The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-30
Fight This
New Attack
i'm Michj gan;
Build Party!

Statement by 9. z. RUTHENBERG +
THE threat Of new trials in the
| Michigan case which has become
definite in setting the trial OF Robert
Minor for February 2, should be a
clarion call to our whole party for a
renewed, energetic fight against the
Michigan persecution and for the up
building Of the Workers Community
Party.
1t is apparent that the capitalist
class, which is behind the prosecu-
ton in the Michigan case, as has been
definitely established thru the open
statement at st. Joseph that the mon
ey for the prosecution has come from
capitalist sources, sees in the Michi-
gan case the opportunity to cripple
the Communist movement in this
country.
There are involved in this case nc
Of the most active workers for Com
munism in the United States. II the
capitalist class can remove these IS
active workers from our party 1t will
mean at least temporarily a setback
for our movement. Eventually the
party would triumph even over such a
successful attack but for a time at
least our work would be greatly
handicapped.
Victory Ours Thus Far.
Thus far the victory in the Michi.
gan case is on our side. The best
that the capitalist class has been able
to do two years and five months after
the raid on the Communist convon
ton at Birdgman is to put me in
prison for three weeks. 1t has only
one conviction to its credit.
The situation stands thus because
Of the fight which was made against
the Michigan persecution during 1925
and part Of 1924. The work Of the
Labor Defense Council was one Of the
major achievements OF our party.
Thru arousing the labor movement
thru rallying all tho militant forces
IN this country to the support OF the
Communists we made defense which
halted the attack upon our organiza.
ton. -
The building Of united front organi-
cations under the auspices Of the La.
Dor Defense Council must 90 forward
again and mass movement develop
ed against the new prosecutions. The
collection OF funds must be undertake
en- with the same enthusiasm and en-
ergy that brot the great results for
US in the early days OF the Michigan
cases.
We must make the prosecutions as
ditf1cult for the capitalist class as pos
sible. The stronger the movement
against it, the greater the possibility
Of stopping it.
Build the Party.
While we undertake this work of
defense, we must not overlook our
fundamental task in connection with
the persecution and the party work
generally. Our strongest defense
against persecution, against all at
tacks by our capitalist enemies, is
thru building our party. The greater
our party, in numbers, organizational
efficiency and fighting spirit. the less
the danger to our movement from the
attack of its enemies We have not
always taken advantage of our oppoT
tunities to increase the membership.
to increase the organizational efIici-
ency. and the fighting spirit Of our
movement. The Michigan attack on
us is call to us to throw ourselves
into this work with new enthusiasm.
Comrades! Let us make Com
munist answer to the attack upon the
Communist Party. Let us throw our
selves into all the work of our party
with renewed energy and enthusiasm
and build the militant fighting Com
munist Party OF America, the Work
ers Party. IA
The affirmation of the conviction in
my case by the supreme court Of the
state of Michigan has given new i'm
petus to the efforts to railroad the
other defendants to prison. Evidently
the prosecution believes that with this
decision to It's credit a trial and con.
viction will mean immediate imprison-
ment of the defendants brought TO
trial since the Michigan supreme court
must be appealed to before the con
stitutional question can be raised in
the United States supreme court.
This danger to the comrades who
are threatened with immediate trial
will arouse every unit Of the party 10
new effort to halt the second attack
against our movement as we wero sue
cessiul In hating the first attack.