New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?Various
History
New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?
Various
World War, 1914-1918
At the last meeting of the International Socialist Bureau in Paris I can
see gathered at the same table, Hugo Haase, the Chairman of the
Parliamentary group of the German Social Democracy, drafting resolutions
of peace on behalf of the entire International. And at the same table
sat our unforgettable Jean Leon Jaures, who fell at the first mad rush
of the war tide. What a frightful succession of events have taken place
since that time!
Jaures dead; Guesde, the uncompromising, the Marxist, the Socialist, a
member of the French Cabinet; Dr. Ludwig Frank, one of the most
promising of the young German Socialists, shot dead in battle!
Socialists become national! French, Russian, Belgian, German, Austrian
Socialists fighting one another, destroying one another!
Who was right, who wrong? Did the majority of the German Socialists,
under the leadership of David, do right in voting the war credits asked
by the Kaiser? Or did the minority do right, under the direction of Dr.
Liebknecht, in refusing these credits? Who can pass judgment? But this
we do know and can truthfully say--not a single capitalistic Government
of all Europe but shares in the guilt.
* * * * *
"ENVOY OF MY PARTY."
Statement by Jules Guesde, Minister in France's War Cabinet and
Exponent of French Socialism, at Paris, Aug. 29.
I go into the Cabinet as an envoy of my party, not to govern, but to
fight. If I were younger, I would have shouldered a gun. But as my age
does not permit this I will, nevertheless, face the enemy and defend the
cause of humanity.
I am confident of final victory, and without hesitation as to its
subsequent role in France, the party will never deviate from the line of
conduct laid out. As the solidarity of workmen does not shut out the
right to defend themselves against traitor workmen, so international
solidarity does not exclude the right of one nation to defend itself
against a Government traitor to the peace of Europe.
France has been attacked, and she will have no more ardent defenders
than the workmen's party.
* * * * *
[Illustration: JULES GUESDE,
French Cabinet Minister and Exponent of French Socialism.
(_Photo from Trans Atlantic Co._)]
MINISTER JULES GUESDE.
Editorial Article in the New Yorker Volkszeitung, Aug. 28.
Who would have suspected in 1904 that Jules Guesde would come to be once
more a member of a Ministry, popular in its majority? Who would have
thought then--it was in the time of the memorable debates over
socialistic "ministerialism" in the Amsterdam Congress of the
International--that there ever could come a time when this clear-headed
and unswerving exponent of academic socialism would be forced by the
need of the hour to take a step which in ordinary circumstances would be
absolutely inconceivable for him?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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