is not being fulfilled. The dividend-hunter, who
has been to Europe and received a business training, is fastening the
chains of monopoly upon the people. To meet this growing danger there
is already a thriving Socialist-Labour party, which has a daily
newspaper, the 'Hikari' ('Light')."[524] To facilitate the
"socialisation of the world" and the introduction of "the brotherhood
of man" by making Socialism truly international, Socialists are urged
to study Esperanto, which apparently is to be the international
Socialist language of the future. The "Clarion" and other Socialist
papers regularly contain articles written in Esperanto, and the
anti-patriotic writings of Herve and Gohier--an extract from the
writings of the former will be found in Chapter XIII.--have been
translated into Esperanto, apparently in the hope that these
incendiary pamphlets may help in bringing about the great Socialist
revolution.

Among the 'immediate reforms' demanded in the programme of the
Social-Democratic Federation (see Appendix) are to be found the
demands: "The people to decide on peace and war. The establishment of
international courts of arbitration." In view of these demands, which
are made by most Socialist organisations, it is quite natural that
Socialists condemn the secret action of diplomacy. For instance, a
Socialist writer remarks on the Anglo-French agreements: "Are we the
masters of our destinies, when a Delcasse may at any moment immerse us
in international troubles of the first magnitude? Lord Lansdowne, as
the accomplice of Delcasse, was equally guilty, and Sir Edward Grey,
by now securing this triple alliance without the consent or the
knowledge of the 150 millions of people whom it most vitally concerns,
completes a trio of international plotters and murderers."[525]

Many Socialists believe that wars may soon be abolished by
international agreement, either among the nations or among the working
masses, who will force their views upon the governments. According to
a very prolific Socialist writer, "There are many signs and portents
to-day that the evil of war, which is not more deeply rooted than was
slavery a hundred years ago, will, ere long, meet a similar
fate."[526] And what are the "signs and portents" upon which the
belief is based that war will be abolished? "It is a significant fact
that whenever the working classes meet to discuss this question of
war, they invariably express themselves in favour of its spee