The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 31, 1925, Page 12

By ROSA LUX, HE first session of the Jewish Fed- erated Anarchist Convention took place at the Forward building, with Yonofsky as the first speaker, who among others stated, “The masses are not interested in our (anarchist) se- tivities, do not read our Jiterature and do not come to our conventions.” This was well known to the delegates and Yanofsky could safely have omittec this part of the speech. He contin- ned as follows: “As anarchists, we do not oppose order and leadership, on the contrary, the way to achieve anarchism will be possible only thru the leadership of capable and trust- worthy persons.” But, he added, it is not the rank and file that can assume leadership, for that must come fror “above” and not from “below.” To mention all his empty and high- sounding phrases is useless; the es: sence of his speech was, that it is the labor movement which offers the an- archists the most important and ad- vantageous field to work in. Most o’ the delegates did not understand wha’ he was driving at. Some were inno- cent, others were naive and thereforc could not read between the lines 0‘ the treacherous speech delivered by Yanofsky. Especially the cloak of an- archistic idealism in which he tried to wrap himself was misleading. But those who were not as foxy and clever as Yanofsky and partly because they could not do otherwise, showed them- selves in their true color which is yel- low. Some of the delegates felt they were misled and after listening for three days to hollow phrases of this kind began to protest vigorously against all this “speechifying.” One for example, asked: “Will this con- ‘vention concern itself with the prob- lem of working class conditions? It does not seem so to me for no one as yet has mentioned a word about the miserable Iot of the workers.” He pointe’ out, “The labor leaders are not interested in the life the workers are compelled to lead, therefore it is up to us to take matters in our own hands.” This delegate was looked up. on as a “left,” and consequently as a dangerous element. The chairman, on some technical ground or other cut him short and prevented him from eoncluding his remarks. But when Mr. Loy, the former man- ager of Local 2 of the L lL. G. W. UL took the floor not as a delegate, but as a mere visitor only he was given the privilege to speak as long as he pleased. He was, of course, in agree. ment with the policy of the corrupt union officials and labor fakers, and also with the officers of the anarchist federation. He stated, “The rank and file members are not capable of tak- ing care of their own affairs, they must entrust the leadership to the of- ficialdom.” Another delegate rose and criticized the Freie Arbeiter Stimme. He had proofs that the above mentioned pa per, “does not represent the working class, especially during strikes does it ignore the battle field of the work- ers. It ignores the class struggle al- together.” . This critical delegate was the sub- ject of a vicious attack by the repre: sentative of the Freie Arbeiter Stim- me. He spoke heatedly and among other things said, “We have noticed long ago that this delegate has a ‘touch’ of ‘leftism.’” But he did not have the audacity to deny the facts, he could only say, “Such matters are not supposed to be brot up at a con- . What a Negro Says of Russia ||| To the Teachers of the World! E print in full a letter rrom a Ne- gro Communist to the Workers’ Weekly, a London Communist paper. —Ed. Note. Dear Comrade Campbell,—-With the greatest pleasure and warm -greet- ings, I am writing to you these few lines to say that there are many folks who would stand by your side always. I want to express my wishes and desires fully and boldly, but I am not such a grand writer. But some day as the times go by, I might be able te address a few gatherings in our Communist fashion in some odd cor- ner in the East End or Manchester. I am a regular reader of the Work- ers’ Weekly, which reaches us in our independent libraries, in all Russia, and everybody is eagerly wishing you great success in your endeavours to bring the working classes of all na- tionalities in the heart of the British Empire to learn who are their com- mon enemies. I am a born Communist, a negro from British Guiana. I was born tm a lonely forest, but the English exploit- ers forced me to leave my home and country. Others who are not fortu- nate enough to run away must die un- der the yoke of the sugar planters, the rubber collectors, gold grabbers, and all sorts of foreign exploiters. During the War In the 1914 war, I refused to go to sea, and was contented with a job in Manchester, but they grabbed me by conscription to the army where I thought my career was ended, but I came back alive and damned poorer than I went in, with a penston for a week or so. I could not get an old or new job, and I visited every institute in England, from the lodging houses to the Poplar Farm Colony, touching the workhouse for a few weeks. I was then promoted to Brixton prison, and when released, went to the colonial officer for a breakfast. He refused me one, and we had a fight, and I was recommended to the Brom- ley padded cells for examination. How I got rid of the asylum it is not easy to say, but I found myself in the rail- way riding to Cardiff, where I was put in prison for not paying for my ticket. Then they kept me for two weeks in Oxford (the prison not the college). I tramped to Gloucester- shire and had to work a few days saw- ing timber, and go to church compul- sory. Then I tramped to Cardiff with- out any money, and got to Barry Dock, where I managed to get on @ Greek ship. Heart’s Desire At last, with lots of other adven- tures, I came to Russia, and now I have found a home, and my heart’s desire, and a working man’s para- dise. the River Mersey, swimming from an angry mob. But I was just sorry un- til tears came to my eyes, that the working class people who caused the riots follow still the very capitalists who brought the niggers for cheap labour during the war. May Not Go Home They will not allow Negroes who have lived in England to land in their respective native lands, for fear that they might preach propaganda, and open the eyes of their darker prethern, and there will be no one to plant rice and sugar, hunt for elephant tusks, dig gold, or gather monkey nuts. I can remember when I was a sol- dier we landed at Cape Town from a troopship in order to embark in an- other for India. But they would not et us pay a visit to the museum, and they told us that the Zulus, Kaffirs, and the various tribes of our nation might us up. But thanks to Russia, the famous Soviet Republic, for trying to bring the world’s unity together, where all men and all tribes shall have peace and prosperity. Dear Comrade Camp bell, I cannot express my feelings so fully, but you may judge I am one of your comrades, and a true Rus: black bolshievickoo; and the quicker England does away with capitalism the better the world, will be, with peace and unity. —Yours fraternally, M. K. (Kerson, Russia). (P. 3.—Long live the Red Interna- tional and the Soviet Republics!) “The Beauty and the Bolshevik” Is coming to Ashland Auditorium Feb. 6. the future growth of the federation and in a hidden manner attacked the No more to remember the Liver pool riot, where the cotoured men were stoned to death with bricks in The Anarchists and the Left Militants vention.” Then he attacked the dele- gate who was in favor that the work- ers shall look after their own affairs and was therefore considered a rea) left. He gave this excellent “educa tional” advice to the ignorant work- ers by stating, “It fs not for workers to participate th union affairs; te do so one must graduate first from Brook- wood College.” His attitude was like an open book which everyone could read. It was evident that the Freie Arbeiter Stimme {s supported largely by bureaucratie union officials, espae~ ially by those of the L. L. G. W.. Tu. Yanofsky, the former editor of the Freie Arbeiter Stimme, {fs today edt- tor of Justice, the official organ of the LLG. W. U. Thus they all work hand in hand to betray the workers in every way. To sum up the convention in brief one can say that it consisted of the adoption of a meaningless “resolu- tion.” This “resolution” contained the usual formal praises of the officials and their organ, stated vaguely as to left elements. Absolutely nothing of a constructive nature was recommend- ed to this convention. Some one sug- gested that those who want the fiooi should speak on the resolution only. ‘That is exactly what I want to do,.’ replied a delegate and he began there tgd then in the following manner: ‘This resolution is a meaningless scrap of paper; it does not contain anything that we can accept or re ject; it would mean to accept nothing w reject nothing.” This convention had some purpose hough, and the careful observer was able to recognize the agents of the “labor” wing of American imperial ism, who were making a bold pre- Comrades, Colleagues! ie Congress of the Teachers’ In- ternational which was held at Brussels is now over. We have con- solidated our organization and have become clear as regards the way which lies before us. We now send out to you the appeal: Join your national Teachers’ Trade Union organisations! See to ft that yoyr organisations affiliate to our Internationale des tra- vailleurs de I’Enseignement (Inter- national of Educational Workers) the only Teachers’ International Trade Union organisation in the world! Is it necessary for us again to say why this joining of forces is necessary and will become more so with every day? In all countries we teachers are ex- periencing more and more the pres- sure upon us, upon the youth and upon the school, of international combined capital, which rules the world according to its will and is now endeavouring, by means of the Dawes Plan and of the London pact, to cen- vert the world into a gigantic trust for the exploitation of all workers. Against this international power it is necessary to set up an international organisation for the maintenance and improvement of our material and so- cial position. We are an autonomous organisation, independent of the two trade union centres of Amsterdam and Moscow. We are autonomous because the con- ditions in the international labor movement still compel us to be so. We wish nothing better—and we will fight for it, not only by our example —than the setting up the unity of the international trade union movement. But in spite of this independence, our International is not lacking a firm ideological basis. As teachers of the people and as employees, we see our natural allies in the organised work- ing class, which fights as a class against exploitation and suppression and for the socialist order of society. Only prejudice and the intrigues of the ruling class separate us today from these our fellow class-fighters. Our patience does not extend so far that we accept in our international] organisation those hoses ‘Teject the To the Teachers of the World! tence of representing: the anarehixt ideal,. It was the militant workers or- the ‘lefts” and progressives who realize that the well paid leaders and ofiicials cannot represent the interests of the workers. The corrupt leaders on the other hand are aware of the fact that labor all over the world is awakening. This awakening they try to prevent. main purpose of this cenvention to propagandize the workers so they do not turn “left.” ; to the definition of leftism,. we no go into details, for the rep- resentative of the Vreie ihe Stimme made ft clear to us that those who were critical minded were the ones who turned Ieft. But who are the lefts and what do they want? Why are all reactionary union officials and the anarchists so much against them? It ts the left. and militant workers who favor the new type of organization, the shop-dele- gate system, who tries to infuse new life into demoralized trade unions, which are ideologically bankrupt, or ganizationally stagnant. The lefts cam not expect that someone besides them- selves will bring about the liberation of the workers, the militants alone are determined to take the inititative for their emancipation. This the anarch- ists were fully aware of, and hence stifled every and any attempt on the part of the few militants in thetr ranks to give expression to the cause of the working class, Slowly but surely does the militant worker realize who are his enemies. And he discovered that among the greatest are the leaders of the Inter national Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, and their allies and lackeys, the leaders of the anarchist federa- tion. dae kee class struggle: for then we should be incapable of fighting both as a trade union and as pioneers for a new ideal of school and education. The main pillars of our international, were set up in 1922. Today ten coun- tries are affiliated to us, comprising about 600,000 teachers. We ask the comrades of those teachers’ organiza- tions who are still waiting for instruc- tions from the Amsterdam Trade Un- ion International: How long will you stand aside? Where is there room for another International beside us? What basis shall it have if not ours? But there is a place for you in our ranks: Follow the example of the Belgian comrades, who have broken the ban! Show that the teachers are capable of creating the International which is desired by all workers, and which is absolutely necessary for the prosecu- tion of class struggle! Show that it is possible to combine organisations which are affiliated by their national centers either to the I. T. U. F. or to the R. I. L. U. in one united organisation. Comrades, Colleagues! Recognize the dangers which threat- en you from the forces of capitalism and of reaction! Join us and strength- en the front of the Sehths teachers and workers! Long live the Teachers’ Interna- tional labor movement! Long live the International of the Educational Workers! The International of the Educational Workers. (Paris) The General Secretariat. Painters Push Health Bilis. PHILADELPHIA. — Prohibition of the Pennsylvania legislature by the paint spraying machines is sought of eastern conference of painters, deco- rators, and paperhangers. Other health measures in the interest of the public as well as of the painters are being pushed. The conference is seeking industrially to put thru a standardized wage and hours agree- ment in the eastern district and the 5-day week, «i adbiae,