WHEN HANDSOME AL WAS THE FUEHRER OF THE CITY
F., W. M.
WHEN HANDSOME AL WAS THE FUEHRER OF THE CITY By W. M. F. •THIlRK was once a national law that very few ])eople had! the slightest intention of obey-in^'- tlic prohibition law. IJiuler that law...
...The War * Ajcainst War was one of them...
...That meant that every time a n)an drai.k a glass of heer or a gentle and gracious hostess served cocktails the law was being broken...
...On the other hand, there li a strongthenlhg of th« "right" ultra-democratic tendMjcles In the "free and secure" countries, In Great Britain, Sweden, Holland and Denies' k, where the Labor and j Socialist tovement ii very strong, whetv the democratic in?titutionp and traditions are deep-rooted and the Comniui;ist movement almost non-existent...
...And since a vast section of the puidic required that business —or rather the commodity- that could not be supplied without such lawlessness—it was impossible, adequately 10 cope with that sort of lawlessness...
...The workem laioir now that fascist coercion can he idestroycd only hy proletarian cocr-fli'oH, om/i/ hj( a revolntionar...
...German Communisto for Democracy IJKKE is a gem from a joint manifesto of the Com* * munist parties in Germany and Austria, as reiwrted in the Kundschaii, of the (Communist International, issue of May 27: "Workers, Farmers, Artisans...
...Thef are subjected to the same persecutions and sufferings, and insomuch as there never was a difference in their ultimate aim, there is reached now, under the fascist dictatorsiiip, a stage where even the tactica I differences of their daily struggle disappeared...
...The Swedish Sociui-ists, for instance, went so far as to criticize the new orientation of the Spanish and French Socia'ists It is of utHiCst importance, saiii Adler, to evolve a synthesis of all the diverjftnt views, for otherwise a crisis ni the L.S.I, will be inevitable...
...And its own rough "justiofl...
...THE SocialLst Party of the United States in the present grave crisis .solemnly tcaftirms its allegiance to the principle of >inlernationalisni and workini...
...Then it continues: "Rut the Aiintrian Sociali)itn expect from the Interiiutional idin-logiral help as well...
...Lotds lesolution during the debate on the much-discussed Declaration of Principles...
...Die Revolution—first issue, dated "middle of June," contains a drnA of a new program, that is ^ven more "mature" and more "outspoken" (in its radicalism) than the new program of the German comrades...
...Liquor had to be illegally .smuggled into the country, or illicitly manufactured...
...The latter is the new provisional name the underground movement of the Austrian Social Democracy adopted after the advent of fascism...
...The realization of Socialism will, however, become a much easier task if the International and i all its nitiliated parties will make these principles more and more part of their own actii'itiss...
...The StHrm'AbleilKngen that did (Continued on Page Eight) TheWorkers Abroad An International Review of the Socialist and Labor Movement of the World —————— By Mark Khinoy " "Unity" FaUed in France TPHE "Unity" and "Non-Agg)e»fion" agreement signed * by the Socialist and Communiat parties of France, on which I commented last week, proved to bek.of a very short duration...
...For International Unity "'T'HE Aiistrta)t Socialists wish * also to take upon themselves the task of formulating before the International the passi»iiatt urge' of proletarian unity that is dominating now the thought of the working viasse...
...in Canada, the Vickers Two Combustion Engine Corporation...
...Its ramifications abroad are even more extensifve...
...And asrain there followed logically the Ixwtlegger and the whole lawless liquor traffic that soon became a business rivaling steel and motion pictures for its mapiltude and the money that changed hands every day over the bar or to the business-like liquor salesman...
...From the fascist Hell, from behind the bars of dictatorial prisons, we call to the workers of the world...
...The convention had been called to mtet just before the special session of Con-: gress at which President Wilson was to call for a declaration of ^ war, to state the party's position in the face of the war danger J After the delegates were elected,^ however, the President moved the date of the special session by several • days, so that the eonventtorf met after the declaration of war...
...Now ,the barons of that business needed lawyers and judges...
...Louis declaration is herewith reprinted...
...In the recent convention of the party many delegates referred to the St...
...When a virtuous and charming housewife served wine with a meal she wa.s not violating the law, but she was an accessory to much law violation...
...possibly hi-jack>>cs lawlessly had .stolen tl^^' unlawful goods, and there was of necessity a whole chain of bribery, corruption, violence and even murder before the l»die« could moi.sten their sandwiobes at a bridge party or the sturdy workers drink their beer...
...The drinking of liquor was sanctioned by wide public opinion...
...The unique attempt came in the form of a letter or memorandum presented by the Austrian representative and signed by the Vienna "Central Committee of the Revolutionary Socialists...
...In addition to this, every effort should be made in order to elim-inatH the obstacles and misunderstandings, which were inimical to unity...
...For three days, the CP...
...4'id its leaders...
...WHEN HANDSOME AL WAS THE FUEHRER OF THE CITY By W. M. F. •THIlRK was once a national law that very few ])eople had...
...and Anti-War resolution adopted by the Socialist Party at its Emergency Convention atSt...
...Hence our recent reign oi lawlessness...
...Its members recognize Otto Bauer, Juliufi Deutch and their coUeaguese, as their leaders and representatives and consider the Arhciter-Zeitung, with its underground circulation of over 100,000, and Der Kampf, the theoretical journal—lx)th published in Czechoslovakia and smuggled into Austria—as the official publications of the party...
...They are connected with the Foltker By Ber^i aviation firm ia ' the Societe PoVj de Guerre in Pfl Vickerj is aim the great Freneb Creusot, which a Slovak firm of 3 connected with > the United Sta Fokker company fact thai WrighjL are manufactun-n Skoda-controlled Skdoa...
...And when a gay party was held in the speako the whole chain of lawlessness was impliedly ««nctiantfd...
...On June 11, after a conferince of the leaders, two parties signed such an agreement for cooperation in their daily war on the fascist forces...
...The Vickers-Armstrong firm of Great Britain not only monoixilizes the production of military armaments for Great Britain, but controls huge shipJbuilding enterprises and branches into aviation with its subsidiary Vickers (Aviation) Limited...
...For its historical interest as well as for reference the St...
...But the most important was undoubtedly connected with tj>e Struggle Against Fascism...
...ImuIs in the first week of April, 1917...
...behaved but on ihe fourth day, June 11, the party organ of the Oominuiiists, L'Humnnite, <?Bme out with an extremely violent blaft against the S.P...
...class soiidarityl' and proclaiiwfj opposition to ti| clared by the gi ^ United Slates...
...in Japan, there is the Kabushiki Kvvaisha Nihon Seiko-Sho (Japan Steel Works) which is a part of the dominating Japanese armament fimi of Mitsui...
...There were present, in addition to the president, .secretary, treasurer and representatives of the Women's and Youth International, 26 representatives of Kuropean Socialist parties...
...he had someone else do it i'or him...
...Let our voiee be heard I "Vienna, May 20, ^984...
...Then '"'P a scrimiK cunnideration of their prohlemn...
...Struggle gainst War and Fascism •THF^RF' were many problems on the agenda...
...During the pa Schneider firm h in Mexic-o, Yn Japan, KumanU, Russia Argcntini Skoda can add U The St...
...On a referendum vote the former was adopted by a heavy majority of the party membership...
...Vickers have factories in Rumania, in Ireland and in Spain...
...To prepare thii-popular revolution is the telf-ou-^signed funk of the Austrian Soeidl-¦ists...
...And since there were millions of people who had no intention of delisting from qoaffing their beer or sipp,in.ar their highballs it follows a.s night follow.^ the day that there had to be a lot of law-breakers in the country, supported by a very large public opinion...
...rif-iiiy of the people...
...In Italy there is the Soeieta Vickers-Terni...
...In passing, let it, however, be remarked, a) that Otto BauL<r objects to the change of the name and the question will probably be settled at the next party confertnce, and b) the Vienna Center of the movement publishes a local n\agazine of its own...
...This pact w«s signeJ on June 11...
...And since the law theoretically did not know such a basinegg existed the business itself had to evolve its own laws of theft, murder, torture and violence of all kinds...
...In the war again^ the fascist | dictatorship there is no difference between the Socialist vrarker attd his Communist organized brother...
...The easiest w;iy to get them was by ogt-right purchase and by violence...
...We do not Ignore the obstacles to an agreement between the L.S.I, and the Communist Internationak We demand, nevertheless, thaf from tht' Socialist side no efforts should 1-e spared in order to bring back uni'y...
...Appeal for a New Orientation TPHK last meeting of the executive of the labor and * Socialist International held in Brussels, Belgium, May 27 and 28, witnessed a rare and very unusual departure from the accepted practice ot the L.S.I.—an open attempt by one section of the International to change the policies and tactics of other sections and parties...
...hence thu FUhnr—namely, AI Capone— secured complete control of the government of a certain middle-sizL'd city that he governed as completely as though he were John F. Cuny in.the happy pre-"rel'orm" days...
...The minimum of our demand would be an offer by the L.S.I, to the Third International to conclude an honest non-aggression pact at least in the fascist countries...
...and »o a broad base had been created for lawlessness, violence, outlawry and murder...
...Mo(l..'ru wan ,« I been can.sed bj j and financial riv ;ai ,of the capitqjij >* different counti fJ have been frasl [of aggression<J , eriticallv reprts >«j I "defense...
...But it was also necessary to have a "legal" base of operations...
...A special meeting of the Socialist administrative committee was called and the highest executive body of French Socialism an.swered the ("onimunist provocative by a vote of 22 to 8 to al)r<igate the temporary agreement and break off all further negotiations...
...IJiuler that law it was ille^»al— nay, inicon-tiiutional—for a n-.an to drink a phtss of heer or for a woman to toy with a cocktail...
...But every dollar that thus changed hands implied an act of lawle,sg violeiuJe...
...Now the hon^ftt, burgher or the law abiding oitincn was not going to shoot a revenooer or bribe a F'ed eral judj...
...Austrian Socialist...
...The peace pact stipulated that during the life of the covenant the pres.s of the two parties must abstain from nuitual attack and vituperation...
...It sets forth in no uhcertain laritrnage the hard and^to the armament firms at least—cruel fact concerning their fomenting of war scares, their bribery of gwvernment officials, their control of newspapers, their formation of armament rings and a great armament trust...
...The convmtion, therefore, was faced with the necessity of defining its position AFTER the country had been plunged ivto war...
...It died after an ephemeral existence of but four days...
...To be continued in next UsueY H6W Hie Secret Irl Us Intd the W •THERE has recently been published in England the .sixth impression of a small pamphlet entitled "The Secret International," which, if widely circulated, wnild do much to dispel the glamor and romance which pervades all mention of great armament firms iind their professional hirelings...
...The discussion lasted n wholu day;—four sessions—and was opened with a lengthy report by Friedrich Adler, Secretary of the L.S.I., who culled attention to the deep procesm and changes manifesting themselves in the labor mr-*ement...
...Tne goal is worth our most passionate efforts...
...Fight for higher wages and for the Vestoratimi of all labor rights and all DEMO-CRATIC LAWS and UliERTlF:S...
...struggles of the liberty and j^'i tend to sevet t) < solidarity betw« ^ brothers in otl« stroy their OW curtail their «i " rights and liberti The Socialist f f States is unaltt tjie system of ^_ class rule whie strengthened bf jj and sham natlow ^ therefore, call i all countriei # ' | their govcrnritt''' The wars of t* tional groups ad the conccin of ' ^ only struggle/' * the workers tf^ the great atngW class of theJ^B from econoBB^B...
...Lou is The Historic Do6ument Adoptem Socialist f| Following is the text of the famous Proclamation...
...Drive away the fascist gangs, strike against wage robberies and the lowering of labor conditiorw...
...The Communist offer of a "united front from above" (between the two working class parties) cams on June 6, and was enthusiastically accepted'the next day...
...they needed logislatoTs and policemen^ they needed executives and law enforcing otficials on^their side...
...The amiable hostes.s was not going the pay regular graft to the cop on the beat, but if she wanted to serve cocktails—and millioiis of her kind did—she had to a'bet such bribery...
...j They breed » | passion, unreas# „ false pktrittism...
...Louis resohttion...
...The jaHcist dirtatorship destroyed all the democratic and reformist ilhdiions amonn the prole-tnfifiii rnaHHCH...
...When the Socialists fought their down hill battW for the preservation of civil liberties and democracy, the Communist wiiardg jeered and their 6,000,000 followers were told to appos* the "Socialist misleaders" who saw gome good in the "bogus capitalist democracy.' Now, when the same Socialists oppose, in their new programs, the mere restoration of thp limited bourgeoid democracy and declare for complete industrial and political democracy—Socialism—the Conimunists turn the table, demanding the restitytion of democratic laws and liberties...
...Much of the savage persecution of the party during and immediately after the war was based upon the St...
...Two resolutions were presented to the delegates, i the "MaMity," drafted by Morris Ilillqwt^ with the aid of Algernon Lee' a^nd Charles E. Ruthenberg, and thv "Minority," drafted and supported by about ore-fourth of the delegates...
...Thi^ revolution can have onlu one ohjecl—the conquest of power, the proletarian dictatorship, which must destroy the political and economic foiindalion of capitalist to-eiety and build in its ^tead a class-lint nocial democratin society...
...W« hov* no doubt th«'for the countrtiss with ft fascist dictatorship the International will adopt the basic ideas which are now common to all active Workers struggling in the hell of fascist dictatorship...
...tk ^ ' jbeen made by l I fought by tit » I bring wealth a ' ^ ruling clasJB, death and dm workers...
...There is no* roon»- in this little book for "mystery men...
...The Austrian Bomb A NU it was during the discus-^* sion of Adier's report thar a bomb exploded-the Au!»trian niem* orandum was read . The document begins with a short review of the events in Austria, passes to the political, financial and moral help the Socialist Internationjil and it.-, affiliated bodies gave so willingly and BO lavishly to the Austrian workers and concludes with an outburst of thanks to the .Socialist of the world for their help, past and present...
...The radicalizition of the Socialist movement in the fascist and senji-fascist countries and its conversion to the idea of proletarian dictatorship is one of the manifeatations of the new ilrocess...
...and so only the toughest babies could enter that business and survive...
...Bui to return to the BrCi.<«i'is meeting...
Vol. 17 • July 1934 • No. 27
