The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles.
The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose,
while the subject class has had nothing to gain and all to lose—especially their lives.
-Eugene Debs
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Saturday February 27, 1915
From The Labor World & the Appeal to Reason: Thoughts on War and Capitalism
Belgian Soldiers in Winter Quarters
From the Duluth Labor World of February 27, 1915:
MILLIONS FOR WAR! NOTHING FOR MEN!
$109,000,000 appropriated by congress for military purposes while voting to continue the sweat shop system of stop watches and other so called scientific shop management methods in government plants, was the wonderful achievement of Congress last Tuesday.
$109,000,000 appropriated for the purpose of "murdering" men outright and the continuance of a system that "murders" men piecemeal. Truly "patriotic" citizens should be proud of "their" national senate.
$109,000,000 would furnish a $4,000 home to each of 27,250 citizens. Computing the average annual wage for the average worker at $600, this appropriation represents the yearly wages of 181,666 workers. Computing the average workers family to be five members, this appropriation means the existence wages for one year for 908,330 people.
This appropriation is only a part of the total military appropriations of the United States. The $109,000,000 represented here applies only to the army and coast fortifications. There remains to be made a larger appropriations for the maintenance and increase of the navy.
We do not wish to be understood as taking a maudlin stand against appropriations for the defense of the nation. We do not want to be ranked with those who are crying out against the "horrors of war" regardless of the conditions confronting us. We by no means stand in favor of total disarmament under the existing state of society.
We do want to be counted among those however who protest against the actions of Congress in refusing to consider the detrimental effects of the so-called efficiency systems on the workers employed in the government workshops.
We stand up to be counted among those who protest against the actions of those senators and representatives who refuse to free the child slaves of this country and refuse to heed the cries of the men and women who are bing ground down in the sweated and unorganized industries of the nation. These are the senators and representatives who talk the loudest and the longest for "our dear people, the flag and the nation," and at the first bugle call are found marching towards the rear.
$109,000,000 for "murder" but not a cent for the conservation of life.
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From the Appeal to Reason of February 27, 1915:
War Is Murder Any Way You Scheme It Out
"NOT A MAN, not a dollar for war!" This is the only true position of real Socialists and sincere advocates of Peace. War is murder-legalized only by the capitalist governments of the world. No one can stand for war in any way and at the same time claim that he belongs to the ranks of Socialism. A great deal of rot is being written in various publications demanding concessions from militarism. Some are willing to pose as Socialists and sincere advocates of peace and at the same time stand for small armies and small navies. If a small army or a small navy is right a big army and a big navy is right. The principle back of them is the same.
Once we recognize the right of arming some men to shoot down other men either in this country or abroad we endorse the principle of militarism. And this is the very thing that has led up to the European war. Let the Socialists of America stand uncompromisingly against war and militarism. It is not for the revolutionary party of the working class to trim and compromise. Let such parties as the progressive party containing as prominent leaders at the same time, Theodore Roosevelt, the arch militarist of America, and Jane Addams and Raymond Robbins, organizers of peace conferences, do the trimming.
Let the Socialists of America stand by their colors. Let our party be the only party that stands against all wars and against everything that is intended to murder and maim human beings. Let our cry be clear and strong. Let us be at the head of the procession. Finally, let us remember the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, "There never was a good war nor a bad peace."
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[paragraph break added]
More from the Appeal:
Our Workers Pay for the European War
WHO IS PAYING for this war in Europe? The British chancellor says: "We could pay for our huge expenditures on the war for five years, allowing a substantial sum for depreciation, out of the proceeds of our investments abroad." This is another way of saying that people who do not live in Europe, that people who live in the United States of America, are going to have to pay the expense of the war in the way of interest and profits on investments English capitalists have "abroad."
The statement shows some thing of the enormous tribute of interest and profits levied by foreigners on the people of the United States. But England is not alone in making American workers pay her war debt. The English chancellor further boasts: "France could carry on the war for two or three years out of the proceeds of her investments abroad, and both countries will still have something to spare to advance to their allies."
Germany, too, has investments in America, though there is no official declaration as to the amount of tribute they bring. The point is, American workers are paying for the war. If it continues for two or three years they will still pay for the war. This is why products of the mills and mines and fields are being shipped to Europe, and with it all less gold comes back than we are compelled to ship there.
We are under tribute to foreign capitalists. Capitalism has made this a tribute nation. The government dare not curb the rapacity of the exploiters because foreign capitalists will not permit it. An embargo on food would without doubt leave America richer in actual, wealth, but the president assures us that we can spare a little more without starving-and the foreign capitalists must have their tribute!
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[paragraph break added]
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SOURCES
The Labor World
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-Feb 27, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
Appeal to Reason
(Girard, Kansas)
-Feb 27, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/...
IMAGES
All images are from:
The International Socialist Review, Volume 15
Algie Martin Simons, Charles H. Kerr
C.H. Kerr, 1914-1915
http://books.google.com/...
The February 1915 edition-
http://books.google.com/...
Belgian Soldiers
http://books.google.com/...
The Dead in the Streets of Belgrade
http://books.google.com/...
Western France
http://books.google.com/...
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Workers Song-Dropkick Murphys
And when the sky darkens and the prospect is war
Who's given a gun and then pushed to the fore
And expected to die for the land of our birth
Though we've never owned one lousy handful of earth?
-Ed Pickford
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