From ‘Revolt: The Stormy Petrel of the Labor Movement‘, February 19, 1916, New York City, edited by Hippolyte Havel
The workers of Europe have been mislead into a fever of nationalism, which led them to outbursts of antagonism toward other countries.
Here in this country, where war has not been declared yet, a stream of war scares has been spread all over to arouse patriotism, and the representatives of the “American Federation of Labor” and the “Socialist Party” have declared, that in case of war their members will fight for the “fatherland.”
For these reasons we come out with the following statement, and we ask all groups and labor organizations to take a similar stand, arrange meetings and be prepared for anything that is likely to happen.
We declare that all forms of government are in existence for one purpose: to uphold the present system. There is no difference under what ever name the capitalists rule; the many facts of the past and present prove that, be it the government of Russia, France, Japan, England, United States or any other country, as soon as their ruling power is in the least danger they arrest, club, suppress, shoot, hang, burn or kill all those who dare to rebel, notwithstanding all the “liberties” some of those countries have on “paper.”
There exists no difference between workers of different countries, only that they are being exploited, misused and ruled, under different languages, national boundaries, names and uniforms.
The help we are rendering, by sending carloads of food, cloth and money for the relief of war sufferers in different countries, our sermons in the churches and synagogues — praying for peace — alongside with the facts that we are making ammunition for destroying the lives of those whom we help afterwards, for which they paid us with their own money — is hypocrisy in its worst form. Either way we are helping to keep the war going.
We declare all those workers who work in any industry that furnishes equipment for the continuation of the war as traitors to the International Working Class.
According to the statistics of all countries the land, property and wealth belongs to a small minority of the people; therefore, it is clear enough for anyone to see that in case another country wishes to attack this country — it will attack the land, property and wealth of the minority of the people; for this reason it is criminal on the part of the possessing minority class to expect the majority of the working class to defend the land, property and wealth which doesn’t belong to them!
We shall therefore not interfere in any way whatsoever in a war which will be fought by kings, presidents, government officials and all those who own the world, land, property and wealth.
But, if in case they declare war, and call on the majority of the people to defend things they haven’t got, then we urge the workers to be ready and use such an opportunity to start the revolution, which is the only thing that will bring absolute freedom, where all who live shall have all they need and enjoy life — instead of having to live in slavery, fear, misery and want.
Anarchist Propaganda Group,
Philadelphia, Pa.
A quote from ‘Autobiographical Note’ by Marcus Graham (1974)
“Hippolyte Havel was publishing The Revolt in New York and I sent in a short anti-war article which he published, and encouraged me to continue writing.”
Also
The Issues in the Present War, by Marcus Graham (1943)