The toiler. [volume], July 16, 1920, Image 1

About The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922

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UNIVERSITY
JULl 91920
LIBRARY
TOILER
ISM't THIS FUNNY?
WASHINGTON, July R Renewal of the tra.l"
embargo with Soviet Russia was accepted today as
the t'inal ami ptrmsnent f'iiy of the Wiisr.n admin:
stration tiwani Russia ac loug As tbe Bolshevik! are
in power.
NO. 128.
Published weekly
.it Cleveland. OMo.
CLEVELAND. OHIO, FRIDAY, JULY 16th. 1920.
Address all mail to
S207 Clark Ave., Cleveland, 0.
$1.50 A YEAR
U. S. LIFTS COMMERCIAL BLOCKADE AGAINST SOVIET RUSSIA
The Wilson administration, due to the
insistence of American manufacturers and
exporter?, officially lifted the American
commercial blockade of Soviet Russia on
July 7th. That the lifting of the blockade,
which ha,s been m'sponsible for the starv
ation and deaths of thousands of innocent
women and children in Russia is the direct
result of an accepted basis of trade rela
tions between Great Britain and Russia, is
now apparent in the reports of Russian
delegations on their way to England for
the purpose of preparing for the resump
tion of trade. Merchants here have no
desire to see the rich field of Russian com
merce invaded solely by the astute British.
The authorization for the resumption
of trade between American exporters and
Russian carries with it no recognition of
the Soviet government. True to its hypo
critical character, the "Wilson administra
tion seeks to perpetuate the idea of a dif
ference between trade relations and "re
cognition". It will probably maintain the
fiction to the last moment of the admini
stration's term of office. But the Soviets
have little to lose from non-recognition.
What they want is locomotives which thj
Baldwin Locomotive Works are ready to
supply by the hundred and the machinery,
medicines and other necessities needful in
the reconstruction of Russia's civil and
economic life. American manufacturers
have these supplies ready for delivery,
they have been waiting and pleading with
the State Department for months to allow
them clearance papers
these products. The gov
held consent until the Be
down the last hope of
establish itself in Russis
fensive. With the Polish
government must acce
events and permit the
That the whole
to trade with Russia nc
States and England ha
or shiploads of
nnient has with-
Army battered
pitalism to re-
the Polish of-
rmy in rout, the
to the logic of
inning of trade.
Id stands ready
that the United
Consented, is ac
iallv has desired
Proclamation to the Workers
of All Countries to Stop
White Terror.
r
The compl"te text of the call for an international boycott
of Hungary for the purpose of forcing the White Guard
Government of that country to cease its terrible persecutions
of Socialists and labor leaders, issued by the International
Federation of Trade Unions from its headquarters in Am
sterdam on June 3, is found in a copy of Het Volk, the
Dutch Socialist organ. Late reports from Vienna say that the
boycott, which went into effect June 20, is being carried oat
by Austrian, Jugoslav and Polish railroad men and telegraph
and postal employes and is fairly effective. The text of the
call, which has only been briefly quoted from in the cable
dispatches, reads:
Varijew of all countries:
"The International Federation of Trade Unions has, de
cided to boycott Hungary, beginning Sunday, June 20, and to
put a stop to all traffic with that country.
"It is nearly a year since the socalled order-loving ele
anents in Ilungairy got possession of the Government. From
that moment on, the labor movement there has been exposed to
an oppression and persecution the like of which has never been
seen in the history of the labor movement, and which actually
exceeds the horrors in the Ozaristic Russia that has been over
thrown. "Mere membership in a trade union that is nonclerical is
enough to cause one to be thrown into jail, and an anonymous
denunciation is sufficient to have a person kidnapped and
locked up in the internment camps.
"Already at the beginnig of the current year there were
9,000 men and women in the concentration camp at Ilajmaster,
4,000 at Ospel, 2,400 at Zalacgerszeg, 2,000 at Eger, 3,000 at
Cegled and 2,000 at Komaron Sandberg. Altogether there were
some 50,000 men and women locked up. The jails in the cities
are overflowing, the prisoners and the interned men are ex
posed to the most horrible and refined cruelties; at the be
ginning of this year 5,000 workers had already been executed.
Thousands and thousands have been murdered by bands of
officers without any form of law. Other thousands have
perished of hunger and illness. The reactionary detachments
of officers are all powerful. He who falls into their hands is
lost. Their victims are martyrized and slain. There are cases
well authenticated by sworn witnesses of unlucky wretches
being scalped alive, of others whose arms and legs were
broken, of others who were forced to consume offal, of others
who were emasculated or similarly multilated, and of others
who were compelled to practice canibalism.
"Husbands and fathers have been tortured and killed under
the very eyes of their wives and children. Women and girls
have been outraged before the eyes of their husbands and
fathers. Every day men and women of the fighting working
class disappear, and are only found as corpses, after having
been beaten or shot to death, and often horribly multilated.
"The International Federation of Trade Unions has pro
tested against these horrors to the Hungarian Government and
to the Supremo Council of the League of Nations, and dc
manded that measures bo taken to put an end to all these
horrors. It has done no good. The White Terror reigns in
Hungary the same after as before. The Supremo Council of the
League of Nations evidently cannot, or will not, put the nec
essary pressure upon the Hungarian Government. The latter
cannot, or will not, curb the horrors in its country; it either
closes its eyes to them or encourages them itself.
"From official documents of the Hungarian Government
that have come into the hands of the International Federation
of Trade Unions it is evident that this Government incites the
Judges to condemn oven prisoners whose guilt is not proved by
cepted. Scandinavia esp
to trade with Russia sOr many months,
but the fear of the Allies has compelled
her to take no offensive step. Italy has
already, so it is reporten, sent cargoes to
Russia in exchange forRussian goods. It
is not likely that other nations will follow
the stupid policy of the Wilson admini
stration, but will allow full freedom of
passenger traffic and mails to Russia fol
lowed shortly by official government re
cognition of the Soviet government.
The resumption of trade relations with
the world is the greatest victory for Sc
vietism. In spite of the terrible handicaps
of an economic and political revolution,
preceded by a war which reaped a toll of
(5,000,000 men; of counter revolution and
attacks against her by the Entente allies;
with a worn out, destroyed economic and
industrial machine to which difficulty
was added a blockade of all her ports, the
Soviet government, the government of the
Russian workers and peasants, has survi
ved it all for two terrible years. With an
indomitable courage it has beaten its
enemies on every side, and has won the
confidence of the masses of Russia. The
opening of jtrade relations is a tacit ac
ceptance of the strength of the Soviets.
Every revolutionist may hail with
joy the establishment of these potential
relations between Russia and the capitalist
nations. They mean the ending of many
terrors that have beset and hindered the
development of the true Communist State,
chief among which arc the hunger and
dearth of medicines, and the lack of ma
chinery. With these supplied, will Soviet
ism be strengthened and the power of the
Revolution be multiplied.
Hail to the Revolution. Hail to Russia,
victor over capitalism!
Jury Secured in
Communist Cases
Trial of 127 Communists in Chicago
to proceed. Twelve men satisfactory
to both sides finally found. Sixty days
required. Fifteen hundred veniremen
examined.
Russian Communists Anxious
to Unite American RevcSu-tionists.
He Who Pays tHe Piper Plays the Tune
CHICAGO, July 0. Tbe trial of 127
Communists and Communist Labor
ites, for which two months have been
consumed in scouring twelve jury
men, will proceed. For sixty days the
prosecuting attorneys and the defend
ants have stood in the Cook County
Court examining panel after pand
of prospective jurymen, 1,500 in all,
attempting to find in this multitude
twelve men satisfactory to both sides
who will carry in their hands the fate
of 127 men, charge under the laws of
Illinois with conspiring to overthrow
the government by organizing the
Communist and the Communist Labor
Parties at Chicago last September.
Not all "conspirators" present.
Of the 127 for whom indictments
were issued, thirteen have never been
arrested, for the very good reason
that they have not been found by tho
authorities. Among these are John
lieed, noted author and newspaper
man, whose recent imprisonment in
Abo, Finland, aroused great interest in
revolutionary circles. Reed was charged
with smuggling, considerable diamonds
' and money was found in his possev
I sion At latest reports he had been
j fined and released.
Four women who were also arrested
I will be tried after the present case is
' concluded.
That the Chicago case will be an
historic one in the annals of Americ
an labor is assured by the legal talent
which is participating, the defense
being represented by Mm 8. Forrost,
Clnrence Harrow and Wm. Cunnca.
the evidence, and that it pays rewards of from 20,000 to 250,
000 crowns for the making harmless that is, the murdering
of labor leaders living abroad.
"All these facts are known and established. The Govern
ments that are acquainted with them do not wish to intervene ;
perhaps they applaud the wiping out and murdering of tho
labor movement in Hungary.
"The International Federation of Trade Unions taikes over
the task of the Governments and calls upon the workers of all
countries, beginning June 20, to refuse to perform any work
that might, directly or indirectly, be of benefit to the Hun
gary of the White Terror.
"From June 20, 1920, no train may cross the Hungarian
border, no ship may enter Hungarian waters, no letter, no tele
gram, may be sent to, or received from, Hungary. The entire
trafic must be stopped. No coal, no raw materials, no food
stuffs, no letter and no telegram may enter tho country any
more. "During the war the ruling class in the belligerent coun
tries fought its adversaries with the economic boycott. It did
it after tho war, and it is still trying to do it foT the purpose
of overthrowing the Russian labor Government.
"Tho International Federation of Trndo Unions calls upon
the working class of all countries to now make use of the same
means, now that it is a matter of halting the bloody rule of the
Hungarian Government and of saving tho lives and liberties
of thousands and thousands of comrades in Hungary.
"Comrades, transport workers, seamen, railroad men and
officials, postal, telegraph and telephone workers and official",
w orkers in all other trades, respond like one man to the call
of the International Federation of Trade Unions!
"From Sunday, June 20, on do not do another stroke of
work for Hungary!
"The boycott by the working class against the White
Terror!
"Long live international solidarity!
"W. E. APPLETON, President.
"L.JOUHAUX, C. MERTENS, Vice Presidents.
"EDO FIMMEN, J. OUDEGEEST, Secretaries."
ATTEND THE WORKERS'
DEFENSE LEAGUE
PICNIC
AT FRANK'S FARM, 8HERBODY HILL WOOSTER AVE.,
EXTENSION AKRON, OHIO.
Sunday, July 25th
Speaker
Geo R. Kirpatrick
Prepare to bring your family and enjoy the day.
Music, dancing and refreshment!.
By John Clayton.
in Chicago Tribune.
Declaring the revolutionary move
ment in the United States, if all fac
tions arc united, will gain a tremend
ous impetus and become a real menace
to capitalism there, the communist
leaders of Russia are bending every
effort to unite all the radical parties
under the banner of the Third Inter
rationale.
I hadn 't been in Moscow for twenty
four ours before I became aware of
(he presence of many American revolu
tionists, including representatives of
the two communist parties, the I W.
W, and American Socialist.
During my stay in Moscow a con
tract was drawn up between the lead
ers of the Communist party of America
and of the Communist Labor party of
America, signed by them, and sent te
the United States for approval. The
president of the Third Internationale,
Zinovieff, inspired this UfiJOir pwl
of the revolutionary body's plans for
unity in the United 8iates Late in
March a rcpresentatnve of the Social
ist party came, bringing the applica
tion of this group for membership ia
the Communist Internationale.
Message Scores Socialist Party.
Zinovieff gave me the following
message which he said bad been for
warded tn the Socialists:
"The executive of the Third Inter
rationale believes, if there is no dif-
fereenee between it and the American
Socialists, there is no need of a
separate Soeilalist party in the United
States, and he calls on the American
Socialists to unite with the American
Communist party.
"Before we can admit this body to
membership we must have guarantees
that the officials at its head who are
responsible for the American Socialist
support of the European war and whe
sold the working classes to the militar
ists be excluded from the honest rev
olutionary ranks. We know the plat
form of the leaders like Morris Hill
quit. We consider them traitors to tht
revolutionary movement."
Zinovieff on I. W. W.
Speaking of the I. W. W., Zinovieff
said:
"As yet there is no official connec
tion between tho I. W. W. and the
Third Internationale, but, knowing
their policy, wo are confident it will
not be long before the I. W. W. will
be united with tho commnnist move
ment. The executivo of the Third Inter
nationale has issued an official proc
lamation through the organ of the
Communist Internationale to the Amer
iean proeltariat represented by the
T. W. W. and we are confident they
will give a satisfactory answer to this
proclamation. The mistakes of the 1
W. W. are those which radical reform
movements have made throughout the
world. They refuse to step into th
arenn of politics, but if they will study
tho Russian Commnnist party they will
see it is not a political party In the
ordinary sense of the word, and they
will try to repair their mistakes."
Work Against Oompers.
Among the labor unions in the
United States tho Communist party
has been propagating an extensivo In
surrection against flompcr and his
fellows, declaring them the tools of the
capitalist class. Representatives of in
surgent nnions are finding their way
into Russia to stndy at tbe communist
propaganda school. The Third Inter
nntionale has a department of reorgan
isation of trade unions on purely rev
olutionary lines. Zinovieff declares
thny will soon be ready to form an in
ternationalo of trade unions which he
confidently prodicts will be supported
bv the American labor uniolns.