BolshevismBourgeoisieCapitalismDemocracyGerman RevolutionLeninRosa LuxemburgSocialismSovietWorking Class

TULUTIONARY AGE Saturday, December 23, 4 End and Beginning THE THE National Congress of Councils of WorkBy Louis Fraina orwaerts, declared during the sessions of the Conmen and Soldiers, which convened in Berlin gress: on December 16 and was dominated by the the streets of Berlin raged the revolutionary masses It must be declared openly that there is danger of the moderates, marked the end of the first stage of the who repeatedly invaded the Congress. By a vote of whole rovernment apparat crumbling and the armistice German Revolution.
five to one, the Congress refused to allow Karl Liebkand peace acrotiations being broken off on the ground that no competent German Government exists, and then all Ger.
Simultaneously, the movement among the masses, necht and Rose Luxemburg to address it with ad. many will be occupied by Eafente troope.
the temper of the revolutionary proletariat, the trevisory functions, while essentially counter revolu It is precisely this threat that is temporarily holdmendous problems which are pressing upon Germany tionary speakers were listened to and often applauded. ing in leash the action of the masses. The majority and Europe, and the whole tendency of events as deThe Revolution had been accomplished by the uncomSocialists and the bourgeois cliques are shamelessly termined by the proletarian revolution in Russia and promising use of Bolshevik methods and Bolshevik using this threat, declaring that the Allies will never its influence upon the coming peace conference indi slogans, which the Congress now rejected in favor of permit a proletarian government in Germany, and cate that the beginning of the second stage of the petty bourgeois democracy.
being willing, if necessary, to invite the intervention Revolution is developing the stage of the definite The reactionary character of the Congress was in. of the Allies against the Revolution. The proletariat accomplishment of a proletarian revolutionary alliance dicated in the repeated attacks on the old Executive wants peace; it dreads a new wat, exhausted by the with Soviet Russia, and the breaking forth of new inCommittee which, heaven knows, was moderate old, and a definite proletarian revolution might conternational antagonisms, revolutionary war and civil enough. The old executive was too radical for ceivably mean a new were revolutionary war wars.
Congress. Barth attacked Ebert and the Govern against international Imperialism. Will the revoluThe days preceding the convening of the Congressment for its food policy but the Congress sustained tionary masses develop new reserves and new energy were marked by rumors of counter revolution, even Ebert. Ledebour, the left Independent Socialist, who for the great final struggle actual parations, by the feverish activity of the still hesitates, however, accused Ebert of furthering The German proletariat will realize more and more revolutioi y Socialists, by ministerial crises and the counter revolutionary plans, and stigmatized him as how hopeless is its position unless it definitely comrefusal of Dr. Solf to resign (which he subsequently a shameful smirch on the Government, amid pletes the Revolution. It will realize that the policy did, however, being succeeded by another hack of the scenes of protest and disorder. But the Congress ap of moderate, petty bourgeois Socialism is offering the old regime. and by the German workers engaging in proved of the Ebert ministry and the right Inde proletariat as a sacrifice to international Imperialism; and the realization of this fact will mean swift and huge strikes and preparing to interfere in the process pendents, Haase Co. in spite of all, retained their of industry. This economic activity of the masses is membership in the government of the counter revoludrastic action come what may.
vital, for unless the masses develop a consciousness tion. The Congress climaxed its reactionary attiThe German revolutionary proletariat has a mighty of economic power, the will to establish workers con tude by the election of a very inoderate Executive ally in the Soviet Republic of Russia, and in the trol of industry, the revolution will remain political. Committee in accord with the Government, giving awakening proletariat of the other European nations, and become a wasted opportunity.
this committee power to control the Government particularly France and haly. Soviet Russia has The Spartacus Socialists, a few days before the in the event, perhaps, that it might become radical! offered the Germany proletariat three million soldiers Congress met, promulgated a program wholly in ac Repeatedly, during the sessions, delegations of if a war against Entente Imperialism becomes neces cord with the revolutionary requirements of the situ workmen and soldiers insisted upon being allowed to sary; and in this revealed the splendid strategy of ation: Disarmament of all police officers, non prole present demands, a right they insisted upon in spite Lenin the peace with Germany, in spite of its onertarian soldiers and all members of the ruling classes; of the oppositional attitude of the Congress. One ous character, allowed revolutibnary Russia an opconfiscation by the Soldiers art Workmen Coun delegation of soldiers demanded the dismissal of all portunity to recuperate and reorganize, to establish cils of arms, munitions and armament works; arming officers and military control for the Councils. delega the conquests of the proletarian revolution, to orof all adult male proletarians and the formation of a tion of workers, which was allowed to speak only ganize a new Socialist army for its own defense and Workers Militia; the formation of a proletarian Red after violent protests, presented the following defor the defense of Socialist everywhere. The cenGuard; abolition of the ranks of officers and nonmands: That all Germany be constituted as one sorship on news from Russia cannot hide the fact commissioned officers; removal of all military offi single republic; that all government power be vested that the Soviet Republic is stronger than ever, that cers from the Soldiers and Workmen Councils; in the Workmen and Soldiers Councils; that the it has largely restored normal conditions, that it is abolition of all Parliaments and municipal and other supreme executive power be exercised by the Execu securing new allies, and that it has the military councils; the election of a Generid Council which will tive Council; the abolition of the existing goverustrength to become a real factor in coming events.
elect and control the Executive Council of the sol ment; measures for the protection of the Revolu Already, the revolutionary war against international diers and workmen; repudiation of all state and other tion; disarmament of the counter revolutionists; arm Imperialism is starting in the Baltic Provinces, par.
public debts, including war loans, down to a certain ing of the proletariat; propaganda for the establish ticularly in Esthonia, and the further into these prov.
fixed limit of subscriptions; expropriation of all landment of a Socialist World Republic. In spite of inces the Bolshevik troops penetrate, the nearer they ed estates, banks, coal mines and latge industrial these revolutionary proposals, they were decisively come to Germany, the easier becomes revolutionary works; confiscation of all forturies above a certain rejected, the Congress adopting a hesitant, compro co operation between the German and the Russian amount. This program, an immediate, practical mising, petty bourgeois policy.
proletariat.
program of action, may yet rally the revolutionary The Congress was stampeded into deciding for an Coming events will surely assume a giant character, masses and would imply the dictatorship of the prole early convocation of the Constituent Assembly, the may mean the faring up of new devolutionary strug tariat a great stride onward to Socialism, and the date being set for January 19 by a vote of 400 to 70.
preparation of the revolutionary German proletariat amidst cries from the gallery of Shame! Shame! In Germany itself the Spartacides are being for the decisive international revolutionary events and Cowards, we shall teach you a lesson yet! You strengthened by the counter revolutionary trend of that are coming.
are robbing the people of the fruits of the Revolu events. Reaction conquers, but out of reaction comes The Congress of Councils met on December 16, with tion. The counter revolutionary character of this new revolutionary action. The Independent Socialists a clear majority for the moderates and the petty stampede in favor of the Constituent Assembly was have split and this split has strengthened revolutionourgeois Socialists. It dodged every actual prob indicated in Scheidemann speech, who told the dele ary Socialism. The economic crisis is acute, and of the Revolution, being intimidated alike by the gates very plainly that if the Workmen and Sol strikes are becoming numerous, the workers making enormity of these problems and the threat of what the diers Councils continued in operation unspeakable what the bourgeois consider Impossible demands.
Allies might do under certain conditions. The Con woe would befall Germany, worse even than what the workers, moreover, are developing, hesitatingly gress allowed itself, perhaps willingly, to be brow had been suffered already; they were bound to drift and awkwardly, the tendency toward workers conbeaten by Ebert and Scheidemann while outside in into Bolshevism, no matter how little they desired it, trol of industry, but of this practical movement, deand they would transform Germany into a second termined by necessity, may develop larger doings. Rosa Luxemburg, some time previously, published in Die Russia but worse than the latter, because in Germany The proletariat is face to face with problems which Rote Fahne, the Spartaus organ, the following program: there was more to destroy. The Independents of the life itself must and will compel them to tackle by revo The rebuilding and re election of the local Soldiers and Workmen Councils; the constant session of these repreright had nothing to say against this counter revolu lutionary means. The impulse of the economic crisis sentatives of the masses, transferring real political power tionary manoeuvre. The Soviets of the revolutionary plus the sinister plans of international Imperialism, broader base of the Workmen and Soldiers Councils; im masses made the Revolution, and they are to abdicate and the international revolutionary opportunity will mediately to call a national council of workers and soldiers in favor of petty bourgeois democracy. This would create new revolutionary currents, will instill new ento organize the proletariat of all Germany as a class; to organize immediately, not the peasants, but the rural proletariat mean the end of the Revolution. Again, the issue is ergy into the exhausted masses: and the Revolution and small peasants, who as a class have thus far been outside of clear Constituent Assembly and Capitalism, or all again flare up into action. The Ebert Hease Governthe Revolution; the formation of a Red Guard of the prole power to the Soviets and Socialism.
ment of the counter revolution, in spite of the aptariat, for the defense of the Revolution and the organization of a workers militia in order to break the power of the The Congress of Councils indicated a definite swing proval of the Congress, is shaking, threatened by absolutist and militarist police state and its administration to the right, to reaction. The representatives of the counter revolution from the extreme right and revojudiciary and army: direct confiscation of landed property, especially the large estates, 29 a provisional first step to se masses acted in accord with the policy of the petite lutionary action from the left, from the betrayed cure food for the people; immediately to call a Workers bourgeoisie and not in accord with the policy of the World Congress in Germany in order to make the Socialist and international character of the revolution sharply and revolutionary masses. But the Congress was not End and beginning they jostle each other in Ger.
clearly apparent, because in the International alone in the decisive. There were indications, moreover, that the world revolution of the proletariat, ties the future of the reaction is temporary: the majority Socialist organ.
many. Will the German proletariat act, and assure German Revolution the international Revolution. gles.
masses.
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