SOCIALIST APPEAL FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1939 Workers Defense Guard Is the Only Answer to the Fascists It Alone Will Fight COUGHLIN DUPES FOLLOWERS Minneapolis Guard The Fascist Threat WHEN HE SAYS HE PRO LABOR Has Kept That City To Workers Rights Clear of Nazi Thugs Appeal)
By GRACE SAUNDERS In the discussion period at a recent Socialist Workers Party forum, a young worker took the floor to pose a few questions which he hoped, apparently, would embarrass the Workers Must Rely on Their Own Strength, speaker. When asked if he were a fascista jusu query in view of his general conduct during the meeting he indig.
Not on Boss Politicians, to Preserve nantly asserted: No, am not a fascist. hate the very Their Most Elementary Rights word fascism. He was a follower of Father Coughlin, he explained, he believed in democracy and in social justice.
In the present war situation ev. tail and ran. Ostentatious parades favored fascism or Hitler, or American involvment in a He also vigorously denied that his idol, Father Coughlin.
ery worker cught to keep two and meetings were not only broksimple propositions in mind. en up by Hague police and hired European war.
There is no reason to believe he was not completely First, the main enemies of democ mohsters but Hague beat the sincere. Nor is there any reason to believe he is alone in racy are not over the ocean but at this game by staying far large within these 48 states, Neconil, the and more impressive popular thinking that Father Coughlin opposes fascism and is, in fact.
the stalwart champion of democracy, for the worker. the fight against dictatorship and for demonstrations. The injunctions unemployed, the youth, the farmer, the small businessman democracy must begin at home, granted by the courts for and Many Coughlinites, frequently some who display crass fascist Roosevelt and his fellow sing against Hague have resulted only tendencies, do not themselves understand the true import or ists are striving to convince the in blockading the struggle but not their actions.
American people that another was in binding the Boss Yet they are being purposely and systematically duped.
fs necessary to make the world Through Farley, President The first step in creating fascism is to divide the working safe for democracy.
Roosevelt solicited Hague sup class, to smash its most militant members and organizations Listen to Herbert Hoover speakport in the 1938 elections. The first. With these out of the way. It is a comparatively easy ing at Chicago on february of promised investigation of his De matter later, at the appropriate time, to smash all workers this year. great war today. partment of Justice lras come to organizaions, all democracy, all freedom meatis democracy must tempo nothing. Can one offend the Vice rarily surrender to dictatorship Chairman of the Democratte NaDemocratic Talk Is Pure Demagogy no matter what one may call it. tional Committee with a presi Father Coughlin of course doesn give a hang about. it means that our country, dential campaign in the ofling? democracy. His use of democratic phraseology is the purest must be mobilized into practically Such is the balance sheet of the demagogy in an adroit effort to foist upon this country a fascist state. speak of this campaigns against Hague which system of government essentially identical with that now not from hearsay, but as one who have now died down to a whisper.
existing in Germany. Tell this to a Coughlinite, and he will participated in the economic or ONLY ONE WAY denounce you in the most insulting words his vocabulary ganization of the great war. TO OI ST HAGUE Ke will call you a communist, a Jew. or both, NARCIST GROITA There was, and there remains.
But it is instructive to note what Father Coughlin himself TAKING ROOT only one way to dislodge this local says on this subject. Apparently, in his championing of The fight for democracy rodictator and restore democratic democracy, he makes a lot of exceptions. In his Sunday radio quires above all an exposure of rights to the people of New Jer.
of March 26 (re printed in his weekly magazine Social the imperialist war makers. But sey. careful, patient organizing Justice of April 3) he said: If the imperial conquests by it also demands a struggle against campaign by the umions Great Britain and France and the diabolical persecutions of other ultra reactionary forces backed up by an organized work Soviet Russia are the outstanding examples of European democracy, then it is my opinion that the sooner that type which in some cases for their owners guard capable of protecting of hypocrisy perishes from the face of the earth, the better demagogle and reactionary rea meetings and resisting Hague for all mankind.
sons are at the moment in oppe police and mobsters, Anti Semitism is the second So, then, he doesn think so much of French and British sition to Roosevelt and Wall Street war.
item in the fascist stock in trade.
democracy. Perhaps, though, he is wholeheartedly in favor of the American brand of democracy. Well, hardly whole.
Fascist tendencies are taking Fortune Magazine recent survey heartedly. In the same radio address he waxed vitriolic root in many sections of the coun indicates that anti Semitism is against those in the United States who for the past six years try. Some like the German Amersrowing. The fascists are waging have boycotted the Third Reich in the name of democracy.
ican Bund, are direct branches of their fight against the workers, The Third Reich for the past six years? But that is Nazi Nazism. But the majority, al against all democratic and proGermany which, his followers tell us, Father Coughlin does though they borrow ideas, inspira Cressive ideas, under the guise of not admire and does not seek to emulate. Curious, isn ittlon, and even money from Euro a struggle against Judeo Bolor is itthat seems so much more concerned about the pean sources are homebred and shevism. While the Jewish mass boycotting of the Nazis than about the exercise of democratic home led products. Such Fascist es are becoming increasingly sen.
rights.
groupings as Roy Zachary Silver Sitive to this danger, they are still Shirts, the Crusaders, and other for the most part ignorant of the For Blood Business On His Own Terms fed by Father Coughlin propa. Sest means of combatting it. The But it is a slander, we are told, to assail Father Coughlin ganda. spring straight out of anti Nazi demonstrations held in because of his attitude toward the war being cooked up in American soll. nourished by the Los Angeles, in New York at MadEurope. He says he is opposed to the United States becoming misery of of the unemployed, the dis ison Square Garden, in Philadel involved in that war. He says he is opposed to American content of the middle classes of phia have shown them the way workers sacrificing their lives in that war.
city and country, the plight of the The magnificent response of the Again, let us examine Father Coughlin statements. Is farmers and a widespread disilluworkers of all faiths and political he opposed to Americans sacrificing their lives in an imsion with the New Deal and the views to the call of the Socialist perialist war in Europe, or is he merely opposed to the United old order of affairs. It is from Workers Party demonstrates that States aiding Great Britain and France against Italy and these sources that the danger of more and more are beginning to Germany? We let Father Coughlin speak for himself. Fuia broad national fascist movement understand that only direct action minating against the cash and carry neutrality legislation is to be feared of this character can stop tax proposed by Senator Key Pittman (which would obviously RACE HATRED AND ism from spreading be to the detriment of the Rome Berlin axis. he says this LAROR OPPOSITION POLICE AND COURT measure aims definitely at putting America in the blood The main creed of these movePROTECT MASCIST business not on the side of justice, but on the side of the ments is anti Semitism and oppo These events have also shown biggest bank roll: not on the side of justified reform, but on sition to organized labor. espacial that liberal politicians, the po the side of the status quo, thereby perpetuating injustice.
ly the Their aim is to smash lice, and the courts will in the Signed article in the April issue of Social Justice. the trade unions and curb their name of law and order, consen He is not, he says plainly, against America going into activities and thus keep the worktrate upon defending the fascists the blood business. If America were to enter the war to ers in servitude. They propose to white depriving the foes of fas. bring about justified reforms that is, the seizure of more territory by and Hitler the radio priest would give take away the gains made by thicism of their democrati rights.
workers in the past few years and Did not LaGuardia cops break such blood business his blessing. According to him, that to rob them of their rights of or up the counter. demonstrations would be acting on the side of justice. But if America zanization, free speech and as.
round Madison Square Garden aids France and England in preventing the Fascist Nazi sembly. They are assisted in this ride down hundreds of anti fas. grab that is, if America is on the side of the status quo.
ists, injure and arret a dozen such ac. ion is indefensible, is perpetuating injustice. and work by the vigilante groups of the Associated Parmers and Man And the judges completed the job must be damned. Injustice to whom? Obviously to Adoll ufacturer Assnciations, by the by fining or jusling the militants, Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Curious? Or is it?
various Citizen Committees set Fascism thrives more than any. Program Like that of Hitler up by Chambers of Commerce in thing else upon the impotence and But the Coughlinite will still insist, Father Coughlin is the Industrial areas of the Middle nertia of its opponents. The pie really the friend of the worker, the farmer, the small busiWest, and by the hired scals and equisite for the rise and victory nessman, etc. etc. You have only to look at the mast head gunmen of the great corporations ol Fascism is to make the work of the magazine Social Justice to see for yourself. Point ts Lelieve that by relyin. not How are the workers to protect 10 in the 16 principles printed there calls for Labor Right themselves against the fascist pon their own organized force to Organize. Similarly, point calls for The Cost of Progangsters? Experience has shown mt upon some external power duction Plus a Fair Profit for the Farmer. And poin. 13 only one way. That is to form Upon the state, upon the police and 14 demand a Broadened Base of Taxation on the Basis Union Defense Guards, whose task pon benevolent om sinis, upon of Ownership and Capacity to Pay. and Simplification of it shall be to defend labor unions democratie traditions. pr. that Government and Lower Taxes.
meetings, and activities as well as ascism can be defeated. This ser.
Surely this is quite clear. This is not a fascist program, the persons of trade unioniste vice is being performed today by say the Coughlinite. True, there is little similarity between from attack. Akron rubber work a Popular Front of Democrats. this program and the program of fascism in power. But it ers, Minneapolis termisters and Democrats, and Stalinists. Italy liberals, labor leaders, Social is decidedly reminiscent of the programs of both Hitler and progressive trade unionists else Mussolini before fascism and nazism had seized the reins of where have already seen the neces Germany, Austria, Spain, and to government.
sity for such organizations, and tay France, teach that along this On labor right to organize, workers in Italy were told acted accordingly. These guards road les not the defeat of Fas by Mussolini: Labor has nothing to fear from the fascist ought not to be hastily improvised cism but the defeat of the work power Its just rights will be loyally guaranteed MussoIn the teeth of danger but pre ine masses, lini stated: Nobody can dream of driving the working pared in advance to perform their THE ROAD duties when need arises.
TO VICTORY GUARDA ARE The road to victory over fas PERMANENT PICKETS cism proceeds through direct and militant strugple against the Such Union Defense Guards will forces of reaction. The fascist Greetings from a Group of Cutters of Every trade unionist knows that groups here are still weak. The the bosses and their scabs would labor movement, the processive Local 10, have an easy time breaking forces are strong. The time crush fasism and anti Semitism strikes il pickets were not at hand to prevent them. These fascist country. The means: Union De is now. The place: here in our own groups are nothing less than per fense Guards and antifascist les manent organizations of scade in ions which will shield labor from the service of the most reprtionSt. Louis, 1886: The First May Day!
ary bosses. The workers out to stormtroopers.
the inevitable onslaughts of the be ready to repulse them werever St. Louis, April, 1917: Revolutionary Socialism they raise their heads, HAGUE THRIVAS Against Imperialist War!
ON PURLICITY MAY 14Y GREETINGS MAY 4Y GREETINGS The workers can rely only upon their strenath and organized LOCAL ST. LOUIS, City and County Branches forces in this struggle. Is not the case of Hague onvincing demon from the stration of this truth? Despite several years of strugrle, the Hud son County Hitler still reigns in Jersey. Various methods were em NEWARK ployed by the to undermine and overthrow him, to expose his Greetings from a group of despotism national publicity But Hague thrived on this propa.
In Memoriam of Philadelphia comrades ganda, turned it to his own aivan tage, became a hero of Big Busi ness. Liberal congressmen made verbal threats and then turned Comrade Bernard Selesner masses back to less favorable working and living conditions than those of today, In Germany, a Nazi spokesman assured: We believe absolutely necessary the organization of workers into unions within the dominant capitalist system. Nazi propa Strongly Organized Force of Union Workers ganda pamphlet asserted: It is a shameful lie to say that the National Socialists. when they have taken power. with Has kept the Would Be Storm Troopers deprive the workers of their supreme weapon: the right to strike.
With Their Backs Against the Wall Workers rights were going to be fully protected. That is what the Nazis and the Fascists said before they came to BY Defense CW pickerl men, the most loyal and power. That is what Father Coughlin is saying today. But active unionists. seusoned.
after they came to power, it was, as everyone knows quite ALTA says the sourceful, fearless, intelligent. The another story.
American workers are ready to Captains have carefully picked fight fascism? Minneapolis. Min their squads.
Grandiose Promises to Farmers neapolis says so. The Minneapolis Union Defense Guard says so.
Test Mobilicalrolle Similarly, with regard to the farmers. Prior to the seizure Every man who 80 proudly of power, both the fascists and the Nazis were talking of It is a lie and a reactionary lie wears the little gold badge giving the land directly to the peasants to be cultivated by that American workers have not 541UDG In dead serious about them jointly. and even of the need of an agrarian revolution grasped the fundamental meaning his membership in his Union Compared to this, what Father Coughlin offers to the farmers of fascism on the basis of what Guard. From time to time, test of this country is mild indeed. Yet after the establishment fascism has done to the workers mobilizations have proven this.
of the dictatorship?
of Europe. Far, far more clearly Last November, for example, on The fascists and Nazis were likewise glib in their prom than the cravenhearted and deowe howr notice, the Guard met ises to small businessmen. These were to be protected against moralized liberals have the for a trial mobilization on a va competition, to be assured stability and security.
workers in this country undercant lot in the center of the city.
And so on and so forth. Before taking power, the fascists, stood the lessons of Germany. of Only three people knew whether like Father Coughlin now, made grandiose promises to all Anstria, and of Spain and France, the occasion was a real crisis.
who, ground down under the chaotic system capitalist And given the chance which Three hundred men in fighting democracy, were seeking a way out. They were and are means given an honest and cour clothes poured into the vacant lot easy victims of fascist demagogy ageous leadership the American and formed ranks under direction What they dian understand in Germany and in Italy, workers are willing, yes, eager to of their Captains. It was only art and what the duped followers of Coughlin fail to understand organize for a struggle to the er short talks by the Guard leadhere, is that not a single one of these promtses will be kept. death against the fascist monsteners, followed by the announce and that there was not, and is not, any intention of keeping that would smash their striker ment that it was just a test mothem. While on the one hand, the fascists and the Nazis ani and their unions, raid their unior bilization to be celebrated after in this country, Father Coughlin promise everything to halls, kill their leaders, crash ward at a local theatre. that the every man, on the other hand, they carefully foster a policy their political parties, and forec zrimness turned to merriment.
calculated not to bring about the reforms of which they prate.
them into a monstrous slavery, Another bright memory in the but to strangle all opposition and install the hideous regime About one year ago the Silve: history of the Union Guard is a of full blown fascism.
Shirts held a series of puble bis dance held the Saturday be.
meetings in Minneapolis. It hap fore Christmas. Trade unionists We Won Allow Him to Get Away with It! pened that in this city it was the attended by the hundreds. Pro Father Coughlin knows that his first and foremost task Silver Shirts. In another city itceeds of the affair were placed in is to divide the working class and exterminate its most mil might be the German American the Guard fund.
Pund tant elements. For this dirty work, he uses those who believe the Black Legion, thi Dritto der is. White Legion, or some other as The Minneapolis Union Defense because they are wicked and godless, but that he also disap piring fascist group.
Guard has just recently complete proves of fascism. Once he has used his followers to get rid The Mascist Max a weeks of their most class conscious fellow workers, he will be able meetings Three nights Ray Zachary, the Silver Shirt with Guard course of drin work to use his armed guards the hopes) to settle the score with organizer. was pretty crude about weekly. When hard working men any who protest that his promises are not being fulfilled. his intentions. He worked his au demonstrate their understanding The pattern is clear. It has been used before. It worked dience up with the usual anti by such activity, only cowards or in Italy. It worked also in Germany. Why not in the United Semitic bunk. and then got dow ools can say that a Hitler will States?
to work. Right away he proposed necessarily conie to power in 11 Father Coughlin is permitted to get away with turning raid on Local 514 hall. He America. The only thing a fascia worker against worker, smashing all militancy and all oppo picked out General Drivers Local understands is a cracked hend.
sition to his movement, fascism will make headway in this 544 as the first victim because he says the Minneapolis Guard. It is country, just as it has elsewhere.
knew the score. If the General ready to the last man to increase But, and this is a big but, there is no reason why Drivers Union can be cracked the understanding of any fascist FRC of he a red smash his organization, the Coughbe permitted to get away with it. To then the rest is easy pickings. gang so foolhardy as to move his cry Wachary learned this from the. on against the union movement here.
lintte worker, and all other workers must reply. Yes, but he ganized bosses of this state. who On the last night of the sixis a worker, too, and his organization is a workers organiza have been following out that pol. weeks drill course, the regular tion. We do not scab in a strike, and we refuse to do the tey since 1934.
meeliny was turned into a Guar bosses dirty work here.
If Zachary was crude, the pres party. Guardamen heard an ann.
It is high time the Coughlinite followers ask their leader. ident of the Minneapolis Asrocl sis of Union Enemies and Llow and themselves some of these very pertinent questions. For ated Industries was even cruder. Lo Fight Them. by Dunne.
our part, the Socialist Workers Party will do everything in He attended a Silver Shirt meet Based on inions its power to organize the workers for the most vigorous and ing!
The Minneapolis Guard at the threatens to deprive them.
The liniows Pro Too present time is composed chiefly Minneapolis workers are not of workers in the driving crafts dumb. They got the point immedi. with the main trase in Loral 544.
THESE ARE OUR ENEMIES!
ately. If the light to protect their workers from other unions have unlon had now reached the point joined, however, and are prepar where the bosses were ready to ing themselves to form active subsidize the fascist rats. then Guard Units in their own organi let get ready for the fight and zations. Guard leaders anticipate see who can take who steady growth of the organiza The Minneapolis Union Defension.
Guaril was launhed as a result special frature of the Min he fascist meetings and threat: neapolis Garl is the intelle This organ tion. the first an jenre Department. Our weg.
atron est of its kind in the coun ers and their allies cirrulair has been huilt through th throughout the Twin Cities and painstaking and persistent wor aroling regions, and keep of Trade union militants. Today sharp rorked for fascist tauds as a permanent train terutnye. ant. Sewite me some. The growth of reaction onl Ites, ond. timulates the prowth of the Un Por. This in ormiling in rn Guard as a bulwark of unio owe iedlcentral point.
Trength against assauli One can almost hear the horri TO Intrer qils ied liheral, or some labar skie Under the strong and experi xclaiming: But all this is to need lendership of Guard Con le. There is no surer way nender and two Guard Leuter provoke fagrism etc. etc.
nis. all men of military trainin No Maris Meel. the Guard during the past yer But there hasn lyren a sin was completed its basic organize ilver Shirt or Bund meprin: in. ion of 200 art ve Guard Captain inneapolis during the past pix ach Captain leading and Tronths, despite itenseness in the nur men, making a unit of five lass struggle loally that na Pive is a handy unit to transport made such meetings inevi.
by auto. Provision is made fo able Isad the Union Defense doubling each unit in the period Tuard not existed.
of emergency that are sure to This isn saying the fascists won try to hold meetings here.
The Guard Captains are hanc The legislative attacks against the anion movement, such as Stas sen anti labor bill, will embolden the bosses and their agents. The next drop in the business index will bring the fascists.
When that time comer, Mix neapolis ar be ready. The torkers of every city want per pre non so that they con the swme thing. Traile unioniste everywhere arho are interested in further details and wil in setting pur Wilshape been invited to correspond with Guard Commander. General Drirere tinion local 155. 259 Plymouth Anne South, Minne.
apolis, Minnesota come.
GREETINGS to the APPA:1. group of Food Workers in LOCAL 453 Long Live the Fourth International!