November 27, 1918 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Socialist Divisions in Germany Bolsheviki.
Werewith froeteri electory action.
could sech to dissolve By Franz Mehring IT may seem conceited of me, as one of your Ger.
blindness to the driving forces of the present man sympathizers, lu luke it upon myself to This article an open letter to the livlsheviki wy time. They seek to cover the wounds they received send to you, Russian comrades, fraternal grectFranz Mehring, dated June 1918, appeared in the ings and best wishes. In reality am writing to June 15 issue of Pravda. the central urgan vi the in Nieder Barmin by a bitter attack upon the Bolsheviki, under the generalship of Menshevik you not ils an individual, but as the oldest member The alignment of Socialist forces in Germany deof the Spartacus Group. that part of the Gerscribed by Mehrink is now iure clearly aparent, under the direction of the great theoretician, Kari man since the Revolution marched into action. The Scheidemann Socialists are open traiturs to the Rev.
the last four years, under the most ditticult cir lution; the Independent Socialists are liesitating and profound statemanship! Karl Marx would turn cumstances the same light, with the same means, paltering with the Kreat revolutionary tasks while and along the same tactical lines that you your The Socialists of the Spartants Group and the Group istic of the party that its members should still xell have employer until your endeavors were Internationale are developing into the masters oi the continue to worship Kaulsky as the holy prophet.
crowned Revolution adhering to a clear, delinite and uncompromising program.
Did not the 4th of August prove that the learned news of the victory of the Bol.
sheviki with a feeling of pride, without envy, as ranz Mehring, associated with Karl Lielknecht, schoolmaster possesses not a spark of Marxian Rosa Luxembrg and Oito kulile, is a great Marxian revolutionary spirit. if it were, indeed, our own victory. Gladly we scholar, who uses Marxism as an instrument of ruv.
would have joined you, haud our ranks not been lutionary action, and not as a subterfuge to foil For all of these reasons it is olyvious that the Serialism is to him a theory of activita so terribly depfitel. Many of us, and truly not means of making history and not simply a means of Independent Social Democracy has neither the the worst of us are behind the prison lars, as for interpreting history.
impetus nor the power of attracting the German instance, Ron Luxemburg, or in jail, as our Com As the Revolution develops definitely in Germany, prolctarint. The workingman knows full well what rude, Karl Lichknecht. ranz Mehring will appear as a dynamic factur in class solidarity means to him. Ile may be ready 0, that the great drama.
to split the party. But he will not pay what hc lile of the Cierman labor world.
justly considers a terrible price in vain.
Like an acid spul. nuvernment Suxiulismi continues the usual legal means of political propaganda He will not and cannot be satisfied with a hopeeverything with which it comes in that were in the fullest measure at the disposat less reactionary utopia. For even if it were poscontact, although, it has long xince run its course of the dependents were impossible for our can sible to realize its aims, this realizntion would morally and pulitically six well. But it has suc didates. But no matter how much importance we mean the beginning, not the end of crisis. After ceeded, through all wort: of machinations, pro attach this unfavorable circumstance, it can in all, the catastrophe on the 4th of August did not tected by the state of war, in getting possession no wise account for the severity of these detectx. break upon us like a thunderboldt out of a blue of practically every working class paper and ormocratic Party more able to instill poison and filth into the organism ory under far more adverse mere carried off a vict that had been gnawing at the vitals of the movec ment for many years, in spite of its glowing exof the masses. That is one of the most crying The root of the evil lies lies deeper. These elections tcrior.
evils.
have proven what numerous symptoms indicated It has been argued that the Independent Social There is no denying the fact that the laboring long ago that the Independent Social Democracy Democracy did not want the party spirit, that it masses are still rushing to the standards of gov lacks the revolutionary energy that will arouse had been partly driven out of the party by the ernment Socialism, that the Independent Social and carry away the proletarian masses. government Socialists. But the result of this very ists were crushingly defeated in the last three elections.
can be said against its members as policy of hesitation, of doing things by halves, in Vothing. There are efficient people among In the first of these there was, perhaps, the them, and all of them desire the best of the move thening as it does their belief that the Indepenwas the complete alienation of the masses, streng.
possibility of an excuse. It was the by election ment. But the party itself was born under an dent Social Democracy is responsible for the di.
held some time ago in the district Potsdam. unlucky star.
vision in the ranks of the Social Democracy. And, Spandau Ost Haveland. In 1912 Karl Liebknecht It left the government Socialists too late. It in truth, what is gained by a split when the Inhad carried this district for the first time. His hesitated too long and thus, against its own will, dependent Social Democracy insists that its vote victory was achieved by plurality of votex. It was to be expected that the became responsible for the misdeeds of its oppo ngainst war credits is not based upon a fundacapitalist parties in this district should unite to party, it lacked the foundation of a mutunl and nents. And when it finally united as a politicn! mental principle, while the government Socialists help the government Socialists in order to protect and clearly outlined world conception. On many maintain that they vote in favor of war credits for purely tactical reasons? In the final analysis the Prussian Imperial residence from the election often upon the most vital questions, the views of both sides, the negative and the affirmative, are mann party was a disgrace rather than a triumph. The tie that binds them is not the slogan, For: ing to wash the bear without wetling his skin.
of a Liebknecht man. The victory of the Scheide its individual members are hopelessly divided. actuated by the selfsame motive. They are tryNiederbarmin and Zwickau Crimitschau, where ward, but Backward.
Unless all indications deceive us, the Indepenby elections were recently held to fill the They aspire to restore the German Social De dent Social Democracy can count with any degree seats vacated by the deaths of two sup mocracy, that existed up to the 4th of August, of certainty upon not more than two or three of 1914. They would return to the old proven tac the seats it now holds. In itself this would be no Stadthagen and Stulle. Both districts were vid Socialist strongholds. They had always been represented by radical Socialists. And, as the capi. Eht against revisionism from convention to con support of the tried and proven tactics is in the vention main a parliamentary party. Under these cirtalist partiex nominnted their own candidates, the What could be more utopian and more reaction cumstances a decided loss of power is a dangerissue was fought out clearly and distinctly becary? They have exhumed a corpse and are trying ous symptom for the future.
ists.
Actuated by a spirit of self preservation and German Social Democracy, with its old. proven an ingrown sense of political responsibility, tho The dependent Sercialists were the victors, of tactics is shattered, and ground into the dust courxe that made a discouraging impression upon under the wheels of Imperialism triumphal chat Independent Social Democracy goes into the fight all of our friends.
riot. It is gone forever. To day there exists only tactics. There were those among us who hoped Of course it is not to be forgotten in this con the German Social Democracy that came into bethat it would be possible to act in this new party nection, that the fight was carried on with very ing in August, 1914.
for the highest good of mankind. The higher the unequal weapons. The Independents had neither This mourning of the Independent Social De hopes we entertained, the more bitter has been freedom of press, nor the right to hold meetings. mocracy over irretrievable past shows a complete the disillusionment.
Chapters from My Diary Continued from fui four was skepticism in him, became cynici:m in them, in order to consult with him on the intentions of ments and peoples: these were the nationalists and Adler voluntary withrawal into a decorn the authorities with regard to the Russian emi.
by nature, who had hardly been veneered by a tive capacity, was transformed in their case, grants living in Vienna.
thin coating of Socialist culture, which was being into open derision as to the basic values of SocialThe Chief of Political Police expressed the opiism. And this natural selection of his collabora nion that tomorrow morning there may be an washed off, not day by day, but hour by hour.
ne the war as an others, with Victor Adler at their head, tors constitutes the clearest expression and con. edict putting all Russians and Serbians under one had to grin and bear it. The tastrophe, and demnation of the elder Adler system.
guard. Those whom we know we will later libeThe son, with his genuinely revolutionary tem ratc, but complications may arise. Besides, we watchful waiting passivity, permit them to leave the cloak, horiet for the unconcealed agitation that was hostile to this system. Ile directed his country after that.
on by the active nationalist criticism, his mistrust, his hatred chiefly against wing. sharp and incisive intellect, So you would recommend leaving the countcharacter, Victor Adler stool for above his policy. 3, 1914. he first of all showed the proclamation. Absolutely. And the quicker the better. Very well. shall go to Switzerland with my cent years, with the pursuit of combinations, in asking them to follow up and intercept all suspithe hopeless muddling activity. so characteristic cious foreigners. With instantly kindlod aversion family tomorrow Hm should prefer it, if you should leave of Austrian conditions, and so fruitful ns a ground he spoke of the openinng of the orgy of chauvinfor pessimistic resignation. Not only was the ism that had set in. His outward reserve only today.
elder Adler far superior to his policy, but his emphasized his profound moral seriousness. Halt The time of this conversation was P. At bolic. in turn, was superior, in its naturally in an hour later, the Doctor arrived. He imme 40 was already seated in the train, with my with whom his policy surrounded the chief. What fecture, to see Geier, the Chief of Political Police. Zurich. external that was cart a