102 THE CLASS STRUGGLE THE CLASS STRUGGLE 103 to disregard those safeguards which the law and trade union rules have established for the protection of their lives, health and efficiency.
The super patriotic effusions of some of our labor leaders in offering to sacrifice their safeguard on the altar of Moloch and Patriotism is, therefore, not only treasonable from the point of view of labor best interests, but also extremely stupid from the point of view of intelligent war patriotism. It is from the latter point of view that the New Republic considers the question, and its rebuke is therefore the more stinging.
In his patriotic zeal Mr. Gomper recently recommended that the Council of National Defense issue a statement to employers and employees in our industrial plants and transportation systems advising that neither employers nor employees shall endeavor to take advantage of the country necessities to change existing standards. In speaking of this recommendation, the New Republic calls attention to the fact that existing standards are changed day by day through the rising cost of food, and that unless some intelligent provision is made for the raising of wages along with the rising cost of food the workers will necessarily be left in the cold a situation which is likely to seriously disturb Mr. Gomper fool paradise in which the loyal wolves and sheep will dwell side by side in peace and harmony. The New Republic very properly reminds Mr. Gompers of the undoubted fact that women cannot do efficient work on a diet of loyalty.
And it is even more merciless in its scorn for Mr. Gomper followers in the New York State Federation of Labor. Speaking of the loyalty declaration of that body, it says. On March 28th, the New York State Federation of Labor, speaking for the man and woman, age, and the children of American labor who will cheerfully make not only this but other sacrifices on our country altar gave advance approval to the suspension of those statutes that safeguard our industrial population. few days later, a bill appeared in the State Assembly designed to sweep away all restrictions, not only upon the employment of men, but also upon the hours and night work of women and children. This isi sheer pathos of misguided sentiment.
Ithe boot that kicks it fits well upon the servile back.
KAISER SOCIALISTS The Berlin Vorwaerts, the central organ of the German SocialDemocracy or what is left of it which stands under the censorship of Hermann Mueller, a member of the Executive of the Party, allowing only such views to find expression in its columns as are in accord with the opinions of the Executive Committee, recently commented upon a statement attributed to Comrade Tchcheidze, asserting the Russian proletariat can go together with that of Germany only after the Hohenzollern dynasty has been overthrown. The Vorwaerts protests against this attempt to bring about a political revolution against the monarchial government of Germany by pressure from without. It insists that the great mass of the German people; as the last elections have proven, favor a monarchy, and adds that a number of those who voted for the Social Democracy are likewise of this opinion. The abolition of the monarchial system, alone, the Vorwaerts continues, is of small moment. The democratic character of the monarchy is, after all, the most important factor. That, and that alone, is what the people want. The monarchy that finds, in these times, wise advisors, will establish itself even more firmly than ever before. Then the article goes on. As soon as the monarchy fulfills the wishes of the people, all agitation for a republican form of government is without foundation. The question, monarchy or republic, will then be even less a subject for discussion than it is to day. And all indications show that this will be the case. There will be difficulties that must be overcome, but they will be met, probably in a very short time, and solved, without a trace of forcible upheaval. without the overthrow of the monarchy.
Thus writes a newspaper that, as the central organ of the Social Democratic Party possesses an influence that reaches far beyond the German border, as the cables that come daily to America, reporting the expressions of the Vorwaerts, show. Thus writes