Young Socialists Magazine 1917 July Dec.pdf

SOCIALISM AND WAR(CoDtinued (rom Page 2)The workers' struggle, therefore,assumes an international aspect.Much as the capitalist classesand their respective governmentsmay be at variance with eachother on questions of markets,fie1ds of investment, etc., they,howe,'er, all agree in onc respect.namely, that private pro~rtymust be upheld and the workerremain a slave.The capitalists are restrainedand fettered by the national interestsof their class or gro.uP intheir respective countries. Thewar in Europe is conclusive evidenceof this contention. And itis not at all an exaggerateq generalizationto state that this greatwar, in its last analysis, is butwaged in order to decide towhich national capitalist classth~ privilege of extorting the largestshare of th~ surplus value,prOOuced by the workers of theworld. shall fall. The Englishand French capitalists are fightingfor the maintenance of thes~tus quo, which places them ina position to reap the lion's shareof labor's product. And Gennany,aggressive and militant imperialisticGermany, is struggling for·a place at the through of surplusvalue which will enable it to consumethe largest portion. An ofthese capitalist governments arestruggling with only one objectbefore them: to win for theirrespective oapitalist constituentsthe power to dispose over theproducts of the disinheritedworking class.Truly ~e workers have ' nothingin common with the fatherlandloving phrasemongers, whounder the cloak of nationalism 'conceal their greedy desire forTHE. YOUNG SOCIALISTS' MAGAZINEprofit. The worker as a propertylesswage slave has no country.boundaries, traditions, andconventionalities to defend. (Zapitalismhas developed in him itsinternational grave digger. .consequentlyall Socialist!! whoplead the cause of their respec ...tive capitalist governments onthe strength of defending nationalinstitutions. etc., are seekingto defend something which theworkers have long ceased to pOssessand are directly supportingthe ambitions of their capitaliste..xploiters.To regard this war as a struggleof democracy against despoticmilitarism, or cultureagainst barbarism, is another\'iew flowing from fau lty reasOning;a reasoning that fully ignoresthe economic causes ofthis conflict and also t.hc wageslave's economic position 'in society.This method of deduction ..is largely indulged in by E nglishand French Socialists. Beforewe occupy ourselves more fullywith t.he effects produced by assumingthe sponsorship over De,mocracy against the onslaughtsof Prussian militarism, let 1I'iagain emphasize the following:This struggle, as stated before illthese pages,' is primarily a struggle of full-fledged capitalist countriesfor indush;ial and financialsupremacy. Russia's fervent pleafor Constantinople and her firmdemand on her allies to recognizeher claim, convincingly indicates the awakening of industrial,and mode!:n agrarian Russiato the necessity of well organizedmarkets. Therefore, the strugglefought in Europe does not implythe subjugation of modern capit,alistnations for the purpose. ofwantonly eradicating their institutionsor traditions, but ratherfor the purpose of exterminatingtheir respective' competitive influencesin another part of theg lobe. For instance, Germanimperialism ambushed behind).fohammedan prestige in theOrient. This struggle is an imperialisticwar, a war of nationalcapitalist interests fOf internationalsupremacy; it has its ori ginin the capitalist profit systemand seeks its perpetuatibn upona higher plane.A DAMPERThe I late Prof. Lounsbury, otYale, was a foe to the purist andpedant.On his summer holiday the professorgazed out across the lakeone gray amf sultry afternoon, andremarked:"It looks like rain."A pedant was seated in a rockingchair near by. ."What looks like rain, professor?"he chuckled. "H a, ha I I'vegot you there. What looks likerain?". "Water," Professor Lounsburyanswered coldlr.-Tit-BU.r.PUSSY KNEW"Has Reggie come home fromschool yet, -Mary?" asked Reggie'smother.l'I think so, ma'am/' said Mary."The cat's a-hiding in the coalhouse." .M r9. Dents (at the balJ game,e..xcitedly) : Isn't our pitcher perfectlygrand, John I He hits thed ub nearly every throw ITO THE CHILD OF AREVOLUTIONISTBy ~uis UntermeyerChild. y04 were 'born 'with fightingin your blood,Your first breath was a struggle.sharp and swift:Yet from the tumult and the darkeningflood, '{:hild, you must li ft.Splendid it is to hurl against thestrongRulwarks of ignorance a strongerstuff;Splendid to challenge prejUdiceand wrong-But 'not enough .•Yes, when your angry faith defeatsthe foe,And when the last, deep, thunderinggrowl is stilled,\Vith the same anns that stabbedand brought them low,Child, you must build!Yet you shall hear the sOundlessbugles caU,And there shall be fresh warsand 1;10 release, 'And you shall fight the hardestfight of all-Even in peace.There shall be little rest and greatdelightjAnd struggling still, your bannershall ascend,Battling for beauty,-that exaltedfightWhich has no end.A BAD TURNDr. B-Johoson has done themeanest thing I ever heard of. Hecame to my house the other night.ate a big dinner, got indigestion,and then went to another doctor tobe cured...THE YOUNG SOCIALISTS' MAGAZINEINTERNA TIQNAL · NOTESConcerning a Dec1aration oiPrinciples.The Declaration of Principlesof the Young People's Internationalhas received the endorsementof the Executive Committeeof the Swedish and NorwegianNational Organizations, of, partsof the German group, so far asthey have received the communication.and by the Canadianorganization.The Danish Young People'sorganization, in general approvedof the declaration, but proposes anumber of changes and also ashortening of the whole. OUfanish comrades propose the iollowing:I n recognition of the fact that- in accordance with the developmentof social conditions in thisage of capitalism and imperialism-a closely related internationalunion between the working c1nssis necessary. if the proletariathopes to overthrow its capitalistmasters, to abolish capitalist conditionsand substitute socialistmethods in their stead, the InternationalUnion ' hereby resolves:1. To work toward the organizationof young \vorkers in allcountries, in separate organizations;to disseminate socialistideas. to carry on an energeticcampaign against militarism andnationalist prejudices, to bringthe direct influence of the youngpeople of the \'Iorking class tobear upon the government, tostri ve for effective protection ofthe younth of the proletariatagainst capitalist oppression andexploitation, to train the youngpeople of the working class toparticipation in the class strugglein all its various forms.2, To recogni ze the necessityof proletarian action in case ofwar between the nations, and toencollrage the labor parties of allcountries to demand disarmament,to call upon the labormovements of all countries tounite upon definite action in caseof war.3, In case where the jU\'enilemovement of any country meetswith particular diificulties. togive them the g re:uest possiblemoral and financial support.4. The organi zations belongingto the union of Socialist YoungPeople's Organizations herebypledge themc;elns to carry outthe decisions of the reg\l1ar :11.:­credited representatives to thislInion . and shall be entitled toaffiliation with this union on ly solong as they carry Ollt thcfie decisionsunder consideration ofthe conditions in the differentcountries.5. The Secretariat shall drawup a constitution which shallcover al1 further details concerningthe regular duties and privilegesof the international union.In the Social DemocraticYoung People's Organiza"tion ofDenmark.Ernst Christiansen.Military Inspecting Officer.- 'Now, sergeant, what precautionsdo you take against infectedwater?Sergeant.-\Vc boil it JOfficer.-Very good.Sergeant.- Then we filter it.Officer.-ExceJlem !Sergeant.-And then we drinkbeer.