Newspaper Page Text
Page Four GENTRALIA SHAME EXPOSED IN NEW AMNESTYJRIVE (Continued From Page 1.) the four Legionaires slain) and the seven were convicted. "But actually they committed no crime. They were accused and found guilty solely because they were members of the 1. W. W. and had fought against the exploitation policies of the Puget Sound lumber barons, and because they defended their hall in Centralia against a mob that had come to drive them from the town. "The defendants were tried be fore a manifestly prejudiced judge, who refused to permit the defense to introduce any of a mass of evi dence showing that a group of Cen tralia business men had conspired to attack the I. W. W. hall, but ad mitted all evidence offered by the prosecution to indicate that the de fendants had conspired to fire on the Armistice Day parade. "Six of the jurors who tried the case have admitted under oath that they were terrorised into convict ing the accused men; and declare that they now believe them inno cent. Yet under the laws of Wash ington, the time is long past when any new evidence can affect the Centralia verdict. Only Governor Louis Hart has authority to free the imprisoned workers. "Hart knows the facts. But he ignores them. He was made gov ernor by the lumber interests. When the prosecution’s evidence giving in the Centralia trial had grown weak, when it had utilized most of its repertoire of spectacular tricks to assail the integrity of the men on trial, it asked Governor Hart to send troops. Hart sent them; neither trial judge nor sher iff knew of the call —and there had been no disorder, nor any indi cation of such. "Only the combined action of the working people of Washington can set the Centralia victims free. Such strong pressure must be brought to bear upon Governor Hart that he will no longer dare to ignore the facts in this case.” Fell Inside Hell. Outstanding points in the Centralia situation, as detailed ia the new pamphlet, Inotade these: Dr. Frank Bickword’s testimony that when the parade stopped be fore the I. W. W. Hall, he offered to lead a raid if enough would follow, but that others pushed ahead of him, forced open the door —and then the shots came from inside. Evidence that Lieutenant Grimm led the attack on the hall and was slain in the doorway instead of around the corner as ths prosecu tion claimed. An affidavit from a woman who declares she heard Harry Sellers, juror, say in advance of the trial: "If I get on that jury I’ll hang every god-damned one of them.” Judge John M. Wilson’s refusal to let the defense show any of these facts:. That 100 Centralia business men conspired to drive the I. W. W. out of town; that there had been a raid on an older I. W. W. hall in Centralia, in which the un ionists were dragged out, lifted by the ears onto motor trucks, and were deported to another county; that the I. W. W. had been warned that their hall would be attacked on Armistice Day, asked for police protection, and were denied it, that they then distributed handbills to practically every house in town, appealing to law-abiding citizens for a square deal. Supreme Court Putting On Gloves To Hand Kids Another Wallop (By The Federated Press) WASHINGTON, April 30.—Passage of the child-labor amendment resolu tion thru the House became certain, and its passage thru the Senate al most equally assured, when Rep. Nel son, leader of the House progressives opening the debate for his group, de clared that "child slavery must go,” and reminded the politicians that the “mother bloc” had entered the Amer ican political arena. “Woe to the person, party or state,” he said, "that, by encouraging child slavery, encounters the wrath of American mothers. I cannot imagine a person or a party so foolish, nor can I believe there la a single state in the union that in our day would directly harbor or defend the grosser forms of child slavery; and yet It seems strange how opposition to this consti tutional amendment by special inter ests seeks to shield Itself behind the allegation of state sovereignty—the right, duty, responsibility, self-interest or pride of backward states to deal with or fail to deal with this evil in their own way and without interfer ence from Uncle Sam. This institu tion, insidious in Us encroachments and intolerable to the moral sense of mankind, is prevalent in states where industries are powerful enough to de feat state laws or prevent their en forcement. The Congress of the Unit ed States will offer this constitutional amendment to the states, in order to give Uncle Sam the right to protect his infant children.” Booze, Business And Bankers Swat Reformer Who Boosted Calvin (By The Federated Preee) WASHINGTON, April 30.—Gov. Pinchot of Pennsylvania, who endors ed Coolidge and claimed the support of the organization of the Republican Old Guard in Pennsylvania just be fore the Coolidge crowd rejected him by 200,000 majority in the primary, has issued a digest of his Buffalo speech of April 26 on “Honesty in Government.” He begins with the as sertion that the purpose of a public servant, under machine rule, is to “do anything and everything that may be necessary to help the organiza tion.” He closes his plea for dry enforce ment with the reflection: "You cannot serve God and mammon. You cannot serve either God or the people if you put some other service first.” Friends of Pinchot advised him against claiming the support of the corrupt Republican organization in Pennsylvania, and especially against pledging his support to Coolidge. But his "practical” advisers persuaded the amiable reformer that this dishonesty would enable him to “help the neo pie.” Then the Vare gang, plus the Mellon financial and business influence, added to the whisky interests and disappoint ed labor groups, swung the ax on Pinchot. ROUMANIAN LIND GRAB FOUGHT BY SOVIET RUSSIA Demand Bessarabian Self Determination By PAUL HOYER. (Staff Correspondent of the Fed. Press) VIENNA, Austria, April 30.—The “peace” conference between Rumania and Soviet Russia, called in Vienna to settle differences between these two countries, has gone up in smoke. This occasioned no surprise to the initiated. Four weeks ago, in discussing this question at the soviet embassy in Berlin. I was told that the Russian delegation headed by Krestinsky fully expected that a break would come over the Bessarabian question. The Rumanians insisted that this territory shall be recognized as be longing to Rumania. Before the war, it had been Russian. After the war. at the behest of and with the aid of France, Bessarabia was simply "an nexed” by Rumania. Demand Self Determination. Soviet Russia declined to recognize this annexation. In so doing, the soviet government did not insist that Bessarabia belonged to Russian histor ically, but rather pleaded the right of self-determination of all nations. The Rumanian government never bothered to ask the people of Bes sarabia what they thought about being annexed. The Russians feel certain that the farmers, workers and the na tive intelligentsia are dissatisfied with Rumanian rule. Here, at Vienna, the spviet delega tion insisted that a plebiscite be taken of Bessarabia, and that a free and un hampered vote be insured by the with drawal of Rumanian troops from Bas sarabia. The chief of the Rumanian delegation declared that it was useless jto continue the conference if Russia insisted upon this point. Krestinsky insisted and the conference blew up. Poincare Forced Annexation. The Rumanians would probably not have been so prompt about breaking up the conference, had they not been egged on by Poincare. The French premier saw to it Chat the French chamber adopted a vote sanctioning the annexation on the day before the Vienna conference assembled. This was intended as a warning to Soviet Russia that in dealing with the vassal, Rumania, Russia is really dealing with the principal, France. This is the second time recently that Poincare has taken a hand against Russia. It was largely at France’s sugestion that the Russo-Chinese negotiations were broken off after the plenipotentiaries of both sides had already come to an agreement. The conjecture seems justified that Poincare sees in Soviet Russia the greatest obstacle to his imperialistic plans. Methodists For Peace When There Is No War; May Fight Tho CHICAGO, April 30. Methodist ministers of Chicago are for peace, but not for the pacifism of non-resist ance. In a conference in the Chicago Temple late yesterday, the ministers voted to memorialize the Methodist general conference In Springfield, Mass., may go on record againßt the things that make for war. The resolution to the General Con ference reads: •Resolved: That we memorialize the General Conference of the Meth odist Episcopal Church to place itself on record as being opposed to the whole war system with its secret treaties, military alliances, unjust economic concessions, competitive ‘preparedness’ programs—and that in no way will we participate in any such movement as history has con ciusively shown lead to war.” POST COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD SHOWS INFLUENCE OF COMMUNIST PARTY IN MEXICO By JAY LOVESTONE. MEXICO CITY, April 29. —The remnants of the Fascist bands of the de la Huerta uprising are be ing dispersed. In many quarters the opinion still prevails that de la Huerta will stake his all on one more desperate “final fling,” but nobody has any doubt as to the outcome of such a test of strength. The de la Huerta counter revolution has failed completely. Working Class Active. One of the outstanding features of the recent fighting in Mexico is the extent and character of the working class participation on the side of the Obregon-Calles group against the re actionary united forces of Mexican Catholicism, landowners, and Fascisti. For the first time in the history of Mexico’s many revolutions, near-revo lutions, and counter-revolutions, a regime has succeeded in maintaining itself in power against an uprising. This development is of epoch-making significance in Mexican history. It is largely due to the fact that great sections of the rural and indus * trial masses, consciously and in an organized fashion, lined up in the struggle. And in this part played by the workers and peasants of Mexico, the Communists played a no small role. Communists To The Fore. Weak as the Communist Party of Mexico it. it clearly foresaw the event ualities and character of the de la Heurta, the Central Executive Coin of the Mexican Communist Party whose influence far exceeds its pres ently limited organizational strength, that it took the leadership and initia tive in rallying the masses against the Fascist outbreak. When it became evident that the re actionary forces were going to pin their political future on the bayonets of the military following of de la Huerta, the Central Executive Com mittee of the Communist Party lost no time getting into the fray. The Committee forthwith made an offer of military and propaganda help to the Callisto forces and the govern ment on the condition that the forces recruited by the Communists be per mitted to remain irregular and be sub ject only to the officers whom they themselves named. The Communist Party pursued this policy in order to avoid surrendering any of its strength to a government which, tho they now supported against the reaction, they opposed po litically. Communists Make First Declaration. The first declaration against de la Huerta and for the Obregon regime on the part of any section of the la boring masses came from the Com munist Party. Subsequent to this of fer to the government and to the ap peal to the masses to wipe out Fas cism, the Central Committee propos ed to the government that the Party send its picked representatives to various states for the purpose of or ganizing the workers and peasants for active military operations on ,a large scale. The entire Central Executive mittee of the party, with the excep tion of three members who were left at the Capital, to act as the emergen cy group, were dispatched to various parts of the country to carry out this program of action. When the revolt was in full swing, the Governor of the State of Vera Cruz fled to Mexico City to avoid the de la Huerta forces. Thereupon the Communists made him the same of fer of help against the Fascisti band. In Vera Cruz it later turned out, that the Communists organized the peas ants and workers so effectively, that it was their harassing the rear of the de la Huerta army that drove Fascism out of this highly important State. In the State of Pueblo the forces rallied by the Communists also proved of considerable help to rout de la Huerta. In Oaxaca, the Communists concen trated their activities largely on re cruiting peasants and workers for the Callista army. Pursue Same Tactics. Even in the Military School which Obregon suspected of having strong leanings towards de la Huerta, the Communists made their impress against Fascism. The wholesome attitude of the Com munists was most clearly evidenced by the fact that in not a single state of the Mexican Union did they fail to fight energetically against the re actionary forces. It 1r especially sig nificant to note that in many states the local Communists adopted such measures even before they were in structed to that effect by the Party center. Os equal Importance in the consi deration of the almost instinctive soundness of the Mexican Commun ists is the fact that the Obregon gov ernment had been fought bitterly by these revolutionary workers and peas •its prior to the revolution., More than that. While the Communists were fight ing for the Obregon government against de la Ileutra, they, a< a group, lost r»o love on the Obregon-Calllstu outfit and did not burden themselves with any Illusions us to the true non proleturlan class character of the present government. Whatever dangers these united front tactics of the Communists THE DAI LY WORKER brought to their organization, and un questionably these have been and still arc many serious dangers, the Central Executive Committee took decisive steps to counteract at the very first opportunity with a strong declaration against Obregon’s regime as soon as de la Huerta’s politico-military grave was dug and.his threat to the safety of the republic buried. Struggle In Vera Cruz. The Fascisti military clique was es pecially harsh with the workers in Vera Cruz. Here de la Huerta and Already the presence of about 25 delegates is assured. This number will be increased before the close of the Congress. Fraternal delegates from the Com munist Parties of Cuba and Central America (Guatemala) are expected to participate actively in the sessions of the Convention. Delegate From U. S. For the first time in the history of the Communist, movement on the American continents a duly authoriz ed representative of the Communists from the United States, a delegate from the Workers Party of America, will attend a convention of the Com munist Party of a Latin-American country. The Mexican Communists view this step of the Workers Party as a most significant movement in the direction of organizing a centralized unified Pan-American Communist movement to deal effectively with the aggression and increasing encroachments of the Yankee imperialists and their Wall Street-Wasuington government in the Latin-American countries. The present party congress assum es extraordinary importance for the Mexican and other Communists be cause of the delicate and complicated situation in the country arising out of the de la nuerta revolt on the eve of the national elections. Among the strongest delegations at the congress are the representatives from the Vera Cruz district, where the Communist Party wields consider able influence amongst the agrarian and industrial masses. One of the prominent delegates from Vera Cruz is Comrade Ursulr Galvon, who is the leader of the he roic band of peasants that dealt crush ing blows to the rear of the de la Huerta forces in the fighting in the state. Comrade Galvon is the President of the League of Agrarian Communities of the State of Vera Cruz. He is alsc a member of the Praesidium of the Red Peasants’ Internatioattl- recently organized at Moscow and now mak ing rapid growtu in many of the prin cipal countries. Galvon was en route to Vera Cruz from the international peasants’ congress while the port was in the hands of the Fascisti de la Huerta forces. He was wired by his comrades to avoid the port, but he managed to land secretly and organ ize a splendid military fighting force of Communists and poor peasants tc rid the -state of the reactionary forces. Farmers’ Representatives Present Delegates from the important in dustrial center of Orizaba, where the Communists have influence among the textile and tobacco workers, are ex pected to play a prominent part thru out the convention. One of the delegations from the State of Oaxaca will be an ex-colonel, Comrade Roberto Ramirez, who re signed from the army in order to be a more effective worker for the Com munist Party. Comrade Roberto Ra mirez is now a candidate for the na tional Chamber of Deputies. The States of Sonora and Duran go will also be well represented. The powerful Agrarian Party of the State of Michoacan and the League of the jPfttense of the People’s Rights, both organizations of strongly Communist character, are expected to seek rep resentation at the Congress. All in all. despite ths most insuper able obstacles created by the present military situation in the country and the extreme suffering resulting there from amongst the farming and indus trial masses, no less than ten states will be adequately represented at this Convention. Reports have reached the Central Executive Committee of the Commun ist Party that delegates from the oth er states are making desperate es forts to break thru the numerous bar 7 riers and come to the Congress by all means of transportation available. Communist Influence Grows. Within the last year the Mexican Communist Party has greatly increas ed its influence, tho it is still organ izationally weak. The Mexican Com munists are confronted with almost unbelievable and countless difficulties arising from foreign imperialist ag gression against the country, from the extremely poverty stricken state in which the overwhelming mass of the working and farming population finds Itself, from the dangers of Indian and Spunish-Mexlcan conflicts, and many other peculiarly complex situations. Recent monthH have seen a marked favorable attitude developing towards the Communist Party amongst, the railroad and textile workers and the various peasants’ leagues and unions of which there are a number in Mex lco. It is interesting to note that the Congress is being held In ”L» Casa Borah Is Perfectly Safe Republican, Says Senator Edge Washington, April 30 —Senator Edge of New Jersey, republican, today en dorsed Senator Borah for chairman of the Republican National committee. Republicans need not fear that Bo rah would "introduce reforms or inno vations which might embarass,” Edge said. “If they deal with his viewpoint of the solution of some national prob lems or differ from the attitude of some other republicans, it would not be fatal.” del Pueblo,” the “House of the Peo ple”. This was once a Catholic mon astery. During the great tenants’ strikes of 1922, the Communist Party and the Union of Striking Tenants took away the building from the Church. All efforts to force the re turn of this building to the Catholic missionaries have failed to date. Important Questions Before Delegates. The principal questions confronting the delegates are the agrarian prob lem. the tactics of Communist parti cipation in the national elections, the strengthening of the Party organisa tion. and the growing serious dangers of American imperialism. Comrade Bertram D. Wolfe has been especially assigned by the Cen tral Executive Committee of the Par ty to prepare and organize the ma terial and data on which the Party policies on these and other questions will be based. Spirited discussions and a lively in teresting Congress are expected by all the delegates present. General De la Huerta and his agents declared ail labor organ izations outlawed. Many workers and peasants were shot down in cold blood. Under these circumstances the Communists banded themselves to gether in an underground organiza tion and smuggled food, ammunition and sundry military supplies to the government forces. Six Communists are known to have been shot by the de la Huerta mer cenaries for aiding the government in this fashion. Among the workers who were thus murdered by de la Heurta or w'.o met death at the front, was the local Secretary of the Young Cpm munist League. Some Workers Hesitate. Let no one get the impression that all the workers and farmers of Mex ico consciously and actively fought on the side of the Obregon government. Some workers and peasants who were followers of the Anarchist Federation or who were members of the Railway Workers’ Union, were very slow in getting into the fight, even when they were finally drawn in. On several oc casions anarchist followers even join ed de la Heurta. It was not until tl.e latter showed his real hand by crush ing the workers’ organizations of all shades of opinion, that the Anarchist Federation woke up to the cruel reali ties of the situation. After a few an archists were murdered by the Fas cisti, the organized Anarchists under Communist pressure, particularly in Vera Cruz, where a strong united working class front against Fascism was formed, expelled those of their spokesmen who had declared them selves for de la Huerta. The Railroad Workers’ Federation, which is independent of tne General Federation of Labor, formally declar ed its neutrality as soon as the con flict broke out. Many of the rail way workers were extremely dis gruntled at the treatment they had been receiving at the hands of the Obregon government. Besides, de la Huerta in preparation for his revolt, had made it his business to demoral ize sections of the ranks of the rail way workers by a liberal dispensing of funds amongst them. The Fascist leafier was well-aware of the fact that the strategic importance of having the railway workers on his side in a mili tary struggle could not be overesti mated. But the Communists among the rail way workers worked actively to coun teract this potentially grave menr.c' to the success of the Callista forces Utilizing their strong influence among the railway carpenters as a base of operations, they launched a determin 'd campaign among all railroad work ers against the Fascisti coup. Soon many railway workers rallied to the colors against de la Huerta despite the fact that they were warned by their superior Federation officers that such practices were In violation of the accepted policy of the national organ ization to keep out of politics. Communists Gaining Strength. The position taken by the Commun ist Party in the de la Huerta rebellion has greatly* helped to strengthen the comparatively weak national organiza tion of the Mexican Communists. The role played by the Communists in vig orously resisting Fascism has brought them much closer to great masses of Mexican workers and peasants who uq*r huve considerable confidence in Communists in several states. Today the national organization of the Mexican Communist Party is still very woak. But the ideological and general political influence of the Com munists the country over is already much greater than the numerical strength and Is steadily developing proportions that are to be reckoned with in the class conflicts of our Southern neighboring country. The present conditions In Mexico, politics! and economic, are favorable for the ouilding of a powerful mass Communist Party. - Are You Working This May Day? If You Do, Make Every Hour Count For THE DAILY - WORKER. On the initiative of the Harlem Section Local New York Workers Party, The Central Executive Committee of the Workers Party has calle4 upon every member to make May Day a real Labor Holiday. Adhering to the international traditions of labor, The Workers Party has called upon every member to refrain from work if possible. But those who are compelled to work are this May Day given the opportunity to make May Day a real Holiday. Each militant who must work for the boss on May .Day is urged to donate the day’s wages to THE DAILY WORKER. The militants in Harlem have taken the lead. The employees of THE DAILY WORKER are glad to take it up. It will be necessary for those in member of the Workers Party who works for THE DAILY WORKER, the employ of THE DAILY WORKER to work on May Day... But every member whether in the shop, in the office or in the editorial department are going to donate their wages to make THE DAILY WORKER grow. Make May Day this year a real holiday. If you celebrate May Daj by staying away from the shops make May Day mean a real labor holi day for you by selling a few subscriptions to THE DAILY WORKER. WHERE ARE YOU NOW? You may know where you are moving but we won’t unless you send in your new address. Name Old Address * New Address EVERYBODY COME! FIRST ANNUAL DAffCE Given by the GREEK BRANCH, W. P., DETROIT Saturday, May 3rd, 1924, at 8 P. M. At ELKS TEMPLE, cor. Lafayette and Cass Admission SI.OO Ladies Free pilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||HH|- ENUF SAID 2 Days More to the 3 £ Third Anniversary Celebration and Ball 1 OF THE AMALGAMATED FOOD WORKERS s S North Side Turner Hall, 822 North Clark St. SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 3rd, 1924 ~ = s Doors Open BP. M. Tickets 50c s iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimi t 1 • DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU-- Come to my office and get my My work and advice is absolutely the best—My experience is worth consideration—ll years on the same corner. Prices reasonable. 10 per cent to all readers of the DR. ZIMMERMAN ...DENTIST... 2000 N. CALIFORNIA AVENUE v. bernau ' JbL.REAL ESTATE and INSURANCE ' of every kind 2034 N. HALSTED STREET [ { p Notary Public Lincoln 3208 fear Are you self-conscious about the im/J-ession you make on'people? PERSONAL appearance has a lot to do with the way you feel. Clothes count, of course. But still there is one thing so many people overlook —something that at once brands them as either fastidious or careless —tkl tilth. Notice today how you, yourself, watch another person s teeth when he or she is talking. If the teeth are not well kept they at once become a liability. Uuariaa Taatk Paata tlaaai taatk a nam may. AI tail aar tkamUlt km Ittcavand a yalUkimt lair,d,.at that natty ct,a*, milk mi KTaitklaitkaaaaaut—adUkialltnUam ftaatty aataad. A large tube,of Listerine Tooth Paste is only 25 cents; at your drug gist’s.— LambtrtPharmocalCo.,Saint Louis, U. S. A. Established 1899 JOHN B. HESSLER SHOES FOR MEN, WOMEN A CHILDREN 2720 North Avb. CHICAGO Phone Spaulillnit 41>70 ASHER B. PORTNOY A CO. Paintera and Decorators PAINTERS’ SUPPLIES Estimates on New and Old Work MILWAUKEE AVK, i:hh:aoo| Thursday, May 1, 1924 How many of yoyr shop-mates read THE DAILY WORKER. Get one Os them to subscribe today. I W. RIEGK LUNCH ROOMS Seven Places 62 W. Van Buren 42 W. Harrison 169 N. Clark 118 S. Clark 66 W. Washington 167 N. State 234 S. Halsted PHONES. HARRISON 861 S-7 Specialties: E. W. Rieck Boston Baked Beans and Brown Bread Fine Soups and Fresh Made Coffee Commissary and Bakery; 1612 Fulton SL Phone West 2549 I RUBBER STAMPS A AND SEALS f IN ENGLISH AND IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES INK. PADS. DATERS. RUBBER TYPE,Etc. NOBLER STAMP & SEAL CO. / -B^^73W.V a nßurßnSt. Ka rhone Wabash 6680 SH CHICAGO JSzitSjUL MA,L ORDtR* PROMPTLY —* a * ATTENDED TO— PITTSBURGH, PA. DR. RASNICK DENTIST Rendering Expert Dental Service for 20 Years HELP WANTED ' LEARN THE BARBER TRADE 20 lesson book, 11.00. C. D. Raymer fc 1330 F. First Ave., Seattle, Wash. '