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PAGE 14 THE TOILER SATURDAY. OCT. 28rd, 1920 British Labor Moves Again As this issue goes to press.the long-awaited strike of a million British miners begins, and the eyes of the militant labor "world are on them. In defiance of the Lloyd George government and the whole organized capitalist class of Britain ; spurn ing, even, the eleventh-hour advice of Smillie to retreat, the miners have stepped boldly forward into a situation that is bound to have far-reaching consequences. An associated press despatch speaks of the apprehension felt at the possibility of the "triple alliance" coming back to life through a sympathetic strike of the transport and railroad workers. The New York Times sees a close connection of the notion of the miners with the rapid development f the communist movement in the mining ai"eas. .This paper draws some comfort from their theory that "the public is against the strike." But the working class of England, well organized, con scious of its power and determined to use it, needs no support from any outside source within the country. The overwhelming majority in favor of strike action 635,098 to 181,428, sets at rest all doubts of the solidarity and determination of the miners. The Times sees "revolutionary designs" in their refusal to accept any of the proposals of the government. And they have good reason to; because defiance of the government is a long step toward repudiation of the government. Federal Prisons During the war, it was stated that the govern ment was too busy to occupy itself with the prison question. Since then, despite one scandal after the other, things were supposed to have changed for the better. New comes another "leak" about the federal prison at Baltimore. A federal Inspector of Pri sons, investigated the Maryland Penitentiary and found that the guards BLACKJACKED and BEAT the prisoners. To be sure, Mr. Palmer did not want this in formation to reach the outside world, but "news" has a way of getting out. In addition to beating the prisoners in a most brutal fashion, it was stated that one cell hous was curowded with des perate criminals, which is contrary to regulations. While the war was on, prisoners at Leaven worth and Alcatrez learned what it meant to be a federal prisoner. They learned what it meant to be strung up by the writs, to be manacled to the bars, to be piit into vermin-infested dungeons reached by neither air nor light. They experienced being drenched to the skin with a hose and turned out into the night air to be chilled to the bone, then to be returned to the cell and made to lie on the cold cement floor without any covering. They were put through torture that made several of them insane. During the war tlie government pretended to have an excuse. But now ? It has been established beyond doubt that the government is determined to make it especially "hot" for political prisoners. To be sure, anybody with a little understanding would realize that POLITICAL PRISONERS CANNOT BE BROK EN. But government officials are too dense to grasp that. Why? "What strange power has Lenin? Why jj ; ; does every adversary, one by one, fall before ! j I him ? Why do they all underguess him ? Why j ! do all European governments falter and j ij waver between courses, losing their hold on jj half "their" populations, till Lenin can say ! ! to Lloyd George, "i command more men in ! ! England than you command" ? Why is he the jj leader of the only nation that can dare to or- ji ! der its population into war? ! ! "The answer is that Lenin is a scientist in ij 1 1 a scientific world. Capitalism by its nature jj jj must follow its mad militarists into combat ! j 1 with Soviet Russia, like months to a flame". ! j l! Robert Minor in The Liberator. j The pamphlet Nicola i Lenin j by G. Zinovieff j! which is a history of the life of Lenin an- ! I swers many questions like the above. It is in- j j tensely interesting, instructive and education jj al. All the world is asking what about Le- j j! nin? This pamphlet helps to answer that ! j timely question in an understanding manner, j Now ready for delivery. 25c per copy. ! 15c each in lots of 25 or more. j Address The Toiler 3207 Clark Ave. Cleveland, 0. j