The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-13

man Social Democracy, comparing
the unwilling men caught in the
war machine" to man caught in the
factory machine. Said the chief daily
publication of the socialist party re-
garding the August betrayals:
sour European comrades have
done their best. Temporarily they
have failed, but their turn will
come soon, when militarism and
capitalism commence to devour
themselves.
German socialists have taken
the stand that it was necessary to
repel the Russian invasion; that
Russia, as a reactionary power,
threatened the socialist cause more
than any other factor. But this does
not mean that they have become
reconciled to German imperialism
and militarism. 1t is, in their
minds, a case Of choosing the least
of two evils, and no socialist is
hypocritical enough to make virS
tue out of necessity"
Subsequently the Call gradually
changed its policy and became mildly
critical of the German socialists after
Karl Liebknecht had refused to vote
for the second war credits demanded
by the Kaiser in December, 1914.
But the change was only under the
pressure of the membership of the
socialist party that was more capable
of estimating the acts of the European
social patriots than were then
leaders. To the very last Morris
Hillquit, leader of the New York sec.
ton of the socialist party defended
the course of the renegades in Ger.
many and other countries. Ever
after Liebknecht had broken the iron
discipline of the German sociaI
democracy and had voted, on Deem.
Der 2, 1914, against the second wal
credits, Hillquit, writing in the Metro.
politan Magazine, a capitalist sheet
declared in its issue of March, 1918
that:
"The great bulk of the five and
a half million socialists and social
list voters in Germany and Austria
spontaneously and simultaneously
rallied to the support of their coun-
tries as soon as war had been de-
clared. They had no opportunity
for mutual consultation. They ac-
ted on impulse, which broke
through with elemental force. It
was not a decision, not a policy
it was history, and history cannot
be scolded or praised; it must be
understood"
Thus with the most debasing anC
dirty sermonizing about History,
Hillquit places the blame for the be
trayal of the socialist movement upol
the masses, the betrayed, bleeding
disorganized, dazed workers whose
leaders to whom they looked for guild
ance in the supreme moment had gon,
over into the camp of the enemy, anc
helped the n1ilitarists herd them int
the slaughter-house.
When Hillquit stated that tn,
leaders of the German and Austrian
socialists had no opportunity fol
mutual consultation" before the out
break of the war he lies and officia
documentary evidence convicts him
Did not the executive committee O:
the German party on the 25th of July
issue declaration branding the wal
as a conspiracy against the working
class? Did not the Austrian party
issue similar statement one day be-
fore? And even if Hillquit's version
were correct and they had no oppor
tunity to meet is that any reason why
they all had to become renegades tx
the revolutionary principles for which
they were supposed to stand-tht
principles of the Basic conference Of
the international?
In the same article Hillquit further
defends the apostates and renegade.
OF the German social democracy by
declaring: Whatever the cause O.
human progress and civilization may
gain through a punishment of Prus
sian militarism, it will lose a hundred
fold through victory of Russian
despotism."
lndulging in the most filthy so
phistry Hillquit concludes that a vic
tory of the German side would alsc
be very bad, because the talk abou
German culture" is dishonest, hence
From the true socialist point Of
view the most satisfactory solution
of the great sanguinary conflict o,
the nations lies in draw, a cessa
ton of hostilities from sheer ex
haustion without determining any
thing"
This demand is only another wa,
of defending the traitorous "nationa
'defense" slogans of every apostat,
to the revolution. "Neither defea
nor victory" is not class formula
but a national formula. Does no
every ruling class always deny it,
imperialist aims? Do not they al
loudly proclaim that they want M
advantages, but are only fighting fo1
defense and will be satisfied with
"draw," with a conclusion that bring
neither victory nor defeat? All mill