“In business patriotism does not enter.  Insistently the pocket comes first.  And if the British consumer of aniline dyes can obtain his raw material more advantageously from the German than from the British producer, he will probably be ready to do so for the greater gain of more economic production in his own business.”

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MANIFESTO OF THE INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY.

“We desire neither the aggrandizement of German militarism nor Russian militarism, but the danger is that this war will promote one or the other.  Britain has placed herself behind Russia, the most reactionary, corrupt, and oppressive Power in Europe.  If Russia is permitted to gratify her territorial ambitions and extend her Cossack rule, civilization and democracy will be gravely imperilled.  Is it for this that Britain has drawn the sword?

“To us who are Socialists the workers of Germany and Austria, no less than the workers of France and Russia, are comrades and brothers; in this hour of carnage and eclipse we have friendship and compassion to all victims of militarism.  Our nationality and independence, which are dear to us, we are ready to defend, but we cannot rejoice in the organized murder of tens of thousands of workers of other lands who go to kill and be killed at the command of rulers to whom the people are as pawns.

“The People must everywhere resist such territorial aggression and national abasement as will pave the way for fresh wars; and, throughout Europe, the workers must press for frank and honest diplomatic policies, controlled by themselves, for the suppression of militarism and the establishment of the United States of Europe, thereby advancing towards the world’s peace.  Unless these steps are taken Europe, after the present calamity, will be still more subject to the increasing domination of militarism, and liable to be drenched with blood.”

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RESPONSIBILITY RESTS ON THE WHOLE CAPITALIST CLASS.

“Prussian militarism, as we have shown in previous issues, exists, as all militarism does, to further and protect trade.  The furtherance of that trade meant territorial expansion, which in its turn was a menace to Britain and her allies.  Thus it is that this war, carefully manoeuvred by the diplomats, is being fought to conserve to one set of capitalists their right to exploit the peoples, and to check another set from encroaching upon that right.

“Germany—­or rather, the capitalists of Germany, for whom the Kaiser has always been the “Publicity Agent”—­has consistently worked toward the objective of challenging the right of Britain to a world-wide Empire.  To the German capitalists this war is but the realization of their philosophy, “Might is Right,” and, reckless of human life and suffering, a European war is to them the way to vaster fields of exploitation and greater wealth.  Their militarism was the machine, and the workers the cogs of the wheels.  British capitalists, on the other hand, determined to maintain what they hold, forgetful of how it had been obtained, were thus compelled to take up the cudgels for their own sakes; and here, as in Germany, the workers are the tools used to save their fortunes and conserve their rights.”—­“The Voice of Labour,” October, 1914.