Bolshevism in Germany.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16417, 10 January 1919, Page 6

Bolshevism in Germany.

Affairs in Germany appear to be following the course of events in Russia in 1917, tbough with considerably greater rapidity. It was not until "November, eight months aftor tho Czar's abdication, that Lenin seized from Kerensky the reins of power, whereas the Bolshevist raid on the Government in Germany l.ae 1 begun within two months of tho Kaiser quitting- tho throne. It is too early yet to say definitely that tho forces of disorder will dofoat those of order, but Indications point that way. . Tho longer the present turmoil lasts the greater will . become Liobkneclxt's chances of success, for while it continues all efforts to re-establish, industry, and thus absorb the demobilised troops, must be in abeyance, and idleness, especially when coupled with tho discontent caused by a general food shortage, are Bolshevism's most offective recruiting agencies. It remains to bo seen what will be the result of' tho approaching general election, with, "its new and huge electorate, many of whom will be exercising tho franchiso tho first time, but a time of civil war, or something approaching civil war, is hardly favourable ik> securing the considered judgment of the ( nation, oven if the Bolshevik eloments, who may by that time be in control of the electoral machinery, permit the eloction to bo carried out fairly and without interference. At prosent, however, what wc see in Germany is tho beginning of a revolution against the revolution, similar to ill at which took place in Russia and ph.ngod that country into the chaotic condition in which it is now struggling. The movement headed by Liebknecht has not, of course, tho full strength of the German Socialists behind it. Bofore tho war, it has been said, German Socialism was tho largest, most perfectly disciplined, and bost'instructed political organisation in the world. Its enrolled members numbered over a million, they wero supported by the federation of trade unions, with a total membership of over two millions, and most of them were evolutionists. There wore others, the revolutionists, wlio believed tliat they' could attain thoir ideab by turning things upside down, and it was from tho extremists of this section that tho left wing of the Russian. SocialDemocrats —the Bolshevists—sprang. Bolshevism., therefore, in coming to light in Germany, is only returning to it 3 birthplace. It is claimed by its leaders there that it is tne finest expression of Marxian orthodoxv, but, as an English writer with largfe experience of Germany and of Russia under Bolshevik rule said lately, Bolshevism has gone far beyond the position occupied until quite recently by

any largo Socialist organisation in Germany. "Antipathy to Bolshevism "was" (until the events of the past few weeks) "almost tho sole point on " which the majority and minority Socialists in Germany agreed, "whereas Liebkneeht was the only "politician of any prominence in Ger"many whom the Leninites recognised "as 'one of themselves.' " This was so much the case that when one of the German delegates to the conference which resulted in the treaty of Brest-Litovsk asked one of the Russian Bolshevik delegates confidentially whether there was any particular German whom they would prefer as German 3linister at Petrograd, he was staggered when the Bolshevik replied, " Yes, Liebkneeht,*' who, as it happened, was at that moment in a German gaol for advocating what virtually amounted to Bolshevism.

If the two great sections of German Socialism used, as stated above, to dislike Bolshevisnij the German Bolshevists represented by the Spartacus Group and other growths of the same kind, hold the average Socialist in contempt, and by their tactics they have increased the disorganisation which the war has caused in the ranks of the Socialist Party. There is much the sarao difference between the Spartacus Bolsheviks and the ordinary German Socialist as he used to be, as there is between the most rabid "Red Fed" and the ordinary trade-unionist with mildly Socialistic ideas. And in Germany tho extremists have temporarily como to the top, as there is a tendency for them to do elsewhere. Ths leaders of what has been termed official Socialism are in some danger of losing control of the party and the situation. It is a development to be depJored, for, as Dr. Harold Williams said lately, Marxism, pushed to its logical conclusion as in Bolshevism, is Prussianism for the masses, the negation of true liberty. Bolshevism, he added, means protracted civil war, a wild appeal to hate and greed and brute force, the destruction of those spiritual forces which have made the development of free institutions pos- J sible. If Germany passes from Prus-I sianism to Bolshevism, the rest of tho world will be faced with a danger as real as the ono which the free Allied nations have just conquered.