254 THE CLASS STRUGGLE DOCUMENTS 255 Berlin, October 31 st 1918.
To the workers and soldiers of the entente!
not being satisfied with the streams of bdoed that tre flowing everyo here in the west in the east, in the south the send you, British more kers, to fight against us, the Russian workingmen. They wish to enslave za in order to keep you in slavery, yet you allow yourselves to be used as tools for this vile purpose.
Your capitalists and officers have been telling you that you are figh.
ting against Prussian militarism. Prussian militarism has already been destroyed by the Prussian people themselves. Influenced by the Russian Revolution, the German working class has risen and has overthrown the regime of the bloody kaiser. He is in prison, his government is disperse, Soviets are being formed everywhere; the soldiers have joined hands withd the working class; the German sailors at Kiel aud el ewhere have shot their officers and taken posession of the navy. Berlin is in the hands of the revolutionary soldiers and workers. Severe fighting is taking place all over Germany; a great Socialist Revolution has commenced. Similar events are taking place in Austria and Hungary The Emperop Karl has escaped and Vienna and Budapest are in the hands of the Soviets of workers and soldiers. At the western front the German soldiers have arrested the peace delegation of the old government and are negotiating direetly with the French and British soldiers.
At this time you are called upon by your capitalist government to play the part of international gendarmes. You are called. upon the assist the Russian and German capitalists and landlords to enslave those peoples. In the meantime the British, French and American capi.
talists are strengthening the shackles of slavery and are forging chains for yourseves. In Great Britain līberty of the gress, the liberty of the subject, the rights of the Trade Unions have been completely abolished, the country is misgoverned by a gang of adventurers and profiteers who for the sake of a few millions of profit do not mind killing millions of Beitish and other working men. The flower of the manhood of the nation is being crippled. Industries which produced necessities of Life for the people have been destroyed, famine and misery are reigning everywhere. The ar.
mament ring which dictates its policy through the Northcliffe press is saling supreme.
Hundreds of thousands of British working men are protesting against this unbearable state of affairs; they demand peace and liberty. Hundreds of the best men of the nation, such as John Maclean are in prison.
At this time you serve as tools of your exploiters. British Soldiers Is it not time for you to face the truth, and to decline to serve as the gendarmes of international capitalism?
Demand your immediate thdrawal from free soll of the Russian Federative Soviet Republic!
Return home and join throse workers who are fighting for the fibe.
ration of the working class.
Peter Petroff Friends, Comrades, Brothers!
In the midst of the earthquake of the world war, of the chaotic collapse of the tzaristic imperialist society the Russian proletariat, in spite of misunderstanding, hatred and slander, has established its rule. the Socialist Repu.
blic of Workers, Soldiers and Peasants. It is the titanic beginning of the Socialist construction of the world, the work which constitutes now the historic task of the international proletariat. The Russian revolution has tremendously stimulated the revolutionizing process of the world proletariat. Bulgaria and Austria Hungary are already drawn into the struggle. The German revolution, too, is awakening. Still, tremendous difficulties are arising on the way to victory of the German proletariat. The bulk of the people of Germany are with us. The power of the most bitter enemies of the working class is breaking down. Still they are striving by means of lies and deception to chain the masses to their chatiot and to put off the hour of the emancipation of the people of Germany.
And just as the imperialism of the Entente powers was strengthened by the robberies and murders perpetrated by German imperialsm in Russia, 50 have the German rulers made use of the assault of the Entente powers uponi Socialist Russia for the maintfinance of their power in Germany, Have you seen how a few weeks ago Kaiser Wilhelm II, who after the overthrow of Tzarism is the representative of the most infamous reaction, made use of the intervention of the Entente powers against proletarian Russia to arouse anew the war spirit of the masses of workers?
We cannot allow that such welcome opportunities for demagogy be placed into the hands of our contemptible enemies the most abominable enemy of the world proletariat. It cannot be that the proletariat of the Entente powers should allow such a thing to happen. Of course we know that you have al.
ready raised your voice against the machinations of your governments. Bui the danger is constantly growing. The united front of the world imperialism against the proletariat is becoming a reality in the case of the campaign against the Russian Soviet Republic.
It is to fight to prevent this that am appealing to you!
The world proletariat cannot allow the hearth of the Socialist Revolu.
tion tobe put out if it does not want to see its own hopes and power vanish.
The downfall of the Russian Soviet Republic would mean the defeat of the world proletariat.
Friends, Comrades, Brothers! Raise your arms against your masters!
Long live Russia of the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers!
Long live the revolution of the French, British, Italian and American proletariat!
Long live the emancipation of workingmen of all countries from the hell of war, exploitation and slavery!
Karl Lelbknecht.