You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Tuesday September 1, 1914
From the International Socialist Review: Haywood on the Assassination of Jean Jaures
In this month's Review, Big Bill Haywood writes of the assassination of Jean Jaures, French Socialist and peace advocate. Haywood believes that a General Strike by the working class of all nations could yet stop the war now engulfing Europe.
JEAN JAURES, the great peace advocate, is dead. He was assassinated on July 31 by a young student crazed with the war spirit.
I first met Jaures at the International Socialistic Congress held at Copenhagen in 1910; it was in the foyer of the congress hall. He was surrounded by representatives from all nations. His greetings were in French, a low, quiet voice of tremendous reserve power. He was of medium height, heavy frame, deep chest, massive shoulders, large head set low, broad forehead, furtive, restless dark gray eyes, full beard covering strong jaws and chin, just past the half century mark.
The real character of Jaures was shown in the congress during the discussion of the resolution committee's report on the resolution on arbitration and disarmament:
The congress declares that the armaments of the nations have alarmingly increased during recent years in spite of the peace congresses and the protestations of peaceful intention on the part of the governments. Particularly does this apply to the general movement of the governments to increase the naval armament whose latest phase is the construction of "dread-noughts." This policy leads not only to an insane waste of national resources for unproductive purposes and therefore to the curtailment of means for the realization of necessary social reforms in the interest of the working class, but it also threatens all nations with financial ruin and exhaustion through the insupportable burdens of indirect taxation.
These armaments have but recently endangered the peace of the world, as they always will. In view of this development which threatens all achievements of civilization, the well being of nations and the very life of the masses, this congress reaffirms the resolutions of the former international congresses, and particularly that of the Stuttgart congress.
The workers of all countries have no quarrels or difference which could lead to war. Modern wars are the result of capitalism and particularly of rivalries of the capitalist classes of the different countries for the world market, and of the spirit of militarism, which is one of the main instruments of capitalist class rule and of the economic and political subjugation of the working class. Wars will cease completely only with the disappearance of the capitalistic mode of production. The working class, which bears the main burdens of war and suffers most from its effects, had the greatest interest in the prevention of wars. The organized Socialist workers of all countries are, therefore, the only reliable guaranty of universal peace. The congress, therefore, again calls upon the labor organizations of all countries to continue a vigorous propaganda of enlightenment as to the causes of war among all workers, and particularly among the young people, in order to educate them in the spirit of international brotherhood.
The congress, reiterating the oft-repeated duty of Socialist representatives in the parliaments to combat militarism with all means at their command and to refuse the means for armaments, requires from its representatives:
(a) The constant reiteration of the demand that international arbitration be made compulsory in all international disputes.
(b) Persistent and repeated proposals in the direction of ultimate complete disarmament, and, above all, as a first step, the conclusion of a general treaty limiting naval armaments and abrogating the right of privateering.
'(c) The demand for the abolition of secret diplomacy and the publication of all existing and future agreements between the governments.
(d) The guaranty of the independence of all nations and their protection from military attacks and violent suppression.
The International Socialist Bureau will support all Socialist organizations in their fight against militarism by furnishing them with the necessary data and information and will, when the occasion arrives, endeavor to bring about united action. In case of warlike complications this congress reaffirms the resolution of the Stuttgart congress, which reads:
In case of war being imminent the working classes and their parliamentary representatives in the countries concerned shall be bound, with the assistance of the International Socialist Bureau, to do all they, can to prevent the breaking out of the war, using for this purpose the means which appear to them the most efficacious, and which must naturally vary according to the acuteness of the struggle of classes and to the general political conditions.
In case war should break out, notwithstanding, they shall be bound to intervene for its being brought to a speedy end and to employ all their forces for utilizing the economical and political crisis created by the war, in order to rouse the masses of the people and to hasten the downbreak of the predominance of the capitalist class.
For the proper execution of these measures the congress directs the bureau, in the event of a war menace, to take immediate steps to bring about an agreement among the labor parties of the countries affected for united action to prevent the threatened war.
SUB-AMENDMENT.
Among the means to be used in order to prevent and hinder war, the congress considers as particularly efficacious the general strike, especially in the industries that supply war with its implements (arms and ammunition, transport, etc.), as well as the propaganda and popular action in their most active forms.
KEIR HARDIE,
E. VAILLANT.
To be added to this Jaures proposed the following :
Among all the means of preventing and stopping war and of compelling governments to resort to arbitration, the congress considers as particularly efficacious the general strike simultaneously and internationally organized in all the countries concerned.
During the animated discussion that took place Jaures was easily the leader. His eloquent and forceful support of the proposition for the complete general strike, with out regard to the mandate as to armament industries, was carried by 1,690 to 1,174.
Again in King's hall during closing hours of the congress, the occasion being a magnificent reception to the foreign delegates, Jaures with others, among them the writer, addressed the gathering. It was the masterful oratory, the magnetic power of Jaures that aroused the crowd to the heights of enthusiasm. He spoke as he had at Stuttgart, of the strength of a united proletariat.
Capitalism carried war in its womb; the proletariat could make it miscarry. We ought to apply our already formidable force to all social manifestations of capitalist oppression. We would be dishonored if we did not do our utmost to avoid war. The most prudent, as also the noblest, was to perform our duty fearlessly.
When his words ceased to reverberate throughout the big hall the delegates rushed to the platform, throwing their arms around Jaures. They lifted him to their shoulders and carried him around among the cheering assemblage. No other delegate was given such greeting and ovation as this champion of the complete general strike against war.
I met him again. It was in the office of L'Humanite in Paris during the general strike of the railway men. It was in his office that the syndicalist leaders of the strike were arrested. At this period Jaures led the forces opposing the renegade Briand, whom then premier was trying to break the strike by compelling the railwaymen to become reservists.
When Jaures and Emile Vandervedle of Belgium were enroute to London I met them on the deck of a channel steamer. They were going to the World's metropolis to participate in the great anti-war demonstration held in Albert Hall in 1910. Again rang out from the lips of Jaures the trumpet call of international solidarity for the general strike.
Two days before Jaures was shot down he spoke at a demonstration in Brussels, predicting the social revolution that will come after the war is over. He said:
I, who have never hesitated to bring upon my head the hatred of our patriots by my desire to bring about a Franco-German understanding, have the right to say that at this time the French government desires peace. But for the supreme masters the ground is mined. In the drunkenness of the first battles they succeed in pulling along the masses. In proportion as typhus completes the work of death and misery these men will turn to the masters of Germany, France, Russia, Austria, Italy, etc., and will demand what reason they can give for all these corpses. And then the revolution will tell them: "Go and demand grace from God and the men."
The last appeal of Jaures was for action. He deplored the futility of words. He it was who put life and action in the Copenhagen resolutions. His last editorial published the day following his death concludes:
The danger is great, but it is not unavoidable if we preserve clearness of mind and a strong will. If we have both heroism of patience and heroism of action, the clear view of our duty will give us the power to accomplish it. What counts now is the continuity of action, the constant awakening of the reason and conscience of the workers. There lies true salvation. There lies the guarantee of the future.
If the diplomats, statesmen and parliamentarians of the Socialist movement could have realized with Jaures the power of the general strike and joined with Italy in their demonstration to give "not a life, not a penny for war," the terrible carnage would have been averted.
The great advocate of peace is dead. The general strike is a living issue—the only guarantee of peace.
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SOURCE
The International Socialist Review, Volume 15
Algie Martin Simons, Charles H. Kerr
C.H. Kerr, 1914
International Socialist Review
-of Sept 1914
(search with "Haywood" choose p.144)
http://books.google.com/...
IMAGES
French Troops
& Haywood on Jaures
(see link above, follow search info)
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Hellraisers Journal is on vacation!
Hellraisers will be on a vacation of sorts until September 22nd, and will appear in abbreviated form until that date. A complete vacation is not possible since the ruling class never took a vacation from their suppression and oppression of the working class.
Hitting the road, the next time I will be able to access the internet will be on Friday, and then only for about an hour. At that time there will be comments that I can't rec, but I will certainly respond to all comments. I want to THANK EVERYONE in advance who rec's, tips, comments, or even just reads Hellraisers during that time!!
Solidarity,
JayRaye
There are no limits to which powers of privilege
will not go to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
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