A Cry of Protest from Siberian Exile Camp PAGE NEW MILITANT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1936 NEW MILITANT pature of the case. while important, are decidedly secondary.
with which is merged In the face of the urgent need for unity, which THE MILITANT overshadows all other considerations, leaders who Published weekly by the New Militant Publishing Co. baggle endlessly over these points for reasons of per 56 East 11th Street, New York City.
sonal ambition or narrow organization patriotism Entered as second class mall matter at the Post Office stand self condemned. This method of struggling for at New York, under the act of March 8, 1879. leadership 18 futile anyway. In a broad demo of humiliating beatings, were placed against the extension of his sen cratic movement and the unemployed movement by Letter of 13 Bolsheviks, Written in in chains and the water hose turned tence. The fearing that the JAMES CANNON. Editor its very nature ennnot be anything else if it is to grow 1934, Comes to Light for First Time solitary of VerkhilUralsk.
on them, as was the custom in the International proletariat might find out about the death of the Yugo Subscription Rates: In the United States 00 per year: 65c six months. Canada and foreign: 50 per at the posts of leadership who are qualified to lead.
Arbitrary Extension of Sentences slay Communists, tortured in the year: 00 six months. Bundle rates: 2c per copy.
Even organizational maladjustments which may be Ciliga and his comrades were be prisons of the freed com accepted by the more conscientious leaders for the We publish below an authentic document, shocking in its revelacoming acquainted with new rade ciliga and sent him into exile Vol. 2, No. (Whole No. 58)
sake of unity eventually be rectified in due time tions of the tortures to which the Stalinist bureaucracy daily submits the best Russian and foreign revolutionists, when the latter come to reality, existing only in the to far off Eastern Siberia.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1936 in the normal course of development. and unknown to the Communists Siberian Exile We especially urge the leaders of the National after great delay because one of the comrades, with whom it deals. In the every prisoner, on situation of comrade Ciliga, since the We make this letter public (written in Jan, 1934) only active in bourgeois fascist Europe.
But that in no way changed the Unemployed League, among whom are members of The Wall Is Cracking abroad. But the letter the Workers Party, to take this broad view of the has only recently managed to make his the termination of his sentence, retains its full force today because two out of the three Yugoslavs may see it prolonged for a new situation and to push forward the unification. This he was placed in the same condi AFTER long years the wall behind which Stalin tions of absolute isolation as in the course should be taken even at the cost of organiza mentioned, and hundreds and thousands of other revolutionists are indefinite period. for a term one political solitary. Under the preA perpetrates his infumes on his revolutionary op tional concessions demanded by the WAA which may still in prison and exile in the same conditions so candidly described ponents and critics is beginning to crack and the ter two, three years or more without be out of line with the relation of forces between in this etter of protest. Press Service. rible truth is making it way to the international.
the prisoner being indicted, heard sent Soviet regime exile means only working class the two organizations. That is the way to serve the The escape of the herole Tarov interests of the unemployed masses tablished for the first time a direct line of communithe present To Akulov, Attorney General eral community Juncture. In any case, the members of the Workers of the Moscow: Draguich was a ever. There are many examples ment from life, but in different concation from the solitary cells and concentration member of the Central Committee of Communists, who through the ditions. Separation from friends.
Party in both organizations, as the champions of camp. Now Ciliga, former member of the political labor solidarity and the opponents of splits in the slay comrade Ciliga, who On November 28, 1933, the Yugo of the party and Ciliga a member practice of the Russian prisons from family, the impossibility of bureau of the Communist party of Jugoslavia has spent of the Political Bureau and on the have had their sentences prolonged carrying on correspondence, which emerged from the living grave to report that foreign of the and in the greatest economic movement, are duty bound to Aght for the three years in the political solitary start of the central legal organ of Perpetually. The prison term of Intercepted by the local agents unity of the NUL and the WAA asuinst any who at Verkhni Uralsk, made an attempt for good cause by the Yugoslav years) expired in mano lotion the parts. An three were hated the Jugoslava Communists three part destroyed or disappears with communists as well as Russians are hounded, perse may try to obstruct it and to insist that it be concuted and imprisoned if they venture to disagree summated without delay.
with Stalin. The revelations concerning the on of at suicide, in the offices of the government, all three could expect fously suffering from Isolation from out a trace. Repeated rulds, fre Trotsky and his wife reveal that the genial leader central bureau of the bs the most vicious terror from the the Communist movement of their charges all of this makes of the country, the three Yugoslav Com place of exile, concentration camps celebrates the irrevocable victory of socialism by The New Labor Press slashing his veins The agents of Yugoslav bourgeoisie.
setxing relatives of those political opponents who are the succeeded in bandaging right to return to the comrade whose blood flowed cruel explottation or the proletariat ment to demand at any cost. the with Just shred of freedom. And out of his reach and holding them as hostages 11 militant strikes under the Roosevelt administra of saving him from death by med1 come convinced of the betrayal ol threatened them, they could fupe no other prospect than of being Yugoslavia, Indeed he is still holding them and has not done He labor awakening signalised by the waves of freely, despite his resistance, and in the and who had bewhere, despite the danger which lands of Eastern Siberia, and seeing of away with them. General impressions of the Stalintion is beginning to find expression in another form ist terror against the Bolsheviks are now being up which has its own significance, Headed by the North. Cal care, although he did lose a the leading group of its betrayal on in the ranks of the struggling corner, finally tried to carry out his transferred to a still more distant plemented by detailed facts, of the proletarian revolution, joined It is our task to make west Organiser, weekly organ of Local 574 at Minne great deal of blood.
these facts known to the clare conscious workers, the This attempt at suicide took the opposition and soon shared the proletariat. The comrades demand threat of solcide.
ed to be sent to Yugoslavia and an real friends of the Soviet Union, and thereby to country, in one locality after another new trade union place at the central offices of the fate of the Russian Communists nounced that they would struggle We Hold You Responsible.
hasten their intervention, papers representing progressive and militant union where Ciliga had been taken who carry on an unceasing strukeleto obtain this right by every means In making these facts known to The most timely and appropriate step that can 1sm are springing up. The last few weeks have wit and after his sudden arrest while for the proletarian revolution and without chewing the most ex you, we draw your attention to the be taken now is to agitate for the sending of an imnessed the appearance of three other new paper.
he was under medical treatment at who, in the SR, are also purtreme methods like the hunger fact that the life of comrade Ciliga partial commis don to the Soviet Union to investigate The Unionist, published by the Union of an transport him from Krasnoyarsk to countries by prison by condemna the was the order to trans his attempt at suicide falled Silice the conditions of the revolutionary political prisoners there and to make a public report of their findings bis Hormel packing plant. emerges from its old form ment was Anished. This tragic at by moral and physical abuse, by tary, the order to remove the pool has received no satisfaction, we The Sunday Worker explained that Taror Recusa tions bave already been refuted impartial obpaper. Young town Truck Drivers Local 377, follow tempt at suicide by a revolutionary exile to the remotest corners of Dility of thelr securing support in send you this warning and we hold server from foreign countries. That, of course, is ing the example of its famous brother local at Minne Political Bureau of the Yugoslav Narym, to the favorite places where portant communist collective, im of provocations of the and a fake. The glowing reports of Interested Frende of the Soviet Union, who make up their reports in to fight the frame up prosecution of its lenders and CP who for a number of years Carist Russia loved to send its prisoned for years in the solitary of its intent to physically extermi.
Mocow hotels and never go near the solitary conat Verkhni Uralsk, nate the Communists among whom to promote the cause of progressive undonte. Ad carried on his shoulders the fun prisoners.
Toledo, Local of the Mechanics Educational Society, not the result of a sudden outburst The Hunger Strike Bnement cells and concentration camp are not Ciliga Herole Protest comrade Clliga is one of the vie.
worth the paper they are written on. We speak of fresh from a victorious strike in the auto accessory of despair and of weakness of char. 1930 to three years imprisonment from his friends (the fate of the for the subsequent fate. Comrade ciligawas separated tims. You are entirely an authoritative commission of reputable people who plánt, is bringing out its own paper, The Industrial acter, but an act of deliberate pro were transferred to solitary con other Yugoslav comrades is not cilien who belongs to the laterna are known for their integrity and incorruptibility as Unionist.
well as for their publlely expressed pro Soviet attiWill auch a commision be permitted to enter Despite technical and editorial shortcomings these of the possibility of participating of not only from the proletarian dungeon of the prison at Chella. be given the opportunity of return; tude, the Soviet Union and interview the prisoners? It that marks them or sharply from the border iemand oil in the revolutionary struggle, the movement of their own country but binsk, where he carried on a hunger Ing to its ranks. We declare that clash not, the mere refusal will be a confession of guilt line monstrositles of conservatism and dullness hu.
also from their families and friends. strike lasting 28 days to obtain the the international working which every class consciou, worker will understand.
The entire past of comrade Clliga What the Yugoslav authorities right to return to his home in his will one day know the fate of commorously called the labor press. the new papers and the system of repressions and failed to do, was accomplished by country. But the leading group in rade Clliga and the other Yugoslav Along with the agitation for a commission to visit are alive.
They were then the spirit of struckle and persecutions with which the the government of Stalin and Molo the which betrayed the communists although the tronciber the Soviet Union we must demand the alleviation of militancy They contain live news of the struggle had surrounded him, demonstrate tov. Comrade Ciliga and the two cause of the revolution in his counous policy of the leading soup the conditions of the prisonery and do something to othe Yugoslay comrades through all of them like a red thread is to be seen Hounded by Bourgeoisie and Stalin the victims of the Soviet prison when it comes to strengthening the places. We call upon you to rade became thy, is at the same time indifferent thrusts them into the remotest of Stalin terror and more for the persecuted victims Three for comrade Throv to ensure htmfety in Europe. the conservative and reactionary labor papers which counrades Ciliga, Dedich and Dra: calculated to the meanest detail, rint by intrepid, strong and tested end to the systematic persecutions Means must be found to relieve the hardships of the are so often run as small rackets and instruments guich who had been able to with which in the spring of 1981 in the revolutionists. Moreover, it prefere against the Yugoslay. Communiste: Bolshevik prisoners and exiles who are deprived even of betrayal.
of the necesary crust of brend by their vengeful stand the repressions of the the large communist collective in the its own government methods in comrades Cilig. Dedich. Dragutch The new trade union papers are harbingers of Yugoslav hourgeoiste, came to the political solitary of Verkhni Uralsk, regulating their affairs to the Com. and to live them are remislekuly and tormenters. The revolutionary prisoners in Stalin the. Jalls and concentration camps are the richest capital movement of militant American labor, will come into like so many hundreds and thou hunger strike of 18 days duration international bourgeoisie, forcibly held in the of the revolution. The conservation of their lives 11 itt own and speak in its own voice. real labor sands of other proletarian revolu as a protest against the shots fired In reply to comrade Cilign hunSIGNED: Bobinski, Volkor.
for the international proletarint an act of self. de press is a power. In time of strike and stress even tionists abroad, to be their socialist through the window of a prisoner ger strike the informed him Gourovskaya, Dehinachvli fense. Honest. lass conscions worker of all tenden the smallest local sheet can be expanded into a daily fatherland. These three comrades (Essayan) who was seriously that his sentence would be extended (1. Korkina, Ida Lemelman, tiex have an interest at stake in this matter of the with the most telling effect, was demonstrated at were active funetionaries of the wounded. Ciliga and his comrades two more years. Following this Plomper. Rapoport, Simbir Soviet political prisoners. They ought to cooperate Minneapolis during the great strike. The pnblication Yugoslav Dedich had been who participated in the hunger comrade ciliga imperatively deskl, Sotnikov, Shapiro. Feo in organizing this work and pushing it forward.
dorov, Chikin.
and sacrifices from a comparatively smal gronp of mittee of the party in a large work communists who suffered all sorts would commit suicide as a protest. Yennisseisk, January, 1934.
For the Unity of Unemployed of the new papers we have mentioned But the ret The Stalinists Record sults are certain and the objective is worth all the Fur Strike PERMANENT MAN memployment brings new effort ten times over. We wish success to all the In the six months the Stalinists problems and new forms of labor organization. new labor papers we have enumerated and to others have been at the helm of the united In the years since the beginning of the crisis the which, it is to be hoped, will soon follow in their Called Oft Furriers Union, they have induced necessity for distinct organizations of the unemployed path.
a spirit of apathy among the work and part time workers has become increasingly eviers and suppressed all sparks of (Continued from Page 1) militancy in their ranks. They re trons, in order to function with the maximum effee Socialist Call and Daily Worker TIONAL will be out soon.
The February NEW INTERNA realm of reality, the Stalinists, at riers swallow the contract. The introduced a system of craft locais workers must be an integral part of the general TH Trotsky Henrst frame up of the Stalinists Among the material contained in ponents of organic unity with the echoes of class collaboration reorganizations which the right wing labor movement.
and their wlander system in general got a severe this issue, the article on the Stak. Socialist parties. While the actual sounded throughout his entire leaders dared not do in their bold The necessity of this close relationship and cojolt from the editorial in the Socialist Call in which hanovist movement will probably consumation of such organic unity speech; a strike, he declared, means est moments. They made deals operation between the organizations of the unemTrotsky standing as a revolutionist and his right attract the most immediate atten. may still be doubtful and not at suffering for the workers, roin for with unprincipled Individuals, sur ployed and the established trade unions has been to criticize the stalin regime are vigorously defended. on. Written by one of our Rus all solved by the mere formula of the bosses and is bad for the indus: rounded themselves with an appeespecially emphasized by the launching of the federal The Call bluntly states that the Daily worker owes sian comrades, Markin, the facts unity that usually appears so at the bossenerally don worry, meratus of yes men, including some Trotsky an apology, and then adds an ironienl post references to information that ap devolves upon the Marxists to give we u have Farmer Labor party dressing for their actions.
The of a great number of workers previously unemployed.
This cooperation, in turn is greatly facilitated by have lost any idea of journalistic propriety That Union. In each instance exact data sal. This is what comrade West can safely be assumed the strong organization of the unemployed and parttant force in the trade union moveitalet system.
time workers and their unification everywhere in a ment is today little but a dlm memThe position taken by the Socialist Call on the is given, presenting on the whole a has undertaken to do in his article.
Members of the Progressive Unity ory.
controversy over the Soviet political prisoners dis picture of this movement not pre His analysis is presented with usual single holly on a permanent basis.
The furriers must recognize tinguishes it favorably from the reformist Socialist viously known in this country, thoroughness, Group and other The unification of the unemployed movement is rank and file in them force for evil only, undoubtedly the next step in the line of progressive press of Europe which suppresses all references to which should be of special interest An article by comrade Swabeck workers criticized the agreement brake on the workers struggle.
development in this field. Whatever the original Stalin perseentions of the Bolsheviks they know also to all the readers of the NEW is devoted to the question. Does the and the leadership of the union ready for anything including class reasons for the formation of separate organizations all about it and bave no objection as well as from MILITANT. of Face a Split? No doubt responsible for it. They pointed collaboration indistinguishable from the New Leader and the Forward which utilize the An interview with Leon Trotsky, this subject is of sufficient impor out that it was presented to the any of the old line of buof the unemployed there is no justification now for further division. The interests of the unemployed revelations in order to discredit the Soviet Union in appearing in this issue. will no tance to deserve serious comment membership As an accomplished reaucrats. Even the red paint bas and of the labor movement in general imperatively the manner of Hearst. The Call takes a pro Soviet doubt be considered by many read as well as to be at this moment, of fact and there was nothing to be worn off. They must draw the call for unity position and, at the same time, defends the right ofers as its special feature. We can more than ordinary interest to our done but to accept it since the proper lessons for the future revolutionists to criticize the bureaueraey.
readily agree. The interviewer 18 readers.
Leadership had not prepared for a The nuity negotiations between the National UnBift one remark in the editorial, if taken literally, a member of the British who Among the other material. carried strike. it was common knowledge DANCE employed League and the Workers Alliance of Amer.
xtrike a decidedly false note: We are not concerned recently made a visit Norway, in the February issue of the New in the fur market and well known SATURDAY NIGHT FEB. 15th ica have offered the best prospect for the combinawith the truth of the statements in these (Trotsky s) and in the course of his discussions INTERNATIONAL two articles de to the bosses (see their organ, at 320 East 14th Street tion of all the organized unemployed in a single mit tional organization. The unification of the two New York City separate the is ne of the Stalinist slander frame up ber of questions to which he rewritten by Felix Morrow, dents ship of the union did not intend to largest and most compatible organizations would un which the call condemns out of hand from the ceived specific and quite elaborate with the spirit of the American strike and this, of course, made the Ausplees: Branch 1, sloubtedly lay the basis for a general asimilation of accusations of Trotsky and Tarox. The questions answers while the questions and Constitution and the other is a contosses all the more arrogant, SDDDDDDDDD the various independent local and state lcles and should be separate. But the second far more the answers were concerned in the tinuation of the discussion by com the Unemployed Councils and provide a powerful important than the first, and revolutionists cannot main with problems facing the rade Novack on the role of the stimulus to the further organization of the unorgan.
remain indifferent to it. they are all of much more than American intellectuals.
ized. united national organization thus constituted The persecution of Bolsheviks strikes a blow at mere partisan interest since they We present in this issue also a would reenforce the trade union movement and colle the Soviet Union. Those who believe Tarov story touch upon some of the most funda new contributor, comrade Erich tribute to the strengthening of the position of all the should raise their votees in protest. If one doubts mental aspects of tactics and tac Wollenberg. During a number of workers, employed and unemployed.
TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL the truth of Tarov statements he should call for an tics and strategy of the revolution years, but prior to the Stalinist The failure of the WAA and the NUL up till now investigation by an imrtial, pro Soviet committee ary movement. third period. he was the leader of to come to an agreement for the unification is all the to establish the facts. But to say that one is not Comrade John West takes up in the military sector of the German CONVENTION OF THE more to be regretted in view of the immense new concerned with the truth of the accusations. If that this site the restenth Comintern to the February issue analyses the possibilities that would be opened up before a united Is what is really mennt is to express indifference to mity. Since the movement. The fact that general agreement exists one of the most burning problems of the Soviet Union, Congress this question appears to question of. Just Wars in the Light as to the policies of the unemployed movement re the finte of the genuine revolutionist within its have been transferred into the of Marxism.
duces possible degreements to questions of organ. borders. No serious revolutionist in any country can 1xation and alministration, questions which in the maintain such an attitude.
IRVING PLAZA HALL revolutionist is the following delivered passionately and earnest By: We Communists will never As we go to press the dress them will march in picket lines for 15th Street at Irving Place give up our American Flag to Al makers are making final prepara the first time.
BOSTON. Ushered in by a hy throughout the land there were no Smith Liberty League, or the tions for a general strike which Dresethakers in New Jersey and terical campaign in the Hearst better, more loyal Americans to be Hearsts, and we always have an will involve over 100, 000 workers. Connecticut will be asked to cooper MUSIC BY Boston American, Appealing to all found than in the flock of Stalin, American Fing at our meetings in Frantic last minute efforts of La ate.
patriotic Bostonians to prevent the In introducing the following speak remembrance of the Bm of Rights Guardia proved abortive. The The union is fighting for an inmeeting the peop of this city er, a member; he carefully which assures fe, liberty and hap bosses remained recalcitrant and crease in wages to meet the rising were astounded by a spectacle of Addressed him as Mr. Moore to plness to all. the union refused to allow itself to standard of living and a reduction inntriotism and flag waving under the amusement of the audience.
be bluffed.
in hours. They are also demanding the guise of a Lenin memorial meet The high note of the meeting Arail yourself of the coinbination Unless unforseen developments a limitation of of contractors and a ing held recently by the at was a talk by that eminent Ameri New Militant, New International occur between this writing and regulation of the system of price PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINMENT Symphony Han can patriot. Earl Browder, who es subscription offer. 52 issues of the Monday, the strike date, the wall settlement.
In a truly American setting, sayed the despicable and pathetic paper and 12 işsues of the magazine out is expected to close every dress At this writing 20. 000 workers REFRESHMENTS without a ringle decoration of Com task of trying to justify the social can be had, through this offer, for shop in the city.
Square Garden in one of the biggest munist origin. District Organizer patriotism of the as sanctioned 00.
Thirty three halla, hired for the are expected to overflow Madison TICKETS IN ADVANCE 75c, ATDOOR Frankfeld read a twenty ninute by Lenin! Among many other repurpose, will tecem with striking strike meetings this city has seen speech, whose thene was that marks of a similar stripe by this SUBSCRIBE TO NEW MILITANT working men and women. Many of since the heydey of the NRA.
February Issue of New International Out Soon script: Are we to assume that the Stalinist, leared in the press of the Soviet the answer to this Stalinist propo land it will reform the rotten cap prestige of the Stalinists as a milltoo.
Dance Friday Eve. Feb. 28 NEWS FLASH!
SHADES OF LENIN. HARLEM RYTHM MAKERS