CapitalismCivil WarCominternCommunismSocialismStalinism

September 11, 1937.
SOCIALIST APPEAL Spanish Anti Fascist Movement Convention Organizes for Work Slandered by Church Hierarchy when a of (Continued from page 2) Martinez for the agricultural tries, and provides for surveys workers; Ed Parker representing and placement drives by the a circle made up entirely of young number of other re steel workers in the Chicago Signed by the Catholic hierarBy Felix Morrow vantage with private industry. solutions were more briefly con area; representatives also of chy of Spain and by Cardinal The economic power wielded by sidered and referred to the in the electrical and radio field; Goma Tomas, the Vatican the Church can be gauged from coming National Committee. The pocketbook workers; stenographrepresentative (who could scarce the monarchy since 1812 has the estimate, made in the Cortes age limit for new members was ers unicns; truckdrivers, and ly have acted without the Pope been accompanied by widespread in 1931, that the Jesuit order set at 23.
others. Two delegates, out on assent. a vicious attack on the burning of churches and killing alone possessed one third of the bail, were facing jail sentences anti fascist forces, dated July 1, of clergy. The hierarchy was country wealth. The lying Workingclass Delegates as a result of class struggle achax now been published here simply part of the reactionary lawyer answer of the hierarchy tivity Ed. Parker indicted for (New York Times September 3, nobility. As a result, the peasant cannot hide these facts.
The outstanding fact about the inciting to riot and a comrade and the Catholic press. Its ap y burned churches for the same convention, other than its direct from California for beating up a pearance undoubtedly signifies a reason that they burned the The Church Army ly political significance, was its scab.
new and unparalleled campaign manorial houses of the landby the Catholic Church against owners: to symbolize their hatred are not mention: the vast size its unmistakable demonstration One startling fact the hierarchy convention has approached it in composition. No other Socialist Morale High the loyalist forces. The task of of those who oppressed them. of the Church personnel. In analysing this document and ex Burning of churches is an old 1931 there were eighty to ninety tional movement (and a strong bounded enthusiasm and spirit the existence of a really naNothing could exceed the unthe delegates, On Thursday is an elementary duty in the fight Spain. It is a lie, when the clergy of the orders, and over 25, 000 nections with the mass move morning, while waiting for the against Franco letter claims that whatred of re parish priests!
The unusually reactionary ligion came from Russia exportment. Some facts: character of the Spanish Churched by Orientals (a touch of ant God were abolished and the 29 of whom were from New York taneous amateur show, with origiThe claim that the rights of There were 104 delegates, only full of delegates put on a spona monarchical state institution Semitism. Church persecuted under the City.
until 1931 and its flagrant sup1931 Constitution is sheer false unprecedented in the YPSL. It tions.
This proportion is itself nal and topical songs and imita.
port of every reactionary moveEven Kings Fought Clergy 100d. the rights of God may be may be compared to the Clarity Comrade Cannon address at ment of the last six years has alienated the sympathies of many Carlos III had been compelled separation of church and state, in Philadelphia, with about 60 ing the convention met with a Even the most Catholic King: euphemism to describe the Right Wing rump convention the left wing conference precedand America who have grown Joseph Bonaparte had to dissolve fend too openly its opposition to represented fewer members than ment in 1767; since the hierarchy dare not de per cent New Yorkers (who resounding reception. At the mothe Clarityites up in church without direct the religious orders, and Mendi a principle which the civilized our New York delegation. It shambled out of the hall, enthusistate functions.
zabel suppressed them in 1835. world has so long accepted. The may Every compared with the recent asm reached its height.
Nevertheless, liberal Catholic Even King Alfonso, after the separation was, unfortunately, convention of the Young Com last delegate at the completion sympathy will now, at the least, Barcelona revolt of 1909, had to incomplete. Even cease to be articulated, due to announce that he would give subventions to the clergy did not were from government munist League, where over 40 of the convention, inspirited, went back to his locality to build a direct Vatican support to Franco. expression to the public aspira end with the official declaration mass League on the basis laid Must Tell Catholic Worker tions for the reduction and re of disestablishment, for the From Coast to Coast down by the convention.
gulation of the excessive number clergy continued to receive payThe case against the Spanish of religious orders. and would nents for education; the ousting The rest of the delegates were Erber Re Elected Church is also a damning indict establish religious freedom. Ro of the Church from the schools from centers of Young Socialist By unanimous vote of the conment of the Church everywhere me, however, changed Alfonso was delayed.
activity from coast coast.
which backs the Spanish hiearchy. mind for him. The Church frus The clerical orders were not (There were about 25 out of vention, Ernest Erber of Chicago was re elected National ChairThe Loyalist Government, anxioustrated every attempt to liberalize to be molested, unless proven, town delegates at the Clarity The new National Executo win the sympathy of Catholics the regime the last under the like any other organization, det consolation party, including about man abro has made the mistake of monarchy in 1923, when veto rimental to commonweal, a dozen or more from Philadel tive Committee was voted by acclamation to stand minimizing the extent to whiched Premier Alhucemas proposal and there was gentleman phia alone. Several of our Calias follow: the clergy and influential lay to call constituent Cortes and agreement that this would apply fornia delegations were unable to Frank Demby, Hal Draper, men of the church have sided instead backed Primo de Rivera only to the Jesuits, who were come because of their inability Eleanor Fine, Manny Garrett, with Franco; the Government has dictatorship. To vote liberal dissolved in January 1932, having to get away from their Socialist Anne Kracik, Oscar Schoenfeld, paraded such Catholics who sup was inscribed, in the catechism, been given plenty of opportunity work; the delegation of ten Cali. New York. Yetta Barsh, Irving port it, to prove that the Church as mortal sin (in 1931. to transfer most of their wealth. fornians, however, gave an ex Bern, Nate Gould. Chicago. is not an issue in the civil war. The Church never ceased its This was the sum total of the cellent cross section their Paula Aragon, Frank Ricco, But the Church, as a politico struggle for reaction. The Church Government Church program in work, including three seamen, a Howard Rosen, Ray Sparrow religious institution, with its burnings of May, 1931, of which 1931. The Church has not the young Mexican agriculture work. Calif. Tarmo Hannula (Mass. army of priests, nuns and monks, the letter complains, were the flimiest case for complaint. On er, Fred Martinez, representing Al Lowenthal (Newark. Bob is on Franco side; that fact masses response to the cardinal the contrary, it is the masses a circle recruited entirely from Stiler (Ohio. Alex Wollod must be underlined, and the primate injuction to Catholics who must complain, since by its this field, and other mass work. Phila. The alternates are: Ben damning reasons given, in order to vote against the republicans leniency toward the Church, the ers. Delegations came also from Alexander (Upstate Bill to win to the anti fascist move. in the pending elections. The government left its power intact, Chicago, Akron, Youngstown, Brody (Minn. Irving Howe ment every Catholic worker who government, far from surrender and the Church used it against Cleveland, Boston, New Haven. New York. Fred Martinez can be taught to distinguish bet ing their power to the populace the republic and the workers.
Lynn, Syracuse, Ithaca, Roches (Calif. Saul Mendelson (New ween his religious beliefs to responded as cruelly as Alfonso, ter, Albany, Reading, Newark, ark. Paul Picquet (Chicago. which he is entitled. and the shooting down the workers and Popular Front Leaves Church Philadelphia, Louisville, Detroit, Les Reid (Youngstown, Ohio. reactionary institution and hie declaring martial law until the untouched Minneapolis, St. Paul, Eastern The national officers will be rarchy who take advantage of movement subsided.
Pennsylvania, Indiana Harbor, etc. in addition to National Chairman his religious beliefs to align him Economie Power of the Church ce with Gill Robles in the two among the delegates, the large Draper; National Organizer Even after the Church allian There were 65 young workers Erber: National Secretary Hal against his fellow workers.
Church Still Hypocretical The reactionary role of the black years of 1931 1935, the majority active in their trade Nate Gould, Editor of the official Church was intensified by the fact Popular Front Government, as unions and unemployed organiza organ of the League Manny control of February, tions. Among them were three Garrett; National Student DirecThe Spanish Episcopate letter that it was owner of the largest suming still does not dare to admit the concentration of capital in Spain. 1936, left the Church unscathed. seamen; six organizers; tor Anne Kracik; Educational active role which the Church To cover up this fact, the hierar Only its program on education three foodworkers; six Director Frank Demby. Nathe Popular unionists; two auto workers. Continued on page 6)
played in supporting Gil Robles chy letter says: We are asked affected the fascist movement, which laid the from abroad to say whether it is Front was pledged to impel with basis for Franco s, nor the true that the Church in Spain the same rhythm as in the first it is not to be found in the con Damning Evidence Church part in preparing the owned one third of the national years of the Republic the crea servative press stories of that Yet the priests have blundered.
present civil war. Despite the territory. It is an absurd action of primary schools. But week! To speak less politely: the testimony of numerous news cusation. The Church did not chat rhythm had scarcely touch reverend fathers have construct For, imbedded in their letter, is the Church unwarranted ed a pack of lies.
a damning admission of Franco papermen and other neutral ob posseks more than a few and ed servers, who saw the caches of nsignificant portions of land, privileges in education.
The most impudent sections of mass executions of prisoners and arms seized in churches and the presbyteries and schools. This The clergy repeat Franco the letter are those dealing with workers. It is introduced by the clergy who manned machine is what is known as formal de poppycock about Russia and the atrocities. Fantastic claims are priests, boastingly, to prove that not deep rooted.
uns in the church towers, the nial, which covers up the real Spanish Comunists preparing made against the loyalists, in atheism is for the breaking out of a revolu cluding a daintily worded charge Catholic workers, fought against Actually it proves that religious, letter merely enters a blanket truth.
denial. But it more than makes The actual claim made concern tion up for this claim of neutrality ing the Church wealth is that nearly at a fixed period, that of women has not been respected, the fascist rebellion. When they by its fervent defense of Franco it possessed something like a on February 27 the Russian not even of those consecrated to were dying under the sections rebellion.
third of the nation wealth. And Comintern resolved to decree the God. Proofs? None, of course of the law, our Communists have Responsibility for civil way is this is a fact. Until 1868 the Spanish Revolution and on May But Franco vast and witness been reconciled in their vast blamed on the republic. Disre Church possessed more than a day, hundreds of young people ed record of murdering the tens majority to the God of their fathers. In Majorca, only per executed in the garding causes of minor bearing. third of the land. The land then clamored openly in Madrid for of thousands it was the law makers of 1931. taken by the short lived republic bombs and pistols, powder and bull ring of Badajoz, the bom cent have died impenitent in Which persisted in a foughly twist was so generously indemnified by dynamite for the coming revolu: bardment: conferencar med people has than 20. and in the north they ing the path of our history. The was launched on a career in in shock troops and 100, 000 reserves terrible story, the priests blandiy After this testimony from their were a violent and continuous dustry and finance. Its monopo were prepared.
attack against the national cons listic agricultural credit banks The truth unfortunately, is justice and of Christian charity own mouths, what becomes of of cience. The rights of God being were the usurers of the country. that the Stalinists had abandon every excess which may have their drivel about whatred abulished and the church perse ners of industrial capitalism. altogether, and that the working subordinates. we affirm that Episcopate is contemptible in side and its city banks the parted the perspective of revolution been committed by error or by religion came from Russia. letter of the Spanish cially indicted for the burning of Until 1931 the religious orders class as a whole was unarmed there is an enormous and imJune, 1936.
churches in 1931 and February establishments (flour mill, laund. rebellion. As for the circumstan principles of justice, of its ad revolting in its social outlook. conducted regular industrial and unprepared for the fascist bridgeable distance between the hypocrisy, crooked in its facts, only ries, sewing, clothing, etc. with tial bit of detail about the youth ministration and of its applica its more important falsehoods.
What are the real facts. unpaid labor (orphans and stu on May day, it is curious that it tion, on the one side and on the These must be pointed out to Every period of ferment under dents. competing to great ad now appears for the first time; other.
Catholic workers.