The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-29
By H. M. wICKs

PISS upOu HiSJOIy IL is the Gus
tomary thing to declare that their
splaces in the history Of the world
will be determined only after the
passing of time has given us q
clearer perspective of their work.
This hesitation to pass final judg-
ment has been correct heretofore.
Its correctness was due to the fact
that until this. era, the era Of the
! proletarian revolution, the prominent
figures of history could not under
stand the significance of their part
In the class struggle. Just as it is
impossible to estimate a man by
what he says Of himself SO it has
been impossible to estimate the
struggles of classes by what the
dominant figures thrown upon the
pages Of history have said about
themselves.
But this necessity for postponing
Judgment does not hold with Lenin
as the embodiment Of the proletar-
ian revolution. The most striking
difference between the present revo-
luton and past struggles is that the
revolution by the working class
fully understand its mission and its
place in history. 1t neither deludes
itself by concealing its real move
ment beneath a cloak of high-sound-
ing Technology, nor does it drag its
inspiration from the past. It's vic
tory depends upon realistic view
Of the tasks of today. Thus Lenin,
as the foremost figure in the first
triumphant struggle of the prole-
tariat, knew precisely the historical
significance of the victory of the
Russian Bossheviki. Tho he prob
ably gave scant thought to his own
individual role in the struggle, his
colleagues even in his life definitely
proclaimed his place in history.
The comments of the capitalist
journalists upon his passing contain
nothing but the old platitudes about
the future determining his place in
history and, with few exceptions,
they convey the idea that they hope
the passing years will diminish his
Importance. Intellectually bound to
their past they cannot comprehend
the significance of Lenin. One thing
is certain and that is that none Of
the spokesman of the ruling class
will erect monuments to his MEM
DRY.
AS each ruling class derives IT'S
| justification from the past naturally
it erects monuments to the reac-
| tionary. It's emoluments and praise
are bestowed upon those who endeav-
ored to keep the world in darkness
and slavery. The reward of most
people into whose mind the light Of
a higher organization of society has
penetrated has been the rack, the
stake or the dungeon. Such would
have been the fate of Lenin and the
Bolsheviks had they failed. But his
tory was on their side and COM
bined with the indomitable will of
leadership thoroly grounded in the
fundamentals of the proletarian
movement they won.
Lenin, the foremost leader of this
first movement in history that was
fully conscious of its mission, has
passed from the scene of action and
the story of his life is now ready
for definite telling. There is moth
ing that can be learned in the fu-
ture about his activity that we do
not know today. His place is def
nitely fixed as the embodiment of
the epoch of the world proletarian
revolution. That the ruling class
Of today does not recognize this
fact is of no concern to the prole-
tartan historian, the historian who
will write the history of the future.
But what Of those who strut the
stage of history as the representa-
tiyes of the dying capitalist order?
What of the pompous statesmen
who revile the name of Lenin? In
the future memory Of most of them
will perish in merciful oblivion. The
few whose names appear on his
tory's pages will be remembered
only in connection with some effort
to assail Lenin and the movement
that he represented. Their children
will bush with shame to bear their.
names.
J But ten thousand years from now
the name of Lenin will adorn the
! pages of the record Of the struggle
Of mankind toward higher form
Of society. The memory of Lenin
will be the. nearest approach to
Immortality that is known. The
man who makes his impression upon
his own time as Lenin did has infiu-
! enced all subsequent time. That
is all the immortality that any one
can desire; that is more than any
, other man of this age will achieve.
Today his body lies beside the
,, Kremlin walls. There let it rest for
ever, while the path to it is worn
deeper and deeper by the feet Of
millions upon millions of the citizens
!. Of future society who come to
pay tribute to the memory Of this
; invincible revolutionist who led the
first great assault upon the last
slave system the world will ever
see in order to rescue humanity
/, from a hideous and debasing thrall-
: dom.
: Let the Gods Laugh.
Judge e. II. Gary of the Steel