Notes by the Way: Is it 1914 Over Again? (1938)

The Notes by the Way Column from the November 1938 issue of the Socialist Standard

Is it 1914 Over Again?

Under the above heading Mr. Arthur Woodburn, Scottish secretary of the Labour Party, wrote in Forward (October 1st, 1938), arguing that the recent threatened war would have been different from 1914. His point is contained in the following paragraph: —

It might have been possible to argue in 1914 that there was not much difference for workers whether they lived under British capitalism or under German capitalism. That cannot be honestly argued today.

To-day, he says, the German workers, deprived of democratic rights, are “much in the position of the 1914 Czarist workers," and “a defeat of Hitler, peacefully or otherwise, will, therefore, be a victory for the German workers themselves."

A more muddled argument it would be hard to discover anywhere.

In the first place, in 1914 the Labour leaders were almost unanimous in arguing about Germany in exactly the same way as Woodburn does now. They were not saying that war was not worth while because Germany and England were both capitalist and both more or less democratic, they were shrieking about the necessity of dethroning the Kaiser; and backing it up with stuff about liberating the German workers. Moreover, they were all silent about the Russian tyranny, although Woodburn likens it to the present condition of the German workers under Hitler.

The next point is that Woodburn ignores what the German workers think about it. Far from wanting to be liberated from Hitler, millions of German workers are convinced that their lot is better than that of the British, French and Russian workers. In particular, they think they have already been “liberated" by Hitler from the capitalist-democracy which Woodburn wants to restore to them. So while Woodburn would be bombing German civilians in order to liberate German workers from dictatorship, his opposite numbers in Germany would be bombing English civilians to liberate us from the horrors of capitalist democracy.

Finally, while Mr. Woodburn believes that war would overthrow German dictatorship, Mr. Woodburn's chief, Mr. Attlee, says that it won't. Speaking at Hanley on October 8th, Mr. Attlee is reported by The Times as follows: —

Mr. Attlee said that he did not believe in the inevitability of war, and he did not believe that dictators could be overthrown by making war on them. “Destroy them from within by showing that, outside totalitarian States, democracy can make a better show than they can,” he said.—(Times, October 10th, 1988.)

Mr. Attlee himself, of course, falls into the same error as Mr. Woodburn of imagining that democratic capitalism is capable of making a good enough show to impress the German or Italian workers.

The fact is that in spite of Mr. Woodburn, the difference between the various capitalist States is not worth the sacrifice of workers' lives. Only Socialism is capable of making the desired impression, and only a Socialist Party can approach the German workers with clean hands, guiltless of supporting capitalism and capitalist war.

The West Indies and the Empire

Those who fancy that the natives under British rule are contented with their lot and anxious not to be handed over to some other exploiter should think over these two statements about the West Indies.

One is by Mr. C. V. R. Thompson, who went to Jamaica for the Daily Express and heard what the Labour leader, Bustamente, had to say: —

I have not seen all the horrors Bustamente has pictured, but I have seen slums and living conditions that have made me sick, that have made me ashamed that the Union Jack was flying over Kingston—evil-. smelling dungeons in which six and ten people sleep. — (Daily Express, June 13th, 1938.)

The second is by Mr. Arthur Calder Marshall, who went to Trinidad for the News Chronicle. His verdict is that “Trinidad would like to be American."

If a free ballot were taken in Trinidad as to whether the inhabitants would prefer to remain British subjects or to join the U.S., there is no doubt that a large majority would be in favour of making the change. Among the coloured people of Trinidad I met no one who felt loyalty to the Empire, and among the white Trinidadians a negligible few. — (News Chronicle, October 15th, 1938.)

German Wickedness in Africa

In a review of Mr. Lloyd George’s “Truth About the Peace Treaties ” (Vol. I), the Sunday Dispatch (October 16th, 1938) quotes him to the effect that the reason why the British and Dominion Governments held on to the former German colonies was to strengthen their own position and weaken Germany’s—there is no mention of the good of the natives. Mr. Lloyd George discloses that what alienated all sympathy from Germany in the matter of colonies was the German declaration that if they won they “would found a black empire in Africa, extending from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.” This ran counter, he says, to the British realisation of “the great Rhodes dream of a Cape-to-Cairo route.”

This disclosure ought to silence Hitler for ever. In face of it how can anyone suggest that the two robber groups were up to the same plundering game? For see how completely different the two imperialist plans were—one was to run north and south, and the other east to west, and every child must see that the one is highly commendable and the other very wicked !

What are the Workers Up To ?

More and more in recent years journals alleged to be Labour or Communist have gone in for the game of letting their readers in on "secret” backstairs political gossip about the intrigues, wirepulling and ambitions of aspiring capitalist politicians. Never a day passes without the Herald, the Daily Worker and other such journals telling us what is the latest plot of the “Cliveden” group, what Baldwin and Eden are scheming, what Churchill plans to do, what Hitler will do next, or how Mussolini or Roosevelt or Daladier will checkmate each other.

It is all very entertaining for armchair philosophers. It is also a sign of the lamentable immaturity of the working class. Instead of the workers hanging breathlessly on the words and schemes of capitalist politicians, a healthy, virile working class would be minding its own business and causing sleepless nights in high places. When we see politicians and the Press worrying about what the workers are doing and thinking we shall know we are on the way to victory. Then we shall have Chamberlain, Eden, Churchill, Baldwin and Attlee, not to mention Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini, all going into a panic-stricken huddle about the latest bad news from the class-struggle front. Then the questions of the moment will be "What are the workers thinking?” “What are they going to do next?” “Why do they scoff at talk of patriotism and refuse to sympathise with the woes of the rich?”

Then the capitalist game will be up.

Russia Learns from England

It now seems to be agreed that one of the factors that influenced the Cabinet in their attitude towards Germany was the reported weak condition of the Russian forces. Colonel Lindbergh had formed the opinion that so many pilots and other key men in the air force had been shot or imprisoned for ”Trotskyism” that efficiency had been undermined. A correspondent writing to Time and Tide claims that in a period of 18 months Stalin’s Government has shot two field-marshals, three out of six district commanders, ten out of thirteen army commanders, etc., altogether over 50 per cent. of the higher ranks in the army.

The Russians must have been reading English history and recalled Voltaire’s wisecrack on the execution of Admiral Byng for failing to take Minorca—“The English shoot one Admiral to encourage the rest.” But there should be moderation in all things, and the Russians ought to remember the old English proverb that ”you can’t shoot your general staff and have it too.”

Jews and General Franco

Sympathy for persecuted Jews should not be allowed to obscure the fact that Jews who belong to the propertied class are just like the Gentiles in their opposition to anything which may endanger capitalism. One of the most influential figures behind the Franco movement in Spain is the Jewish millionaire, Juan March. Another curious piece of news was reported by the Evening Standard on September 6th, 1938. The new anti- Jewish regulations in Italy involved the retirement of a number of highly-placed military and naval officers. Among the latter was Rear-Admiral Paolo Maroni, described as “Commander of the Italian naval forces at Palma, Majorca.” It would seem, therefore, that this gentleman shares direct responsibility for the innumerable bombing raids on Barcelona and other Republican towns conducted from the Italian base at Majorca.

Patent Medicines and their Manufacturers

The Investors’ Review (August 20th, 1938) reported that Mr. Philip Hill, chairman of Beecham’s Pills, Ltd., had gone to Carlsbad to take a cure. A writer in the Review commented on Mr. Hill’s evident lack of faith in the curative powers of his own products. The Daily Telegraph (September 8th, 1938) reported that Beechams, in addition to their control of the Veno Drug Co., Ltd., Yeast-Vite, Ltd., Phosferine, Ltd., the Iron Jelloid Co., and many other firms, has now acquired MacLeans, Ltd., who manufacture the MacLean Stomach Powder, Fynnon Salts, and MacLean’s Peroxide Tooth Paste.

What is good enough for the workers is decidedly not good enough for their masters.

Labour Party Victory in New Zealand

At the General Election on October 15th the New Zealand Labour Party was returned to office with practically the same number of seats as in 1935 (54, against 24 National Party M.P.s and two Independents).

They have been lucky. They went into office at a time when the electorate were disgusted with the former government because of the widespread unemployment and trade depression, and have been re-elected while trade is still good. They got credit for the rise of prices of New Zealand exports and for the fall of unemployment, and will inevitably be blamed when trade slumps next time. The British Labour Party, not so lucky, went into office in 1929 just when a world crisis was beginning.

Strong in the Arm and Thick in the Head

Lord Forbes, in an article warning Germany, says: —

. . . The British nation is slow to wrath, but, if stirred to anger, is a race which will fight fanatically and with resource and ingenuity for the triumph of peace and the glory of the Empire.—(Daily Express, October 17th, 1938.)

People who, with all the results of the last war about them, can still go on waging war “for the triumph of peace" must be a bit lacking somewhere.

Labour Advocates of Compulsory Service

Lord Strabolgi, formerly Commander Kenworthy, M.P., much admired by the Communists, who supported him at elections, wrote to the Press advocating compulsory national service.

The industrial correspondent of the Daily Telegraph (September 24th, 1938) reported that the proposal was well received by many Labour leaders.

Hitherto Socialists have opposed conscription, but I am informed on excellent authority that, while a few of the leaders are of the opinion that Lord Strabolgi has committed an indiscretion, the general view is that, in present circumstances, hard and fast theories must be shed, and that the Socialist movement must be prepared to make sacrifices of principle in face of threats of aggression.

“It is clear,” said one Socialist Party leader to me yesterday, “that we are quickly reaching a state of complete national unity, when almost everyone will be willing to play his or her share in the defence of our shores and of democracy.

“The Socialist movement cannot afford to be querulous or pedantic, and suggestions for compulsory service for all who are capable must be seriously considered."

Alsace-Lorraine Again

Alsace-Lorraine, at that time German, became French in 1648. In 1871 Germany reconquered it in the Franco-Prussian war. France got back her “lost children” (i.e., its rich mineral wealth) in 1918. Now there is a likelihood that Germany will demand it back again. As far as the conditions of the workers are concerned the difference between French and German rule is of small account, though, no doubt, plenty of deluded citizens of those provinces will be persuaded to give their support to one group or the other.

A Daily Express correspondent at Metz, on September 25th, 1938 (Daily Express, September 26th, 1938), reported that Alsace-Lorraine soldiers called to the colours were singing a song which runs: “We are going victoriously to fight Germany."

It is the same tune and words as a song they sang in 1914, with only this difference: that in 1914 they were Germans and the words were then: “We are going victoriously to fight France."

Some Sensible French Trade Unionists

Readers of Labour and Communist journals will have noticed how, during the crisis, they turned over increasingly to the language of imperialism, talking of “national honour," “prestige," and so on. It was just the same in France. On September 28th, when the Teachers' Union and the Postal Workers' Union issued a joint manifesto in favour of peace, they protested against the bellicose attitude of the Communists and the French Federation of Labour (C.G.T.). They pointed out that instead of talking of peace the latter, under Communist influence, “could only speak of national honour, national dignity, national unity,"  and of the need for bigger armaments—all, of course, in the name of Peace !

“Thank Heaven We Have Not Got a Labour Government ”

Whatever the Labour Party and Communist Party may say, vast numbers, even of Labour supporters, realised during the crisis that Labour policy was leading to the danger of world war. Labour and Communist journals might say that Germany would climb down if threatened, but people had their doubts. A common attitude among Labour Party supporters was that summed up in the heading: “Thank heaven we have not got a Labour Government."

Communist Propaganda for the Defence of Empire

The Daily Worker (October 8th, 1938) reports from South Africa that at Johannesburg there is trouble with German Nazis who want former South-West Africa returned to Germany (at present it is held by South Africa under League of Nations mandate). So the South African Communist Party distributed thousands of leaflets, and this is what the leaflet was about :

The leaflet drew attention to the Hitler danger in South Africa, where Nazi-ism is preparing to convert South-West Africa into another Sudetenland.

Militarism in Russia

There was a time when Bolshevists boasted of their internationalism, but Russia now is as nationalistic as any country in Europe. How far it goes may be seen from the Moscow News, published in Moscow for the use of English-speaking readers in Russia and abroad. The issue for October 3rd, 1938, reports that the international crisis “has given birth to a fresh mighty wave of patriotism.”

It is claimed, of course, that the patriotism is the natural desire to defend “the Fatherland” against attack, but the same issue of the Moscow News contains other articles of the kind every government uses to work up an interest in militarism. Two columns are devoted to describing a military exhibition being held in Leningrad.: —

The military past of the Russian people and the heroic history of its numerous victories over foreign invaders are depicted in an exhibition opened recently in the State Hermitage Museum in Leningrad.

From this we learn how the Russians defeated the Polish invaders and routed the Swedes, and how Frederick the Great's armies were ”utterly routed.” Frederick is reported to have said : ”It is easier to thrash these people than to defeat them.”

Fine teaching for the youth of an alleged Socialist country!

Still another article tells "how the Russians captured Berlin in 1760.”

Hitler Drunk and Hitler Sober

The Times (October 11th, 1938), advocating more and still more armaments, quotes from a speech made by the Prime Minister last March, in which he said what a ”sobering,” ”steadying” effect Britain’s re-armament programme was then having on world opinion.

If Hitler’s Nuremberg speech was made under ”sobering” influences what must he be like when he gets drunk?

Edgar Hardcastle