Part 12 (1/2)
its author is a Socialist member of the Reichstag.
[Footnote 90: ”Die deutsche Sozialdemokratie und der Weltkrieg,” by Dr.
Paul Lensch, published by the Vorwarts Publis.h.i.+ng House. Berlin, 1915.]
In dealing with England he refers to their former admiration for this country and proceeds to prove that it was wrong--wrong in the interests of Germany, and the world. England's fight against Napoleon for European freedom Dr. Lensch disposes of in a sentence: ”Consumed by greed, England took the long-yearned-for opportunity and fell upon her rival, France” (p. 16).
He informs his readers that England and Russia are two beasts of prey.
England's disarmament proposals were only intended to secure her naval supremacy, because Germany seemed to be escaping from the strangulation cord which. England had drawn tight round her throat. Therefore three problems present themselves to Dr. Lensch, which the war must solve:
(1.) Shall the German people continue to exist as an independent nation?
(2.) Shall the danger of Czarism continue to threaten West European culture?
(3.) Shall Britain's naval supremacy be eternalized or overthrown, seeing that Britain only allows other nations to develop, so far as they are compatible with her national interests? (p. 15).
”England's oft-praised freedom is based upon the enslavement of the world; the peoples now recognize that England's wealth, freedom, and greatness are merely the corollary to their poverty, slavery and wretchedness (p. 20).
”International Socialism has not the slightest interest in helping to bolster up this supremacy (p. 22).
”When this monopoly is broken the English working cla.s.ses will lose their present privileged position. They will be reduced to the same level as the workmen of other lands. Then Socialism will flourish in England (p. 23).[91]
[Footnote 91: The author had fondly imagined that the British workman stood foremost as the result of his own battles. In any case, it is to be hoped that British Socialists will be grateful for ”Genosse” Lensch's prayers for their downfall.]
”No party stands to lose more by a British victory than Social Democracy. The overthrow of England's world-position would clear the way for the continuation of the world's progress on the right historical lines, and its economic development (p. 25).
”In the present world war the interests of the internationalists are bound up in a German victory. Hence a German victory would be a victory for Marx's internationalism, and only then, would the hearts and heads of English workmen be open to the intellectual schooling of the Socialistic idea (p. 27).
”As early as the eighties in the last century, Friedrich Engels proved that the ruin of England's industrial monopoly had begun. What the scientist had foretold, became evident to all eyes two decades later.
The social system of the greatest, world-ruling industrial State was shaken to its foundations. International Socialists had every reason to welcome this peaceful downfall of England's world power” (pp. 21-22).
”Marx once wrote that war is like a locomotive in the history of the world. May this war have that effect and under full steam lead to a finish the work which peaceful development had already commenced, _i.e._, the downfall of English supremacy. If the war hastens and concludes this process, then the sacrifices in blood and treasure will not have been in vain. A great stumbling-block to human progress and especially to the proletarian fight for freedom will have been hurled out of the way” (pp. 27-8).
Having failed during a peaceful fight of over forty years, to hurl German autocracy and militarism out of the world, these hot-headed pioneers of liberty (Kaiserdom?) wish to destroy the very State which was their place of refuge when German ”liberty” overwhelmed them with its kindly attentions.
Still we cannot be too grateful to Dr. Lensch for his lucid statement.
It is an effective reply to Germany's sympathizers in this country, and if British workmen should ever see these lines, it will interest them to know that German Socialists are anxious to pull them down a little, in the belief that if British workmen are cut short in their luxuries they will become better Socialists and Internationalists.
Dr. Lensch has only one step more to take, and he will certainly gain the highest German order--_pour le merite_. The famous Communist manifesto of Marx and Engels concludes with the words: ”Proletarians of all lands, unite!” It is much to be desired that Dr. Lensch should amend this by adding to Marx's phrase a few words, so that the amended form would run:
”Proletarians of all lands, unite to sing 'Deutschland, Deutschland, uber alles.'” By this simple means the learned doctor would condense the entire teachings of his book into a single sentence.
”The position to-day is that the interests of freedom and democracy are utterly at variance with a French victory (p. 42).
”Greater Prussia was founded by the war of 1866, while the 1870 struggle established a Little Germany. Through the present war Great Germany will be created” (p. 46).
On another page this Socialist-Chauvinist proclaims that ”the freedom of the oppressed must be the work of the oppressed themselves,” which is a principle that the I.L.P. and U.D.C., etc., would do well to note. ”The peculiarity of our situation is to be found in the fact that extraordinarily advanced ideals have penetrated into our unripe conditions.”[92]
[Footnote 92: Louis Bamberger in an essay on German Social Democracy in the _Deutsche Rundschau_, vol. 14, p. 243.]