Manifesto Resenting German Mission of Herr Sudekum Issued by Socialist
Party at Rome, Sept. 3.
We are Socialists, and we do not hesitate to proclaim that the sending
of a Socialist mission from Germany to Italy at this moment cannot be
free from insidious suspicion; and as such it offends the dignity and
the independence of Italian socialism, and offends it so much more
because international socialism knows that on German Socialists depended
the lesser or greater efficacy in the action of international socialism
to arrest the provocative struggle of armaments promoted by Germany, and
thus to prevent war.
It offends it so much more because the German Socialist Party, assuming
for the justification of the aggressive policy of Germany and Austria
the same arguments as the Kaiser's diplomacy, has lost the right to
attach itself to the ties of international socialism.
We have thus far kept silent, not to disturb the neutrality proclaimed
since the outbreak of the war by the Italian people, irrevocably decided
not to dishonor themselves before the world and before history in giving
aid to Austria and Germany, and requiring peace after two years of war
in Lybia.
Today, however, we are no longer able to be silent in the presence of
German Socialist activity encouraging the obscure play of diplomatic
intrigues on the part of the Governments of the ex-Triple Alliance,
which tends to move Italian neutrality toward the tortuous and perilous
paths of indirect co-operation. We want to affirm that our wishes are
for the immediate cessation of the war without conquerors or conquered.
But if now this hope is vain, we express our desire that this infamous
war may be concluded by the defeat of those who have provoked it; the
Austrian and German Empires, since the empires of Austria and Germany
form the rampart of European reaction, even more than Russia, which is
shaken by democratic and Socialist forces, which have shown that they
know how to attempt a heroic effort of liberation; since if the German
and Austrian Empires emerge victorious from the war it will mean the
triumph of military absolutism in its most brutal expression, of a
barbarian horde massacring, devastating, destroying, and conquering in
violation of every treaty and right and law.
Nor do the German Socialists give us any confidence of knowing how to
restrain this; in the past they have only been able to realize
advantageous contrasts of labor and to attain gigantic election results
without exercising any influence in the policy of their own country.
The defeat of the German Empire may instead offer German socialism the
opportunity of emerging from its voluntary impotence and redeem itself
by breaking down the feudal political régime of the empire, taking away
from Russian absolutism the assistance it has hitherto enjoyed, and
contributing to alter decisively the aims of all European policy.
Since, finally, the victory of the French Republic, now imbued with
genuine socialism, and that of England, where the truest democracy
flourishes, signifies the victory of a European political régime open to
all social conquests and desiring peace, it signifies the agreement
between States at last free and nationally reinforced by the limitation
of armaments and the substitution of a system of national militia for
defense in the place of hordes professionally organized for aggression,
which would imply the liberation as well of the German people.
Therefore, under actual conditions, while nearly the whole of Europe is
at war, we may well raise our cry of horror and of protest; but our
protest strikes only those who desired the war, not those who submit to
it to defend themselves against oppression.
In this war is outlined on one side the defense of European reaction, on
the other the defense of all revolutions, past and future, brought about
by historical necessity stronger than the intentions of Governments. And
because of this we must confirm that there remains for us only one way
of being internationalists--namely, to declare ourselves loyally in
favor of whoever fights the empires of reaction, just as the Italian
Socialists residing in Paris have understood that one way only remains
to be anti-militarist--to arm and fight against the empires of
militarism.
This is our answer as Italian Socialists to the German Socialists.
* * * * *
[Illustration: KEIR HARDIE, M.P.,
British Representative International Socialist Bureau.]