The Revolutionary Age Devoted to the International Communist Strujile
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ComhineJ willa "The N efI) Y Of'~ Communist" The Revolutionary Age Devoted to the International Communist StruJile VoL 2. No.5. Saturday, August 2. 1919 Price &C. to Rurp.", to'\."' L~8of2. S'OVL1:: l' wOQL(eQP "- r " 0- • - fdlo~ - JaF 4&: co:: (f " .L'f ~~.• ~ ~~ ~! U h •• r; The Peace That Passeth Understanding 2 THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE Saturday, August 2nd, 1919. in this country is a story of cowed submission unless both black and white worker recognize The Revolutionary Age to brutal tyranny. In few instances have the their common interests, not only are race riots Combined 'zr;th Th.e New York ttCommunisf' 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 Or.an of the Left Win. Section occasion for much surprise and not a little slavery tighter round both. Socialist Patty indignation on the part of the bourgeois press LoUIS C. FRAINA, Editor and the "best people." The statesmen in the The Left Wing Conference nation's capital, where the first outbreaks oc JOHN REED, Associate Editor. HIS issue contains the first instalment of EAI>:MONN MACALPINE, Managir..g Editor cured, share the common feelings. Race riots T 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 ques NATIONAL COUNCIL a one night's lynching party would have settled tion of immediate formation of a new party· John Ballam C. E. 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 1. E. Ferguson Several Congressmen immediately call for the of the Socialist Party of Michigan, at once Bertram D. Wolfe establishment of the Jim Crow system in the projected this question. I. E. Ferguson, National Secretarv national capital. In view of the developments since June 21st Issued Weekly. B. Gitlow, Business Managf'r The Jim Crow system, on the doorsteps of it is important to note that the discussion of a 5c. a copy. Six months, $1.50. One year, $.~.()(). the national legislature where the worH's Communist Party, which produced a split in Bundle orders, IO,or over, 3~ 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 Y ork b~, action of as America)s 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's "black first principle of Communism. Conspiciously heroes' 'of the late war! The Jim Crow system. the Michigan delegates, who first projected the expression of the ideology which causes the proposition of immediate new party, insist WI!. are pleased to be able to inform Otir race 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 platform of the Left Wing. The most ardent Qf The Revolutionary Age and will now con The Washington riots have spread to Chi cago and within a few days the list of dead advocate of immediate new party, Comrade tribute regularly. It is planned to have Reed Zucker of New York, during and since the eover some of the big happenings that are has mounted to nearly fifty, while the list of woun<;led runs into hundreds. The causes of Conference, has spoken only in scorn of the taking place in the labor and Socfalist world Left Wing platform. Of the minority group so that our readers mav have a first hand the riots as given by the newspapers vary of the Conference, only the Federation dele~ interpretation of these events and their re]~ somewhat, but the most general is the assault of white women by Negroes. It is stated that gates were in entire accord with the funda ation to and effect upon the revolutionan' mental principles of Communism as e1aboratec! movement as a whole. within a short period six white women have been assaulted by Negroes in Washington and in the Left Wing Manifesto and Program. that this was the direct cause of the trouble. Comrade Batt makes it very plain that Mich The Internal Struggle It is not stated, however, by what process of igan is the only State where there are any WE regret that we are forced to elevote so reasoning a whole .race is marked down for real "reus" worthy of taking the jefuddled much space in this issue to matters dealin:~' slaughter because of the color of a degenerate's 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 te> As a matter ·of fact, this is like the boy's 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. \V ~ inspire any belief in its truth. The weight of has had a non-reformisiic platform since 1914, are, however, going through a cdsis in Ameri evidence is all on the other side. It is the therefore Michigan alone is worthy of leader ca just now. The revolutionary Socialist move Negro who has cause for complaint. Only a ship. There is much merit in a nqn-reform ment of this country. is beginning to take Ii 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 Bol emerge as the Communist Party of America. white man in defense of his daughter~ while shevism. And so this group was unceremo It is the duty of all revolutionary Socialists it is generally admitted th~t 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 Commu,list a basis as will ensure its steady growth, its will. Party, butwho 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 a1110n~ 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 attacke I and the program of action. You have had no to some to be unjmportant and in the natur~ 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 N egroe 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 n'otable of which was own way in any respect, be assured Mi~higan 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's spe~ch the initial tactics it must pursue there hav"! ties were all on one side. It is, however, useless made before there had been a word of dis arisen grave differences. These differenct's 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 lattnche~l He feels that he is being injured, he sees the been shunted out of the Conference in a mi" as 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 ma\' have tr) Negro. The color line has' become part of the proposal. It was only on the basis of the Con devote much space in the next few' issues to national ideology, the craft unions, obsessed ference platform of Communism that this pro this internal struggle.