1 Any person under the age of thirty, who, having any knowledge of the existing order, is not a revolutionist, is an inferior". Bernard Shaw. The Revolutionary Situation in Italy By George Hal en en, Written for The Federated Prees. Even the Press dispatches state that the Italian situation is critical and the recent cabinet crisis has proved it. Nitti resigned, but as none of the bourgeois partios dared to take the responsibility of forming a new cabin et, he again and again took the po9t of premier until finally Giovannia Giolitti was found ready to attempt to form a cabinet. As early as 1914 the Socialist Partv of Italy predicted that the imperialist ic policy of the bourgeois would ne cessarily lead to general misery and that it would create a revolutionary raovpment anions the masses. Recent revolutionary activities have surprised even the party. The present social political crisis is such that the only solution is rev olution. The capitalist class under stands that and it is prepared to face the music. Ex-Premier Nitti, its most eloquent and diplomatic spokesman, has taken steps to fight the increasing power of the workers' party. Nitti does not resort to gag-laws and suppression. On the contrary, he has taken a very friendly attitude towards the socialists who have 150 representatives in par liament. "Our socialists arc real politicians'' says Nitti, in order to tame the socialists. "They constitute a real power. To them belongs the future." But the socialists have refused to take places on parliamentary commit tees and commissions because, they know that the time for reforms has been outlived and that the masses, not satisfied with reforms within the capitalist system are fervently pre paring for a revolution. The present time is c period of great strikes. In Turin a strike of 200,000 metal workers took place which continued 28 days. The workers de manded recognition of their soviet or council. The strike was to be the beginning of a general revolution, but this did not succeed as the armed forces of the exploiters were too strong for them. All over Italy the peasants are dis satisfied because of their miserable conditions. The farm workers of Par via and Novarra are striking, often using extreme measures, -induetml as well as agricultural workers are striking and sometimes the strikes are not bloodless. Some time ago a socialist was murdered in Decima. The workers declared a pro test strike. As a result six workers were killed and thirty injuerd by sold iers. Of the Modena workers who pro tested against the military Tule of Decima five were killed and fifty injured. This catastrophe was followed by a protest strike in Bolonga and the workers of Florence, Genoa, Rive, Trizeso Parma and Piacenza deolared a '24 hours general cessation of work as a demonstration against the tact ics of the militarists. The dissatisfied workers are demand ins that the Socialist Party declare a revolution. This desire of the ira patient masses is shared by many trade unionists. The Socialist party which is ihorousuiv revolutionary is against a revolution at the present time. "Avan ti" the organ of the party, says, "The labor organizations must fieht for victory and they must not enter into premature revolts. We must be ready for the right time." The Executive Committee of the party has declared the following "The Executive Committee of the Socialist Tarty is of the opinion that the present difficulties and strikes in dicate that the situation will ccn tinue to become more critical and of necessity revolutionary. We therefore deem it necessary for the proletariat to prepare for united action in order to crush the reaction and to over throw the capitalist government." "Avanti" explains in a leading art icle that the events in Sestri and Turin where the workers were defeat ed by armed forces shows that the socialists have not yet sufficient power. The bourgeois state is armed. The socialists are not. The tendency of the Socialist party is not against revol ution but it wants preparation, even arming ot the workcrs) before it gives the signal for revolution. The Soviets or councils form a part of the preparation. At the meeting of the national council of the party which took place in Milan April 18-21 it was decided to urge the forming of workers' councils in places where the socialists are strong. This resolution was adopted by 94,736 votes against 21,950. A resolution providing councils all over Italy received 8,000 votes. The chief purpose of the Socialist party in checking the revolutionary activity of the masses is to organize and discipline them so that when the time is ripe for revolution the party will be in a position to direct tho revolutionary movement from a cent ral point. The May Day proclamation indicated this very clearly. The party urged the workers to demonstrate for revolution, for Soviet Russia and for their own councils but above all for discipline, revolutionary discipline, di RUMINATIONS OF A REBEL By Tom Clifford. i In the June "Cosmopolitan" I ran across the following bit of bourgeois gush penned by Mcridith Nicholson: "America's need for leadership was never greater than now not in state craft alone, but in things spiritual, in education and kindred departments of the social structure." Sounds nice, doesn't itt One would think from reading the foregoing that "spiritual ity" had a place in capitalist ethics. During the last four years the bour goisie, through their courts, have jailed practically all the men and women in this country that had "vision" and dared give expression to their ideals. They sent Eugene V. Debs to the pen itentiary because his great soul cried out against wholesale murder and thousands of others are languishing in prisons for demanding a change in social conditions that would afford them opportunity to develop themselves spiritually. The bourgeois has no con ception of spirituality. Tho gross things of life occupy his undivided attention, and woe be to man or woman who interferes by word or act with the institutions that guarantee to him un limited license to plunder his fellows. Yet the magazines are full of this hypocritical cant while the game goes merily on. t saw a letter tho other day from a workingman in Buenas Aires to a workingman in Cleveland announcing that the workers of South America were boycotting United States pro ducts. And what do you suppose is the reason t Glory be, it is in retaliation for the outrages committed against the workers of this country on May Day, 1919. Now is that for an exhibition of solidarity! More power to their elbow! "An eye for an eye and a looth for a tooth" is not bad philosophy. This is a telling blow delivered just at the time the bourgeoisie of this country are so badly in need of markets. I wonder how long it will be until the workers of the United States develop the same degree of clans consciousness. The Soldiers' bonus bill has been passed by the House with the under standing that it is to be chloroform ed in tho Senate. Leave it to the capitalists to sec that the bill is quietly laid away in the Senate com mittee boneyard. Same old game of passing the buck." There are just eipline of human beings and masses, two methods possible to provide the bonds. To the politicians the former is unthinkable because of the fear of a political reaction by the people that would relegate these gentlemen to private life, while the latter would never be permitted by the big financial interests for they realize that the bonds could not be marketed among the workers, as were the Liberty is sues, and consequently the burden would have to be borne by themselves, and they are now carrying, through absorption of Liberty bonds, all tho governmental securities they can stand. Besides it would augment the currency inflation to a point that might pre cipitate the financial crisis they are even now frantically trying to avert. But now comes the Cincinnati Post with a brand new scheme to solve this vexing problem. The Post sug geste that tho I. O. Us given to Uncle Sam for the billions loaned the Allies be exchanged for bonds to be issued bv the debtor nations and that the3C bonds be distributed as bonuses to th" soldiers. Here is high finance with a vengeance. Great head, that editor.. As I pointed out recently, there is not the remotest hope that these "promises to pay" would be any happen. better asset than the bonds issued by the Southern Confederacy during the Rebellion, and no one knows that better than the pencil pusher who evolved this utterly preposterous pro position. And yet, when I remember how the government swindled tho soldiers of the Civil War by paying them off in depreciated greenbacks worth but 33 cents on a dollar, I shall not be surprised if the same bunko game is played on the sol diers of the World War. It doesn't matter much, anyway. The workers are used to being skinned. i Are there any persons excited over the Republican National Convention, If there are they are carefully abstain ing from putting themselves in eviden ce. During ten days lounging in hotel lobbies I have heard just one com ment on the convention. The prevail ing topics of conversatian arc baso ball, horse racing and high prices. No one seems to caro a pickayune who is nominated for tho Presidency by either the Democrats or Republic ans. This apithetic attitude toward "politics" is extremely alarming to tho politicians, for it makos a hurrah" campaign, which is their long suit, practically impossible. It is a porten tious sign. Out of the ferment of pres ent day society will emerge sober think iug, and then something will STILL THIRSTING FOR BLOOD OF AMERICAN "SLACKERS" T!h highest aim is victory for the dictatorship of the proletariat and for the realization of communism. Italy is on the verge of great social upheaval a social revolution. funds necessary to meet the proposed bonus, and the politicians realize that neither is practicable at the present time. One is increased taxation; the other the flotation of a new issue of i THE MONEYLESS MAN Is there no secret place on the face of the earth Where charity dwelleth where virture hath birth, Where bosoms in kindness and mercy will heave, And the poor and the wretched shall ask and receive? Is there no placo where a knock from tho poor Will bring a kind angel to open tho doort Ah: search the wide world and find if you can Who will open the door to a moneyless man. Go to the halls where tho chandelier's light Drives off with its splendor the darkness of night; Where the rich hanging curtains in a shadowy fold Sweep peacefully down with their trimmings of gold, And the mirrors of silver take up and renew In their long lighted vistas, the bewildering view. Go there in your patches and find if yon can A welcoming smile for a moneyless man. Go to your church; with its cloud-reaching spire Which gives back to tho Bun its same light of fire; Where the arches and columns are gorgeous within, And tho walls seem as pure as a soul without sin; Walk down the long aisles, see the rich and the great In the pride and the pomp of their wordly estate; Walk down in your patches and find if you can Who will open a pow to a moneyless man. Go to your Judge with his long flowing gown, Where, with scales in hand, weighth equity down; Whore he frowns on tho weak and smiles on the strong And punishes Right whilo ho justifies Wrong. Where the Jurors, their lips on tho Bible have laid To render a verdict they have already made. Go there in tho court room and find if you can Any law for tho cause of a moneyless man. Then go to your hovel; no raven has fed The wife who has suffered too long for bread. Kneel down by her pallet and wipe the death frost From the lips of the angel your poverty lost; Then turn in your agony and look upward to God And bless while he smites you with chastening rod, And you'll find at the end of your life's little span There's even no welcome in Heaven for a moneyless man. By Linn A. E. Gale. Nero, immortal in the annals of infamy and watching the helpless people of an cient Rome burn to death, never smacked his lips in more hellish glee than would the munitions-makers, profiteers and imperialists of the United States if they could imprison, torture and butcher the American "slackers" who are still in Mexico. No clan of cannibals ever lusted more furiously for the blood of their victims than do the financial dictators of the American government lust for our blood. They forgave the Germans long ago. They never had any intention of hang ing or punishing the kaiser. Such talk was bluff to kid the people. If the German cmpror had been killed becauso he lost this war, President Wilson's turn or King George's or Lloyd George's or Clcmenceau's turn might come later. They had nothing against the Kaiser as an individual, despite their lying assertions. They simply wanted to dominato the markets of the world and to do so it was necessary to trash Germany. Some other time it will be necessary for them to clean up England and Japan in order to , maintain supremacy of trade. Altho thev were dead in earnest in seeking commercial mastery, they have no de sire to be so harsh with tho enemy as to affect tho stability of the cap italist system. Repeatedly they have shown that they prefer kaiserism any time to Communism and workers' con trol of industry. But the men who own the wealth of the United States have never forgiven us "slackers". They never will. They hato us with all the fury of fiends. They size us, torment us, mangle us and finally slaughter us and make an example of us before the world. An Exemple For Future Objectors dom on alien soil for the purpose of propagating Communist teachings. Those who simply came to Mexico to save their skins, who had no conscientious or class-conscious objection to the war except that they didn't want to get hurt, who got jobs or opened stores and began to make money here like "good citizens," they are all right, from the standpoint of capitalism. Wall St. has no special enmity against them. There are lots of men in the United States who did the same thing in a little different way who escaped mili tary service by pull or bribery. While the government didn't like such doings as a rule for it wanted to have plenty of men to do the fighting, it wasn't much concerned about it. "Slackers" who camo to Mexico in such a quiet, inoffensive way, have frequently gone back to their home towns and been unmolested or at the worst, spent a few months in jail and then gone scot-free. But the "slacker" who was against the war because ho was a Communist, a Socialist, an I. W. W., or a Pacifist, is a danger to tho dying system, a danger to the designs of Wall St. Such "slackers" not only fled to foreign soil but they commenced an active and effective propaganda in favor of Bolshevism. They tried to awaken others to the criminality of a system under which wars are necessary. They tried to imbue others with their own spirit of rebellion so that when the next war comes, there will bo still more who will refuse to obey the diets of the international murdor tni3t. And they were very successful, stirring in thousands a spirit hitherto unknown and filling them with that imperishable zeal, for a cause that armies and em pires cannot kill. The "Spy" Story American capitalism wants to show every American that this is what will happen to any man who dares think for himself who dares refuse to fight in capitalistic wars who dares to prize human life more than tho gold of millionaires, the epaulet of a soldier and tho brutal mandate of a degenerate gy , fa (lAirnmmnnt ftlflf'o wll V AmnTlCOn PflTV Bvjwmtm " "v r italism has never ceased to try to get the fugitives back from Mexico. That's why it has resumed trading with the terrible "Huns" that it was a little whilo ago so savageriy denouncing an centers all its venom on the "slackers." and virulence (Continued from page l-st.) City of Chicago, attending the conven tion session in the morning and a meeting of the Central Executive Com mittee of tho party in tbo afternoon. In the same city with a party of com rades. On November 15th, another date definitely fixed, he attended a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of I tho Communist Party in Chicago as i a i ijt.i i . , . , couiu oc vernicu Dy twelve otner mem- For the "slacker" is a menace to capitalism providing he uses his free- Predatory Wars, Oppression of the Workers and the Beginning of the Downfall of Capital BY N. BUCHABIN. During tho last few ym in every capitalist country, small nomitnl has almost vanished: it has hecn swallowed up by the biff sharks. Formerly, many separate capitalists were fighting for customers; now wncn mere are not many more uyjuuw capitalists (for almost all the small ones have been ruined), those that remained have united, organized and are in control country vou mav metniom hist as the landed pro prietor controlled his estate formerly. A few American bankers rule over all America, just as a single manufacturer formerly AnntmllMl his factorv: a few French usurers hold the French people in subjection ;'five large banks control the destiny of the entire German people. It is just the same in the other capital ist countries. For this reason it may be said that the modern capitalistic states or the socalled "Fatherlands" have become enormous factories, which are ruled by a combination of prop erty holders, just as formerly every seperate capitalist ruled in his own factory. It is not surprising, therefore, that these trusts, the State combinations of the different bourgeoisies, now carry on that Mmn hnttlft with each other, which formerly was waged by the separate capitalists; the English bourgeois State battles with the German bourgeois State, just as lormeny in rngiaim or in Germany, one manufacturer might battle with another. Only now, the stake is a thousand times higher, and the battlo for the increase of profit is carried on with the help of human lives and of human blood. Tn this atrurerlo. which takes in the entire world, the first ones to bo destroyed arc tho small ami weak contrics. First come the small colonial peoples weak, occasionally wild races, who are destroyed piemcal by the big predatory states. A struggle thon ensues between th(sc predatory states as to the rHvisinn of the "free" territory, that is. the territories which have not as yet been stolen by the "civilized" states. Then begins the struggle for the rodivision of the territory which has nlready been stolen. It is clear that this struggle for the rodivision "of the world must be bloodier nnd more bitter than ever before. Monstrous giants, the largest states of the world, armed with tho most thorough death-dealing machines battle with each other. The world-war, which broke out in the summer of I'M I ,wi whip.h ha not vet ended, is the first war waged for the decisive rodivision of the world between the monsters or "civilized" robbery. It drew into its whirlpool the four gigan-1 tic rivals, England, Germany, America and Japan. And the war is being waged to decide which of these robber alliances will be successful in forcing the world under its bloody iron heel This war everywhere aggravates the already hard lot of the working-class incredibly. The workers now have unbear able burdens heaped upon them; millions of the best workers are simply slaughtered on the battle fields; hunger is the lot of the remainder; those who dare to protest, are threatened with the remainder; those who dare to protest, are threatened with the harhest punishment. All the prisons are overflow ing; the authorities hold the machine-guns m readiness for use against the workers. The rights of the workers have disappered even m tho "freest" countries: to strike is not allowed; strikes are punishable as treason. The workers' press is gagged. The best workers, the most devoted fighters for tho Revolution are forced, to hide themselves and to tound their organization in secret, as they did during the rule of the Czar in Russia) hiding from the host of spies and police offi cials. It is no wonder that the workers not only groan under such consequences of the war, but even begin to rise against their oppressors. But the bourgeois States themselves, that start this fear ful slaughter, begin to rot at their roots and to putrify. The are sunk in the bloody morass, which they created by their hunt for profit, and there is no way out for them. To go back with empty hands after such an expenditure of money, objects and blood cannot be done. To go forward to another horrible risk that too, is almost impossible. The war policy leads into a blind alley, from which there is no way out. For this reason, tho war is prolonged endlessly, even though there is no decisive result. For the same reason, tho capitalistic sys tem begins to rot, and sooner or later, must make way for a new system in which thoro is no place for the madness of a world-war for profit. The longer the war lasts' the more do the warring powers weaken. The flower of the working people either porishes, or lies in the trenches eaten up by lice, busy with tho work of the misery of the people grows, life is being extinguished. In such well-governed cities as Berlin and Vienna, it is not safe to go on the street at night; everywhere robberies are being committed. The German bourgeois papers are complaining about the insufficient number of police. They do not wish to see that the growth of the number of criminals is due to the increase of misery' desperation and rage. The cripples come back from tho front and find universal hunger at home; the number of homeless and hungry grows in spite 'of the excellent organization, for there is nothing to cat, but the war keeps going on, and is constantly demanding fresh sacrifices. The more difficult tho situation of the warring states be comes, the more friction, dissension and disunion will arise in all the strata of the bourgeoisie, which formerly marched together, hand in hand in the interest of their common goal. In Austria, the Czechs, the Ukrainians, the Germans, tho Poles are tearing each other's hair. In Germany, mostly be cause of the conquering of new provinces, the same bour geoisio (tho Esthonian- the Lettish, tho Ukrainian, the Po lish), the bourgeoisie which invited the German troops in, is now forced into a violent dispute with its liberators. In Jiing land, the English bourgeoisie is engaged in a death struggle with tho Irish bourgeoisie, which has been held in subjection by the English bourgeoisie. And out of all this confusion, the working-class raises its voice ever louder, that working class which, by tho whole course of its development, is forced to face tho problem of crushing the war and of throwing off the yoke of capitalism. So tho time of the decomposition of capitalism and the time of tho Communistic Revolution of the workmg-clnss is approaching. The first breach was made by the Russian Revolution of October. Capitalism decomposed earlier in Russia than in any other country because the burden of the world-war pressed more heavily on the young capitalist government of that country. Russia did not havo such enormous organizations of tho bourgeoisie as England, Germany and America. For thin reason, it was not equal to tlie demands which the war made .. 1 1 ll. Al. .11 t J 11 destruction. Evervthinir is destroyed for tho war: oven brass! upon it, nor could it cope with the mighty attack made upon it door-handles are confiscated for war material.. The most nee- by the Russian working-class and the poorest peasants, who ossary things of life are lacking, for the war has swallowed , lifted tho bourgeoisie out of the saddle in October nnd trans- bers of tho committee. As to the checks which tho informer claimed to havo seen in the file sup posed to contain Fraina's reports, any one familiar with modern accounting methods would smilo at tho proposi tion that returned checks should be filed in tho individual file of tho per son to whom they wore issued. When tho investigation was com pleted those present were asked to state whether they wcro satisfied that Fraina had been exonerated and all but two members of the Bureau agreed that such was the caso. Tho other two persons still had some douts although admitting that there was no clear case. The stenographic report of tho hear ing was later submitted to tho Ex ecutive Council of tho Communist Party and the Translator-Secretaries repre senting the Languago Federations in tho National Office and it was tboir unanimous verdict that Fraina had boon exonerated. The "Call" endeavors to baso iU in sinuations upon tho fact that Fraina was not nrrcHted last Novombor, whilo others wcro and that ho was able to leave tho country. Those familiar with the fncts know that Fraina was in hiding for a month before, he loft tho country and that ho left secretly, as many other persons havo bocn nblo to do. Publicity is given to tho facta in regard to the Fraina chnrges in order to show tho reprehensible tactics which tho Socialist Party publications nro ready to resort to in order tn dis credit rival orgnnirations. In this mat ter tho "Call" nnd other Socialist Party pnpers which havo copied its articles have outdono the slimiest work of the capitalist kept press. up everything like nn insatiable wandering bust of locust. Nobody produces useful objects they are only used up. For the fourth year, the factories which formerly produced useful objects, are turning out nothing but shrapnel and grenades f erred the power into the hands of the party of tho working class, tho Communists the Bolshoviiki. Sooner or later the sarnie fate will overtake the West European bourgeoisie. The working-class of Western Europe Without men, without producing anything that is really neces- is joining tho ranks of tho Communists in ever increasing sarv, all countries are reaching such a state of decay, that the numbers. Everywhere the organ iza lions oi ineir own ivne poople are already beginning to howl like wolves on account viki" are growing: in Austria nnd America, in Germany and of hunger, eold, want, misery nnd oppression. In the German Norway, in Franco and Italy. Tho program of tho Communist villages which formerly used electricity, the people are bum-1 Party will be tho program of the Proletarian World Revok ing pino splinters for thoro is a lack of coaL In proportion as tion- THE BLACK SHEEP (Continued from page 2nd) here. If you follows ro rlghl In vmir contention tlirt wo have n message for tho slaves, thrn wo sliniiM u" (riv ing that message. It is of no 8M MqjMBM to n powniillv f hey io joct It at least wi wdl hive Ihfl satis faction of having done on- duly at we MW It. (Contlnaod next work.)