Good Prospects for Anti-Militarism

From ‘Mother Earth: Monthly Magazine Devoted to Social Science and Literature’, August 1916, New York City, published and edited by Emma Goldman

The outlook in these here United States for a stirring anti-military propaganda has brightened considerably during the last months — thanks to the failure of the national mobilization scheme in numbers and spirit. Whatever the real motives of the promoters of this scheme were — the results of their patriotic bluff campaign are all around dissatisfaction and disgust. If they wanted to ascertain whether the people are patriotic and foolish enough to sacrifice health and life for the benefit of the American speculators in Mexico’s resources and values, they must have discovered by this time how little reason they have to rejoice on this account.

The national mobilization has met with a frost. After a few weeks’ actual experience with militarism at work, with “national honor and dignity of the country,” there seems little doubt that the militia regiments, stationed at the border, would be glad and ready to march back any minute without the least feeling of regret. There are many who perceive that they have been tricked out of their homes and jobs by a cheap phraseology, the emptiness and deception of which they now feel keenly enough.

They were supposed to endure all the hardships, to expose themselves to the dangers of being fed on embalmed beef by the meat trust, and finally to shed their blood for the country; but meanwhile the legislators of the country did not even provide to protect their wives and children from starvation. The idea of the Senate apparently was, that to lose health and life in the bloody service of the American robber barons who want to swallow up Mexico, was honor and reward enough in itself.

It was always the policy of the possessing class to throw the burden of its defense entirely upon its slaves. Of course this class will never say to its slaves, “protect me in my wealth and privileges,” but instead it substitutes “the nation” and “the country,” trying by this to prevent the workers from considering that they could use their weapons for a better purpose than wounding and killing other workers in the interest of universal exploitation.

However, such policy of patriotic deception requires a little more caution and hypocritical delicacy than was shown recently by the representatives of the nation.

The hint to go to the devil, addressed to the militia men and their families, was so blunt and provoking, that even the plutocratic, militaristic press objected. The editors had lauded the glory of the nation and the army every day to the very skies and now felt a little indignant that the cat had been let out of the bag.

The Evening Sun wrote:

“_{Not only has the Senate refused to pass the bill already passed by the House of Representatives, providing reasonable relief for needy families of National Guardsmen, but it is stated on reliable authority at Washington that this humane measure is to be killed in committee by its opponents in the Senate Committee on Military Affairs. Meanwhile wives and children of guardsmen can beg for bread if they have not the means to buy it or if charity is not extended without their seeking. ,}

_{This is a most amazing and disgraceful situation. If Senator Chamberlain of Oregon, chairman of the Military Committee, were not above suspicion it might be charged with some show of reason that he is submitting silently to the killing of the relief bill in order to undermine the militia system which he fought so hard. Not even an ultra-pacifist could think of a step more likely to keep citizens out of any voluntary service than the Government’s refusal to shield their dependents from want during their absence an active duty.}“

Another hard blow against patriotism and military enthusiasm was struck by those manufacturers and trades people who had promised to continue to pay wages and salaries to those of their employees who had joined the militia, It turned out to be rather a bluff, calculated to advertise their business. They did not pay. From New York, Pittsburg, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and many other places came reports to the effect that the families of the militia men waited in vain for the fulfillment of the promise of the patriotic braggarts. What good was it to the destitute families of the defenders of the country under such circumstances that the militia battalions had marched away with the blessings of the Catholic priests and bishops!

Widespread discontent in camp and barrack has been reported. Much of the food that the Government had provided for the soldiers has been declared rotten. Equipment in many cases was insufficient, and transportation inefficient. Perhaps a graft and bribery investigation will be the net result of the freaky mobilization.

The militarists try to console themselves with the experience that the whole army organization is imperfect and ridiculously inadequate. The nation will have to learn and to draw conclusions from this fact, they say, but on the other hand the many thousands of men all over the country who have actually experienced the bitter foretaste and deception of patriotism, militarism, and war will go home disillusioned, critical towards patriotic twaddle and military braggadocio.

That the sentiment grows in this direction, the reports about many cases of disobeying commands, protests against shabby treatment, and mutiny in the militia ranks leave hardly any doubt.

Observations and Comments on the Army – Emma Goldman (1916)

From ‘Mother Earth: Monthly Magazine Devoted to Social Science and Literature’, February 1916, New York City, published and edited by Emma Goldman

Fools or knaves? There never has and there never will be an army that can be called truthfully the people’s army. All armies defend the privileges of the exploiters. Switzerland has a so called people’s army, but go there as a workingman, participate in a strike and you will soon learn that the soldier in Switzerland is just the same tool and executioner in the hands of the privileged as he is in Germany, Russia, France, or in the United States.