But you, you brothers of the working class, you who toil on and on for
cheap clothing, cheap shelter and cheap food—you whose very lives are
bought and sold on the installment plan, for wages day by day—you who
are forced to become the socially despised human oxen—you—you will be
forced to the front, blinded with flattery and confused with gay-colored
flags and booming drums—you will virtually be forced to cut your own
throats—forced to blow out your own brains and blood with these modern
steel destroyers, and forced to expose your lives to the grim curse,
Disease. You will groan and scream and slowly rot and die in a dingy
hospital tent or shed far from those you love—laughed at (secretly) by
the _prominent_ people who have _already_ made up _their_ minds not to
go to war.
How long, O brothers of the working class, how long can you be seduced
to slay yourselves?
Leading citizens will bring about and brag about the wars.
But you, my brothers, will fight the wars.
Grim Disease waits ready to give you her slimy embrace.
The cold steel machines are ready—ready for heated men.
Keep cool.
Beware of the “war fever.”
NOTICE CAREFULLY:—Your wealthy employers are not enlisting for the
firing line. _They are immune from the fool’s fever._
Wait a little before you enlist. Think it over—till week after next.
YOU ARE SAFE—(JUST THINK OF IT)—ABSOLUTELY SAFE FROM DEATH IN THE NEXT
WAR—IF YOU CAN KEEP OFF THE FIRING LINE TILL THE “PROMINENT GENTLEMEN”
OF YOUR COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN ON THE FIRING-LINE FOR THIRTY DAYS.
Once again, brother, admit this thought to your brain:—The working class
must be the protectors of their own class—always.[102]
SECTION THREE: PEACEFUL SLAUGHTER—IN INDUSTRY.
Surely it is bad enough to have the workingmen slaughtered while on the
battlefield where each is armed and has his heart full of stupid hate
for his fellow workingman of some other country. But it is outrageous
that men, women, and little children should be killed and wounded by the
hundreds of thousands every year in our own country while they are
engaged in the useful, peaceful pursuits of industry. Let us briefly
consider this matter.
The owner of a _chattel_-slave worker is careful to PROTECT the
chattel-slave from accident, from sickness and from death. The
slave-owner buys the slave, buys his _whole_ life, at _one_ purchase;
and he is interested, therefore, in having the slave alive and well and
sound as long as possible in order to get out of the slave as much
labor-power as possible.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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