2 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Saturday, August 2nd, 1919.
The Revolutionary Age in this country is a story of cowed submission unless both black and white worker recognize to brutal tyranny. In few instances have the their common interests, not only are race riots Combined zeith The New York Communist black men struck back bound to become more frequent, but each That they should strike back now is the race must inevitably bind the chains of wage National Organ of the Left Wing Section occasion for much surprise and not a little slavery tighter round both.
Socialist Party indignation on the part of the bourgeois press Louis FRAINA, Editor and the best people. The statesmen in the The Left Wing Conference JOHN REED, Associate Editor. nation capital, where the first outbreaks ocEADMONN MACALPINE, Managirg Editor cured, share the common feelings. Race riots THIS issue contains the first instalment of are actually taking place within the sacred pre verbatin report of the National Left Wing Owned and Controlled by the Left Wing cincts of the national legislature, the Negroes Conference. Right from the opening of the Section of the Socialist Party roes are fighting back, if they did nt fight back Conference there was discussion of the quesNATIONAL COUNC a one night lynching party would have settled tion of immediate ormation of a new party.
John Ballam Ruthenberg the whole affair, therefore the Negroes are The preliminary report of Comrade Batt, as Max Cohen Benjamin Gitlow obviously to blame and they must be punished! Secretary of the Ways and Means Committee James Larkin Ferguson Several Congressmen immediately call for the of the Socialist Party of Michigan, at once Bertram Wolfe establishment of the Jim Crow system in the projected this question. Ferguson, National Secretary national capital In view of the developments since June 21st Issued Weekly. Gitlow, Business Manager The Jim Crow system, on the doorsteps of it is important to note that the discussion of a 5c, a copy. Six months, 50. One year, 00.
the national legislature where the worl! Communist Party, which produced a split in Bundle orders, 10 or over, 372 cents a copy.
charter of democracy and liberty is at the the Conference, was in the first instance an 43 West 29th Street, New York City. moment under debate! The Jim Crow system issue of new party at New York by action of as America first contribution to the new the delegates to the Left Wing Conference.
freedom! The Jim Crow system as the laurel These delegates had not yet agreed on the wreath for the brows of America black first principle of Communism. Conspiciously heroes of the late war! The Jim Crow system, the Michigan delegates, who first projected We are pleased to be able to inform our the expression of the ideology which causes the proposition of immediate new party, insistrace riots, as the cure for race riots. ed at all times that they did not agree with the readers that John Reed, has joined the staff of The Revolutionary Age and will now conThe Washington riots have spread to Chi platform of the Left Wing. The most ardent tribute regularly. It is planned to have Reer cago and within a few days the list of dead advocate of immediate new party, Comrade cover some of the big happenings that are has mounted to nearly fifty, while the list of Zucker of New York, during and since the Conference, has spoken only in scorn of the taking place in the labor and Socialist world wounded runs into hundreds. The causes of so that our readers may have a first hand the riots as given by the newspapers vary Left Wing platform. Of the minority group interpretation of these events and their rel somewhat, but the most general is the assault of the Conference, only the Federation deleation to and effect upon the revolutionary of white women by Negroes. It is stated that gates were in entire accord with the fundamovement as a whole.
within a short period six white women have mental principles of Communism as elaborated been assaulted by Negroes in Washington and in the Left Wing Manifesto and Program.
The Internal Struggle that this was the direct cause of the trouble. Comrade Batt makes it very plain that MichIt is not stated, however, by what process of igan is the only State where there are any WE regret that we are forced to devote so reasoning a whole race is marked down for real reus worthy of taking the befuddled much space in this issue to matters dealiny slaughter because of the color of a degenerate American party situation in charge.
Those with the internal affairs of the Left Wing skin.
who have been taught the truths of Bolshevism It has always been the policy of this paper to As a matter of fact, this is like the boy by the historical developments of the past two devote most of its attention to the broader cry of Wolf, it has been used too often to years are not to be taken seriously. Michigan aspect of the revolutionary movement. We inspire any belief in its truth. The weight of has had a non reformistic platform since 1914, are, however, going through a crisis in Ameri evidence is all on the other side. It is the therefore Michigan alone is worthy of leaderca just now. The revolutionary Socialist move. Negro who has cause for complaint. Only a ship. There is much merit in a non reformment of this country is beginning to take a few days ago an old Negro, over 72 years of istic platform, but that does not by any means definite form. Within a few weeks it will age, was lynched for the crime of killing a make of the Michigan group adherents of Bolemerge as the Communist Party of America, white man in defense of his daughter, while shevism. And so this group was unceremoIt is the duty of all revolutionary Socialists it is generally admitted that all over the South niously told by the real Bolsheviki who agreed to see that this new Party is launched on such the whites violate Negresses practically at with them only on the point of the Communist a basis as will ensure its steady growth, its will.
Party, but who made the Michiganites swallow unwavering adherence to the principles and In Chicago, a reason leaks out which is whole the Left Wing platform adopted by the ideals out of which it is born, its power aniong much nearer the mark. It is stated that the Conference.
the masses of the proletariat in America and big employers have been using the Negro to Consider the character of the Michigan its ultimate success.
cut wages, and on several occasions it is re proposal: We have laid down the platform Much of what is transpiring may seem ported that the Negroes have been attackel and the program of action. You have had no to some to be unimportant and in the nature while leaving the factories and shops. chance to discuss anything at all. But, we of a petty squabble rather than one of those The influxe of the Negroe into the Northern tell you in advance, we are here to take you essential struggles without which no movement industrial field has already resulted in several in complete charge, and if you dare go your can be initiated. On the principles upon which racial clashes, the most notable of which was own way in any respect, be assured Michigan the new party must be formed there is no the East St. Louis riots. But in East St. Louis will go right ahead to form a new party all dispute, on the nature of its organization and the blacks did not strike back and the casual alone. Anyone reading Comrade Batt speech the initial tactics it must pursue there have ties were all on one side. It is, however, useless made before there had been a word of disarisen grave differences. These differences to blame the white worker for these tragedies. cussion in the Conference, will realize that must be fought out and eliminated so that the He is not yet able to see below the surface. this little group from Michgan would have Communist Party of America may be launche: He feels that he is being injured, he sees the been shunted out of the Conference in a minas the unified expression of the revolutionary Negro working for less wages than a white ority all of their own, if not for the single Socialist forces in this country.
man, and he attributes his troubles to the fact of new party involved in the Michgan It is for these reasons that we may have to Negro. The color line has become part of the proposal. It was only on the basis of the Condevote much space in the next few issues to this internal struggle.
national ideology, the craft unions, obsessed ference platform of Communism that this prowith that ideology, have in the majority of posal actually became a plan for a Communist cases refused to recognize the Negroes with Party.
The Race Riots the result that the black race has been forced For the rest, the preliminary reports showed HE race riots which have broken out in death, and the industrial barons have used to take employment where it can or starve to THE absolutely no membership mandate for immediate formation of a new party. That was Washington and Chicago are distinguish the influx of Negroes, as they have used the true of New York and of the Federations, ed from the usual clashes between whites an: various waves of immigration in the past, whence came the other champions of immeNegoes by the fact that in both these cities against the organized workers.
cliate formation of a new party by the New the latter have offered an attempt at organized The workers, whether they are black, white York Conference. In fact, the representative resistance and in several instances have taken or yellow, have the same interests. The Negro of the Russian speaking Federations, Comrade the initiative. The history of the black race worker has come into industry to stay and Stoklitsky, made no mention of a new part