in support of the war.

Each individual person knows that it is unpopular in his own neighborhood, but, on account of the seeming unanimity of expression in hese newspapers, he is likely to get the idea that his neighborhood is an excepion and that in reality the people of the nation as a whole, are in the shouting stage of enthusiasm.

Let us assure him that nothing of the kind is true.

The common people all over the nation were opposed to our entrance into he war. When we did enter into it, they sadly shook their heads. They are now dejectedly taking their medicine in much the same way a child takes medicine when it has the croup. They take it with a wry face.

There are many evidences of this unpopularity besides the convincing evidence which one hears when he goes about and talks with the people.

The lack of sufficient enlistments is ample proof. If the people had wanted the war, they would have enlisted with such a rush that nobody would have thought of any such thing as conscription.

The so-called Liberty Loan of 1917, is also having hard sledding. In spite of the fact that practically every bank, trust company, and bond company in the United States has tendered its services in handling applications for this loan, without commission or profit, and in spite of the fact that it has been given millions of dollars worth of free advertising, and in spite of the fact that it is to pay 3 per cent interest, which is more than most government bonds pay, and in spite of the fact that government bonds are considered the very giltest of gilt edge security, it is hard to get people to subscribe. This is further proof of the unpopularity of the war. If the people wanted the war they would gobble up the bonds so quick that it would fairly take you breath away. 540

There is even complaint that the recruits are slow in coming into the Red Cross. This organization is one of the least objectionable features concerned with war, for it relieves suffering, and, if the people wanted the war, certainly it would not have to resort to the multitudinous publicity methods in which it is now engaged in order to get recruits.

No, the people don't want the war.

It is a dollar war. They don't like the taste of it, and they don't like the smell of it.

541

GOVERNMENT'S EXHIBIT 63.

National Shame.

Registration Day is Over. The next move is the National Shame and disgrace of selecting men to be butchered for the financial benefit of the capitalist class. As Irwin St. John Tucker, Western Secretary of the Intercollegiate Socialist Society says in his startling leaflet on "The Price We Pay":

Guns will be put into their hands; they will be taught not to think, only to obey without questioning.

Then they will be shipped through the submarine zone by the hundreds of thousands to the bloody quagmire of Europe.

Into that seething, heaving swamp of torn flesh and floating entrails they will be plunged, in regiments, divisions and armies, screaming as they go.

Agonies of torture will rend their flesh from their sinews, will crack their bones and dissolve their lungs; and every pang will be multiplied in its passage to you.

Black death will be a guest at every American fireside, mothers and fathers and sisters, wives and sweethearts will know the weight of that awful vacancy left by the bullet which finds its mark.

And still the recruiting officers will come; seizing age after age, mounting up to the older ones and taking the younger ones as they grow to soldier size. And still the toll of death will grow.

Let them come! Let death and desolation make barren every home! Let the agony of war crack every parent's heart! Let the horrows and the miseries of the word-down-fall swamp the happiness of every hearthstone!

Then perhaps you will believe what we have been telling you! For war is the price of your stupidity, you, who have rejected socialism.

542

It is a vivid picture, a terrible picture. It is also a truthful picture unless the war ends soon enough to prevent these events taking place. And Mr. Tucker states the solmn and awful truth when he says that this is the price the people pay for having rejected socialism.

A

Had they listened to our counsels, instead of allowing themselves to be deceived by false old party slogans, had they voted the Socialist Party into power, there would be no war today.

On the contrary, the nation would be busily engaged in the constructive and joyful work of transforming the villianous capitalist system of industry into the beneficient Socialist System of industry, thus abolishing poverty and all its long train of evils and bringing blessings and happiness, instead of the scourge of war, to the people.

It is not for the purpose of gloating over the fact of our having told you so that we would bring this stinging truth to your attention. There is no comfort, but rather exasperation, in the thought that "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been."

But there is another and very grave reason why we should remind you that the war could thus easily have been avoided.

That reason is this.

You can prevent all future wars and also turn this war to advantage by turning to socialism now.

Socialism goes to the very root of the evil. It will remove the cause of war. So, by flocking into the socialist movement and taking over the politi cal power in the name of socialism, the people can prevent any repetition of the present catastrophe.

Moreover, by placing the political power, național and state, in the hands of the Socialists, they can see to it that the plans of the plutocrats in the present war shall go astray.

There is no way to do this except by sending socialists to congress and making a general Socialist advance all along the political line.

543

By doing this, the people can, in a measure, retrieve past errors. They can turn an evil war to their own advantage, as in Russia. They can establish a genuine democracy, both political and industrial, in this country.

544

GOV. EX. 64.

(The Milwaukee Leader, June 20, 1917.)

Why We Are In This War.

It is, of course, superfluous to ask our government why we have entered this war. Any student of economics and observer of national and international politics, knows very well why we have entered.

There are at least six valid reasons. Here they are:

First: The Entente Allies were practically at the end of their rope. It the United States had not entered, the war would have been over by this time. All our capitalist papers admit this whenever it suits their purpose they deny it when it does not. About $3,000,000,000 of notes and other obligations which the allied powers owe to Morgan, Schwab & Co.-to the munition makers and exporters of all kinds of war material in America-might not have been worth much over 30 cents if the allies would have lost this war.

Second: Industrial stocks of certain kind-commonly called "war babie" in Wall street-have reached fabulous prices. Their very existence depends upon the continuance of this war. The end of the war means the end of ther prosperity. Incidentally we may also observe that there are lots of war glory and promotion to be gotten, too, out of this war-for officers and generals sons of the capitalist and middle classes. That is a minor mat545 ter, however.

Third: There is absolute freedom from labor troubles during the War All resistance of the working class is simply put down as "giving aid and comfort to the enemy" and, therefore, as treason pure and simple.

Fourth: Under the guise of fighting for democracy in Central Europe, our plutocracy and its government in Washington is now establishing an absolute autocracy in our country with the slogan: war necessitates autocracy. Even such a hot war patriot as Senator Reed of Missouri said that "no king, czar. potentate, Ceasar or kaiser ever exercised such power as President Woodrow Wilson.

Fifth This is a wonderful chance to establish a big army in our country. After this war is over the United States will have to establish order in Mexico We shall undoubtedly shift our borders down to the Panama Canal. Already

the capitalist press is unanimous in its verdict that the Mexicans are not fit for self-government. Some papers even now demand that Mexico be annexed. But we also need Canada's raw material. Therefore, after Mexico is annexed, we will find that Canada belongs to us by common language, common

546

tradition and especially by "common economic interests." And after all our ruling class must have the standing army in order to hold down the inner enemy "--the seditious, traitorous and rebellious working class at home. The war gives us an excellent chance to get that army. Sixth Last but not least-the immense economic and industrial development of Germany demands war. That nation aspired to extend a sphere from Hamburg to the Persian Gulf-an ambition which President Wilson has described so well in his flag day speech in Washington. This seems to threaten che trade of other countries including all of our American capitalist class, according to Wilson's flag day speech. Germany's commercial success evidently requires that Germany may be extinguished. The Allies were not able to do t, therefore, Uncle Sam will undertake the job.

Anybody can see that the German submarnes have nothing to do in the

case.

Nor has Belgium.

The submarines and Belgium are results, not causes.

Nor need we be afraid of a German army landing in our country. The possibility of the kaiser landing an army in America to conquer us is as great as the probability that the inhabitants of the planet Mars will swoop down upon the city of Washington and capture our treasury department. The Allies absolutely control the seas. Yet it will take about a year before we can send an army over to Europe. The Germans-efficient as they arewere never able to land even a regiment in England-which is across the channel from Belgium.

547

As for democracy? We can not force any special form of government upon Germany any more than we could have forced it upon Russia. The German people will have to do that for themselves.

And does our government really desire that? Our ruling class very much prefers the Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaievitch to the little Socialist Nicholai Lennin as ruler of Russia.

Lennin believes that the revolution in Russia should be repeated in Germany, Italy, France, England and in the United States.

Our administration in Washington is slowly beginning to understand that the only republic possible in Germany today, would be a Socialist republic. A Socialist republic in Germany will have an entirely different degree of efficiency than the Russian republic has now. It might require so much more effort of Morgan and his allies to fight Socialist Germany than to fight the kaiser's Germany.

548

Moreover, if Germany is left alone for six months, there will be no kaiser and no Yunker class left there. And a few other things are liable to happen that the capitalists of the world may not like.

But what's the use? We are in the war-for a dozen reasons or for no reason. Now let's get out of it with real honor and as soon as possible-for the sake of democracy at home.

549

(The Milwaukee Leader, June 2, 1917.)

(GOVERNMENT EX. 65.)

An exceptionally splendid four-page leaflet entitled "The Price We Pay," by Irwin St. John Tucker, has been issued by the national office. The underlying idea is that the war is the price we pay for not establishing Socialism. The price of the leaflet is 20c per 100, or $1.50 per 1,000. Orders should be sent to the national office.

550

(The Milwaukee Leader, June 26, 1917.)

(GOVERNMENT EXHIBIT 66.)

Exempting The Rich.

We suppose no one has been credulous enough to believe that the rich would allow themselves to be forced into the trenches in any great numbers. It is

generally understood on all sides that they will contrive to find methods avoiding the smell of powder, and let the workers do the suffering and dy as usual.

It is interesting to note the methods which their fertile brains have devised. Volunteering at a dollar a year to serve on various bureaus and commissi is one of the stunts they are reported to have been using.

But that probably would not take care of all of them. So now we have proposal that corporation officials shall qualify as advisers of the exempte boards. This will give them an opportunity to claim that their sons are hold such responsible and necessary positions in the various corporations that th machinery of production would be thrown out of gear if they were not e empted.

If that doesn't work, trust them to cook up something else.

That they will avoid placing themselves in a position to get their ski punctured is a safe bet.

551

GOV. EX. 67.

Milwaukee Leader, June 23, 1917.

The Emergency Committee of the National Executive Committee consisting of Comrades Germer, Berger and Work, held a meeting at the National Office recently and prepared a call for a defense fund.

As you know a number of comrades over the country have been arrested including National Executive Secretary Germer.

So far as we are able to learn, these comrades have been arrested for exer cising their constitutional rights of free speech, free press and the right to petition the government for the redress grievances.

Of course the party will put a strong and we hope a successful fight in the courts.

It takes money to do this. Hence the call for a defense fund. branches and comrades will undoubtedly respond liberally.

Locals,

Mass Meeting To Ask Referendum On Repeal
of Conscription Law.

Victor L. Berger, editor The Milwaukee Leader, is in Chicago to secure speakers for the mass meeting which will be held Monday at 8 P. M. in the Auditorium to urge a referendum on the repeal of the draft law and to as that the United States definitely state its war aims and the terms under which it will make peace.

The meeting will be held under the joint supervision of the Milwaukee loca of the Socialist Party and Milwaukee Trades Unionists. Appeals to members to attend the meeting have been sent out by socialist branches and local unions It is expected that the principal speakers, who will address the Chicago meetings Saturday and Sunday, held for the same purposes, also will talk before the Milwaukee meeting. Announcement of speakers will be made Saturday.

Much interest is being manifested in the gathering and preparations are being made to handle a record crowd. No seats will be reserved and the best seats will go to those who come early.

Special U. S. Investigator Barry, Milwaukee District, has announced that local federal authorities will make no effort to prevent the meeting, contenting themselves with securing stenographic reports of the speeches.

Another speaker at the meeting of the Alienists and Neurologists of America pointed out the fact that for the first time in history an army has been forced to provide a field insane asylum.

He says: "In the present war the number not infrequently reaches 40 to the 1000 men. Think of it! An army of one million men might have 40,000

sane --more than are housed to-day in all the state hospitals of Illinois, Ohio d Indiana.

This fact has from time to time been touched upon by writers at the front. is said that in France there are certain closed cars which are used for the rpose of transporting the insane away from the front, and that there are netimes long trains made up exclusively of them.

Capitalism, even in time of peace, is gradually driving the people insane. ar by year, the numbers increase. They have become appalling.

And now the supreme horror of capitalisın-war-multiplies these numbers inyfold.

There is no way to characterize the horror of it.

The word "appalling" is feeble in this connection.

And yet, all effort to end the horror is called treasonable.

In our judgment, those who want to end the horror are the real genuine triots.

4

GOVT. EXHIBIT NO. 70.

Milwaukee Leader July 14 1917

"Irwin St John Tucker has been employed by the National office as circulaon manager of the American Socialist. He will also have duties in connection ith the sale of literature and will write more or less for the paper. During recent months comrade Tucker has been western secretary of the tercollegiate Socialist society. In connection with his peace activities the wspapers are in the habit of referring to him as the editor of The Christian >cialist, such is not the case. He was once acting in that capacity, but he has › connection with the paper at this time. The Christian Socialist is decidedly owar while Comrade Tucker is just as decidedly anti-war.

55

GOVERNMENT'S EXHIBIT 71.

Difference of Opinion.

In the newspapers that are boosting the war there is a very frequent reeration of the assertion that it is an honor to be drafted.

Just why is this so often repeated? One would be led by this repetition to elieve that there must be some doubt about it. "He doth protest too much ". Among the young men between 21 and 31 there seems to be a different view f the subject. They do not ask each other, "Have you had the honor to be rafted?"

On the contrary, the question they ask is, “Did you escape"? Or, were ou caught"? These and questions of similar tenor are the ones you can hear 'you mingle with the young men.

To have it impressed upon one's mind that the war is a war of the big usiness of one group of nations against the big business of another group of ations, each using the workers to do the fighting and the dying, it is only ecessary to attend meetings of big business men.

We recently had this experience, and we had it rubbed into us good and lenty that it is a business men's war. Oh, of course, the big business men o not intend to do the fighting.

Not on your life.

In fact, one of the speakers, himself a big business man, in urging them to e liberal financially, frankly said, "I don't suppose any of you intend to go o the front- I don't intend to."

It was quite a safe assumption.

They will keep at a safe distance.

Some of them will make a few financial acrifices for the time being. Others will make ususually large profits during he war. All of them expect to profit by the war eventually. To them, patriotism and profits are the same.