Pointed Paragraphs From An Interview With General Calles
W h y 1 L e t t T h e W o r k e r s ' P a r ty (Jomrflian* of Chicago, L e t 'a End the Joke. By LUrCI ANTONINi of '> ( e e l I e d i e s Garment WorLeri Union far quit* tome time,...
...We were convinced though that this splendid isolation would in time j be harmful to us snd therefore joined the Workers' Party, that is,' when for obvious reasons the American Communism had changed to a certain extent its program, rendering it possible for the Socialists of the Left Wing to join...
...As for me no metamorphosis has ever come true,, those who have changed, advancing as shrimps, are the others...
...I am also tormented by an old adage "he who is silent, affirms...
...Not, therefore, for fear of losing myijob, as the position which I hold is far from any retaliation or punishi.K ;i...
...Although I had decided to become aW-aaute . . . illiterate, some of my good friends haa fallen for these aalnmnious stings directed at me, and have come to shake me from *jy decision...
...2. I have sent my resignations to the par^y with the elementary forms, rules and procedures of a gentleman at a time when the loaders of the I. L. G. W. U. had not even dreamt of banning the T. U. B. L. and all other fac-slmile Ltajrua.g, The documents speak for themselves...
...y enthusiasm cooled, not for m y metamorphst, It I. sure, but for J metamorphosis of the o t V " ; .f l dded with wha> more enthusiasm could they inspire me . . Af jr th low bow of Chlchenn to Gennan ello (King of Italy...
...After the glorification of the Fasci't, ,tv...
...1. I have never professed Communistic Ides...
...By LUrCI ANTONINi of '> - ( e e l I e d i e s Garment WorLeri Union far quit* tome time, severs yaungslei* who-r—through a streak ef luck from a mora than provi#atii) sky—have flipped through e> door and h a / - become newtpa*)f vendors...
...Let us be more precise...
...Where the metamorphosis has occurred we shall sec later...
...same ardor...
...4. I was and I am still an en tbusiastic admirer of the Glorious Russian Revolution...
...But when those parties in question are at least a dozen and all of tliem infallible und possess the magic virtue of pu'.i g through the Proletarian Emancipation, then it is a crime to permit any suprc-: macy of such political parties in Labor organizations...
...Well...
...And finally, tht> last treaty of friendship nnd commcrce with Horthy Hungary...
...But let it b understood: admirer of the Russia Revolution...
...to my belief we could have readied tie same aim with other methods less rig rout and less odious...
...In doIng so I came to break with Schlesinger and Gompers without any fear of losing my position The following year in Denver 1 renewed the battle with the...
...it t true, but whcr*I...
...And above all wc would not have the victims, the false martyrs and heroes In Local 89, of whic1 I am certainly directly responsible, we have no expulsion whatever, and it is immune to this disease...
...elsllst Party of America" which, ac-1 cording to us, had parted from the I Ideas and purposes of Socialism, | ncne of us ever thought of becom-' Ing Communists...
...I do not know who may have remained but it requires quite a bit of nerve to assert and have It thought that Antonini, i'ala, Bellanca, Maddii, amico, Cottone, etc., are Communists...
...We kept as far | apart from one as the other for j more than a year, united in the email Marxian Socialist Independ- j ent Federation of New York...
...re l« a nie'«mor|ihn«i...
...But I have never, personally, sanctioned or advised any expubon...
...In the succeeding years, it is true...
...perdoe journalists, ajttor*, sub-editor;, assistants, etc , ei the pseudo daily workers' paper af Chit-ago, have :nade of my mm* a target of calumnious stints, throjvh the columns of their'papcr...
...Wo soon, realized our mistake and that our differences were too deep...
...when we Socialists of the foar Italian sec- j tion* of New York left the "So...
...if there is any intention or possibility—of the leaders of the I. L. G. W. U. but subject only to the will ef the members of Locsl 89...
...No njetamorphosis...
...In publishing these I do so withant the slightest intention of opening a polemic with newspaper venders of Chicago who for their benei t and interest of their chapel should have maintained a strict and rigorous silence and remembered (hat swaanps when stirred give forth bad odors...
...the great priests, tha sole detainers of revolutionary Ideas and fornicators of strategic tactics a la Nep...
...Such attempts will only produce the factional fights in the ranks of the Union to the ad vantage of the tpltslist class only and undermine the very base of the existence of the organization...
...after the Com-1 merclal Treaty and the Blrtlng b» tween the Great Proletarian Russla and the Canorentola Fascista Italy...
...I have never Changed...
...Therefore, I am persuaded that if the remedy of the I. L. G. W. U. was too drastic, it is nevertheless more than justified...
...I am a Socialist without any adjectives, as I was yesterday...
...When the Communist and Workars' Parties were not in existence in the United States, I alone and of my own volition pre eented at the Convention of th A. F. of L. in Montreal the rcfolu tion for the recognition of the Soviot Russia, compelling the ducus sion and the vote of same...
...Our joining was a brief and hard experience...
...8. I have always thought it bad policy to create false martyrs...
...Childish, small snd foolish insinuation...
...paper* which are •Bringing up on this side of the At lea tic...
...Being caught between these two |r«s I feel "in medio virtus," assured by my clear conscience rather honored by their trivial insults which rebound on themselves...
...lutiun (sic) by Bombacci (revenged by Moscow) and the banquet offered by the Rus sian Ambassador 11 the leader of the blaok «hlrts...
...The interference of a political Labor party in the life of Labor organizations would be compatible only and when politically the workers were to be united in one big party...
...According, then, to the above aientioned paper—In its issues of June 3 and October T, Inst.—I became, for the purpose of holding my job, a traitor, a reactionist, s renegade, a persecutor of my comrades •f yesterday, an enthusiast of La Toilette, an opportunist and so on and so forth...
...For my part I would have con e>ued ignoring 'hero, enveloping •ysvlf in a silence which at limes * more eloquent, and dignified than any verbal t r written defense...
...To all this I will give a few explanations and documents sufficient in themselves to give the lie to all their accusations...
...I have the right to ignore them pn<e 1 am also nude > target of the attacks—perfectly innocuous «f the Fascist...
...Th is why I have never approved or advised drastic disciplinary measures which were applied to tl ose associated with the T. U. E. L., though I was convinced of the detrimental action that this League exercised to the damage ef the organixation...
...Between the socallcd saviors (dictators) of the proletariat and Uie assassins of the workers of Italy...
Vol. 1 • November 1924 • No. 45
