The daily worker., 1927-01-15
BY JOHN WILLIAMSON.


TT is not enough that we study and know of Lenin,
= only as the leader of the mighty Russian Revo-
hutton. We must study the contributions of Lenin,
both in theory and practice and be able to apply
them to respective situations One of these
basic questions is the attitude of the working class
TO mlitarism.
IS Thru knowledge of the very basis of capital
ksm with its historical growth and its intensified
antagonisms in the present imperialist epoch, we
know that WAR is inevitable. Today the clashing
economic interests of Great Britain, kR United
States and the allpowerful capitalist countries
driving them rapidly TO a struggle, which only
find its ultimate expression in WAR. The immedi-
ate situation in relation to Wall Street and Latin
America is not contradiction to this rivalry be-
tween Britain and America but one of the symptoms
of its development and the preparation of the
United States for such an event.
home we are acquainted with the internal
"A preparations for such events The rapid in
crease of $50 per cent in military, naval and air
craft expenditures within the U. s. A. from the years
1913 to 1925; the institution of c. M. T. C.'s on
growing scale each year; the R. o. t. c. system in
trodueed into the public school SYSTEM the planned
scheme Of economic reserves factories etc) on
national scale and many other facts that could be
piled up proof.
pa g'o "Pacifiism" Raises Its Head
The cries of Disarmament" "Paciism." National
Defense Only" ETC.. have found loud expression re-
Gently, just We have In the past found this agi
tation the keenest immediately prior to armed con-
6icts. History teaches that these slogans and
the people who advocate them generally "blow up"
when confronted with concrete situations. In fact
the majority Of them become the worst jingoes and
enemies of the working class, vieing with each other
to demonstrate their patriotism and the sincere ele
ments continue to raise their false slogans which
only help to create illusions in the minds of
their audiences We need only remember the jingo
istic social patriots during the last war.
in Arlnr oa4iY rsck
has unfortunately found too much leadership in
the pettybourgeois liberal elements. Such organza
tions the National Student Forum The League for
Industrial Democracy the Fellowship of Reconcilia-
tion, the American Federation of Youth and the doz
of other similar pacist organizations have taken
the helm. Cur Communist Youth Movement par
tally tell into the mistake OF allowing such elements
to assume leadership in this actvity-a most drastic
mistake which must be changed.
What are the reasons for this popular atimilitar-
ist crusade among the petty bourgeosie. Primarily
the fact that the burden of this great increase of
ornaments has been shifted, thru taxation onto the
shoulders of the working class and the petty bour-
geosie and the latter have reacted more vigorously
Other motives which contribute are the general
postwar horror of and militarism, which espec-
tally finds expression in the ranks of the ineligen-
tsa (students)
Amongst the unskiHled workers, the fact that in
every labor struggle, whether of local national
Importance the military is arrayed against them,
creates resentment and bitterness.
As last fact we must brand many of these ef-
forts as a conscious policy OF betrayal of the work
ers by presentation of fire phrases and slogans and
premises which divert their immediate attention
from militant policy against miliarsm
THE basis of this agitation conducted and led by
the petty bourgeois liberal elements is pacifsm.
Such theory treats militarism as some separate
phenomena which can be abolished at will, without
recognizing the basic truth that miHtarism is
of the main pillars of capitalism and cannot be
attacked without attacking capitalism itself Pacf-
Ism, theoretically and practically, is utopia