university man
mobilized by the war.

On speaking with Don Marcelo, he immediately revealed his academic
training. The order for departure had surprised the professor in a
private institute; he was just about to be married and all his plans had
been upset.

"What a calamity, sir! . . . What an overturning for the world! . . .
Yet many of us have foreseen that this catastrophe simply had to come.
We have felt strongly that it might break out any day. Capital, accursed
Capital is to blame."

The speaker was a Socialist. He did not hesitate to admit his
co-operation in certain acts of his party that had brought persecutions
and set-backs to his career. But the Social-Democracy was now being
accepted by the Emperor and flattered by the most reactionary Junkers.
All were now one. The deputies of his party were forming in the
Reichstag the group most obedient to the government. . . . The only
belief that it retained from its former creed, was its anathematization
of Capital--responsible for the war.

Desnoyers ventured to disagree with this enemy who appeared of an
amiable and tolerant character. "Did he not think that the real
responsibility rested with German militarism? Had it not sought and
prepared this conflict, by its arrogance preventing any settlement?"

The Socialist denied this roundly. His deputies were supporting the war
and, therefore, must have good reason. Everything that he said showed an
absolute submission to discipline--the eternal German discipline, blind
and obedient, which was dominating even the most advanced parties. In
vain the Frenchman repeated arguments and facts which everybody had read
from the beginning of the war. His words simply slid over the calloused
brains of this revolutionist, accustomed to delegating all his reasoning
functions to others.

"Who can tell?" he finally said. "Perhaps we have made a mistake. But
just at this moment all is confused; the premises which would enable us
to draw exact conclusions are lacking. When the conflict ends, we shall
know the truly guilty parties, and if they are ours we shall throw the
responsibility upon them."

Desnoyers could hardly keep from laughing at his simplicity. To wait
till the end of the war to know who was to blame! . . . And if the
Empire should come out conqueror, what responsibility could the
Socialists exact in the full pride of victory, they who always confined
themselves to electoral battles, without the slightest attempt a