The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-11-17
Article 5.


THE younger generation of the toilers, who had
no experience of the last war and who, hav-
ing received a military training look upon war
in some measure as a Jolly adventure las an
escape from the monotonous routine in the ra-
tionalized plants and from the privations Of I'M
employment will be thrown headlong into the
war and it will not be long before they get rid
Of their illusions.
That section of the older generation OF the
workers, to be found even among the active rank
and file of the reforniSt parties and unions, who
far from the fray, urged "a war to the finish, -
will now have to smell the gases and this in
short while will have decidedly dampening eff
SSct on their social-patriotic enthusiasm.
Military Dictatorship.
In spite OF the mailed fist Of the military dc
tatorship, whose weight will be felt in each and
every enterprise the economic contradictions
maturing in every branch Of industry will lead
to spontaneous movements among the workers,
compelled by sheer circumstance to struggle for
their elementary standards if not for their very
existence. And this struggle, quite apart from
conscious aims, will inevitably become fight
against war and thus against imperialism,
against the entire capitalist system as a whole.
It is this that will prompt the bougeoisie and
the military clique ruling in its name, to stamp
movement But since the original causes will in
no way be modified by such bloody measures,
they will only give birth to new "upfares" as
time goes on, tempered by the added experience
gained by the masses higher level of poll
tical CONSCIOUSNESS and a realization of the con-
nection between the phenomena of every day
life and the secret" of war.
In a hundred and one ways, these uprisings
will flow out in ever widening circles to the
front, through all those numerous channels of
communication and support (Which will connect
the front with the rear to a greater degree than
hitherto, will crystalline and coordinate the dis
satisfaction and discomfort of the troops in one
broad movement.
Behind the outward tranquility, under the
hermetic seal of the military dictatorship, all
the accumulated hatred, antagonism and indig-
nation will gain increasing pressure.
The habit" to expect all possible contingent
cies, created by the war atmosphere, the feeling
that will overwhelm each man under arms that
he is trap ed, that he is being driven to the wall
will make the soldiers ready for any sacrifice, to
risk any danger The army will no longer be
contingent of hirelings, schooled into discipline
and obedience over period Of years; it will be
a mighty section OF the toilers hurriedly
trained" in the apparatus of the "Inan-slaugh-
tering' industry. In spite of all disciplinary and
censorship barriers, this section of the army will
be in close contact with the workers army in
the rear, will register and react to all It's mood
and will rapidly influence the rear with its ovr
revulsons to the carrying of arms and its hatred
OF the inspirers of the imperialist blood-bath.
The Front and the Rear Armed.
All kinds of arms, unprecedented in their
range of action, will be in the hands of everyone
both at the front and in the rear. And the
broad masses will know how to handle the bulk
of the weapons, will know how to use the knowl-