The Daily Worker Newspaper, July 26, 1934, Page 5

tli a SE What's Doing in SUMMER HOMES FOR THE Harry Simms Memorial The Unknown Soldier The John Reed Coe Us. ee OF THE USSR, ceca Speaks” Reveals the BOUT twenty intellectuals and workers have just formed a S045 “The Unknown Soldier Speaks” DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, THURSD ae repos JULY 26, 193 Page Fivé ~ CHANGE | —§ THE—- WORLD! By VERN SMITH MOSCOW, U.S.S.R.— Interurban trains out of Moscow, fast electric and steam trains both, are crowded these warm summer days with commuters. So, of course, are the trains out of New York, and many jof their contract with the organ- Jizations sending applicants for summer homes that these organ- izations shall stand the loss. The | worker is responsible only for what | breakage he might commit himself, | but is bound by the contract to John Reed Club in Buffalo. There are three groups in the club—art, the National Guard that its effect By SENDER GARLIN NGELO HERNDON’S cell in the Fulton Towers prison in Atlanta is a dank, airless dungeon, particularly these hot Georgia days. For more than a year and a half this 20-year-old Negro youth has sat in this cell and waited. Protests against the sentence of Herndon to 18-20 years on a Georgia chain gang have grown in volume, as new thousands in every country of the world have learned of the conspiracy to kill him in a southern prison camp. No work. is given Herndon. He simply sits in his cell and waits. From time to time the warden permits a book to reach him, and often a letter. But most of the time Herndon waits. One appeal follows an- other; the courts place one legal stumbling block after another in his path to freedom, but the fight for this young coal miner's release goes on. After more than a year of struggle the International Labor De- fense has finally succeeded in compelling the Georgia courts to set bail for Herndon. The sum of $15,000 in cash or liberty bonds must be raised by August 3. Unless this money is raised Herndon will be sent to a Georgia chain gang. Those who know the South or have read John L. Spivak’s “Georgia Nigger” know what this means. Every class-conscious worker and sympathizer who realizes what courage it takes, especially for a Negro, to fight the bosses in the terror-ridden South, should help free Herndon. Can we sit idly by and lose this opportunity to bring about Hern- don’s release on bail, after he has suffered the tortures of hell in this Georgia prison? Angelo Herndon’s health is shattered, and he is in danger of losing his eye-sight! Can you help—financially? Do your utmost! If you can place your hands on any cash or Liberty bonds, rush it at once to the International Labor Defense, 80 East 11th St., Room 430, New York City. Return of these loans is guaranteed by a committee composed of Corliss Lamont, Robert W. Dunn and Anna Damon. 4 * . . Problems of a Mass Paper A READER of this column writes me a long and interesting letter which raises a number of vital questions. William Chase writes: “No one can deny that in the past two years the Daily Worker has shown tremendous improvement both in respect to content—a greater variety of subjects, such as sports, health, art, etc—and in respect to the general quality of the writing. The addition of the science column is a welcome step in the same direction and should prove a potent aid in attracting many new readers. “What I meant to write to you about is the as yet shamefully small circulation of the Daily Worker. It would seem as if the readers are confined mainly with the definitely left-wing workers. With a Com- munist Party membership of 25,000 and Young Communist League membership of 6,000, the circulation of the Daily Worker is still in the neighborhood of 40,000! The present attempt to gain new readers in the drive for 200 new Red Builders seems likely to prove successful. However, it’ depends on what one thinks constitutes success. To double the circulation of the Daily Worker is ari achievement, but when you realize that after doubling the. circulation it will even then be under 75,000, the achievement falls short of complete satisfaction. Consider- ing the objectiye conditions of mass unemployment, starvation, and gov- ment brutality, plus tens of thousands of workers at all times on strike, there seems to be no valid reason why the Daily Worker should not to- day sell 500,000 copies daily. I think that to some extent the low cir- culation is due to the fact that the as yet politically backward masses of workers do not find in the pages of the Daily Worker articles of interest to themselves. The problem is to discover what workers are really interested in and then, to an extent commensurate with the gen- eral policy of the Party and with the physical limitations of the Party press, to proceed to give them precisely what they want. * * “I would suggest, Comrade Garlin, that you throw your column open to a discussion of this problem. Many. comrades have had the ex- perience of giving the Daily Worker to non-Communistic workers and then listen to an endless list of objections and exceptions. Let these comrades write of their experiences in your colunin and let them sug- gest remedies. “Here is my own suggestion. Let the Daily Worker become a real educator of the backward workers in elementary principles of Com- munism. The column Party Life is a clearing house of ideas and prob- lems facing Party members. Let there be a column which would become a clearing house of popular notions and superstitions permeating ‘the toiling masses. The most difficult obstacle the Communist Party has yet to overcome is the fortress built on millions of lies, capitalist- injected prejudices, and superstitions. . ..“The fortress is weakening. It is my conviction that workers are nourishing sufficient disillusions in the old order to be willing to turn to something new. They are becoming politically minded. But they are groping blindly. The Daily Worker can furnish light. It seems to me that of all political questions which workers show an interest in there is one that predominates. It is: What is Communism? The masses of workers and farmers are breaking away from their fortress to frater- nize with their revolutionary brothers. The Communist Party must make itself more ready to meet them. “The question What Is Communism? is answered for them daily in the capitalist press. You know what the answers are. I can see you raise your brow and say: But doesn’t the Daily Worker, too, answer this question, every day, in all its articles, reports, ahd editorials? You are right, except that many specific questions answered in the capitalist: press remain on the whole unanswered in the Daily Worker. “There is also the matter of how to answer the various questions, It is a difficult matter. * “It seems to me that the Daily Worker could devote a daily large volumn, Questions on Communism, or something like that, which would invite questions and print answers. It is amazing what a variety of questions one is constantly confronted with. To give a few examples: “Tf you had $10,000, would you still be a Communist? “Under Communism all ills we know today would be eliminated, Don’t you think that life then would not be worth while? Really, life without struggle is death.” / ““If Communism really were so good, would not the capitalists “ adopt it?” “If every one were to receive according to his needs, regardless - of his ability, who would do the dirty work, like sewer work?’ “‘Do you mean to tell me that simply because John Dishwasher and Henry Statistician are wage earners, they are both in the same class?’ * Pr . “I have picked these examples at random, and they are by no means the most classic ones, The capitalist press and the movies have so poisoned the minds of the workers that the things which they believe to be true are amazing, “All these questions must be answered. They must be answered sympathetically, and as far as possible in the language of the ques- tioner. It is not always easy to be patient. Recently in a discussion of social justice with a white collar worker—one who had the most ex- traordinary combination of semi-literateness, superiority attitude towards manual workers, unfounded prejudices, thorough ignorance of the history of the labor movement, and stubbornness—I got to quar- rel with him and antagonized him. He had a persistent way of calling workers saps, pigs, idiots, unworthy of his concern, scum of the earth, and then my patience wore out. It was my first quarrel, and I was probably at fault. There are many like him, who must be won over since they are workers. There must be a way of talking to all of them on the basis of their own interests, on the basis even of their own preju- dices. We must strive to learn what those interests are, and we must devise ways of meeting those interests. “I have made no special attempt at coherence in this letter. But I have tried to indicate some controversial problems. There are dozens facing me and must be facing others. I believe that the Daily Worker can be made of even greater interest to most workers, and I believe that to achieve mass circulation it must strive to become so. writing, and theatre. The artist unit is planning a group mural for @ large workers’ hall in the city. The theatre group includes several} active Negro and white theatre workers, The club plans to cooper- ate in organizing a workers’ book- store in Buffalo this Fall. vale eee S How Milwaukee Band Was Stopped From Going to Germany following is taken from a re- port by Maurice Leon, secretary of the writers group of the Mil- waukee J.R.C.: “During April, mem- bers of the JR.C. and the local League Against War and Fascism and Committee to Aid Victims of test against a concert tour of the Milwaukee State Teachers College Band to Nazi Germany. A leaflet pointing out how many famous musicians had boycotted Germany was prepared. Prominent musicians were induced to sign the protest. “The Milwaukee Musicians Club, A. F. of L, Musicians Local, sent in @ protest. The Federated Trades locals, joined. Under mass pressure the authorities at the school began to waver in their demand that the band go to Germany. With the em- | ployment of various excuses, the tour was finally cancelled.” ae Recent Activities of Hollywood Club artists unit of this club is trying to form a mass organi- zation for artists, similar to the Artists Equity organized by the Chicago J.R.C. It conducts an Art League, with classes in illustration, composition and life, poster and lettering, which are given at the Los Angeles Cultural Center. A J.R.C. string quartet is part of the | club; it has been praised in the Los Angeles Times for “truly re- markable musical ability.” During June, the club sponsored a meeting on the local strike situa- tion, with strikers from San Pedro district among the speakers. An- other meeting was devoted to a symposium on “The Dilemma of the Negro Intellectual.” Loren Mil- ler, Negro journalist, delivered the leading address. . . . Special Edition of Left Front To Deal With Hillsboro Case HE Jan Wittenber Defense Com- mittee of the Chicago J.R.C. has sent two delegations to Hillsboro to file protests against the beating of Wittenber, Chicago artist. The first delegation included Orrick Johns and Jack Balch of the St. Louis club. The ‘second group was headed by Nelson Algren, whose novel, “Native Son,” is to appear soon, A special eight-page issue of Left Front, to deal oniy with the Southern Illinois situation, is now being prepared. It will contain ar- ticles by B. K. Gebert, Orrick Johns, Nelson Algren, Jack Balch, and the |; defense attorneys, as well as sketches by Jan Wittenber and other artists. All organizations, es- pecially J.R.Cs should order copies for distribution in their cities at once, from Left Front, 201 W. North Ave., Chicago, e226 New J.R.C. In Baltimore NEW J.R.C., including promi- nent local artists, is being formed in Baltimore, Alfred Mor- ang, who has two stories in a re- cent short story collection by O'Brien, is a corresponding mem- ber of the JRCs... +.» Nor- man Macleod, J.R.C. member, ad- dressed the Writers Forum at the University of Oklahoma recently on “American Poetry: Fascist and Communist.” > | USeatte nat ROOSEVELT on his round of inspection of Wall Street's war bases (palmed off as a vacation trip), stopping in Haiti, splashed the front page of the capi- talist press with a hypocritical promise that the U. S. Marines, stationed in Haiti since 1915, will be withdrawn “soon.” The an- nouncement was distorted by the capitalist. press, which hailed the speech as evidence of Roosevelt's “good neighbor policy,” an expres- sion of “good will,” a new interpre- tation of the Monroe Doctrine and whatnot; but especially did they strive to create the impression that the evacuation of the marines was something new in the imperialist scheme, that Wall Street stood to lose by the change, and that the 2,500,000 Haitian Negro masses will benefit by the “New Deal.” The truth of the matter is that the capitalist press was spewing a set. of lies in support of Roosevelt’s im- perialist program. Beware of Roose- velt, especially when he comes bearing “gifts.” | To understand Wall Street's latest maneuver in Haiti it is necessary to review some historical and eco- nomic facts. As far back as 1847, the United States covernment tried to obtain control of Mole St. Nich- olas, Haiti, as a naval base. In 1891, a Yankee fleet sailed to Haiti in an effort to intimidate the Haitians to lease Mole St. Nicholas, but with- out success, In 1914-15, Wall Street ‘imperialism made six futile at- tempts to secure control of Haiti. William Jennings Bryan, then Sec- retary of State, strongly urged in- tervention, In December 1914, American ma- rines suddenly landed at Port au Prince and seized $500,000 belong- ing to the Haitian government from the vaults of the National Bank of Haiti. Early the next year ceveral imperialist missions jour- neyed to Haiti to “negotiate” Na- tional City Bank domination; this also failed. Consequently, on July 27, 1915, under the pretext of a “I hope you will initiate a discussion in your column,” local revelusien in Haiti, American German Fascism orangized a pro-} Council, comprising 106 A. F. of L.| | another big capitalist city. But | there is quite a difference, two main | differences, in fact. Whereas, since the crfsis, the number of commuters has fallen off in capitalist lands, during those same years the num- ber has increased rapidly in the Soviet land. The other difference is even more significant, and explains the first. In_ capitalist countries, commuters, living in summer houses and com- ing into their business in the city, are business and professional men, very few workers among them, and | these mostly foremen and certain | highly skilled borderline cases, half | bosses. In the Soviet country, commuters with summer houses in pine and fir |forests near Moscow are workers, on the average. The Moscow “Da- tcha” (“summer house”) Trusts, one for each of the five main rail- | Way lines out of Moscow, rents such | cottages for the summer to udar- |niks, that is, to the best workers | who pledge to fulfill their norms |and do their job well, whether the udernik is a floor sweeper in a fac- j tory or an engineer. These five trusts together have over 3,000 houses to rent, some of which are very big ones in which 50 or 60 People dwell, each renting a room, | three rooms, with kitchen, verandah, jlavatory, etc., cottages of wood, | boards or logs, most of them newly ; built. The Summer House Trusts rent whole cottages to workers with families. and single rooms to single workers through the trade unions. |The worker applies along in the winter for a house in the coming summer. His application is dis- cussed by his trade union depart- ment committee, and if approved, worker trying his best to build up socialist industry, it goes to the trust, which is under control of the Communal Department of the Mos- cow District Soviet. There the work- | ers’ medical record, kept in the am- bulatory of the factory is looked up, and a location found for him that will give him the maximum of health advantages—forest for some, bathing facilities for others, open plains for others, etc. wits 'HE worker signs a contract to pay rent, to an amount which is ri- diculously low by capitalist stan- dards. It is charged for by the square meter of floor space, with re- ductions for low wages or large families, and works out about like this: A worker getting 100 rubles Salary a month, will pay on the av- erage 25 rubles for the whole five months’ season, for a single room— that is, five rubles a month. A worker with a family, who rents a four-room cottage, will pay, if his salary is 260 rubles.a month, 100 rubles for the whole thing for the whole season. Then he buys his commutation ticket. The houses are mostly in the forests that lie along the rail- roads, forests several miles wide and reaching from about five miles out of the city to 20 or more miles. A one-way ticket to these farther zones will be about 95 kopecks, and correspondingly less for nearer places. But a season ticket for a summer house renter will be about 30 rubles to the farther zone for an unlimited number of rides for five months, and correspondingly less for nearer places. Such prices for rent and transportation make the cost hardly more than nominal, transportation is not more than street car fare would be in the city. Besides, a considerable number of the very best udarniks get summer homes free as premiums, rewards for good work. The actual rent is less than the cost of current repairs, and the trusts recently have made it a part marines once again landed and took possession of Haiti. eee Es is significant that the rape of Haiti occurred during the World War, at a time when the Wall Street bankers, anticipating Ameri- can participation in the conflict, desperately hurried to make the Caribbean a strongly fortified chain of outposts for Yankee imperialism. The landing of the marines and the intrenchment of American im- Pperialism aroused the indignation of the Haitian masses to the point of rebellion and in 1919 the ma- vines drenched the country in a bloodbath, slaughtering over 2,300 natives, Josephus Daniels, then Secretary of the Navy and now U. S. Ambassador to Mexico, admitted before a Congressional Committee that he himself ordered Admiral Caperton to land the marines for the conquest of Haiti. The imperialists forced Haiti to accept a treaty which made that “republic” a special preserve of Wall Street led by the National City Bank. The treaty provided that an American customs collector be appointed; that an American Fi- nancial Adviser be appointed; that Haiti was forbidden to increase her national debt without Wall Street’s consent; that Haiti was not allowed to raise the customs duties without the approval of the American Fi- nancial Adviser; that Haiti was ob- ligated to create a constabulary composed of natives but officered by Americans; that Haiti agreed not to sell or lease any of its ter- ritory to any foreign power. In a word, Haiti was thoroughly shackled to facilitate the unrestrained im- perialist exploitation of the Haitian masses. Who owns Haiti’s money, re- sources and land? Who enslaves Haiti’s workers and peasants? The National City Bank of New York owns the National Bank of Haiti, whose dozen branches, scattered over the country, have a virtual monopoly of the panking business, besides having the exclusive right ‘ ‘ but most of which are two and| as it will be if he is a real honest | = |except under maintain the house in a clean con- j dition, and to use it properly. . TN addition to those who rent sum- mer houses, or rooms in them, an ever growing number of workers are on easy terms. Since 1929 the have sold 2,780 such houses, mainly | two-room, or three-room, both with | kitchen, lavatory and verandah, to workers belonging to these co-oper- atives. The central office of all building co-ops. here estimates that | this is approximately one-tenth of | sales made by all other organiza- tions put together, so that some | 27,000 workers must now be owning | their own summer houses, and this number increases yearly. The Moscow Soviet itself builds such houses, all the Peoples Com- missariats build them, many fac- tories build. them. These are all new houses. The building co- ; operatives alone plan to build 512 |more this year, 556. more next year, 784 more in 1936, and 1,093 more Such houses are sold be- are built. The arrange- |ment is like this. A worker joins |the building co-op. He pays what jhe can afford monthly, until 30 per | been paid in to the co-op. The | Price will be 1,000 rubles up for |the two-room sort of house, and 1,500 rubles up for the three-room houses that are suitable for winter | struction, etc. | Of the most expensive type of three- |Toom house is 6,500 rubles, but most jof the houses are under 2,000 in | Brice, As soon as the worker has paid |his 30 per cent in, construction of | the house takes place, and he can | Move into it, paying off the rest at | the rate of 10 to 15 rubles a month. for a period of 12 to 35 years. The ; workers’ government, through the | State bank, finances the construc- | tion of the house, and once the | Worker is in possession, it is his, and his children’s and children’s children as long as they want it. But it is for use, not profit: he can't turn landlord and rent it, supervision of the | trust, and at cost price, without making money on it. A worker might be sick or something and un- able to use his house one summer, and in this case he is allowed to rent it, but not to make money on it, é “MATCHA” life is ideal in the summer. The little colonies, never more than a dozen houses at one place, are scattered in the for- the stations, so that. the worker-can catch his train-to his daily job. It has all the facilities of the summer colonies provided only for the mod- erately rich, in capitalist lands. You see people running around in sports costumes. athletic fields and libraries and stores, and kinos within easy walk- ing distance. But most of all you find space and open air, The pine woods are clean, and the scent of pine needles is everywhere. There is no smoke and practically no dust. they want to, or in rooms with large windows open. Birds sing in the morning. Parties are organized —there is much social visiting about from house to house, And this is all entirely apart from the vacation period—this is just the Way & good worker in Moscow can live in the summer while still stay- ing on the job, only 20 to 50 min- utes ride away from it, and from whatever the city has to offer. And what Moscow does, all other Soviet cities do, too. Roosevelt’s “Gifts” to the Haitians y SAMUEL WEINMAN: to service the treasury and issue bank notes. The National City Bank also owns the National Railroad. | The Haitian Corporation of America owns the electric works, the Haitian American Sugar GCo., trolley lines, a |wharf company with warehouses and freight handling equipment. Other Wall Street interests in- clude the Haitian Pineapple Co., North Haitian Sugar Co, Haiti Commercial Co., United West Indies Co., Haitian Co., Logwood Manu- facturing Co., Haiti Telegraph and Cable Co., and many sugar, fruit and coffee plantations covering tens of thousands of acres of land. INEMPLOYMENT is widespread in Haiti. These who are work- ing receive starvation wages. The Haitian-Ameriean Sugar Co. re- cently cut wages from 30c to lic for a twelve hour day. “Atlattan” cotton plantation pays 15c a day for 12 hours. The Haitian-American Development Corporation has slash- ed the pay to 10c¢ for 12 hours— less than one cent an hour. Unem- ployed workers who do not possess a dollar (and there are thousands) are arrested on the charge of vag- rancy and sentenced to 30 days of forced labor; at the end of 30 days the “released” worker is rearrested and resentenced. Haitian workers have begun to organize and struggle against the starvation and misery meted out by Yankee imperialism. Beginnings have been made at forming trade unions and developing _ strikes. Communists are in the forefront of the struggle against Wall Street's domination. President Stenio Vincent, sup- ported by the National City Bank and the U.S. Marines, has met the workers’ resistance with a reign of terror that rivals Hitler's fascism. Freedom of speech, press and as- semblage are denied. Mail is cen- sored. The right to organize and strike is banned. The jails are filled with revolutionary workers, Even collections and meetings in behalf | buying their own summer houses | | building co-operatives of Moscow |sort. Higher prices are charged for | use, for better materials in con-| The maximum cost | est, within easy walking distance of | You find central | People sleep on the verandahs if | | Monument in Springfield, Mass. | just erected over the grave of Harry Simms, Young Communist | League organizer, murdered by | gun thugs in Kentucky. On the | monument are engraved the words: “Harry Simms, Southern Organizer, Member of the Na | tional Committee of the Young | Communist League. Born Dec. 25, 1911. Murdered by Kentucky Coal Operator Thugs, Feb. 11, 32, While Leading a Strike of Miners. Workers of the World, | Unite!” “Student Review” Seeks Literary Contributions | NEW YORK —The Stugent Re- w, organ of the, National Stu- lent League, will increase the scope of its literary section in forthcom- ing issues. The editors would ap- preciate contributions — especially |from students and teachers—of | short stories, poems, articles, etc. The material submitted need not necessarily restrict itself to student life, although such writing would be most desirable. Address all man- uscripts and communications to Student Review, National Student City. | TUNING IN| | 1:00 pat | Wo -WEAF—Baseball Resume Sports Resume—Ford Frick tin Orch WABC- Froos, Songs 7:15-WEAF—Gene and Glenn—Sketch WOR—Comedy; Music WJZ—Press-Radio News WABO—House Beside the Rond— | Sketch 7:20-WJZ—Martin Orch, 1:30-WEAF—Shirley Howard, Songs; Trio | WOR—Talk—Harry Hershfield | WJZ—Ed Lowry, Comedian WABO—Grofe ‘Orch. 1:45-WEAF-—Irene Bordoni, Songs WOR—The O'Nellis—Sketch WJZ—Frank Buck's Adventures WABC—Boake Carter, Commentator 8:00-WEAF--Vallce Orch.; Soloists | WOR—Little Symphony Orch., Philip James, Conductor; Harry Davis, Piano ‘WZ—Grits and Gravy—Sketch WABC—Kate Smith, Songs | -8:15-WABC—Ourrent: Topics—Dr, Walter | B. Pitkin, Author 8:30-WJZ—Dorothy Page and John Fo- garty, Songs WABC—Studio Concert 9:00-WEAF—Captain Henry's Show Bost | WOR—Rod and Gun Club H WJZ—Death Valley Days—Sketch | WABC—Carson Robison Buckaroos | 9:15-WOR—Della Baker, Soprano; Wm Hargrave, Baritone 9:30-WOR—Pauline Alpert, Piano WJZ—Goldman Band Concert, New| ws York University Campus WABC—Concert Orch.; Mary man, Soprano 9:45-WOR—The Witch's Tale—Sketch WABC—Fats Wailer ,Songs | 10:00-WEAF—Whiteman Orch.; Al Jolson, Songs; Helen Jepson, Soprano | WJZ—Canatian Concert | WABC—Forty-five Minutes in Holly- | wood; Music; Sketches | 10:15-WOR—Current Events—H. B. Read 10:30-WOR—Stuart Orch. ‘WIZ—Chamisho Osor B'Av Maariv} Services; Jewish Cantorsy Choir; | Speakers, Representative Sol Bloom of New York, and Other¢ | 10:45-WABC—Pull Speed Ahead; Broad- cast From Fire Truck ‘Speeding Down Fifth Avenue East- of. the Scottsboro boys are pro- hibited. | ITH this background in mind, what is the meaning of Roose- velt’s promise to withdraw the ma- rines from Haiti? It means simply that President Vincent, the native | bourgeoisie and the native con- |stabulary officered by Americans | are now in a position to perform the tasks formerly performed by the marines. Why then should the imperialists bear the expense of maintaining an armed force in Haiti? It is unnecessary. Let the Haitian masses pay taxes to sup- port the native police, say the im- perialists. Why should the imper- jalists bear the stigma of armed intervention? It, too, is unnecessary. Vincent and Co. will do the job. This situation is no different from the marine evacuation from Nica- Tagua where the’ native politicians, bourgeoisie and police have replaced the marines. If and® when the Philippines are granted “indepen- dence” the same trick will be used there. In any event, even if the marines are withdrawn, the $11,000,000 of bonds owned by Wall Street bank- ers will be the first consideration of the Haitian government; as Presi- dent Vincent has already guaranteed they will have “adequate protec- tion.” The National City Bank will retain its monopoly of the coun- | try’s capital and credit. The im- perialists will still own the tens of thousands of sugar, fruit and coffee the financial adviser will remain American imperialist agents. The officers of the Haitian police will be Americans. The American Navy | Will have its naval base at Mole St. Nicholas. The workers’ wages vill stay at 10c a day. Unions ’and Strikes will still be outlawed. In a word, even after the marines em- bark for the “land of the free,” there will be no change in Haiti until Wall Street parasites are driven out and a workers and peas- ants government is established. League, 114 W. 14th St., New York | | pear | Schwab-Macauley comedy whi ch| and Newsreels, at Acme Theatre, Union Square, New York City. Reviewed by DAVID PLATT 1 baste are three brief, interesting Playing at the Acme Theatre, New York, this week which help to con- firm your belief in the unlimited Propaganda power of the simple, Sound-documental film. They are “Unknown Soldier Speaks,” by far | the best of the official compilations | on the World War, carrying an able, analytical foreword on the causes of war by Comrade James W. For the “Pacific Coast General Strike. | with major emphasis on the Cali- |fornia military in action against | Strikers, with few signs of the masses on strike; and the recent |“War Resisters Anti-War Demon- | Stration in New York City.” | No truer reporter of events exists |than a motion picture camera Set it going at a picket line, as in “Am- | bridge,” at a demonstration, on the | barricades or on the battlefield as in “Unknown Soldier Speaks,” and |it will record accurately to the min- jutest detail whatever is happening Within range of the lens. An ex- cellent example of this is the re- |cent newsreel of the Film and Photo League shot in Los Angeles during Bloody Memorial Day, which Was used by a group of workers ar- {rested for “inciting to riot,” as a jlast straw in defense of their in- | Mocence. The facts of the film | showed so clearly who the real in- | citers to riot were, that the jury | could do nothing but bring in a | Verdict of not guilty. Another ex- ample is the newsreel of the Am- bridge steel strike photographed by | Pathe News, which was quickly | Suppressed after a few showings be- cause it revealed, startingly, the police in the well-known role of j thugs and criminals of the lowest | grade, But if no truer reporter of events exists than a motion picture camera, |no falser interpreter of events exists than the capitalist newsreel pro- ducer. Tens of thousands of feet of film of the Pacific Coast General Strike were shot by the major news- reel companies, the greater Portion of which was either deliberately destroyed in the laboratory or stored in government or other |archives for future “Big Drive” or |“World in Revolt”- productions in the interest of law and order. The few hundred selected feet on the strike which were permitted to be shown in certain designated movie houses only, carried such an over- weight of speech distinctly sym- pathetic to the strike-breakers and | instances Served to create a feeling in the minds of some move-goers that the General Strike was an exp: 7 of lawlessness part of the strikers and law on the part of the strike-brea and timely newsreel featurettes Best ka ISREPRESENTATIONS of this kind are dominant in both mae jor and independent newsreel come pilation production. “Hells Holiday “Forgotten Man,” “World in Rey and Pathe News’ brief summary of events from 1914 to 1934 now playing at the Embassy Theatre (in celebration of the 20th Anniversa of the World War) are all glaring of essentially stirring documentaries violently distorted and completely devitalized by nar- ration calculated to place the ree sponsibility for War and Revolue tion on (1) the natural instincts of the masses for a good fight; (2) unrestrained violence for no good reason against constituted authority, It is a fact that there is no greater propaganda against war j than the actual pictures of the |World War photographed by cameramen, many of whom never survived to witness the film they shot on the field of battle. “Un- known Soldier Speaks,” particulars jy, utilizing the official archives from which “Big Drive” and the |others were obtained, exposes per- |haps more strongly than any film in recent months the sheer bar-~ | barousness and hideousness of war. But here too, the liberalism and | defeatism of the commentator | neutralizes a good deal of the na- | tural anti-war effect of the picture | itself. | The voice of the “Unknown Sol+ | dier” speaks against war, but never ; against the machinative forces |that bring about and prolong™ war. His continual cry is the typcial pacifist appeal to the peoples of the world to refuse to fight in the next war, without one understanding word on the immediate need for ;organized struggle against war. | How much more effective Comrade |Ford’s splendid analysis of tha {background of war would have jbeen, had it been inserted as a running commentary on the scenes | unreeled, instead of appearing as |@ brief introduction to a film a | hundred-fold weakened by the voice of the Unknown Soldier. | Some day we will be in position. |to photograph the struggles of | workers in sound and speech! When | this is possible, we can expect “Big Drives” and “World in Revolts” and “Unknown Soldier Speaks” that | will really speak powerfully in the | interests of the workers and vitally ‘against war and fascism! London’s Noted Gilbert and Sullivan Troupe Coming Here in September The famous D’Oyly Carte Gilbert organized in 1877, will make its first appearance in the United States at the Martin Beck Theatre in Septem- ber. Sixty-four members of the company will be imported by Mar- tin Beck. The repertoire will include “Cox and Box,” “Ruddigore,” “The Gon- doliers," “Trial by Jury,” “The Mikado,” “Patience,” “Princess Ida,” “Yoeman of the Guard,” “Iolanthe,” “Princess of Penzance,” and “Pina- fore.” Following its engagement in New York, the company will make @ brief tour in the Eastern cities, The present group is ditected by Rupert D'Oyly Carte, son of the founder. For the past 40 years it | has been presenting a Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire at the Savoy Theatre, London. Burgess Meredith has been en- gaged by Lawrence Schwab to ap- in “Hide and Seek,” the opens at the Mansfield Theatre August 13. Henry Hull, recently seen in the stage play “Tobacco Road,” and who is now in Hollywood, will be statted in “Robinson Crusoe,” which STAGE AND SCREEN and Sullivan Company, originally) | Universal will produce from the Daniel Defoe tale. Mr, Hull is now | playing an important role in | Charles Dicken’s “Great Expecta- | tions.” Greta Garbo’s next picture for Metro will be “The Painted Veil,” based on Somerset Maugham’s story of the Far East. Herbert Marshll will play the chief male” role. ‘Boris Godounoff,” in Russian, At Stadium Friday The opera “Boris Godounoff,” by Moussorgsky, sung in Russian, will | be presented at the Stadium on” | Friday and Saturday nights, under | the direction of Alexander Smallens, The cast: includes George Youreneff, Ivan Ivantzoff, Vasily Romakoff, Dovora Nadworney, Marguerite. | Hawkins and Ina Bourskaya. The | Polonaise Dances by the ballet have | been arranged by Rita De Leporte. | Eugene Ormandy’s program for | this evening will include the Fifth Symphony of Sibelius, the “Meister- | Singer” Overture, Debussy’s “Afters noon of a Faun,” Strauss’ “Rosen- kavalier” Waltz and Respighi’s | “Pines of Rome.” On Sunday night, | Ormandy will direct an all-Tchai« | kovsky program including the “Nut | cracker Suite,” “Romeo and Juliet” Fantasy-Overture and Symphony | No, 4 in F minor. * « NEW DEADLINE: in by 9:30 a. in the next ai All notices must be Thursday LECTURE— ‘Significance of the General Strike.” United Front Supporters, 11 W. 18th St., 8:45 p.m. Adm. 1c. OTTO HALL LECTURES on “The Ne- gro During Reconstruction Period.” Har- lem Workers School, 200 W. 135th St., Room 214A, 7:30 p.m. Adm. 6c. NEWLY ORGANIZED Harlem Br., W. . R. Band meets at 1664 Madison Ave., corner 111th St. New players wanted. All instruments. Report at 7:30 p.m. FORUM on Sciehce and War at Pen and Hammer, 114 W. 2ist St., 8:30 p.m. Volts of the Romantic Poets,” traces the effect of revolutionary ideas in poets, by Benj. Gamzul, Instructor of Literature, N. Y¥. U, National Student League, 114 W. 14th St. 4 to 5:30 p.m. Adm. l6c. LECTURE—‘‘Schools of Psychology—The Freudian School—Can Freud Be Recon- ciled With Marxism?” ‘This lecture is a collective endeavor by the Psychology group cf the Pen and Hammer. National Student League, 114 W. 14th St., 6:30 to @ pm. Adm. Ibe. NORMAN TALLENTIRE speaks on “Fas- cism and the Present Situation,” at spe- cial Anti-Pascist Rally at Hotel Newton, Broadway near 94th St., 8:30 p.m. Adm. iSe, unemployed free. Auspices: West Side Br, F. 8. U. Friday CLARENCE HATHAWAY'S LEOTURE on the “Present Strike Wave,” at Coney WHAT’S O in order for it to appear | LECTURE on “The Confusion and Re- | Island’ Workers Center postponed until further notice. ee. ie SHOWING of Soviet anti-war film “Sniper.” Also “Bloody Memorial Day in Los Angeles” and Chaplin comedy. Film | and Photo League, 12 E. 17th St. Shows ing from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 28th. Adm. 20¢, EXOURSION to Bear Mountain on the Steamer “Clermont,” Sunday, July 29th, 10 a.m, from Pier A, Battery Park. Danc- ing, games, sports. Auspices: Red Spark Club, Tickets $1 on sale at 64 Second Ave. or at boat. Milwaukee, Wis. | PICNIC given by I. L. D. on Stinday, July 29th at Greenfield (Gebays) Grove, 9047 W. Greenfield Ave. Gates open at 11 a.m. Take Wells No. 10 “West Allis” car to 92nd. Walk three blocks north | to Grove. Detroit, Mich. | | LAWN PARTY given by Unit 1, Section 1, ©. P., Saturday, July 28th, 8:30 p.m. at Joe Bussell Workers Club, 688 King Ave, Amusements, refreshments, dancing. Admission free. Philadelphia, Pa. PIONIC given by Dimitroff-Popoff Br., IL. D.. on Sunday, July 29th at 52nd and Parkside Ave. MOONLIGHT CAMP FIRE given by Of- fice Workers Union postponed to Sate urday night, August 4th. ; MARINE WORKERS INDUSTRIAL. | UNION PICNIC on Sunday, July 29th at Burhome Park. Take Car No. 50 going north, Plenty of fun. 3 lands. The customs collector and | A M U S E MENTS | | FINAL WEEK! | WILLIAM PATTERSON says: | “Congratulations on the splendid ! stevedore CIVIC REPERTORY THEA. 105 W 14 St. Eves, 8:45, Mats. Tues. & Sat. 2:45 B0e-400-600-75e-$1.00 & $1.50, No Tax \ | Norman Tallentire ‘|| Main Speaker Tonight 8:30 PL M. | || SPECIAL ANTI |] FASCIST MEETING Hotel Newton, Breadway Near Sith Street Admission 15¢ — Unemployed Free Ausploes: West Side Branch F.5.U. a yer err ortega emanate fuera tte anette Seana eee