The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-27
AS WE SEE IT
b. !. J. o'FLAHERTY.


4 understand why those organiza-
tions that actively or passively IA
vored the release of the class war
prisoners and conscientious directors
show no concern for the fate of the
soldier convicts who are serving
terms of imprisonment for such
crimes as rape, murder, sodomy and
burglary. 1t is quite possible that
many Of those now suffering in the
United States prisons are only guilty
of trivial offenses against the mill
tary code, as in the case of the
young lad Fischer, mentioned in this
column yesterday. But the machin-
cry that sent these men to prison
is the military arm of the system
that represents the Tribune and is
supported by the Tribune. 1t is the
power with which the capitalist class
of which the Tribune is an import
ant unit suppresses the workers who
are exploited by that class.
When the war to tend war" was
declared by Woodrow Wilson, agent !
of the American capitalist class,
small minority among the workers
looked upon that war as a crime
against the workers and against hui
mainly. Rather than participate ~in
such d crime they refused war serv-
ice and expressed their opinions on
the question. For being true to their
ideals they were given long prison
terms by the agents of the political
mountebank, Woodrow Wilson. The
Chicago Tribune applauded the SEN
fences. 1t never raised a voice for
the release Of those men and women.
It was no uncommon sight dur
ing the war to see soldiers and sail
ors led by members of the bourgeoisie
raiding headquarters of workers or
CARNATIONS, destroying their prop
erty and assaulting those found on
the premises. The writer witnessed
such an event in Boston, Mass, on
May 1, 1919, during which women
were beaten by young thugs in the
uniform of the United States navy.
Many Of those thugs were afterwards
jailed for crimes Of various kinds,
principally for sex perversion. At
the moment they were hailed as he
roes, and got their pictures in the
press, the same pictures could be
seen in the rogues' gallery.
Radical and progressive organiza-
tons exerted themselves to secure
the release of those prisoners who
were imprisoned for holding political
Views in opposition to those held by
the administration of the moment.
The prisoners were not criminals.
Intellectually and morally they were
of the highest type. They believed
the war was a crime. They had
the courage then to say what ninety
per cent Of the people of this coun-
try now openly admit.
The men in whose behalf the
Tribune is exerting so much energy
are not in prison because they stood
for their convictions. At best they
are the victims of society which
breeds criminals. They did not at
tempt to improve their environment.
They followed the line of least re-
Stance and willingly aided the mas
ter class in perpetuating the sys-
tenn. Because they, at a critical
time violated discipline in their mas
ters' army they were punished by
the servants Of the Chicago Trib-
une, the democratic and republican
administrations. Why does the Tri-
bune wall because the radical, pro-
gressive, liberal and labor move
ments take little interest in its eff
forts to get little publicity out of
movement to free its own pimps,
rapists, panderers, sodomists and
murderers? We suggest that the
Tribune simply call on Calvin Cool
| idge, unless he is too busy clearing
his skirts of the oil bubbles and say,
"'CaP, old top. 1t seems to us that
our lads who slipped a little bit have
now been sufficiently punished. At
ter all we may need them again, and
rapist, sodomist or pimp can fight
just as valiantly for capitalism as
a church deacon. Suppose we turn
them loose now" There is hardly
doubt but Cal would call up Sec
rotary of War Weeks unless he is
driven out by the fumes from the
Teapot Dome investigation and adj
wise him to open the gates of the
Leavenworth penitentiarv and free
the military offenders. Why call on
the radical organizations who have
no friends in the White House?
y
The Reverend Norman Thomas
felt quite uncomfortable while at
tending the st. Louis session Of the
Cleveland Conference for Rewarding
Our Friends and Furnishing Our
Enemies because of the presence of
c. E. Ruthenberg, executive secretary
of the Workers Party. In an article
in the Nation the progressive divine
tells US that the C. p. P. A. shortly
before that meeting showed indica-
tions Of desiring to lay down and
die after making final wiggle by
endorsing William Gibbs McAdoo.
But one squirt Of oil made all sec
| tiope, Of tho Corfo~o,n~ ali. =.