for his men, whom
a taste of power had turned into van
dals. How worthy is the cause or
how timely the uprising of the new
Spartacus is still matter for debate.
But in choosing his name the Germapl
leader forgot to take into considera-
ton that. similar as he thought the
present situation to Roman times, the
movement Of the original Spartacus
has attached to 1t, besides the glory
Of the temporary victories of the OPP
pressed, the stigma Of ultimate de-
feat.