END OF SOCIALIST CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 10

END OF SOCIALIST CONGRESS.

MILITARISM RESOLUTION.

M. HERVE'S PROTEST.

Amid frantic cheering and tho singing of tho "Internationalo" in German, French, Russian and English, while tho spectators in tho galleries: threw;red, roses and carnations a 6 Herron Bobel and Singer tin the platform,the. Socialist Congress at Stuttgart closed-on' August 24. ' The proceedings, writes a pondeut, terminated under conditions;iqf-;t!ie, ,utmost .cordiality".; ; The, had every reason for satisfaction, fortnot/pu'lyj has- a considerable and most important; agenda been dealt with, but by' $ i'jßnlliaiitf tactical movo on the part of tional Bureau all traco of tho discord which it was feared to-day's discussion of tho militarism question would disclose was avoided. Taking advantage .'of the. , ;,biitburfet of prolonged applauso which greeted the end-of Vanderveldc's most able speech as reporter of the Commission, the Bureau proposed to adopt the resolution by acclamation, without discussion, thus avoiding any chance of recriminations between tho German Revisionists on the ono side and the German extremists and French anti-militarists on the other.

1 Tho resolution bofore cub meoting said :— "This. Congress confirms the resolutions of former International Congresses against Imperialism, and again declares that the fight against militarism cannot bo separated from the Socialistic struggle of classes as a whole. ' lAfter setting forth that commercial rivalry leading to the subjugation of foreign nations and tho confiscation of territory is generally the cause of wars, which are also engendered by increasing armaments, one of the principal instruments for maintaining the predomin-. ance of the bourgeois classes'and the subjugation of the working classes, the resolution says:—"The outbreak of wars is favoured by prejudices cultivated in the interest of the reigning classes to divert the proletariat from its. duties towards international solidarity. Wars, therefore, are essential to capitalism, and will not cease until tho sacrifices of men. mid money or thfi revolt against armaments have-compelled tho nations to abandon the systom." In view of the fact that soldiers are chiefly recruited from t-ne working classes., the resolution declares it to be the duty of' tho working classes, arid especially of their Parliamentary representatives, to fight with all their might against military and naval armaments, to refuse to grant money for sucli - purposes, and imbue the young people of theworking classes with •■thp '.-Socialist' spirit, -of universal brotherhood. The, resolution go?? on to say:—"This Congress considers that tin,; democratic organisation or national defence by replacing the standing army by a citizen militia, will prove an 'effective means for iiiak- ; ing wars of aggression..'impossible and for overcoming , national antagonism. This international Conferenco cannot lay down rigid formulae for tho action to bo taken by'the working classes against. militarism) < as, thif; action must necessarily differ, according to'.. titrio and conditions -in the various national' parties; but it is its duty to intensify and co-ordinate as much as possible the efforts of the working' classes against militarism and war." The resolution,gives instances.of hov., the proletariat in tho past, .in the Fasliodn affair, in tho Morocco crisis, and in the separation of Norway and Sweden had recourse -to various methods to prevent armed conflicts, and declares that this, wjlhbe more successful as tho,mimls';of -thepsoplt "are prepared by unceasing' propaganda, and the Labour parties in the different countries an" drawn together by these international Conferences. The Congress expressed the conviction that under tho pressure of the proletariat honest arbitration-in-disputes will "replace. the futile'attempts of Governments, and thus the people will be assured of the benefit of universal disarmament, which will allow the ,resources of, energy.:'and--mone3f;:now ; ..w.a,sted;-. iri; wars.to be.applied to'progress "and civilis-' ation. The resolution concludes:—"ln caso of ;war being imminent .the, working .class, an'd, Parliamentary representatives shall bo'bounds with the assistance of the International Bureau, to do 'all it Can to prevent an outbreak. For this purpose all tho meanswhich appear to them to ,bo,most efficacious 'should' be omploycd, which mus,t naturally, vary according to the facntencss of the struggle oi' the classes and' the general -political.'..icon-;-ditions. In--case war should break 'oiit notwithstanding, 'they are .bound. to .intervene for its being brought .to v a'-'spoedy r 6oiiclusiori,> and tp l cmplqy-all their forces for utilising tho economic crisis created, by war in order to rouse the m'asseSiOf the people to hasten the downfall .and pred.omuia.nco, qf'the capitalist class." . •".■ ' ■' ' ■ ■'- ■ •■ . -. ..-•

The. proposal :;of the International Bureau to adopt the resolution by acclamation*ivitliout discussion was with a roar of cheering, which'was'interrupted by a small, jdapper man, whose' closely-buttoned' tunic 'gave him the appearance of. a fencing master, rising at the French .tableland.'opposing the motion. It was JI. Herve. . Heedless of the hisses with which, he was received from, some quarters, he marched'jauntily to the platform, whilo tho whole.Congress settled down, in dead r.ilenco.to hear the man who d.aiTclto board Herr Rebel. Settling'his pince-nez,'' M. Hervo saicl-~CitiKons, .jtho elegant,,form in which the closure was proposed does honour to the skill of the. sub-uommi'ssion.vil-.never. , doubted their.skill, but J tliin'lc it is what we call "habilitc crinsno do. lils?blnii ; other words, a.gi'sw Mumlor, which wo cannot wish to countenance. Do you think the whole world dees not know of the discord between the resolution :yo:i wish to adopt without discussion and qpscclits'Wailc/np there''iri'-'thb' commission--(-.-ith r,-iWcf gesture)—by G<?r- ---: man ilplcpatpsp-r (Sonsiitioii.) That'discord is so gmit thnt'l, who am , neither skilful nor a diplomat— floml vnice, "Hear, hoar")—will vote far the resolution, witji both bands, and I hope that Hcrren Bebel aiul Von Vollmar will do the snirr, but their speeches were almost tho contrary of the resolution. (Some apphiwo.) Why, the ..resolution says .-white, and ■ Hcsrron .Ilobel and Von 'Vollmar say black! You cannot terminate in this equivocal way without linal explanation. I know our good translators added effect to M. Vandorvcldn'g speech in translating it—(uproar) —but Hcrr Aillor is aii Austrian and M. Vandcrvel'.U" is a'.-Frenchman from-.Belgium. (Laughter.) '■ We ; want a German'' Social Oc- - mocrut to say■ from tho platform here that the ideas of Gorman. Social Democracy are', not those of Tlorreii Bebel and Von Vojlmar." i\Ye have a free platform hero, where we can say what we like. .At most we risk, expulsion like our comrade Mr. Queleh, and we have an , opportunity, of exposing, the German Government to the, absurdity of dissolving tho Congress at tho.'tbrniination of its labours; ii you oppose .discussion :y_on commit a ' gross error. If the resolution is voted as proposed it will bea shuffle', , a'strangulation. (Groans' and hisses.)

When the hubbub had subsided HerrSinger Bummoned. those iiufayqur..of the- motion' ltd raise their hands... Instantly thousands;, ofhands shot up all over the vast building amid such cheering as the Congress had not-, ypt heard, while above all, lifted up in the arms of a muscular Frenchman,'M. Herve, with both hands above his head, shouted, "Mo voila, yoyez-vousr"