en army, officered by the rich and
recruited from their own ranks, would be taught to regard the flag as
something holy, while they shot down strikers and Socialists just as
freely as the most exclusive professional army in the world could do.
Patriotism was one of the weapons used by the enemies of the people to
blind them to facts."[548]

The Trade Union Congress of 1907, disregarding the security of the
country and the Empire from foreign aggression, also condemned
military training of every kind. Commenting hereon, the
"Social-Democrat," the organ of the Social-Democratic Federation,
which favours a national democratic army, wrote: "The Trades Union
Congress declares against conscription and also condemns military
training, which is a totally different matter. To condemn conscription
is purely negative. It would be very much more to the point if the
representatives of the organised working class would formulate an
expression of opinion on the actual military problem. Conscription, at
the worst, is in the air; but the present-day military problem is not
in the air; it is on the earth, practical and urgent. What have the
trade unionists to say to it? Do they approve of the present system of
a nominally voluntary professional soldiery, maintained as an
instrument at the service of the capitalist class for suppression at
home and aggression abroad?"[549] The trade unionists were urged to
abolish the voluntary army and to create a national citizen army,
which will assist the Socialist in overturning society.

A national citizen army, composed of Socialists and commanded by
Socialists, is the ideal, and until such an army be created it is in
the interest of Socialists to weaken the existing army and to
undermine its discipline to such an extent that, in the event of a
rising or a revolution, it will side with the revolutionaries. With
this object in view, Socialists are trying to create dissatisfaction
in the army by means of emissaries and literature. For instance, in a
leaflet entitled "An Appeal to Soldiers," the Social-Democratic
Federation says: "If you are to fight for patriotism and country, then
let it be a national duty for all, wealthy as well as poor, to bear
arms. Let not those who are called upon to fight remain a pariah class
apart, bereft of the rights of citizenship--regarded by the upper
classes as something to be avoided."[550]

In its official programme the Social-Democratic Federation demands,
unde