of union with Soviet Russia and with Soviet Hungary. We Communists will use all means to facilitate and prepare such a union; at the same time, we are not at all bound to repudiate the Versailles Treaty—or, what is more, to repudiate it immediately. The possibility of successfully repudiating the Treaty depends, not only upon the German, but also upon the international success of the Soviet movement. This movement was hampered by the Scheidemanns and Kautskians; we shall help it. Therein lies the main point; that is where the fundamental difference lies. And if our class enemies the exploiters, their lackeys the Scheidemanns and Kautskians, have missed a great many opportunities for strengthening both the German and the international Soviet revolution, the blame falls upon them. The Soviet revolution in Germany will strengthen the international Soviet movement. This is the strongest bulwark—and the only reliable, unconquerable, omnipotent bulwark—against the Versailles Peace, against international imperialism in general. To put the overthrow of the Versailles Peace absolutely and irrevocably in the first place, before the question of the liberation of other countries from the yoke of imperialism, is a species of petit-bourgeois nationalism (worthy of Kautsky, Hilferding, Otto Bauer and Co.) and is not revolutionary internationalism. The overthrow of the bourgeoisie in any of the large European countries, including Germany, is such an accession to the international revolution that for its sake one can, and must if necessary, suffer a longer duration of the Versailles Peace. If Russia by herself, with benefit to the revolution, could endure the Brest Peace for several months, it is not impossible for Soviet Germany, in alliance with Soviet Russia, to suffer, with benefit to the revolution, a still longer duration of the Versailles Treaty.
The imperialists of France, England, etc., are provoking the German Communists, and laying a trap for them. "Say that you will not sign the Peace of Versailles," they say. And the Left Communists, like children, fall into the trap laid for them, instead of manœuvring skilfully against the treacherous and, for the moment, stronger enemy; instead of telling him "Today we shall adhere to the Versailles Treaty." To bind
