27.02.1997

The passive pacifists

From The Call, paper of the British Socialist Party, February 22 1917

We commented last week on the failure of the pacifist group in the House of Commons to give adequate expression to the growing feeling in the county against the continuance of the war, and expressed the hope that they would make a stand on the vote of credit then being taken.

We regret that they lamentably failed to do so. In Germany, in France, in Italy and even in Russia the internationalists have boldly challenged their governments at every turn, and have voted against the credits. Only in this country have the pacifists refrained from taking this course, and have thus lent colour to the lie that the people are unanimous in the desire for a ruthless prosecution of the war to a finish.

What is the position? Mr Bonar has come down to the house to ask on behalf of the government a vote of £550 million for the purpose of prosecuting the work of destruction and slaughter on a scale which makes the heart sick to contemplate, and for the realisation of an avowed programme of conquest. Against this the pacifists put up a mild criticism that cannot even be compared to the bleating of a lamb led to the slaughter.

“If the fight to a military finish is absolutely necessary in order to secure the political and moral issues which are put before us as the end of the war,” said JR MacDonald, “then it will have to be done. But I do not believe it is, and that is where we part company.”

Why then did not MacDonald and his colleagues sever the connection with their votes? The fact that they did not challenge a division nullifies any criticism, however outspoken. But the criticism did not even possess that merit. The “political and moral issues”, on both sides, are imperialist lust and aggression, and if they are to be secured, can only be secured by a fight to the finish.

We have been second to none in support of the parliamentary pacifists. But the times are too serious for exhibitions in political sagacity. The peace movement in the country is waiting for a lead.