The Future Belongs to the PeopleLiebknecht, Karl Paul August Friedrich
History
The Future Belongs to the People
Liebknecht, Karl Paul August Friedrich
World War, 1914-1918
PRESIDENT DR. KAEMPF: According to the order of business the floor
cannot be taken from a member of the House until he is called to order
three times.
MEMBER DR. MUeLLER MEININGEN (Progressive Party): "Then he will betray us
three times." (Stormy applause in the House in which the galleries
join.)
DR. K. LIEBKNECHT: In regard to our loans, it has been said that our
system of inbreeding--that the practice of obtaining loans on a former
loan in order to invest the capital thus obtained in another new war
loan is a sort of "_perpetuum mobile_." In a certain sense the loans may
be compared to a merry-go-round. To a large extent it means simply the
centralization of public wealth in the Treasury. (Great uproar and cries
of "Finish" and "Treason.") I have the right to criticise. The truth
must be spoken and you shall not hinder me. (Great uproar. Member
Hubrich goes to Dr. Liebknecht and snatches Liebknecht's notes from his
hands, and throws them on the floor. Stormy applause in the House in
which the galleries join. Liebknecht raises his clenched fists and
shouts. He then addresses himself to the President in an agitated tone.
He is twice called to order by the President. Around the speakers'
tribune are small and excited groups gesticulating. Member Dr. Mueller
Meiningen goes to the tribune and in a violent tone hurls indignant
reproaches at Liebknecht. The minority Social-Democrats of the
Reichstag--Henke, Dittmann and Zubeil--rush to the tribune and put
themselves in front of Liebknecht, other members of the House try to
calm down the excited ones. The majority Social-Democrat Keil shouts:
"Put the fellow out and then all will be finished." The whole House is
in great excitement and uproar, notwithstanding the continual clang of
the presidential bell. Finally the President is able to restore order,
and declares that the chair finds that there is no quorum. The meeting
is adjourned.)
LIEBKNECHT'S MAY DAY MANIFESTO
This May Day Manifesto called the people of Berlin to the May Day
Demonstration of 1916. He was sentenced to jail for expressions in this
May Day Speech.
"Poverty and misery, need and starvation, are ruling in Germany,
Belgium, Poland and Servia, whose blood the vampire of imperialism is
sucking and which resemble vast cemeteries. The entire world, the
much-praised European civilization, is falling into ruins through the
anarchy which has been let loose by the world war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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