HONORED BY ALL THE WORLD
Honored By All the World Czechoslovak Workers And Morris Hillquit By Dr. Frantisek Soukup President of the Senate of Czechoslovakia IT is hard to believe that a whole year has passed...
...He aroused otir interest Immediately upon his ftftt appearance...
...the ,tempermanent of,' a fighter and the) sharp debater in combination with a gentleman of honest thoughts w h o first of all wants the truth...
...And there they found Eugene Debs, who confirmed the fundamental truths of our doctrine by appearing from the Middle West as a Socialist of indigenous origin...
...In July, 1981* Morris Hillqiiit...
...He was a sober Marxist surgeon of human society...
...Morris was not as yet in New York and we had to go out to Asbury Park...
...He understood the substance of the Socialist theory...
...A Great Main and a Great Soul By Jacob Panken INTO the conscious period of his life he crowded service to man- kind that has no parallel, in the life of any American man...
...It is now thirty years since I first met Morris Hillqiiit...
...He was generous...
...Please extend our heartiest and most sincere greetings to Comrade Hillquit's wifa,Vera...
...Instead, liia dear' wife Vera, his daughter Nina, and his brother same to meet me at the pier...
...Copenhagen and in Basel, and likewise at the post-war congresses at Hamburg'Marseilles, Brussels and Vienna...
...Hia loss is felt in this transitional period...
...Physically Sick, for days he was on the stand before the State Assembly expounding Socialist theory and philosophy...
...My friendship with him started in 1907, when I first visited America...
...Morris Hillquit was always constructive...
...He belonged to that generation of working class leaders, reared in poverty, self-educated, who taught the dumb masses of New York how to speak and to compel their'"masters" to treat them as equals in human dignity...
...He was a scholar and a philosopher...
...a skeptical and analytical mind with h deep devotion to the ideals of Social and to the proletariat—this is the secret of Hillquit and of his charm for everyone who came into cohtact with him...
...Frantisek Soukup President of the Senate of Czechoslovakia IT is hard to believe that a whole year has passed since Morris Hillquit left us, so deep is our sorrow over his passing away and so unforgettable is the memory of • his life work...
...He expressed great Joy when he saw me...
...During my American tours iS 1925-1926 and in 1929-1930, my...
...I had the good fortune to know him personally and pot only from hia book...
...Thas was on August 83...
...The enlightened and untiring activity of our comrades contributed mach towards the fact that Czechoslovakia today is one of the firmest strong* holds against the spread of fascist dictatorship in Europe...
...Chalked by illness, he left hia bed to come' to the defense of representative government...
...The tenderness atid sweet nature combined with great solid worth and unshakable principle...
...We embraced and had a long chat, like two brothers...
...In Europe I saw him time and time again, and we worked hand in hand with him in the International at its Congress and its executive sessions...
...Hillquit wrote: "Frantisek Soukup is one of the true leaders of International Socialism, who take their single-minded and unflagging devotion to our great cause as a simple matter of course...
...He was lovable...
...A Bridge Between America and Europe By Raphael Abramowitsch EVEN if I had never known Morris Hillquit personally I would have a clear and lively picture of this moral and intellectual giant from "Loose Leaves from a Busy Life," his fascinating memoirs so kindly sent me by Mrs...
...Comrade Soukup is too modest to quote from Morris Hillquit's letter a certain section relating to himself...
...He lived—fully and completely—in bis contribution to the Wei* fare, of man...
...Our International, which is rather European in character, is very sensitive to people who are not well acquainted with the complicated forms of Europeai political life...
...and he was a passionate, zealoits apostle of world peSce...
...Above all, he was one of the purest, moat noble and moat selfsacrificing souls to arise out of the proletariat, and with great logic of mind and fire of action to show all oppressed people the way to a new life and a new Socialist future...
...Morris Hillquit was best known to us personally...
...She new rests in a modest cemetery at Liny, near Prague...
...Successful barrister though he may have been in his later life, he was always a man of the common people, whose creed of practical idealism is the creed of constructive Socialism...
...A year ago, when I left for America, my thoughts, my rnetnories were with Morris Hillqiiit...
...Whenever he came to Europe and spoke in our midst we listened with the closest attention and with bated breath...
...Deeply moved, We parted...
...Vera Hillquit...
...He was kind...
...I expressed fully the state of things in Europe...
...Again in 1939, sick after an arduous and taxing battle for the mayoralty of New York, he left hut bed and flew to Washington to carry the battle of labor into the camp of the enemy...
...he waj a convincing an<l compelling orator of the people...
...dear dead friend and I spoke for hours...
...I suppose, however, that after you complete your American tour and return to New York, I shall se you mors often...
...His culture, gentlenesa, universal interests end practical wisdom endeared him to us all...
...who give all their abilities and accomplishments, their time and thought to the service of Socialism without ostentation or personal ambtion in utter oblivion of themselves...
...As capitalism is riding toward doom, the lack of his leadership is more and more apparent...
...For his information, I send him an English translation of President Masark's well-known book, "The Making of a State...
...Since then we had opportunities to iheet him more often at conference* of the ExecotiVe Committee of the International and at the International Congresses at Stuttgart...
...For a while I held His hand against my heart and promised to greet all hisijgft comrades in Europe for himlHl seemed somewhat cheered and wfen we left' Mini we stood in the street and gazed long at the window behind wHiCN Morris Hillquit Wa* to flght !his last battle, as thougir%s atitleiWted his early end, 3jjisj£ That evening, Comrade* fI|W«| sent a letter to the special mehtkft ot the New" York Socialist Patty at which I spoke...
...Ed.] We were indeed grateful for this striking expression of clear understanding and proper estimate of the constructive work toward Socialism within our Republic...
...Sad fate, however, jtould have it otherwise, i have bean ill far a greater length of time and ant flow ih the Country to recover 4nfl tb recuperate...
...Nevertheless, very soon We found a common language and a mutual understanding...
...Your Morris Hillquit...
...Comrade Hillquit'a wife and daughter were waiting for ua and took us to the room where" he AJMissionary of Socialism By Arth«r Henderson, M.P...
...God, how we need himt To us who worked with him, who followed his leadership, he can never die...
...In the international his voice was always listened to with the deepest respect...
...He was always ready to adapt the structure of the working class movement in order that it might fulfill more completely lay...
...For weeks he stood there fighting for the right of Americans to choose their own representatives...
...In Hillquit we always felt a man Who understands thoroughly and scientifically the processes of political life in Europe...
...The merciless analytical talent of Hillquit very soon discovered the true anti-Socialist and disruptive implications of the terroristic dic» tatorship of the Bolsheviks...
...who grow great with the growth of the party and never seek to rise above it...
...The loss of this wonderful combination of two worlds in one head, of this living bridge between America and Europe will be felt for a long time to come in the American and European working class movements...
...Morris Hillquit had not been in otir midst since the Vienna Congress in 1931...
...Morris Hillquit bora a great lore m the Pmldent of Our Republic, Thomas G. Masarya, as well as for his noble-minded wife, Charlotte Maaark...
...And we, his friends anl comrades-ln-armS, Will to the en| of our lives Cherish the memory of this wonderful and brave fightet and devoted friend...
...He was at that time influenced by the Bolshevik revolution which he never, by the way, accepted in full, but which attracted his revolutionary sentiment...
...For many years he was the plenipotentiary of American Socialism in Europe...
...We have the printed word set down by him for our guidance and Inspiration...
...That is also why our Czechoslovak Republic, even during the most bitter storms of fascism acroB» its boundaries, remain* and shall always remain a stronghold of liberty and democracy in the heart of Europe...
...The Socialist movement in Czechoslovakia is so strong that our government would be unthinkable without the participation of the Socialists, and our movement feels that it is not only its right but its duty to help guide the government and all public institutions and"*prepare the ground for the ultimate and inevitable transformation of a political democracy into an economic and a Socialist democracy...
...They gave me his letter, dated June 22, which read as follows*: Dear Frank:—I looked forward to your visit with the reatest pleasure and hoped that would be there to greet yoU upon your arrival...
...We reached Asbury Park at noon...
...Here Morris Hillquit would usually be entrusted with important and extremely difficult reports pertaining to questions of economics, and lie could always be depended upon to work out his report in a way which showed a deep, plastic understanding of the subject at hand as well as unusual expert knowledge...
...hia daughter Nina, and to hia brothers...
...He \vas one of the parents of Trade Unionism and Socialism in New York—one of the builders of an edifice which othar men may embellish, enlarge, or adapt to modern trends, but which they may also destroy...
...In him we found the personification of Socialist America, in him we saw the hope and victory of American Socialism...
...That was my last mesiage of greeting* to him...
...Democracy temporarily lost, but his brilliant attack on the reactionaries turned defeat into a glorious Socialist victory...
...When I stepped on French soil at Cherbourg, I sent Hillquit my heartiest regards...
...We were happy indeed to show our most welcome guest the great progress of the Socialist- and labor movement in Czechoslovakia and to point out all the concrete and constructive work of Socialists in our government to promote cultural progress, peace and better living conditions for all the working people in our Republic...
...He was • great man—ahd a greater soul...
...In this historic letter, one of his last, Morris Hillquit wrote: "The International Socialist movement can be justly proud of Our party in the new Czechoslovak Republic...
...Hia significance as a leader, teacher and thinker reached out beyond the American scene...
...This year it wag the privilege of American children of Czech descent from New York, Cleveland and Chicago, who took part in our great III Labor Olympic Games in Prague, to decorate he simple grave with scarlet flowers...
...s Respected highly in our own country his judgment was sought by Socialist and labor leaders in the international field...
...Please accept my expression of welcome to America, and I Hope sincerely that we shall soon meet again...
...In Morris Hillquit the Socialist and Labor International lost one of its brightest lights...
...Then, 66 October 8, came the tragic cablegram from Comrade L$e that Morria Hillquit was dead...
...All of us were heartbroken...
...EUGENE Debs, Victor Berger and Morris Hillquit—t h e » e were the names by which American Socialism was known to us on this side of the Atlantic...
...But to the words ol Hillquit there was never a skeptical or inattentive audience...
...She was born in Brooklyn of an old American family and was our co-worker in the labor and Socialist movement for forty years...
...He was in Europe a European aS he was in America all American...
...Morris could no longer walk...
...I rode out there with my deer comrade Julius Gerber, secretary of the Socialist Party of New York, and Jaroslav kovak, Czechoslovak Consul-General, my old, faithful friend and co-worker in the Czechoslovak revolution...
...Morris found joy in the thought of his being well again and attending the next meeting of the International Executive...
...That was at the historic congress of the Socialist and Labor International at Amsterdam in 1904...
...Morris Hillquit and Victor Berger were the missionaries who brought the Socialist message from the Old World to the New...
...accompanied by his wife and daughter, left for Vienna to attend the International Socialist Congress, it Caused us unbounded pleasure that he should on this occasion stop at Prague and other points of interest in our Czechoslovak Republic...
...He was a man of scientific theory, constructive practice and class-Conscious organization...
...I was overjoyed that t should meet him on American soil, but wheri I landed ih New York there1 was no Hillquit to greet rriti...
...Again we met and renewed our friendship at the International Socialist Congress in Hamburg in 1923...
...When after two months I returned to New" York my first steps were directed to the bedside of Morris Hillquit...
...During all the stirring post-war years, through its victories as well as defeats in revolutionary conflicts, this party stood firmly and unshakably upon the foundations of Socialist democracy for the working classes...
...with its grandeur...
...To them I send my best wishes, and you, dear comrades, Whom I cannot forget, please accept my greetings from Prague...
...They have performed a monumental feat in firm Socialist education among the workers of their country, they have built mighty institutions of education and defense and have had a noteworthy influence upon the forming of a young and a progressive state...
...His memory la the hearts of alt workers of Czechoslovakia ts deep and unforgettable...
...Morris Hillquit told me hoW well he liked our Republic and that upon his return to America he Would Write a whole book about it...
...He was a miblime logician, and possessed a marked integrity...
Vol. 17 • October 1934 • No. 80
