Murder Manifesto

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 1, 1 February 1913, Page 3

Murder Manifesto

To the rank and file of the Army and Navy. Some time ago certain wicked agitators tried to lead you from the path of duty, by circulating a ‘‘Don’t Shoot” leaflet. They attacked therein the first duty of a soldier (or bluejacket), which is obedience. They actually had the audacity to ask you to THINK ! To obey your own reason, rather than the lawful commands of your superior officers! They asked you, as members of the working class, to refrain from shooting striking miners, carters, dockers, railwaymen. or other workers, whom they “ bombastically ” called your “brothers,” They asked you to refuse to shoot these “brothers” of yours, when lawfully commanded by your superiors. You know the penalty for disobedience. You know that so serious a crime as refusing to murder is punishable by death, “or in such other punishment as is hereinafter mentioned”! We do not wish you to obey because you fear the consequences of disobedience, that would be cowardice. We wish to convince you that it is a perfectly just, humane, and proper action for you to murder working men. Do not be led away by quotations such as “Thou shall not kill,” “ Love one another,” etc. These are merely frothy remarks supposed to have been made by a common agitator two thousand years ago, who claimed to be the “Son of God.” He received the full penalty of the law for these pernicious teachings, and was crucified between two other felons. Let not such teachings deter you from your duty to the great financiers and capitalists. Look at the names on your regimental colours, dressy, Waterloo, Omdnrman, Balaclava, Tugela, ttpion Kop, and a host of others. Think of the enormous loss of hu-

man life that made these victories possible! Did ever any soldier worthy of the name falter because it was thought necessary to destroy hundreds, thousands, or millions of his fellow creatures? No! A thousand times. No I Soldiers are made of sterner stuff than the weak-kneed advocates of peace.

Let us look facts in the face. Why arc you soldiers or sailors? What is the real work of a soldier ashore or afloat ? Do not confuse

the Army and Navy with the Young Men’s Christian Association, or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Dumb Animals. Are you armed with Lee-Metiords and sword bayonets, are you skilled in the use of maxim guns and heavier ordnance, do you learn to shoot at dummy figures representing men, for no purpose at all? Is all this expenditure and instruction to be thrown away? God forbid! Then for what purpose is this training given you? To preserve life? No. To destroy life? Yes. Then you have the “right to murder.”! Decidedly you have, what else are you here for ? Then shut your eyes to seditious teachings. Who are these discontented sedition ists? Working men who get higher wages than you do and are still dissatisfied! You show them a sublime example of contentment. Your wages are still well under 2s a day, as they were a hundred years ago, and with the one exception of the “Mutiny at the Nore” you have been and still ought to be'satisfied l What right have they to complain or revolt? You don’t! Remember always Obey! Obey! Obey! Remember The Light Brigade and their glorious exhibition of blind obedience! Remember how hundreds went to certain death rather than upset Lord Cardigan by telling him he was a criminal fool! Sublime example of discipline! You soldiers and bluejackets may yet have a chance to distinguish yourselves even to a greater extent than the Light Brigade. They obeyed orders, they asked no reasons; but they Were fighting men whom they knew not; foreigners who were armed and fighting them, fierce and desperate foes. How much greater is the courage required to shoot down unarmed fellow countrymen! What grander sight can there be than soldiers lawfully obeying the commands of their officers, and shooting down men. women, and children, who dare demand from tVtok class that officer you, higher wageAfc shorter hours, or better of labour ! W \ The Balaclava charge to nothing beside the example* < Lannelly, Liverpool, and Belfast. True, there were may killed at these but then look what you could have done!—Ex.