Fourth Event: Very recently, in 1906–7, the Socialist Party in Germany and France prevented war between Germany and France over the “Morocco affair.” This is admitted even by distinguished European enemies of the Socialist Party. This threatened war might easily have cost five hundred thousand lives—working-class lives—and five billions of treasure and desolated hundreds of thousands of homes and darkened both countries with an international hatred lasting half a century.
But the Socialists blocked the game.
Again and again in their International Congresses the Socialists have protested against war and militarism as being, for the working class, nothing but a burden and a curse.[[329]]
Political masters and industrial masters on all the earth—these recognize the Socialist Party as the Working-Class Political Party.[[330]]
You, my brother, should also recognize the Socialist Party as your own Working-Class Political Party.
Reread propositions numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, p. [300].
The outline of industrial reconstruction there given in the six propositions is the outline of the constructive platform and program of the working-class political party, the Socialist Party, everywhere.[[331]]
Because the Socialist Party recognizes and points out the clash of class interests in the present class-labor system;
Because the Socialist Party proposes industrial freedom for the working class;
Because the Socialist Party proposes the destruction of the class-labor system called capitalism;