the mighty party of 1914 made no protest whatever,
although, as they had previously announced and denounced, the issue had
been raised by the unjust actions and vile intrigues of Austrian
imperialism.

The campaign against Russia conducted by the nationalist Press up till
August 1st was taken up by the organs representing Social Democracy,
immediately war broke out. Their papers were flooded with appalling
pictures of Russian (generally termed Asiatic) barbarism, tyranny and
misrule. Passages from the speeches and writings of Bebel, Liebknecht
and others were quoted to show the fiendishness of Russian policy, and
the justice of every German doing his utmost to smash Czarism and
deliver millions of fellow workmen from its thrall. Even a
blood-and-thunder story of the Russian police was turned on as a serial
story in their daily papers.[80] In short, nothing was omitted which
goes to make _Stimmung_.

[Footnote 80: "Der Polizeimeister, ein russischer Polizeiroman," by
Gabryela Zapolska. The story commenced in the Nuremberg party organ on
August 11th, and in Kautsky's _Leipztger Volkszeitung_ on August 18th.]

Had they been honestly impartial a still blacker picture of Austria,
painted by one of the founders of the workmen's movement, might have
been quoted, yet it might have been indiscreet to tell Germans what
Lassalle wrote. "Austria? Russia is a mammoth, barbarian Empire which
its despotic rulers endeavour to civilize, just so far as suits their
despotic interests. In that country barbarism is excusable, because it
is a national element. But the case is very different with Austria.
There it is the government which represents the barbaric principle and
crushes beneath it by artifice and violence, the civilized peoples under
its rule."[81]

[Footnote 81: Bernstein's edition of Lassalle's "Reden und Schriften,"
vol. I., p. 306.]

With the exception of a few Britishers, the Socialists of all countries
have unanimously condemned the attitude of the German party. Not the
least interesting is the condemnation expressed by the Italian section.
Dr. Suedekum, Reichstag member for Nuremberg, was sent to Italy to
discuss the situation with Italian Socialists and justify their own
action in supporting the war. The following account of the meeting
appeared in the _Vorwaerts_ for September 12th: "The meeting lasted from
3.30 p.m. till 7 p.m. Suedekum declared that he had come to inform their
Italian comrades of the situation i