PUERTO RICANS BATTLE TO KEEP DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
Iglesias, Santiago
PUERTO RICANS BATTLE TO KEEP DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS Labor Movement Fights To Preserve U. S. Tie-up By sANTIAGO IGLESIAS Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner in Washington, D. C. TSE...
...Puerto Rico wants to be an integral part of the UniCBd States always, as against fascism or dictatorships of any kind whatsoever...
...Actually strikes are fairly well recognized as the most civilized and democratic means of promoting better conditions for the working masses of the island...
...With what success this deception has been worked cannot be daw closed as it is known only to the* Chinese authorities...
...Elections are being held in a more honorable and peaceful way, because we have better laws and a more progressive government, especially since the administration of President Roosevelt...
...Until about five years ago the Chinese people wen not interested in soldiers as a class...
...Party factions are wiped out, even the Communists having publicly repudiated their program and objectives...
...e * * THE labor and Socialist movements in Puerto Rico, after" many years of struggle, assisted by the American Federation of Labor and the Socialists of the United States, had legislated into law the right of workers to organize industrially and politically to better their conditions and to have representation in the affairs of their own government...
...Japan has always criticized the disunity of China whale Japanese funds often subsidized Chinese bandit armies to prevent national unity...
...A Japanese military *pSB& man recently complained that dum, my airplanes, artillery emphaa** meats, and even wooden soldiaaj were drawing attacks upon pomU tions where Japanese bombs sat shells did no material damage...
...This principle is lacking in most of the republics of the West Indies and the Western Hemisphere...
...Bales of Nipponese cotton goods have been reshipped to the United States, with other bales of similar goods...
...These factions do not permit, nor) do they guarantee to the workers the right to give, individually and collectively, their services to foster social justice and civilization among the masses, the fundamental principles upon which organized labor and fair Socialist movements squarely stand...
...REPUBLICS WANT A FREE PRESS THERE is a predominant desire in most of the Pan American republics for a free press...
...Moreover, the fighting qualities of the Chinese soldiers and masses of volunteers, as well as their cleverness in fighting the foe, have drawn reluctant tributes even from Japanese military officers...
...The Socialist and labor parties, except in Argentina and Mexico, do not have direct representation in their legislatures and parliaments . In several countries, the teaching of fascism and certain so-called revolutionary and libertarian philosophies has been going on which precludes lawful, political organizations from democratic representation of workers, with the result that the reactionary militarists and capitalists and others have controlled all public and governmental matters...
...Such policies and tactics have created a tremendous and tragic set-back for the workers, at the same time giving contentment and pleasure to the masters...
...The influence of the people of the United States in Puerto Rico has been of tremendous help to us...
...Planes and Dummy Soldiers Destroyed by Expensive Bombs — Nipponese Attack Creates Unity by Chinese Factions...
...WONT HANDLE * JAPANESE GOODS SOUTHAMPTON, England...
...A phase of the defense of...
...The 110 "ah* planes" cannot be distinguished ut a height of a thousand feet fronf the much more expensive and guanine article aad it is certain that many of the Chinese airplanes itported "destroyed" after a Jap...
...Jap aerial observers...
...Japan's latest attack has wiped out what latent prejudices survived against the soldier and the resistance of the Chinese to the highly mechanized Japanese armed' forces has astonished the Jap commanders...
...Strikes in the past were termed revolutionary uprisings, which brought about ^persecutions and sufferings imposed upon the workers and the leadership of our Free Federation of Workingmen...
...free to publish such articles, information and propaganda which do not do violence to the social conscience and are not libelous, even though they may meet with stern opposition of the masters because of doctrines and philosophies intended to bring about the emancipation of the producers...
...nition has caused the Japanese milt tarists much annoyance, judging fer tone in spaaMng of the deceptions practiced by the Chinese defendant opon...
...SHANGHAI, China,—China today (January) is a new military nation displaying a national unity which the new China has been seeking since the revolution of 1911 which abolished the Manchu dynasty...
...Fascism, dictatorships and military cliques are destroying their constitutions...
...Every time you go into a nonunion'store, it is the same as crossing a picket line of workers on strike against unfair conditions...
...CONTINUED UNION WITH UNITED STATES SOUGHT "THE Free Federation of Work* ingmen of Puerto Rico and the Socialist Party were organized after the American nation went over there and proclaimed that the only salvation for the future of the island is the permanent union of the people of Puerto Rico with the people of the United States...
...Chinas* Surprise Invaders . At one stroke the Japanese militarists have not only brought about Chinese solidarity but have brought an intense interest in the building of a national army...
...Several republics of the western hemisphere have some protective labor laws intended to protect the .workers and labor organizations, but the dominators do not permit labor to have a proper and direct representation in the affairs of their own country...
...These dummies are so ptaced that they give the impression to the ait raider that hangar attendants ant mechanics had hurriedly taken at cover on the approach of Jap air bombers...
...Were it not for the actions, cooperation and help of the American Federation of Labor and the efforts of that great man, Senator Robert M. LaFollette, the workingmen of Puerto Rico could never have had freedom and the respect and consideration of a democratic form of government...
...PUERTO RICANS BATTLE TO KEEP DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS Labor Movement Fights To Preserve U. S. Tie-up By sANTIAGO IGLESIAS Puerto Rican Resident Commissioner in Washington, D. C. TSE exercise of political freedom by the masses of Puerto Rico and the West Indies, as in any other country, is the cornerstone of a good democratic government...
...By Mail to The New Leader...
...They believe that men must be intellectually, industrially and politically free...
...anese air raid have been dummies...
...for centuries they had been regarded as little less than bandits, but the gallant stand made in 1932 against the Japanese aggression marked a new relationship between civilians and soldiers...
...one sector of Shanghai has caused the Japanese much embarrassment while it baa provided the Chinas* and foreign residents much anunsy men...
...Spurious Sat-up Succeeds The wastage of expensive amnra...
...The brutal attack by Japan upon China has brought this national unity...
...It k> not anown that among China's anal "infant industries" is taw — naajM are of dummy STnplamea, mads 9 bamboo aad canvass, costing about $10, and upon the destruction at which the Japanese may spend any thing from #500 to $100,000 « bombs...
...The dockers had unloaded the goods before realizing they had come from Japan...
...Puerto Rico, after forty years of education, has created progressive, democratic institutions very similar to those which prevail on the Continent...
...Chinese Ruse Fools Japanese Air Forces Fake Airdromes...
...All the peoples of the Pan American republics need what the American labor and Socialist movements are supposed to enjoy: the right, not only to organize to defend their economic freedom, but, also, to win all other phases of freedom and liberty they consider the inherent rights of every man and woman to bring about better living and social conditions...
...We were made citizens of the United States in 1917...
...We want to keep those institutions forever...
...Dockers here refuse to handle Japanese goods...
...Puerto Rico has been a part of the United States since 1898...
...In the past, strikes and elections caused more tragic consequences, unjust treatment of workers and the jailing of many men and women...
...The masses of the people, the producers, the men who work, the women and the children want to be sure that these institutions of freedom and democracy we now enjoy remain with us, so that we may build up a better social justice and a better life for the generations to come...
...The articles were consiged to Madeira...
...For the first time soldiers were recognized in a spontaneous nation-wide movement to contribute money and comforts for the troops...
...These peoples lack the right to exercise political and industrial freedom and the right of men to put into practice lawful and democratic ideals in accordance with the dictates of their conscience...
...Naturally, in those countries where the workers have not properly availed themselves of their constitutional and political rights, fascism and dictatorships have had a much easier time to secure to themselves domination of all government fortes in order to crucify the masses and their humanitarian leaders...
Vol. 21 • March 1938 • No. 10
