The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-10
BY JOHN WILLIAMSON.

OK years ago the working class Of
- the world was watching with in
tense interest the revolutionary strug-
giles of the German working class to
establish the Soviet republic. Revolu-
tionary fervor ran high. The work
ing masses were awakening to real
ization of their power and were begin
ming to assert it. The workers Of
Germany, tho poorly organized, were
struggling against the well-armed
and disciplined forces of the govern
ment.
In this revolt who were the leaders?
Who was it that issued the stirring
manifestos and proclamations?
The Spartacus League of Germany,
headed by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa
Gutenberg.
This attempt of the workers to over
throw the capitalist republic was
drowned in blood. The leaders, Karl
Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg were
foully murdered by the armed forces
of the government under the direct
supervision of the social-democrats
who were in power.
The blood of these great working
class leaders together with that of
thousands of other militant workers
stains the hands of the German So
cialists. These leaders had dedicated
their lives to the struggles of the
workers against the capitalist state
and had suffered many times in the
prisons of Germany. 1t was left to
the yellow social democrats to commit
the crime of numbering our leaders
while engaged in the valiant strug-
gle to establish a workers govern
ment.
Karl Liebknecht was well-known for
his continual Struggle against the Ger
man plutocracy. Born at time when
his illustrious father, Wilhelm Lieb-
knecht, was serving time in Jail for
socialist agitation, Karl early became
interested in the revolutionary move
ment. Early in his activities he real
lied the Importance of organizing the
socialist youth since he had become
convinced of the sterilfty of the old
line socialists and their non-revolu
tionary attitude He was instrumental
in calling the first International So
,cialist Youth Congress in Stuttgart in
1907, which assumed revolutionary
position in opposition to the reform
istic struggles of the party. During
the world war Liebknecht's name was
inc - T..
ZIONIST. In the midst of the betrayal
of the workers movement by prac
tically every leading world figure in
the socialist movement it was Lieb
knecht's voice which rang thruoui
the world in defiance of the world
war. AS result of his stirring ap
peal to the workers of Germany OF
May Day, 1916, Liebknecht was i'm
prisoned until 1918 when he again as
sumed the leadership and rallied the
masses against the continued betray
al of the social-democrats. 1t was il
this struggle that he met his untime
ly -murdered-shot in the bacl
he died in the struggle.
With the same thought of Lieb
knecht come his constant ally and
co-worker. Rosa Luxembourg. Known
for years for her constant struggle
against the opportunism of the lead
ers Of the Second International, sh,
also was banished in 1915 for her agi
tation against the capitalist slaugh
ter. Early in life she was noted FOL
her leading part in organizing the Pol
ish revolutionary party, and giving i
a definite and clear-cut MARKHAM pro
gram. She wrote article after article
book after book, exposing the reform
istic nature Of the entire Leadership
Of the Second International. She be
came thorn in the sides of both tn,
German bourgeoisie and their social
list lackeys. On the same night tina
Tlahknacht s,,,,rdorosx