Page:Emile Vandervelde - Three Aspects of the Russian Revolution - tr. Jean Elmslie Henderson Findlay (1918).djvu/284

 question of some militants, more or less delegates, discussing together in the twilight of private meetings and replacing in the debate the working classes—the party interested. They must speak in the name of their working classes, give their views consciously, clearly, honestly expressed. In other words, the first condition of all useful debate is, in all the countries taking part, this action of the masses that we have tried to make clear above. It only, moreover, can guaranteee the sincerity of engagements. These alone count in our eyes that can be interpreted by acts, and, after the terrible experience we have had we cannot reasonably be asked to accept any other.

In short, we ask that in all countries Socialists should carry on a campaign and produce a general public movement, a movement on the part of the masses to bring the Governments to give up all War aim of an Imperialist character and to accept the peace formula of the Soviet explained and made clear.

We accept the idea of an exchange of views analogous to that of the Dutch