A statement released by the revolutionary syndicalist International Workingman's Association (today the International Workers Association) around the time the European theater of the Second World War came to an end. Originally appeared in the Anarchist Federation of Britain's Direct Action (June 1945).
Two world wars within thirty years: that is the result of the present world order. The European War has ended, but peace is by no means secure. On the contrary, new conflicts of clashing interests are being prepared between the victorious powers; conflicts that may produce new armed strife.
Permanent peace is less likely today than after the first World War, when it was thought that disarmament could be achieved by means of the slow reduction of militarism and the collaboration of states within the society of nations.
Today disarmament is not mentioned; instead the protection of peace by the armed might of the victorious powers is the topical slogan. This means prolonging the existence of militarism as an instrument for preserving national capitalist interests and eventually imperialistic expansion.
Lust and the appetite for power will continue to write history with blood, fire and steel. Militarism will obtain increasing influence on decisions of an international character.
This state of affairs is contrary to popular interests. Peace, not war, is the interest of the people.
For many centuries they have allowed politicians and governments to look after the maintenance of peace, with the result of an interminable series of wars. They have resigned themselves to be cannon-fodder for the governments. This must cease. The maintenance of peace must no longer be left to the organisers of wars. The people themselves must organise peace if they want it to be successful.
In the past it was hoped that the organised working-class would impede the governments from endangering peace by their unbounded appetite for power and greed for financial gain. But as the workers abandoned the theories of internationalism to indulge in nationalist politics, they destroyed the moral foundation which should have been the basis of their struggle against war.
The fraternisation of the people across all national frontiers and the co-operation between the workers of the world were betrayed in favour of collaboration with capitalist politicians against workers of other countries.
The anti-militarist tendency of the working-class movement of the world was abandoned. This produced the first failure of that movement in 1914, and again in 1939. At the end of the second World War the workers international movement must be reorganised on a real internationalist foundation. Fraternisation of the world’s workers will be a strong factor in securing the peace of the future.
The working-class have no interest in war. But it cannot be said that the workers are blameless. In modern industrialised war there are 10-15 workers behind every soldier. War is made possible by their production and operation of the necessary machinery—arms, planes. tanks, explosives.
International organisation must end this. This is the workers' historical mission. They must refuse to continue to provide arms for the slaughter-house of modern war.
Our reorganised international must be the mainstay of the movement of popular resistance which will challenge with real power the manoevres of governments and politicians who are already preparing the next world war.
To make this possible internationally, totalitarianism and state dictatorship must be liquidated wherever they exist. Freedom and the rights of man are the fundamental condition for world fraternisation. Where governments hold control of the press and speech they will abuse it to maintain national fanaticism -which is one of the basic factors of war. Freedom of speech, of the press, of organisation and of assembly are part of these inalienaible rights.
Free relationship between the workers of all countries must be our immediate objective. An end must be made of national prejudice which is opposed to international solidarity.
Workers! Comrades! Within thirty years we have had ten years of war. “Peace” has just come to the people of Europe. We must not permit another war. Let us revive the slogans of international solidarity. It is the workers who must lead the way.
Down with all enmity between workers!
Liberty for all peoplie and all races!
Long live the international fraternity of the workers!
Long live the struggle against militarism and nationalisim!
An end to passive submission to State power which produces war!
Let this second world war be the last profanation of the human cause!
International Working Men’s Association
(Revolutionary Syndicalist International)
Stockholm, May, 1945
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