The article closed with an appeal to workingmen and soldiers to retain their weapons and go forward "under the victorious emblem of the red flag."
On the third page of the same issue appeared another article, also probably from Liebknecht's pen. It was an appeal to the "workmen and soldiers in Berlin" to fortify the power already won by them. "The red flag floats over Berlin,"[38] wrote Liebknecht again. But this was only a beginning. "The work is not finished with the abdication of a couple of Hohenzollerns. Still less is it accomplished by the entrance into the government of a couple more government Socialists. These have supported the _bourgeoisie_ for four years and they cannot do otherwise now."
[38] No one can long study objectively the manifestations of partisan Social-Democracy without feeling that there is something pathological about the fetichistic worship of the red flag by the radical elements among the Socialists.
"Mistrust is the first democratic virtue," declared Liebknecht. The government must be completely reorganized. He then set forth the demands that must be presented. They are of interest as the first formulation of the program of those who afterward became the supporters of Bolshevist ideals in Germany. Except for certain points designed only to meet then existing conditions this program is still in essentials that of the German Communists, as the Spartacans now term themselves. It follows:
1. Disarming of the whole police force, of all officers and also of such soldiers as do not stand on the base of the new order; arming of the people;[39] all soldiers and proletarians who are armed to retain their weapons.
[39] _Bewaffnung des Volkes_; "people" used as a synonym for the proletarian section of it. The _Bourgeoisie_ are not _das Volk_ (the people) to the extreme Socialist.
2. Taking over of all military and civil offices and commands by representatives (_Vertrauensmänner_) of the Workmen's and Soldiers' Council.
3. Surrender of all weapons and stores of munitions, as well as of all other armaments, to the Workmen's and Soldiers' Council.
4. Control by the Workmen's and Soldiers' Council of all means of traffic.
5. Abolishment of courts-martial; corpse-like obedience (_Kadavergehorsam_) to be replaced by voluntary discipline of the soldiers under control of the Workmen's and Soldiers' Council.