A SONG OF SELASSIE
Floyd, William
A SONG OF SELASSIE by William Floyd Editor, The Arbitrator And it came to pass that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba did have a son, and they called his name Menelik. And Menelik founded...
...But it was a f slse hope and the Blue Nile wept Then friends of Haile Selassie took thought how they could save him from the unequal contest, begging him to set aside certain lands for Benito that he might civilize them...
...ofN>pinien within it with regard to its relation to the CommunistsThe pirpose of the slogan of the united front was to 'expose' the Social Democratic Party, i.e., falsely to depict it as an opponent o: ujity and to render more acute the conflict within its own ranks...
...the more, therefore, the passions of the ok conflicts of tendency disappear and confidence grows...
...Today this process is not yet complete...
...It is an extremely imp set ait factor where the coming decisive battle is concerned...
...After the experiences of many years of harmful strife between the two parties, we are obliged to demand of the Communists that they should first give proofs of this loyalty, of the seriousness of their present conviction of the importance of democracy to the workers, by deeds...
...This strengthened "more thar ever the view of most Social Democrats that the slogan Of the united front was not a means of ending the ruinous conflict but of continuing it by means of a new stratagem...
...And one Benito, an upstart of low birth, plotted against Haile Selassie and his kingdom...
...As a guide to their spokesmen the Socialists drafted a memorandum, which was presented to the Communists...
...For the German Social Democratic Party democracy is not a political expedient but a principle and an aim in its struggle...
...This is a neat way to put it...
...No one, I venture to say...
...Then we find that thi colossal sum could have provide* well-built and well-furnished cot •ages on five-acre plots for ever: family in the U. S. A., Canadr Great Britain, Germany, Francr Belgium and Russia...
...The result would baa strengthening and not a weakening of the system...
...They would reject with the almost decision any order to change their present attitude...
...ha the slightest idea of what this fij...
...The Communists, however, insisted upori"an immediate joint united front declaration, refusing at the same time to enter into any non-aggression pact, saying they were unable to renounce attacking Socialists who iSjStlsd the Communist conception of the united front...
...But Haile denied that he had done aught, even at Ualual, of wrong...
...Because of the distorted account published by the Communists...
...On the contrary, the Comintern explicitly holds fast to the principle of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and once again proclaims the establishment of this as the aim of its political battle...
...essential to its overthrow, the Socialist memorandum Ij.^'The relation of the Social Democratic Party to the Communist Pigsty is clouded by seventeen years of conflict, with the Communist Party on the attack and the Social Democratic Party on the defensive l B § that time the slogan of the united front, too, was a weapon i»' the fight against the Social Democratic Party...
...The German Social Democratic Party, however, was and is the party of democratic Socialism...
...As the party was built up on a democratic basis and hammered out its differences of ogiaion openly, it was generally known that there were difference...
...Workers' wager rose under NRA from 15 to 25 pe...
...This point of view is still having lis after-effects today...
...But Benito laughed in his sleeve...
...600,000,000 would still be left ove for road building and other public enterprises...
...S B Bmsans long...
...And the King of America was wroth, crying out, We will have none of this...
...At the same lime it would be giving the holders of power the opportunity which they desire to revive the bogey of Bolshevism and to represent shatters as though the Social Democratic Party had gone over to Bolshevism...
...And the size of Ethiopia was 350,000 square miles...
...Nevertheless, Benito prepared so much the more until Haile was hard pressed and prayed unto the League for help...
...Only when political ne cessity and the welfare of ther own purse demands it, is the cr...
...They placed me Socialists before an ultimatum: sign on the dotted line or fight...
...Because of the distorted Communist version, the Socialists disavowed the remarks atifl&oted to them and pointed out, also, the falsity of the account of .the Communis: speeches as given in the report, •"S'-lThe-entire report, which was published without the foreknowledge • IsJIViniiiill the consent of the parties to the negotiations, gives an entirely distorted picture of the course taken by the discussion," wrote MmJiner Vorwartf, Socialist organ...
...To thi staggering amount must be adde compensations, interest on bor.d and other continuing costs whic' are estimated at $1,000,000,000 : year...
...The text of the memorandum is given below...
...Up to the present such proofs are not forthcoming...
...In France, where Moscow has a special national interest—a military alliance with the French government—and where the need of preserving the democratic regime coincides with Stalin's aim of preserving his own dictatorship in Russia, the Communist Party is ordered to go to the extreme right, not excluding support of the bourgeois government in Parliament...
...The Communists deefiaed, whereupon the Socialists informed them that future developSJSSS*J would depend to a large extent upon the manner in which the CESJPOHUUSTS, would give the proceedings publicity...
...And Haile did as he was commanded, saying: Of my lands will I give thee, but my country must remain free...
...It has been said that the New ersey...
...It is fought in th< mines and in the workshops and i cost in 1935 no less than 33 work i ers' l i v e s snuffed out in laboclashes...
...Naturally, there was no agreement...
...Meanwhile both nations prepared for war, one with staves and civet j cats, the other with instruments of destruction such as no man has equalled...
...is creating new supporters for it., - ."According to our information, the assumption that a joint manifesto addressed to the Social Democratic and Communist organisations by the heads of the movements would have an advantageouf effect is Only true to a limited extent at the present time...
...Of course, this item describes ondi tions in countries under tie -on heel of fascist dictatorship, 'et only a few days ago a cent n New Jersey decreed that a aoher must lose her children became if her political and religious views...
...X^T" couple of nun- • ~% ^ tA dred m i l l i on dollars is noth- H ing to sneeze at...
...doctrines," aV iough»she was not a formal roemer of any of these organizations...
...In this country the first men d m e n t to the constitution, 3emingly revered by all, distinetiy rovides full guarantees of freeom of religious observance and of peech...
...But Benito replied in the words of the Master, When ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled, for such things must needs be...
...Cost of the W a r SPEAKING of steals . . . Wit] the Soldier Bonus Bill now : law, the total cost of the great wa to the American people will be ap proximately $45,000,000,000...
...Is there an further proof needed for the uttesenselessness of war?—And if w< enjoy experimenting with figure...
...And Benito sent Roman legions unto the borders of Ethiopia, and prepared for war...
...Its stages of develop meat cannot be skipped, the less so since the terror in Germany pre vents all open discussion...
...cent...
...But the League heard him not...
...Not for shekels will we sell our souls...
...Communist Expediency Exposed "Our doubts are further strengthened by the fact that the speeches and the decisions of the 7th Congress of the Comintern, and in particular the speeches of the leaders of the German delegation, leave 1 e • doubt in the mind of the critical reader that in its profession of faith hi democracy the Comintern sees merely a tactical expedient, s new method ia Urn political struggle, bat no fundamental change in . . . . the Communist view as to the method and aim of the struggles for the smancipation of the working class...
...as a party which has always determined its policy and aims on its own responsibility and solely according to the necessities and needs of the German workers, to make agreements with a party which is obviously oot master of its decisions as to the path and the goal of its struggle...
...rh order to arrive at an honestly meant and genuine unity, th< difficulties which have arisen during the past must be abolished...
...Vlat the party wanted was neither conflict with the Communist Party nor an alliance with it, but an improvement of the relation batsmen the two parties which should open the way to a union later Bat it was Just a 'pact of non-aggression' of this kind that was obsti astely rejected by the Communist Party...
...Verily, the leopard cannot change his spots Hitting the high Spots — By Siegfried Lipschiti Q X the heels of the Supreme i G&rrfs1 famous A A A decision and its order to refund 1 $200,000,000 collected taxes to 1 the processors comes Secretary Wallace's outcry that this refund ; is "the greatest legalized steal in ] Ameriarr history...
...Therefore the enemies of Ethiopia took thought how they could obtain these good things for themselves...
...Wr recall that the German Com hi unlets continued the fight against the ml rial Democratic Party in Germany even after Hitler's seizure of ptswer...
...p&3...
...the textile workers lost jfcui ! and the longshoremen three...
...And the Ethiopian in the woodpile was that other countries besides Benito's desired the good things of Ethiopia...
...And since we are already jugglhv with figures of astronomical siz it will do no harm to remind read srs that the total cost of the grea military experiment between 101 and 1918 is conservatively estimat 3d at approximately 338 billion dol !ars...
...tmy^Soeialists released the memorandum they had presented at the eistementioned meeting...
...The Socialist Memorandum ^•Feinting out the need of uniting all opponents of Hitlerism as the fijCSt step...
...And while the rain descendeth Benito fighteth not...
...And it came to pass that as the...
...A SONG OF SELASSIE by William Floyd Editor, The Arbitrator And it came to pass that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba did have a son, and they called his name Menelik...
...T h e W o r k e r s A b r o a d 3 T > • • . • German Socialists Expose Communist United Front Maneuver After Stalinites Refuse to Sign N on-Aggression Pact—Memorandum of Party Executive Gives Stand i '•" By John Powers T h e U n i t e d F r o n t i n G e r m a n y •SEVERAL weeks ago the Executive Committee of the German Social •^Democratic Party, now resident at Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia, received a communication from the Central Committee of the Germai j Communist Party suggesting that the leaders of the two parties publish a joint declaration on the subject of the struggle against j ffltlerism and the restoration of democracy in Germany...
...And Menelik founded the empire of Abyssinia, which, being interpreted, is called Ethiopia unto this day...
...All of which leaves the situation just about where it was...
...rTo leave the door open for joint action by the two parties against the Hitler regime, the Socialist spokesmen suggested that the proCEEDINGS of the meeting be kept confidential...
...Compare this increasf in the earnings of the overwhelm I ing mass of the people with the net profits of the great corpora I tions and you will soon see wha' class struggle really means...
...Rather would I kill myself than serve under thee...
...Then Haile and Benito prayed both unto the League, but the League answered not their prayers...
...President David Dubinsky, gad he hope that other labor anient rill soon follow your splendid esimple...
...Publications of this kind in no mmf Jn i 11 to further the aim of improving the relationships of the tasr aaWies to one another and of bringing about the joining togethei smHKopponents of Hitler for the common attack...
...ure really means...
...Your columnist holds ne briif or those who constantly cry miism and profess to see fascist eeds and beliefs in acts wssdi omebody else less narrow-mifl||F light classify as ultra-consJE ve or reactionary...
...Now there was jealously in the world because of Ethiopia, in that it was a land flowing with water power, abounding in oil, sugar cane and rubber...
...But in Germany, where the iron heel of Hitlerism rests upon the neck of the working class, the Communists refuse to sign a non-aggression pact with the Socialists...
...For all these reasons we consider a joint declaration by the heads of the two parties to be inexpedient...
...And the dead shall be numbered as the sands of the seas while the people call in vain upon the League to save them...
...Thi' will' become the easier the more strongly the entire working clas becomes conscious of what the democratic rights of freedom of the citizen mean for them...
...Yet the s i ft ecision is a danger signal whim annot be lightly dismissed if WT -ant to preserve the democratic sundations on which this oouatry ;8ts...
...but when the rain shall cease, the tumult and the shouting will begin...
...No Closi Antagonism...
...war approached, certain followers of the League did importune in favor of Ethiopia...
...This Benito, being a righteous man in his own estimation, would appear to do no man an injuryTherefore represented he his evil intent as a worthy conquest...
...Gen eral Motors' net profit rose frotr $164,000 in 1932 to $167,000,000 ir 1935, or more than 1,000 times Where are the opoprtunities foi humble, hard working American of whom Al Smith so glowingly The case of General Motors ca» * multiplied many times And yet mblic opinion has not made evss: he slightest attempt to level these rlaring inconsistencies and to a*> ume the American people of a fair •e turn for their labor . . Some "Jersey Jostles" M V H E children of unreliable f ew ents are sent to camps...
...And they, being full of guile, ,rflid deny that they had received -lught from Selassie...
...It is time for the common eople to stand a qua ret en their a*iral and legal rights and to resist t all costs attempts by the authorties to encroach or to abridge hem...
...Yet its true sig nificance can be grasped when w translate it into terms of humaendeavor...
...To balance the favorable results anticipated from it there are also unfavorable • M S , A large number of our best illegal fighters are not yet disposed to give credence to the assurances of the Communists that they are rsdy to fight for the reconquest of democracy...
...As a result, elements which are now willing to entrust themselves to a Social Democratic Party unequivocally in favor of democracy would be driven towards the Right again...
...In spite of this, it is extremely difficult for us...
...The Union is calling upon all lanufacturers and contractors is ndustries making women's garTents to refuse to have Germeonade machines or machine parts -.stalled in their factories...
...But Ethiopia did have certain arms sold unto it by Benito...
...On one condition, however, namely that the collaboration from instance to instance takes place with the eorapletest loyalty...
...we find that the amount spent b•ihe U. S. A. in six war month would have bought a motor car an< * tractor for every one of'the 6. 100,000 American f a r m e r s , ar...
...The actual march of events in Germany and in the rest of the world will decide at what speed the union of the entire working class in a common faith and for common action can be achieved...
...The comparison between the barbarity and corrupt bureaucratism of today and the humane and clean conditions of former time...
...th< other deaths were scattered among members of various unions...
...Until quite recently the Communists attacked in their publications the program of action of the German Social Democratic Party of January 30, 1934, just because of its demand for the restoration of those democratic rights and liberties which the Communists now propose as a bams for common action...
...of "class against class" raised, a' shown by Al Smith and othe happy warriors of different polit ical complexions...
...And the League gave ten commandments unto Ethiopia by obeying which it might become the promised land...
...And about this time the League awoke from its slumbers and answered the prayers which had been made unto it...
...The method to which New Jer?y justice has unwittingly left it* ill is widely used in Soviet Ruea, Nazi Germany, fascist Italy id other autocratically ruled ces*-ies...
...It is prevented fron legal action of any kind by the terror, but it is not destroyed an< continues to exist as a community of belief...
...To which we add: more power to •oa...
...decision is the first on recrd in the U. S. A. in which casody of children was decided on the asis of political or religious view*, •y implication it may be taken for ranted that if such a decision is ermitted to stand, the courts w p son be called upon to take a hafjd i religious and political differences etween parents and use the chUren as a wholesale means of cercion in the interest of the caps':--, state...
...Of the parties which were buried under the National-Socialist landslide the Social Democratic Party with its membership of nearlj a million paying members was the strongest...
...Yet there is another yardstick tc measure class distinctions in the United States...
...Then Haile said, We are a Christian people...
...And a meeting of the alders supported Haile...
...The most sensible thing, of course would be to return the money tr the people who actually paid it that is, the farmers and consum ers...
...These differences in principle between Communists and Social Democrats need not represent an insurmountable obstacle to common action by the two parties from instance to instance...
...About 900 lines were devoted to the remarks of thanBommunists...
...But since this seems impos sible, I can »ee no reason why th< Federal Government should not b' permitted to retain these taxes After all, government money i used for the benefit of the peopl as a whole and while we migh sometimes violently disagree wit1 the use to which official funds ar put, it wil still be preferable t use them for schools, road build ing and other public activitie rather than throwing them as : gift into the laps of "deserving' corporations...
...So in due time, Haile Selassie, of the race of Solomon, became Emperor of Ethiopia, King of Kings, Conquering Lion of Judah, the Elect of God...
...We welcome the energetic stand made by the Soviet Government in the cause of peace and we are determined to oppose any imperialist and fascist attack or the Soviet Union...
...I ?yP* To hand this I a amount on a ^ ^ ^ ^ H ^ ^ K silver platter to { H p l j ^ ^ N fl the corporations aMbJKBKsMis, even in the opinion of the eminent HeraldTribune, an unjust measure...
...It seeks the free democratic republic and in it a united working class, fighting for Socialism...
...sen year old boys and girls whs ire 'contaminated' by their parents ire sent to the country to sent ne year as agricultural workem n 1934, 22,000 children and in Ifjjt lore than 40,000 were thus foreYiy removed from their natural urroundings...
...in present circumstances, and we must also reject the proposal of the Communists that goes even further, to wit, that an agreement should be entered into between the leadership of the two parties as to common procedure on a number of political questions of present importance...
...The Socialists picked Vogel and Stampfer, and a meeting was held in Prague...
...AMERICA'S political m u t e ' * • minds and those in and nea the seats of the mighty generall: oooh-pooh the idea of class war fare in the land of the brave an< the free...
...They Stated frankly that in view of the past conduct of the Com•taaists there was as yet little basis for a closer association...
...Eight of these unsunr heroes of labor died in the minr fields...
...The two children who were greet n the custody of their religiously nclined father are ten and flee -ears old...
...These it turned eagerly against him, not having yet paid therefor...
...and while your columnist is not sufficiently ac* . quainted w i t h jS the details of I legalised steals ^^^^^^^w^k in American his1 tory.be ventures I to say that a •L-p^f...
...ikV Misgivings of Rank and File -.'•> The misgivings of our comrades in Germany with regard to joint action with the Communists weigh the heavier with ns because we eaiuelves have the greatest doubt of the seriousness of the new positive attitude of the Communist- to the democratic rights and liberties...
...The Social Democratic Party fights for the liberation of the entire German people from the National-Socialist dictatorship...
...For some time now the confidence of the masses hi it has been constantly growing...
...Our vorkers will positively refuse to vork on such machines as they isve been refusing to patronise any "-erman-made goods in support of he nation-wide boycott which is iow in progress...
...The court stated in its ecision that the mother was thpt•ughly imbued with "Communistic, theistic and I.W.W...
...The Socialists received 60 lines...
...Your columnist reads with great Measure the following item promnently displayed in the current isue of Justice, official organ of thenternationl L a d i e s ' Garment Vorkers: "A notice to all employrs in cloak, dress and miaeeUas* oos garment lines...
...Most of the gains, thanks tc the Supreme Court, were 1 a t e j j wiped out...
...thou shouldst leave us alone...
...And he spread abroad that he would bring civilization unto Ethiopia, a wicked country, a nation of cannibals, practicing black magic, dealing in eunuchs and slaves, even ethe ghebar system...
...The Communists chose Walter and Franz as their representatives...
...jfitftjf attitude of-the Communists was revealed a few days later wMECm publication in their Gegenangriff of a report on the meeting...
...In point of time the transformation in the attitude of the Germar Communist Party coincides with the change in the direction of the policy of the Communist International decided upon by the 7th Congress of the Comintern, and we are therefore unable aajyet to ascertain whether tike new attitude of the German Communist Party with regard to the German struggle for freedom was acquired as the result of new realizations on its own part of the necessities of the struggle of the German working class, or whether it merely results from the carrying out of the orders of the Moscow International...
...And the League appointed Benito one of the rulers to make Ethiopia as righteous as Italy itself...
...Class warfare, to be sure, is no' fought over the banquet tables a' Washington and other places wherr Liberty Leaguers and the like hab itually meet...
...And when the League did hear the prayer of Haile Selasie, then went there up great rejoicing from Ualual to Addis Ababa, even unto the borders of Kenya, Eritrea and Somaliland...
...And the League softened its heart and agreed to hear the plea of Haile after twenty and one other matters had been considered...
...So the Americans threw the oil back in Selassie's face...
...But Benito, not satisfied to be one among many, arose in his wrath and slew the League...
...So, to make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, Haile granted the half of his kingdom unto powerful Americans...
...The Socialist representatives suggested that the two parties conclude a non-aggression pact as the first step to such cooperation as may prove possible from instance to instance...
...Foi timv reason the slogan'of the united front was rejected by the great majority of the party...
Vol. 19 • February 1936 • No. 6
