GERMAN OPPONENT OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2388, 18 February 1915, Page 6

GERMAN OPPONENT OF THE WAR

DR. LIEBKNECHT'S PROTEST The only notable Social Democrat leader in Germany who has openly opposed the war is Karl Liebknecht, whose declaration (quoted from the "Labour Leader") was published recently in the English Press. ,He said:— "My vote against the ' War Credit Bill is based on the following considerations;— This war was desired by none of the peoples involved, nor is it being waged for the well-being of the German or any other people. It is an Imperialist war, a war for the rule of the world market, for political domination over important territories of exploitation for industrial capitalists and financiers. From the standpoint of the competition in the armaments of war, it is a war provoked by the war parties of Germany and Austria jointly, in tho darkness of semi-feudalism and secret diplomacy, to gain an advantage over their opponents. At the same time the war is a Bonapartist effort to disnerve and to split the gvowing movement of tho working class, which, despite remorseless and unsparing attempts to create confusion in its ranks, has developed greatly of latci "The German watchword, 'Against Tsarism,' is proclaimed for the purpose —just as the present British and French watchwords are proclaimed— to exploit the noblest inclinations and tho revolutionary tradition's and ideals of the people in stirring up hatred of other peoples. Germany, the accomplice of Tsarism, the modol of political reaction until this very day, has no standing as the liberator of the j>eoples. The liberation of both tho Russian and the Ger-man-people must be their own work.

"The war is no German war of defence. Its historical basis and its course at the start make the pretension of our capitalist Government that the purpose for which it demands credits is the defence of the country unacceptable. "The early conclusion of a peace without conquests must bo urged, and all efforts to this end must be supported. Only by strengthening, jointly and continuously, the currents in ail tho belligerent countries which have such a peace as their object can this bloody slaughter be brought to an end before the entire exhaustion of the peoples has occurred. Only a peace based on the ground of the international solidarity of the working class and the freedom of all peoples can be lasting. ' Therefore it is the duty of the proletariat of all countries to carry through during the war it common Socialistic work in favour of peace.

,■ "I support the relief credits with the reserve that the sum demanded appears 'to me far from sufficient. No 'ess willingly I vote for everything -which may relieve the hard fate-of our brothers on the battlefield as well as that of tho Wounded and diseased, for whom I feel the deepest compassion. But as a protest against tho war, against those who are for it, and.-who have caused it, against the capitalist purposes for which'it is being used, against • the annexation schemes, against the violation of the neutrality of Belgium and Luxemburg, against the unlimited rule of martial the neglect of social and political duty for which the Government and the ruling classes are guilty, I vote against the demanded war credits.