ssary, however, is unity within the party, the absolute
relinquishing of all petty individual grievances. We are a party
committed to self-criticism, but in time of a great crisis criticism
must become mute. Never has it been more difficult, never, in fact, less
possible, to adopt and to maintain a position which would satisfy every
Socialist without exception. Every war brings Social Democracy into the
fatal dilemma between the necessity for defending our individual homes
on the one hand and, on the other, for preserving international
solidarity. The present war confronts us as well as the army staff with
particular difficulties, for it is a war possessing many faces. It is
not only a war against the Czar of Russia, but also against the
democracies of France and England, whose Governments felt themselves
forced out of fear of isolation and later subjection to stand by the
Russian Czar.

We can very easily understand how to many this or that decision by our
party may seem a false step, but it would be still more false, still
more disastrous, were we, through any difference of opinion, to allow an
internal disagreement to arise. In time of war discipline is not for
the army alone; for a party it, too, is the first requirement. Under its
rule we must all stand together, more courageous, more firmly united
than ever before. Not criticism but faith is now the essential condition
of our success.

KARL KAUTSKY.

* * * * *

SOCIALISTS OF ITALY FIRM.

Manifesto Resenting German Mission of Herr Sudekum Issued by Socialist
Party at Rome, Sept. 3.

We are Socialists, and we do not hesitate to proclaim that the sending
of a Socialist mission from Germany to Italy at this moment cannot be
free from insidious suspicion; and as such it offends the dignity and
the independence of Italian socialism, and offends it so much more
because international socialism knows that on German Socialists depended
the lesser or greater efficacy in the action of international socialism
to arrest the provocative struggle of armaments promoted by Germany, and
thus to prevent war.

It offends it so much more because the German Socialist Party, assuming
for the justification of the aggressive policy of Germany and Austria
the same arguments as the Kaiser's diplomacy, has lost the right to
attach itself to the ties of international socialism.

We have thus far kept silent, not to disturb the neutrality procl