an
Socialists during the war I have found only one mention of their first
attitude to the war danger. On the first anniversary of the ultimatum to
Serbia (July 23rd, 1915) the _Leipziger Volkszeitung_ contains these
lines in a leading article: "To-day we may not repeat that which we
wrote about the ultimatum in our issue of July 24th, 1914. But there was
no doubt in any section of the Press, that Europe stood on the brink of
war from the moment that ultimatum was despatched."]

Three days later they tacitly agreed that Russia was the guilty party
and acquiesced in the mobilization of the German army. On August 1st
this proclamation occupied the front page of their seventy-seven daily
papers:

"PARTEIGENOSSEN! Military law has been proclaimed. Any hour may bring
with it the outbreak of the world war. Thereby the severest trials
will be imposed upon, not only our nation, but upon the whole of our
continent.

"Up till the last minute the internationalists have done their duty,
and on the other side of our frontiers every nerve is being strained
to preserve peace and to make war impossible.

"If our earnest protests, our repeated endeavours have been without
success, it is because the conditions under which we live have once
again proved stronger than our will, and the will of our workmen
brothers. Hence, whatever comes, we must now face it with firmness.

"The horrible self-laceration of the European peoples, is the cruel
confirmation of our warnings to the ruling classes for more than a
generation; we have spoken admonishingly and in vain.

"_Parteigenossen_ (comrades), we shall not live through coming events
in fatalistic indifference; we shall remain true to our cause; we
shall hold firmly together, permeated by the sublime greatness of our
cultural mission.

"The women, on whom the burden of events presses two and threefold,
have above all, in these serious times, the task of working in the
spirit of Socialism for the high ideals of humanity, so that a
repetition of this dreadful catastrophe may be averted, and this war
may be the last.

"The stern regulations of martial law strike the workmen's movement
with terrible force. Imprudent actions, useless and falsely-conceived
sacrifices, damage in this moment not only the individual, but also
our cause.

"Comrades, we appeal to you to persevere in the unshakable confidence
that the future belongs, in sp