, 1909.

[288] "The Road to Power," Chapter VI.

[289] "The Road to Power," p. 50.

[290] A leading article of the official weekly of the German Socialist
Party on the eve of the elections of 1912 gives the strongest possible
evidence that the German Socialists regard the ballot primarily as a
means to revolution. The article is written by Franz Mehring, the
historian of the German movement, and its leading argument is to be
found in the following paragraphs:--

"The more votes the Social-Democracy obtains in these elections, the
more difficult it will be for the Reaction to carry out exceptional laws
[referring to Bismarck's legislation practically outlawing the
Socialists], and the more this miserable weapon will become for them a
two-edged sword. Certainly it will come to that [anti-Socialist
legislation] in the end, for no one in possession of his five senses
believes that, when universal suffrage sends a Social-Democratic
majority to the Reichstag, the ruling classes will say with a polite
bow: 'Go ahead, Messrs. Workingmen; you have won, now please proceed as
you think best.' Sooner or later the possessing classes will begin a
desperate game, and it is as necessary for the working classes to be
prepared for this event as it would be madness for them to strengthen
the position of their enemies by laying down their arms. It can only be
to their advantage to gather more numerous fighting forces under their
banner, even if by this means they hasten the historical process [the
day when anti-Socialist laws will be passed], and indeed precisely
because of this.

"La Salle used to say to his followers in confidential talks: 'When I
speak of universal suffrage you must always understand that I mean
revolution.' And the Party has always conceived of universal suffrage as
a means of revolutionary recruiting" (_Die Neue Zeit_, December 16,
1911).

[291] From a press interview with Mr. Henry Watterson in 1909; verified
by a private letter to the author.

CHAPTER IX

THE TRANSITION TO SOCIALISM

The Socialist policy requires so complete a reversal of the policy of
collectivist capitalism, that no government has taken any steps whatever
in that direction. No governments and no political parties, except the
Socialists, have any such steps under discussion, and finally, no
governments or capitalist parties are sufficiently alarmed or confused
by the menace of Socialism to be hurried or driven into a policy whic