Communism; Industrial Workers of the World; Socialism
"The capitalist class, alarmed at the amazingly rapid growth of
anti-militarism in this country, is endeavoring, through church and
government, to combat this just sentiment, and by law and precept
to create an artificial respect and love for the soldiers' uniform
and the American flag.
"'Respect the uniform, honor the flag,' is their cry, and they are
foolish enough to believe that if they raise their voices loud
enough, we, the workers, will become infected by their fictitious
enthusiasm, and shout with them.
"'Honor the uniform!' Oh, surely! Honor the trappings and gold lace
with which they are dressing up their weak-minded scabs! Honor the
uniform which has the power to transform a decent but ignorant boy
of the working class into an unthinking savage, who would, if
ordered to do so by a superior in rank, shoot down his aged father
or kill his sister's unborn child with a bayonet thrust, should
they happen to be on strike and crying aloud for a little more
bread, warmer clothing and better shelter. Honor the uniform? No,
spit on it! Make it a shame and a reproach until a worker who wears
it will not dare to show his face among decent working people.
Honor the uniform! Honor that which gives a free license to kill,
if the victim happens to be a worker? Honor that which stands for
oppression, for the loafer against the worker, for the master
against the slave? Honor that which causes a worker to become a
traitor to his class, to forget his ties of blood, and for pay to
deliver himself over body and soul to his natural enemy, the
capitalist class? Honor the Judases, the Benedict Arnolds of the
working class? Our masters insult us by even asking such a thing.
"Shall we honor the Massachusetts militiamen who, without the
slightest provocation, murdered a young worker? Is that what you
want us to do, you capitalists, you cardinals and presidents? You
ask too late, for we already despise and loathe your decorated
hirelings, and are, as time passes, making it more difficult for
you to recruit our decent boys and transform them into loathsome
parasites."
On May 6, 1919, millions of New Yorkers enthusiastically welcomed the
77th Division of our soldier boys on their return home from the
battle-fields of Europe. Glowing descriptions of the celebration
appeared in nearly all the papers of the Metropolis. A contemptible
account, however, was published the next day in "The Call," showing the
scornful spirit of the Socialists toward the millions of American troops
who made so many sacrifices for their country in the late war. The
article in "The Call" runs as follows:
"Rows and Rows and Rows and Rows and Rows of 'Em March
"_Folks Cheered 77th Division which Finally Changed From Toys Into
Folks, Too._
"A row of mounted police rode up Fifth avenue yesterday.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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