The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 6, 1924, Page 12

ee eT Ebi le Ne a painting cages nee a eee NG RE oe (Continued from Page 1.) in our waters, if we would not pay indemnity for two spies whom we had put into: prison. Over a year has passed and England, that powerful country, has passed thru a_ political crisis. The elections will follow and the labor party, which is the govern- ing party,.goes into the fight with the slogan: The Whole treaty with the Soviet Union without deletions. You see how history is working for us. Our comrades sometimes say that the world revolution is proceeding too slowly and question whether» the Comintern is not. responsible for the slow rate of advance,. Il am ready. to admit that. the revolutionizing ‘of the West could proceed more. rapidly. “In fact the Comintern: could and, ought’ to work more energetically. But ‘com: rades, one can say without hesitation that if you take the ‘period of -niné| « months which has just élapsed, we ean hardly ‘complain of slowness. In these nine months we have witnessed how the Second International has suc- ceeded to the government in a num- ber of countries and, under symptoms of the revolutionizing of the workers, have been turned out again. The Democratic-Pacifist Era is Only a Hostorical Episode. It has been said of late that an epoch or era of democratic pacifism had arrived: in England a. menshe- vist government; in France a govern- ment of the “left bloc,” actively sup- ported by socialists; in Denmark a social democratic government; in Bel- gium a labor government is expected any day; in Jugo-Slavia the Davidovic cabinet, etc. In one word, an epoch of democratic pacifism. Some comrades jumped to the conclusion that this will-retard the proletarian world revo- lution for years; that a- prolonged peaceful period of capitalism has set in and that therefore a change of tac- tics is necessary. If we faithfully des- cribe the events which are proceeding in Europe we must say, and the Fifth World Congress has said, that the bourgeoisie is attempting by means of the mensheviki to introduce a new sort of government because they can no longer govern with the old methods of terror and brutality. They were compelled to don the mask of paci- fism and of democracy, and for the second time after the war to invite representatives of the Secend Inter- national to take the reigns of govern- ment. The Fifth Congress of thé Comintern had, as a result of an analysis of the situation which had arisen,.come to the conclusion that this epoch will not last long, that it is a masquerade of the bourgeoisie and is not a sign of its strength but of its weakness. Every change ef epoch—from fas- cism to pacifism, from democracy to white dictatorship and vice versa— shakes the foundation of the bour- geois world. The democratic pacifist era will pass by and the revolution will come, And it is our task to ex- pose those who disguise themselves; to tear off the masks and to remain uncompromising Bolsheviki to the end. Hence the slogan: Bolshevizing our parties! What do we see now? If MacDon- ald has to go-and Lloyd and Curzon take his place, where then will the notorious democratic-pacifist era be? There will be nothing left of it, The Position of Herriot Is No Better In the France of Herriot, pacifism is likewise fading away before it has reached full bloom. We have just had a visit from Marty. He has told us of the feeling prevailing in France. There is no longer any magic in the idea of the left bloc, which a few months ago quite turned the heads of the population. During the elec- tion campaign Herriot, in order to gain the votes of the civil servants, prom- ised them an increase of salary of 150 francs a month. Now he is at the head of the government and the posi- tion of the civil servants has not im- proved. The electors remember this promise and say: Now you are in the government, therefore pay up this 1,800 ee This figure of 1,800 francs is now the most popular slogan, Just imagine how a mere trifle such as an increase of salaries to 1,800 francs can’ shake the whole left bloc, with Herriot, and the whole democratic-pa- cifist era. This is an interesting historical epi- sode. The underlying class antagon- isms are growing more acute. The bourgeoisie and the proletariat are facing one another in sharply divided fronts. We Have No Cause to Be Despondent. The course of events is not so. tardy as it seems. If you eonsidet the events before the war, there did not occur in the course of 10 years so many important events, as now occur in the course of 10 days. In England in the man stronghold of capitalism, the most important party of the Sec- ond. International, in response to the pressure of their own worers, will “shed blood” for us, the Bolsheviki. How has this unexpected circumstance arisen? In the last resort the course of events is not determined by our clever “diplomacy,” but by such sim- ple facts as the course of the class struggle, upon which is based Marx- ism, Leninism and the Comintern. The course of history determines that the working class of England, with a rich upper strata, with a strong labor aristocracy, regardless of the preju- dices against Bolshevism, perceives and feels the correctness of our stand- point-and cannot be deceived by Georgian fairy tales. A differentiation has set in in the English working, class, and this is a world-historical event. Marx once said that a revolution’ without England would only be a storm in a tea cup. For the world power of England rests upon India, Egypt, etc. What shall we wish as a result of the approaching elections? We desire from the. bottom of our hearts a vic- tory for MacDonald. MacDonald re- cently announced. before the whole world that he is no Communist. Love’s labor lost! Who could charge Mac. Donald with having anything in com- mon with Communism? We know this quite well, and in spite of it we whole- heartedly wish MacDonald a victory in the elections and desire that he will enjoy his victory not only for nine months, but for eighteen or more months. But we confess that we will not weep if he suffers a defeat. In either case the English labor move- ment will go forward. The Popularity of the Soviet Union Among the Workers of the West is Growing. Never before were our Soviets so. popular in the eyes of the working massés—even of the reformist work- ers—as at present. In the years 1920- 22, the years of hunger and disaster, the idea of the Soviet power was not so attractive among this section of the workers. But now all workers know, even the reformist workers, that our cause is advancing. They say: Even if wages with you are low- er we see that things with you are on the up-grade, but with us in Eu- rope they are on the down-grade. It is now perfectly clear that in one or two years the question of workers’ efficiency, say for instance, in the Ko- lomna factory, will be of international importance. The workers of the whole world will pass judgment upon us. Comrade Fimmen when. he was in Moscow related the following inter- esting episode: He had received a lIet- '| ter from the chairmanbf the reformist seamen’s union of a certain country. This individual was a hopeless re- formist and a hater of Moscow. And this trade union leader had received a pamphlet published by our seamen’s union, which contained particulars as to the conditions of work and terms of engagement of seamen in the Sov- iet Union. He read this brochure and now writes to Fimmen: I have read the particulars regarding the condi- tions of work of the seamen in the Soviet Union; if these are true, it means that we have been shamefully deceived. You see what enormous propagan- dist importance is possessed by such a minor thing as the working day in the socialist republic. Workers always The Lessons of Wacdonaldisamn ‘remain workers, even if they are re- formists. When they were told that with us starvation, and cannibalism prevails, and that the workers are living in slavery, etc., these reformist workers did not understand the Rus- sian revolution. But Now when they see the reverse side of the medal— that the workers are free, that the efficiency of labor is increasing, that the situation is improving—then the Soviet power and its ideas become the greatest propagandist force in the whole world, and bégin to sound like a tocsin as they never sounded before. We have every reason to be satis- fied’ with the experiencé of the last nine months. We will, of course, fol- low the election campaign in England with the greatest interest. . It is said of us that we are sending Communist agitators there. “Wise” bourgeois gentry of the type of Hughes claim that I have a hundred agitators up my sleeve whom I can dispatch to any desired country. I am sorry to say I am not endowed with such a capacity. We hope that even the leaders of the labor party, while agitating for them- selves, will be compelled to tell the truth regarding the Soviet Union. And the working class of England wili see that our Soviet Union will point out the way to the whole world, for the truth is’on our side. For thruout the whole world it is not the ideas of pet- ty bourgeois, menshevist, “construc- tive” pseudo-socialism which are pro- ceeding to victory, but the ideas of Leninism. MUSIC — -:- “Madame Butterfly,” a masquerade party in three acts,.set to music by Giacomo Puccini, was given by the Chieego Civic opera company last Monday night. It was a bit more than just a performance of the opera. It was a sort of memorial. ceremony, for the composer had been scarcely forty- eight hours dead when the curtain went up on this opera, which is,/next to “La Boheme,” his most popular work. A criticism of “Butterfly” is a criti- cism of Puccini, for obvious reasons. Altho “Tosca” is probably a greater cpera, “Butterfly” represents a norm of Puccini's achievement. Fully a third of it padding, obvious, trite, sim- pl} thrown in. The rest is some of the most inspired and lovely lyrical melody in musical literature. There is always a wiping of eyes in the audi- ence at the conslusion of the aria, “One Day He’ll Come,” at the begin- ning of the second act, there is gen- crally a commingling of tears and applause at the final curtain. Most of them have heard the opera time and again, and yet there is always the same effect. Which means, Puccini was a success, both artistically and financially. He never startles us, he never makes wonder at his novelty of invention, but he can make us weep. As to the performance of Monday night, the best work was done by a tiny little lady whose name was not on the program. At any rate she played the part of Madame Butter- fly’s baby, and she was the first child I have ever seen take the part with- out looking something like a kewpie doll. Edith Mason was very fine in the name part. She did not look her role, at least not as aptly as other singers look the part, which is not her fault, but in her acting and sing- ing she was the deluded little Japan-' CHICAGO SOCIETY FOR TECH, AID TO RUSSIA CELEBRATES TONIGHT The Chicago Society for Techni- cal Aid to Soviet Russia will cele- brate its fifth anniversary on Satur. day, Dec. 6, at 8 p. m. in the as- sembly hall of the Soviet School, 1902 W. Division St., Chicago. Rus- sian labor: organizations are invited to send their representatives to the celebration. An interesting program is being prepared. ; Another group of the agricultural commune “Red Ray” of the Chica- go Society for Technical Aid to Soviet Russia will leave for Odessa this Saturday at midnight. A fare- well will be given to them at this affair. All supporters of the work of the society are urged to be present to give these “pioneers” a good sendoff. The affair promises to be a lively one as the orchestra ef the Y. W. L. will play a prominent role in the program and the dancing that will follow. The three Sholly dancing children in Russian costumes will participate In the program. Many other Interesting numbers. Come! Admission only 36 cente, By Alfred V. Frankenstein ese girl. Charles Hackett, as Pinkerton, had one of the queerest roles in opera. Pinkerton is a dissolute and reprehen- sible sort of cuss, but his part im the opera makes him a highly idealized villain. Hackett sang the party ade- quately, but Pinkerton is not a very great tenor role. The smaller parts, such as the serv- ant Suzuki, played by Flora Perini, the American consul Sharpless, which Giacomo Rimini sang, and the mar- riage broker, as Ludovico Oliviero portrayed him, were all excellent, and contributed to the making of the frame and background for Miss Ma- son’s lead. Costumes and scenery suggested a would-be Japanese tea house on Sheri- dan road rather than real Japan. The main reason for that is that even tho you give a man a William Z, Foster haircut (I've got to retaliate some- how for his referring to the LaFollette movement as a “Frankenstein”) and dress him up in a kimono, he won’t look very Japanese if his features and build are those of Rome. . Lore and the Comintern (Continued from page 6) ly known Communist who supported Serrati was Paul Levi of shameful memory, the man who later found a resting place in the arms of the Ger- man social-demoecrats. Comrade Lore called Paul Levi to witness the cor- rectness of his (Lore’s) attitude to- wards Serrati. On February 19, 1921, the Volkszeitung reprinted from the “Rote Fahne” an article by Paul Levi, praising the Serrati group beyond words and expressing hope that. the Communist International would keep them. A footnote of the editor to the - article reads: “It gives us vivid satisfaction that Comrade Dr. Paul Levi, author of this article, takes a position towards the Italian congress and particular- ly, towards the Serrati group which is perfectly identical with the posi- tion of the Volkszeitung as express- ed in our editorial three weeks ago.” Comrade Lore thus links himself “| with Paul Levi. We shall see that this relationship was destined to pepane more pronounced later. (Second article will be. published in next issue of this supplement.) SUFFERING FROM ELECTION SHOCK! (Continued from page 5) International fits our case to the point. This very negative attitude can be clearly seen in the latest statements of the C. BE. C., T. U.E. L. and Y. W. L., and Comrade Bittelman’s articles. By refusing to recognize the crying need for a political unity of proletar- jans, who are slowly, but surely forced to look for political weapons, and as yet are far from being able to under- stand a necessity for a Communist Party, we will only play into the hands of our yellows. And, if the T. U. B, L, stafement reflects the new ©. B. C. policy correctly, then they. are already on “common place syn- dicalist” grounds, But they shall not remain there!