The Daily Worker Newspaper, September 10, 1927, Page 6

Po ee ty & Impressions of Magnus Johnson By PAUL CROUCH WAS greatly surprised when informed that I was to be a fellow speaker (at Brush Lake, Mont.) with ex-Senator Magnus Johnson of Minnesota. I could hardly imagine a former United States sena- tor being willing to speak with a Communist sen- tenced to prison for revolutionary activities in the army. r My surprise was even greater when Magnus John- son (who was the last speaker) told the audience: “Everything Crouch said is true, there is no ques- tion about that.” A few minutes before, he had been praising the “personal” qualities of Cal Cool- idge—those very qualities which make him the rubber stamp of American imperialism. Though he possesses a good voice and consid- trable talent as a humorist, it is only in political life that the famous Minnesota farrner is an unusual eharacter. And in spite of his failure in the milking contest, Magnus Johnson is a real farmer with the typical psychology of most rural people. The cause of Magnus Johnson’s political influence is easy to see only when he is_on the platform be- fore an audience of farmers. He told with pride how Coolidge devoted thirty-five minutes to a dis- elssion of his own twelve minute talk, failing to understand the methods of flattery and deception used for political: purposes in Washington to bring opponents in line. when other methods have failed to prevent their election. But tho he was at sea in the maze of political intrigue and unable to under- stand the taetics of big business in Washington, he does understand the psychology if not the real prob- lems of the farmers of Minnesota. The last thing the farmer desires is to hear of 1atters he -cannot. immediately understand. But he is able to appreciate a-humorous story and often judges the intelligence of the speaker by his talent as a comedian. Magnus Johnson knows this, and earefully avoids offending the farmer by expect- ing him to think.. However, he is unable to see that the only salvation of the farmer is the unpleasant task of learning to think and understand the real cause of present evils and the fact that the only solution is unity in an UNCOMPROMISING fight against capitalism. When Magnus Johnson enter- tains the farmers with humorous stories and spares them the pain of thought, he is unconsciously aid- ing big business in keeping them in slavery. He can not see the futility of electing representatives to congress when the farmers themselves remain in ignorance of the real proble=::. Magnus Johnson possesses ths ability of keeping an audience interested without disturbing them with serious thought, and this quality would lead him ,to greater success if he were a better politician. This farmer and former glass blower from Sweden who became a United States senator seems to be honest--according to the conventional standards of bourgeois virtue. Thru subtle flattery and false promises the agents of big business were able to prevent any real efforts in Washington against the forces of capitalism, but it appears that Magnus Johnson did not take part in the undisguised forms of corruption so characteristic of the American gov- ernment. No one who can be deceived by Cal Cool- idge’s flattering attentions is really dangerous, but nevertheless he was a nuisance and the greatest thing to his credit was the successful effort made to remove him from the senate so that the con- scious tool of big business could take his place. I traveled with Magnus Johnson from Montana to his home in Minnesota, and in personal conversa- tion was able to understand more, thoroughly the character of a man who spoke of receiving inspira-. tion from Eugene V. Debs and then praises Gov- ernor Lowden of Illinois. “Everything Crouch said is true, there is no ques- tion about that.” I had been exposing the true na- ture of Anierican imperialism and calling on the workers for a united front against the danger of new capitalist wars. And this “approval” was from a man who believes Vice-president Dawes is one of the best leaders of the American people and praises him to me in the highest terms. Magnus Johnson expresses approval of the fight of a:Com- munist against American imperialism and tells of his admiration for one of the leading spokesmen of imperialism—an efficient tool of Morgan and gang. Magnus Johnson may be an inspiration in com. parison with most of the political tools of capi- talism, but we cannot expect any effective opposi- tion to the rule of big business from a man whe denounces imperialism and supports the imperiale ists. . Opening of the Moscow summer sports season with an athletic parade led by the women’s club. Finishing the 4th floor of the new Moscow Telegraph Building. Sense - . WORLD IMPERIALISM AND THE SOVIET UNION (Continued fron page 1) at the time of writing the leaders of the general eouncil are preparing the introduction of a resolu- tion calling for a breaking of relations with the All- . Russian Council of Trade Unions and the dissolu- tion of the Anglo-Russian Committee. All those straws show that the winds of reaction are blowing strongly in Great Britain and constitute the home front preparation of the government for the war th& is considered inevitable. The British ruling classes feel that with the right wing leaders loyal, the latter can control the masses when war breaks out. The Communist Party is weak and has not yet secured a large following gymong the workers compared to the strength of the reactionaries. With the right wing leaders on the continent carrying on a relentless propaganda against Communism and the Soviet Union, the im- perialists, led by Britain feel that they have the trump cards in their hands for the terrible gamble they are about to stake their future on. When the bugles of war for the new crusade against the Soviet Union ring out on the ears of the world proletariat the Wall Street barons will in- struct their government to step into line. The United States government has not recognized the Soviet government and there is little liklikood that it will in the near future. Strong financially and economically and unscathed by the war that brought its chief competitors to the verge of ruin this im- perialist octopus did not feel obliged to follow the example of the European powers in recognizing the Moscow government. But because its interests are not immediately affected in an adverse way by the Russian Revolution, it is still the most dangerous foe of the Soviet power, because of its stability and tremendous resources in every essential factor. The gold of the United States saved Europe from social revolution after the war and this gold will again be thrown into the scales when they are in danger of being tipped in the same direction should the im- perialists meet with reverses in the gigantic struggle that darkens the political horizon today. As the tenth anniversary of the world-shaking Russian Revolution approaches, the workers of all lands and particularly of the United States and Great Britain have a heavy burden placed on them. lt is in their power to block the plans of the blood- thirsty imperialists. Here in America the labor bureaucrats are even more brazen in their loyalty to capitalism t their European brothers. William Green is a baptizer of battleships and Matthew Woll is chief stoolpigeon for Wall Street. Those reac- tiongries are taken into the councils of the ruling classes and are cogs in the government machine. They will lead the anvil chorus for war with the Soviet Union when Great Britain considers the time ~ ripe to send up the warning signal. The workers of Great Britain and the United States must demand, in one country the resumption of trade and diplomatic relations with the ,Soviet Union, and, in the other, immediate recognition. They must serve a warning on-the imperialists that a war against the Workers’ Republic will not be tolerated, that the young’ manhood of both countries will not be used to reshackle the limbs of the workers and ‘peasants of Russia with the fetters of a new slavery even more oppressive ‘and degrading ' than Czarism. A Rassian royal palace now used by the workers ow 2 as