Pretexts must be found in order to send men to slaughter, but these were easily available. In Austria, Pan-Serbianism served as an excuse. In Russia they advertised the need of helping Serbia. In Germany they denounced the Cossack menace. In France they made much of the threatening Prussian militarist caste. In England they appealed for aid for stricken Belgium. In all countries they voiced loudly such catchwords as; "Right," "Liberty," and "Civilisation." Everywhere "National Defence" was a commanding reason for men to shoulder the burden of war, to obey the ruling classes, to suffer and to die for their country.
The "leaders " of European Socialism such as Jules Guesde, Hyndman, Plekhanov, Victor Adler, Scheideman, Vandervelde, who had taught us the principles of the class struggle and of the solidarity of class, soon found bonds which would link together the exploiters and exploited of the same country, and of the interests common to both masters and slaves. Thus did the masses become identified with the "nation," thanks to these specious sophisms and to the degradation of the most outstanding Socialist truths.
Thus was the proletariat won over to crime in order to safeguard the interests of an oligarchy which Socialism has ever denounced as a robber and a usurper. And yet these "leaders" of the International were in no wise unaware that war, under whatever pretext it may be fought, is but the result of the imperial politics of all the ruling castes in Europe. They well knew that the happenings of the week previous to August 4th, 1914, were of only secondary importance, they were but the immediate provocation and not the causes of the war. Had these "leaders " not taught us themselves to discern the deep and tremendous reasons which make the capitalist management of the world nothing less than a war-generating machine? Is not modern warfare but the violent interpretation of rival interests and economic jealouses which modern capitalist society has split into opposing camps?
Up to the eve of war the words "general strike" and "direct action" were for them the supreme interpretation of the popular desire for peace. "Not an ounce of
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