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
soldier husband must 'hold on' and 'steal' in the land of her neighbors.
He must hold on and 'suffer' because the capitalists, the hurrah
patriots and the armor-plate kings have willed it so. Every one must
keep his or her tongue between the teeth, for the war profiteers must
make money out of the want and misery of the wives and their husband
soldiers at the front.
"By a lie the German workingman was forced into the war, and by like
lies they expect to induce him to go on with war!" A mighty shout went
up from a thousand throats--"Hurrah for Liebknecht." Liebknecht raised
his hand for silence. Then steadily, though knowing the cost, he said:
"Do not shout for me, shout rather 'We will have no more war. We will
have peace--now!'"
Scarcely had he finished speaking when, as if by magic, a tremendous
tumult arose. Near the spot where the doctor and his friends had been
standing the crowds surged back and forth. The great multitudes in the
palace grounds had the appearance of an immense sea whose surface was
every inch covered with human heads, those of men and women. The
children became terrified. The shouts of the grown-ups and the terrified
shrieks of the children added vehemence to the scene. The next moment I
see Comrade Liebknecht pulled down from the stand. His friends also
follow. Then I see fists raised. I suddenly discover that the jostling
of the crowds about me has carried me further away from the spot where a
riot is in progress. I again elbow my way toward where the doctor and
his companions have been pulled down from the stand. I had made some
progress when suddenly I find myself being swept backward by a huge
human wave.
In spite of my wish to see what is going on behind me I am being carried
away further and further. Several hundred thousand panic-stricken souls
are rushing towards the streets and avenues that lead to the grounds.
The scene is frightful. Every one is shouting. I steal a glimpse of the
spot which is now the center of the sudden panic. I gasp with fright. I
see numberless mounted soldiers with large black whips in their hands
lashing the crowds. Their mounts are so close to the struggling and
frightened men and women, yea, even children, that it is a miracle that
thousands are not pinned to the ground. I cannot tell whether they are
killed or whether they fainted. But there are many of them. I myself was
forced to step over several persons. I tried to lift up a body, but in
the next moment I was carried away....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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