GERMAN DEMOCRACY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1916, Page 7

GERMAN DEMOCRACY.

PARTY EAGER FOR WAR. INDICTMENT BY LABOR ORGAN. A significant article, valuable tor tne light which it throws on the true feeling of the working classes in Germany in regard to the war, has been published in the Dutch newspaper De Arfeid, the organ of the National Labor Secretariate in the Netherlands. It deals with the split in the party of the Social Democrats in the German Parliament, which it ascribes to the fact that Haase, the veteran leader of the party, lias realised that things are going badly with Germany, and is endeavoring, with consummate cunning, to redeem himself in the eyes of the democrats of the world. Narrating the story of a man thoroughly acquainted with German conditions, the author of the article says:—''When the war broke out all the German Labor Party was mad with delight. The alleged meetings of protest which were held with the consent and under the patronage of the Government were so many sham displays. It was wholly and entirely arranged with the Government. And who had settled it all with the Government? Haase; the same Haase, who now plays the Opposition part so splendidly. When the first troops marched out in August, 1014 (particular emphasis is placed on this fact bj the Dc Arfeid) the Socialist members and the various branches, and even well-known leaders, had decorated their arms with flowers. They ran cheering and singing through the streets of the great towns. They were beside themselves with joy, because now at last they were to pay off the cursed French an old. debt. 'What happened'/' ask the writers. They then proceed to bring a terrible indictment against the Social Democrats of German/, who assisted in the terrible atrocities committed in Belgium, and then tried in Ghent, in the "Vooruif (so says the article) to justify themselves with the silly excuse that they were compelled so to do because the Belgians had treacherously attacked them. It is further pointed out that no single Social Democrat ever raised his voice in opposition to 'the crimes of German submarine commanders' or to 'the horrible and dastardly murders perpetrate! from aircraft on the population of English and Belgian cities.' On the contrary, they assented to every respect for an increased vote to carry on the war, au.V made a hero of the submarine captain von Weddigcn, who, after torpedoing an English cruiser, sank two other ships that sent boats to the rescue of drowning men." The article concludes: —"Let Haase remain with his party. Let him, with Schicdcmann and Suedekum and the other murderers, continue to represent social democracy in Germany. . . . Let them never again think of an international, for what they desire is a ,labor movement under German control. With them the Labor movement must have nothing more to do. The Labor movement must seek peace, not war, among nations, and it can thus never march together with the Germans, who from sheer hatred against their fellow workers share in w perpetration of massacres.-"