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The Revolutionary Age Chronicle and Interpretation of Events in Europe VOL I, No. 14 Saturday, January 18, 1919 Price Cents The Necessity of an Emergency National Convention uf VER since the cessation of hostilities it has be as yet not assumed definite shape in the American council with the men who are jailing the representacome increasingly clear that the Socialist move movement. vague feeling of uneasiness, a restless tive of Revolutionary Russia. ment of America must formulate an opinion ness, is so far the only outward sign that they really These men who have betrayed every principle for upon the momentous happenings through which the exist, but the convocation of this International Conwhich Socialism stood now call an International Soworld is passing. The last considered opinion of the gress will precipitate the crisis and finally split the cialist Congress. By cablegram they invite the AmerAmerican Socialists was issued at the St. Louis Con movement unless the membership is given an opporican Socialist movement to send delegates to such a vention and dealt almost exclusively with the war. tunity of expressing its attitude.
Congress. Camille Huysmans, the pre war secretary The war, as it was then, is over, and in its place have The Second International is dead, dead at the of the Second International, issues the 1. The Sodeveloped new antagonisms and new problems; aris hands of some of those pledged to uphold it, and it cialist movement of America knows nothing of the ing out of the war itself and out of the revolutions can never be revived. Many of the men who spoke matter except what is conveyed in a brief cablewhich the war developed. The war was merely as loudiy against war, who swore by the brotherhood gram and what it can glean from the bourgeois press.
a preliminary struggle, in which contradictory ele of the world workers, went over to their respecSocialists are fighting and dying in Europe that ments were by the necessity of the moment forced tive governments when war broke. They used their Socialism may triumph, mankind is trembling on the to make alliances. Vith the signing of the armistice voices, their pens and the prestige accruing to them brink of world wide Social Revolution. The action these elements gradually began to resume their correct as members of the Socialist International to drive which the American movement takes now will comrelationship and out of the welter of nationalistic war worker against worker. Having once started on the mit it to the policy of Socialism or the policy of counbegan to emerge the real alignment of the conflicting downward path they did not step at glorifying internater revolution. Can such a momentous step be taken forces of the world the forces of Capitalism opposed tional war, but when the Russian proletariat rose, ovon such scanty information as we possess? Huysmans to the forces of Socialism.
erthrew the Czar and subsequently the bourgeois Sois one of those who have betrayed Socialism; newsDay by day this alignment becomes more distinct. cialists who would have cheated them of the fruits Party (Bolsheviki) have already refused to participaper dispatches report that the Russian Communist The shades of opinion are gathering together and assuming definite color. The lines of demarkation pate in this Congress on the ground that it is counterResolution adopted by the City Central Committee of revolutionary. These facts, all the information we are becoming definite and distinct. The two conflict Local Boston, Socialist Party of Massachusetts, on have so far obtained about it, would indicate that ing clements Capitalism and Socialism are drawing January 14, 1919 American Socialism has no place in such a gatherto themselves all their sympathetic forces for the (1) Whereas the National Executive Committee of ing. Are we to act in a slipshod fashion as such a final struggle.
the Socialist Party has decided to send delegates to represent the party at a gathering of degenerated exa moment?
Matty Socialists foresaw this development, even Socialists, to be held in Lausanne, Switzerland; The early date set for the present Congress is anoththrough the sinoke of baitie, diu Chicavured adapt (2) Whereas the orkari gathering and er eiter which may well give us pause before we detheir programs to the new conditions, but even the the delegates invited to it are mostly men well known cide. Why has the notice of the meeting of this conas traitors to International Socialism, who, having conmost foresighted never anticipated the incredible cluded a Holy Alliance with the capitalists, monarchists gress been so short? How is the membership of the swiftness with which the revolution has swept onand reactionaries of their respective countries have sacSocialist movement of the different countries to exward. Socialism, from the position of a weak move rificed in the world war millions and millions of prolepress an opinion on the matter when they have had no ment propagating an ideal, has leapt to the position of tarian lives on the altars of Capitalism, and have time? This in itself is a suspicious circumstance. It a vital force in action, dominating the trend of the helped to jail and execute International Socialists, who may be that those who are calling the meeting do not remained true to the principles of Socialism; world. In all the calculations of statesmen and dipwant the workers to have any say in the matter. It (3) Whereas the purpose of their convention is to lomats Socialism is now the dominant factor and the make the world safe for Capitalism. by organizing may be that they wish to commit the various counchicf concern of bourgeois governments is the de more backward elements of the working class to act tries to a plan of action that does not represent the feat of this new force.
as hangmen of International Proletarian Revolutionrank and file. It may be that the purpose of this conas we have seen it already in Russia, and see it now in gress is to bolster up the forces of counter revolution But with this sudden transition from theory to fact, Germany. the Socialist movement of the world has had to face in Germany. Naturally Scheidemann would turn to BE IT RESOLVED: those Socialists of the enemy countries who have new problems within its own ranks. Old values have (1) To demand from the National Executive Com taken the same attitude in their countries as he has in gone by the board and men who prior to the war sat mittee the immediate recall of delegates appointed to a in the same councils, fought the same fights, suffered conference of traitors without the consent of the memhis, and naturally Huysmans would not turn to Liebfor the same ideals, are now engaged in death grips.
necht or Rosa Luxemburg when he wanted an ally in Where the revolution has marched into action, the as. 2) That a National Convention of the Socialist Germany.
sault on the aristocratic remnants of feudalism has Party should be called without delay, to decide on steps Again on such a momentous matter it is vitally necto be taken for laying a foundation of a conference essary that the whole American Socialist movement been a matter of practically no moment. The proleof the Third International, where no room should be tariat moved, and aristocracy, in the old sense, crumdecides on what policy to pursue and the only effecleft for traitors to the working class; tive method of so deciding is the convocation of an bled on its thrones. With the collapse of aristocracy (3) To call upon all true Socialists in the Socialist the revolution faced its real enemy, Capitalism, Party to join in our protest against this betrayal of Emergency National Convention. Let the National Executive Committee of the dressed in the habiliments of bourgeois democracy. Socialism by our National Executive Committee, and alist Party immediAnd led by men from the ranks of the Socialist lead to take steps for a thorough house cleaning in our ately call such a convention and there let the American party, as there should be no place in it for traitors to movement decide what course it will take whether ership! The real struggle of the revolution, while the working class; it will stand by the Russian workers and the Spartaessentially a struggle between Socialism and Capital. 4) To give this resolution the widest possible pub ism, was the fight between Socialists and Socialists. licity in party circles and the Socialist press.
cus Groun in Germany, or whether it will line up with Majority Socialism, first in Russia and now in Gerthe Social patriots who call themselves Socialists and who are attempting to stifle the revolution.
many, became frightened by the development of its The National Executive Committee has already se own theories and after a period of fruitless compro of their efforts, these men joined their governments imise found itself doing the work of its bourgeois revolution is in action in Germany they have joined so doing it acted beyond its power. No small group against Revolutionary Russia. And now that the lected three delegates to attend this Congress, but in masters.
with the Kaiser generals to destroy the revolution of men has the right to pick out the representation of This situation in the countries where the revolution and to enthrone Capitalism in the Kaiser place.
the party, no small group of men has the right to dedeveloped is necessarily reflected in the Socialist movement of the other parts of the world. Within the SoEven at this moment the streets of the principal The three delegates appointed should be immediately cide that the party will participate in such a Congress.
cialist movement is developing antagonisms, differing cities of Germany are running red with the blood of fundamentally from the antagonisms which are nec Socialists who told the German workers that they Convention should be convoked, first to decide whether the workers who are dying to save the revolution. The recalled and without delay an Emergency National essarily a part of any healthy progressive movement, inust march to the trenches at the behest of the or not we will participate in what has all the earmarks and these antagonisms will inevitably rend the Social Kaiser and his junkers and now using loyal troops of a reactionary Congress, and then to take the further ist Party of this country into a thousand fragments if to mow down those workers who would banish Capi steps necessary to bring about the convocation of the it is left without any definite plan of action or well talism for ever. These Socialists have jailed Radek, Third International. The International of the revoconsidered program.
the Bolshevik envoy to Germany, because he is a lutionary proletariat of the world who are even now Due to a variety of causes, these antagonisms have Socialist. Are the Socialists of America to meet in marching on to victory.
bership;