CapitalismMarxSocialismWorking Class

The Revolutionary Age Chronicle and Interpretation of Events in Europe Vol. I, No. 12 Saturday, January 4, 1919 Price Cents The Struggle of the New Year THE birth of the year 1919 finds the world on tries unite, you have nothing to loose but your chains, the noise of international war is deadened, the trithe threshold of a new era. Out of the chaos you have a world to gain, sounded by Karl Marx umphant cries of victory will soon be silenced, and then of international war, national ambitions, com half a century ago and since then voiced by Socialist the voices of the advancing proletariat will be heard mercial rivalries and diplomatic trickery is gradually propagandists in every country of the world, is now in many lands.
emerging the real struggle the war of the classes. thundered from two hundred million throats. Every day brings the real issue into bolder relief.
Since the cessation of hostilities it is becoming gradu The year just gone saw the spread of this watch cry Capitalism has no choice, it must combat the advancing ally clearer that there are but two nations in the world, from Russia to Germany, and in that year the thunder workers; but it can only combat them with other workthe working class nation and the capitalist nation. of the guns, the cries of the wounded, the groans of ers and the watch cry is infectious. Only by obscuring And between these two the battle line flung the dying and the weeping of the forsaken dulled the the real issue can Capitalism hope to be successful, Already two great countries have thrown aside the strength of Russia voice. But in the year just bom But the nature of the struggle that is at present develpretense of peace between the classes, and oping tends to reveal, rather than obin one of these, Russia, the workers are scure the issue. No longer can the workdefinitely in the ascendency, while in the ers be successfully rallied to battle other, Germany, the struggle is raging for against their brothers by the fear of a the conquest of power, the proletariat dread imperialism. The German and slowly gaining the upperhand. ThroughRussian workers have killed their im.
out the rest of the world reaction is, for perialism and it is only in the Allied the moment, holding sway. Flushed with countries that Capitalism holds sway.
the visionary triumph of victory in the in But in the Allied countries the workers ternational war, the workers of the Alhave been fighting and dying side by lied nations have paused in the fight, and side, and any war that may develop becapitalism is endeavoring to prolong the tween these countries can not rally the pause sufficiently to re entrench itself, workers to the support of their various while at the same time preparing to crush governments as did the last war.
the Russian workers and to uphold reacOn the fields of battle, on the grey tion in Germany.
stretches of the ocean, in the mills, mines Because of this very pause, because reand factories, and in the homes of the action is now riding the crest of the workers the dread import of internationwave, Capitalism is becoming increasal war has been realized. While the ingly arrogant, is forgetting to be carefight was actually in progress, the ful and is revealing its sinister designs.
wands were obscured, the grief was Frightened into caution by events in idden, the hysteria of war kept the naRussia, Capitalism made haste slowly at tions keyed up, but with the end of the first and then forgot its danger suffifighting the workers are beginning to reciently to openly aim at the destruction alize the enormity of the sacrifice and of the Russian workers, only to again reare beginning to balance it with the ceive a shock by the developments in gains accruing from victory.
Germany, but, reassured by the inaction When the emptiness of victory is reof the workers of the Allied countries vealed, then the class struggle will flare and spurred on by the necessity of its rp in the Allied countries. The old aninherent greed, Capitalism is again fortagonisms of nation against nation will getting its danger and is riding for a fall.
disappear and in their places will deThe voices of the more farsighted of the velop the antagonism of the class war.
capitalists are gradually being silenced The year 1919, although it has been isand drunk with its own success Capitalsued in to the ringing of bells proclaimism is throwing discretion to the world.
ing peace on earth, good will to men, But the broad masses of Russia and will not be a peaceful year. It will be a Germany have felt the pulse of life in year fraught with perils, a year more their veins, have glimpsed the possibilimonientous than any ever witnessed in ties of the future and having overcome the history of mankind, and although its their initial fear of action, are gatherdays will be stained with blood, the blood ing power and momentum with amazing of brothers shed by brothers, though it rapidity. The revolutionary instinct of may not, in itself, be a happy year, yet the people having found expression at the historic watch cry of the workers, last is sweeping all before it, and is forcswelling loud and strong, foretells that ing the capitalists into open war. The 1919 is a year pregnant with happiness revolutionary cry, Workers of all counKarl Marx for the workers of the world.
The International CHORUS Arise, ye prisoners of sturvation!
Arise, ye wretched of the carth.
For justice thunders condemnation, better world in birth.
No more tradition chains shall bind us.
Arise, je slaves! no more in thrall!
The carth shall rise on new foundations, IV chaic been naught, we shall be all. Tis the final conflict, Lct each stand in his place.
The International Party Shall be the human race.
We want no condescending saviors, To rule us from a judgment hall.
We workers ask not for their favors, Let us consult for all.
To make the thief disgorge his booty, To free the spirit from its cell, We must ourselves decide our duty, IVe must decide and do it well.