The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 17, 1925, Page 12

o (Continued from page 1) « geois characteristics, in practice. I imagined that with Lenin things are in some instances still worse. Firstly, had even those, who hated him, to admit, that in interpretations of Marxism and in general knowledge, Lenin was not inferior to Plechanov. AU, without exception, have thought them both the greatest exponents of Russian Marxism, the great figures in the international workers’ movement. It was kuown that Lenin and Plecha- nov were discussed in ore. breath everywhere, that they were ranked on the same footing with such per- sonalities as August Bebel and Jaures So Lenin is probably assuming airs and vainly proud of himself. Sec- ondly, the opinion was prevalent that Lenin is in general a eespot, a “fist,” one whom nobody dared to contradict so he surely makes you fear him. But, to my great amazement, when I was in Geneva to a lecture delivered by Lenin, I at once felt the difference of atmosphere between then and now. The audicnce, this time breathed free ly, intimately without any strain. Len- in’s appearance alone impressed me differently. .Shabbily dressed, like « poor emigrant, in a worn out blue jacket, with a plain soft collar cottor * shirt. dressed plainly, but neatly. In Lenin Is Dead But Leninism Leads each wave of the hand, in every move _ and turn of his one could notice the true democrat, the simple son of. his nation; not a trace of snobbishness in his manners or talk as to say: Here} I am—one of yours. One who does not know Lenin takes him for a typi- eally Russian “merchant” who. just threw off his sheepskin winter coat and copies the modern ways, as shown off his yellow beard in “blange” and on his face one can easily see some Tartar lines, especially in his eyes and the jaws; but his high forehead that reaches far into the head, sparsely covered with hair, bears witness that ordinary little person possesses extra- ordinary power. He does not speak as eloquently ‘and with so much pathos and as. bril- liantly as Plechanov. He does not quote as many authors of so many books as this does Plechanov, but his logic cuts with the sharpness of a knife; simple words, ‘without any highly sounding phrases set deeply in your mind. ‘Even his opponents sit gaping. He nails them all to the wali so good-naturedly, in such a friendiy manner and this inconveniences them. There was sitting next to me a Grusinian; an old social democrat, a menshevik; he was all hearing, an@ when Lenin struck blow after blow to. menshevism he, the Grusinian, By Abe Stolar, Age 13. What Workingmen Said of Lenin. in 1907 Lenin attended a velortaste? congress in London. There were many workers there who had seen him for the first time. One of these work- men in speaking about Lenin said: “Perhaps the workmen in Europe have another man as clever as he is. But they do not have another man so lovable.” Another workman added: “He is one of us. He is our teacher, our master, (meaning in mind) but most of all he Is our Comrade.” Lenin, whom his enemies have called great, unapproachable, terrible, never passed a child playing in the street without stopping to caress him and always with great caution, touching them very gently. One day in Gorki village, Lenin stopped to talk and play with the child- ren who gathered around him for they all loved him and would never let an opportunity go by without rushing to greet him. He turned to one of the comrades and said: “Those youngsters will have a better time than we had. For them life will not be so cruel.” Next week our Junior Column will print a series of letters from the Leninists, the Juniors of Soviet Russia, who after Lenin’s death changed their name from Pioneers to Leninists. Juniors! Send in Your Contributions! @ LENIN ASI SAW HIM automatically exclaimed: Is this a beast? Everybody. smiled and so did Lenin. The entire assembly was elec- trified, and when the discussion start- ed everybody took part in it, even the most ordinary people. It was a heart to heart talk, and when Lenin answered questions it was not in any way delicate or vague—it was a deep eut, so deep that it was remembered for a long time. Many comrades were there who heard Lenin speak for the first time, they shrugged their shoulders; is this the despot whom the opponents curse so much? , Despotism breathes with vileness, capriciousness, and wildness. Not a trace of those enumerated vices was to be found in Lenin’s speech. He simply enchanted with his sincerity. Did he ever express wrath, was he ever excited, it was with so much frankness, so, convincing that it left no after affect. I must confess that the lecture Len- in then delivered in which he discuss- ed the tactics of the social democrats aroused me very much and it took me some time to regain my Bundist equi- librium. Remarkable is this that I feared to hear some more of Lenin’s lectures and the same thing happened with many more experienced The Story of a Revolutionist. Dear Juniors:—I am going. to tell a short story of a revolution- ist of nearly two thousand years ago. His name was Spartacus. He was a Greek by birth and when the Romans came to Greece he was captured and brought to Rome to fight as a gladiator, while his mother and father were murdered. The Romans made a fighter of him so that he would supply them with what they con- sidered amusement. Once when Spartacus was in the arena fighting? with other glad- iators he discovered that he had fought with his best friend and killed him. From that time on he hated the Romans worse than ever. One day he called the gladia- tors together, told them of his ex- periences, and said that that night they should escape and become free men, as they rightfully were. They consented and that night es- caped and went to the crater of an extinet voleano. The Romans did not know where their slaves had gone until one of the gladiators betrayed Spartacus and the rest. The Ro- man army marched on to the crater and a fierce battle took place. The gladiators fought with all their might for they had nothing to lose and everything to gain, while the Romans fought for their slaves. But the great number of Romans against such a small but brave band of revolutionists was very unequal and Spartacus was hopelessly defeated. Before the Romans could reach him, Spartacus killed his horse and then himself saying that even his horse was to good for the Ro- mans. The Romans took all the revolutionists they could get and crucified them on one of the main roads of Rome. Spartacus bravely |. died a real revolutionist. And so did his comrades with him, Just as the Romans suppressed the gladiators, so today are the Hindus suppressed by the English comrades, who played a considerably great rote in the movement, It was to be no ticed. -that those comrades tried to avoid Lenin’s speeches, because they knew that he will come out the vie- tor; it was so simple, because Lenin with his innate simplicity, sound lo- gic, and frankness in expressing opin- ions, has always won the confidence of the masses. From that time on Lenin’s person- ality interested me very much. I wanted to know his ,personal life. And this not out of curidsity, but be- cause the question of socialistic ethics of socialistic culture, of revolutionary morals has then especially occupied my mind. Being torn off the living reality of Russia, alone in strange lands, one gives himself to self-analysis, espe- cially, when the emigrant life was col- orless and had no other interest in life but introspection... Everyday oc- currences irritated me, aroused in me skeptical thoughts and moods. This was also a period of reaction, every- body was disappointed, and, therefore, was exceptionally sensittve to moral- ization. f No wonder, therefore, that after all i have experienced with Plechanov, I should become interested in the pri- rate life of Lenin. (To be continued Monday.) and Filipinos by the United States. FRED H. HERZBERG. Juniors, Come to Our Party! On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 17, at 2 0’clock, the Young Guards of the Junior Section, Y. W. L., are having a party and invite all read- ers of the Children’s Column to © come. The party will be held at the Imperial Hall, 2409. N. Hal- sted street. There wili be games, a play and all kinds of fun. Re- freshments will be served. Ad- mission: Chidren 10c, adults 25c. First Anniversary Celebration West Side Junior Group. at the Freiheit Hall, 3837 W. Roose- velt Rd., Jan. 18, 1225, Sunday, 4:00 p. m. Admission: Seniors 15c, Juniors 5c. The Red Star— Don’t Miss It! The Walden _ Book Shop 307 Plymouth Court (Between State and Dearborn Just South of Jackson) CHICAGO BOOKS FOR THINKERS SCIENCE, LITERATURE ECONOMIES, HISTORY, Any Book in Print at Once. Jimmie Higgins Book Shop 127 University Place NEW YORK CITY A Workers Party Book Shop “Ido for Workers” (Textbook in German Or Russian). .....icecssenreee SOC “An Elementary Grammar” CE eh RTO savcenesconcrimrserisiincinsenics SOO The Workers’ Ido Federation Room 5, 805 James St., N. &., PITTSBURGH, PA, Latane He Lats Harker fa Mg