The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-06
CAPITALISM And
CHURCH UNITED
IN RULING PERU
Fight Against Tyranny
Told by Student


American student movement is the
recently exiled Victor r. Haya de
la Tore. This student movement
is closely associated with the labor
movement. Peru, like the majority
of the South American countries,
is under the domination of u. s.
imperialism.
The oil lands of Peru belong to
Standard Oil. The revenues of
Peru are supervised by the United
States. Social functions such as
health and sanitation are run by
Americans. The u. S. military
naval commission, under Admiral
Woodward. is preparing Peru for
possible war with Chile. At the
same time the u. S. president is
impartial arbitrator between Chile
and Peru over the disputed prov
inces of Tacna and africa.
Haya de la Tore, the leader of
the students movement in Peru has
founded six peoples universities out
of which powerful Peruvian labor
movement is developing. This ex-
plains why his government took the
FIRST opportunity to get rid of him.
Ella G. Wolfe, sranslator.)
There dominates in Peru strong
political tyranny of capitalism and Of
the church. President Leguia ha:
imposed for the last four years ar
autocratic government without any
program save to remain in power
The government of Peru is reac
tionary dictatorship. More than {
thousand men of all social classe!
have been exiled.
In May, 1928, Peru decided "tC
officially consecrate the nation to tn.
effigy of the heart of Jesus" Thi
meant the end Of religious federation
1t counted on the influence of tn,
Catholic clergy who participates di
rectly in the political life of tn,
country.
Police Slaughter Eight.
The students and organized work
ers formed united front to proven
this attack upon religious freedom
We were Joined by the Protestant
and Masons. On May % we held
large meeting in the University O
Lima. | was chosen to preside. w,
asked for separation of church AM
state. This demonstration of nearl,
5000 people, chiefly of workers anC
students, marched to the universit,
square in orderly procession. Their,
we were attacked by police. From
the tower of nearby church frin)
began. Eight were killed. This out
rage awakened formidable publ
protest. More than $4,000 peopl
turned out the following day to bur
the victims. The government de
clared martial law in Lima; but tn
Conservation" was not put over.
Then the police got busy. Fo
some time / was in hiding. TIL
Catholic clergy charged that the stu
dents were in the pay of the Chilean
government interested in promoting
disorders in Peru. But this propa
ganda failed.
Hunger Strike in Dungeon.
Five months later, after the presi
dent had offered amnesty to tn
workers and students, / was rushe'
from my house by the chief of pc
lice in an automobile to the port o
Callao, taken to the island of Sal
Lorenzo, political prison, in whic'
many men have lost their hbert,
without judicial process. l wa
placed incommunicado in a cell with
out light, air or bed. went on
hunger strike. After nine days 0
fasting l was put on a German boat
/ was without clothing and money
They refused permission to see m,
family. The boat steamed to Colo
in the Canal Zone where l landed
From Colon / went to Cuba and thei
to Mexico on invitation of the min
lister of education. Jose Vasconcelos
During all this period the worker
and students of Lima were protest
ing. Three hundred students of tn
University Of Lima were arrested. Il
the university towns Of Trujillo
Cuzco and Arequipa, thefexiwer'
many arrests. Two youths, Santo
Levano and Antonio Calderon, wer
killed by the police at one of TIL
protest meetings. The student agi
tation continues. The new genera
ton of my country is working TO
social justice.