Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-04-16
REVOLUTIONARY
MOVEMENT IN FRANCE,

REVOLUTIONARY
MOVEMENT IN FRANCE.
The executive committee Of the
Socialist party publishes NANTES
to ito the workers Of France" which
is nothing short Of a call to revolu-
ton. Pretending to describe the
situation of our foreign affairs and
to draw the necessary lessons, from
the point of view of Socialist action,
from the events occurring in Ger
many, Russia and the Orient, the
exesutive committee warps the
events to its purpose and deliberate
ly falsifies their general meaning for
the benefit OF the revolutionary
cause. Thus, 1t declares boldly that
the Entente governments are just
as gully as Prussian miitarism of
responsibility for the militarist coup
In Berlin, "for they have coddled
and perpetuated Prussian militar-
ism in order to perpetuate their own
militarism and to stifie the socialist
movement throughout the world
charges should be made by the same
persons who. during the last year
OF the war demanded peace with.
out victory" and strove for months
TO bring about intervention by the
WORKERS internationale which,
would not only have saved Ger
many, instigator of the war, from
defeat. but would also have insured
the maintenance OF the imperial
regime at Berlin, and the whole
power Of Prussian militarism? Dur
ing the war and since the armistfce
Prussian milltarism has had no more
determined supporters nor more
treacherous accomplice than this
very international socialism, which
constantly set itself against the vic
tory OF the Allies, against the vic
tory of Justice and liberty, because
it is convinced that revolution can
rise only from defeat, and is there
fore ready to sacrifice everything,
now as always. to the revolution,
supreme goal of its efforts.
The executive committee of the
party pretends to believe that "the
victory of the German proletariat
over the Coup d'Etat was at the
same time a victory over the COM
mon principle Of all western Eu-
ropean governments" and 1t notes
that fthe general strike was the
weapon of the triumphant reyolu-
ton, the arm that broke the forces
of repression that weighed down
millions of workers" There, no
doubt, is what the manifesto calls
the necessary lesson" it Is evil
IDENTIFY from that that the party
must take its inspiration for fixing.
its own attitude" Thus the French
prolatariat is invited to prepare im-
mediately "for its great task of lib
eratiou-a task OF overturning, but
of reorganization What leaps
particularly to the eye in this
phraseo,osy Is that the French
masses are invited to prepare for
violsat revolution, and the docu.
ment even dares to proclaim that
"the time is near"
This socialist party which has
MOI been able even to realize unity
within itself. which remains still
deeply divided against itself tan.
sled In contradictions of formulas
and methods, attempts to force uni
ty OF revolutionary action on the
French "proletariat." And while
awaiting. the chance to act directly
in its own country, it declares that
the German revolution must be al
lowed TO develop freely, that it is
necessary to fight with maximum
OF strength every movement which
may aim directly or indirectly to
sustain the German bourgeoisie.'
at is up to YOU" says the mani
festo 10 the French workers, ito
render the allied general STATS i'm
potent to execute the plans which
they are making for a repression of
the German revolution in favor of
international reaction"
1t is scandalous and shameful.
In the presence of the spartacan
revolution, with extremist German
trooph led by officers of the former
imperial army, the French social
list party does not think for a mo-
ment that the situation created by
the communists and spartaeans in
the Ruhr district is such to imperil
the guarantees obtained by France
and the payment of the Just repara-
tions granted TO us by the Treaty
of Versailles. 1t is of no conSe
Quence that we may be frustrated
of the means to rebuild our ruins,
to reconstruct our industries; all
they think OF is the success of the
second German revolution. which
they believe to he the preface to the
universal revolution. The Socialist
party does not care if this success
be the ruin of France and the
misery OF our population. Granted
the Socialist mentality and the
PRINCIPLES so often upheld In ex-
tremiSt meetings, We are even per
mitted to gather that this very
misery is expected 10 be the prime
incentive to revolt.