The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-12-26
The "Red Front" of the German c. P.


in the sacrifices and struggles Of the
Russian proletariat. This is a spon-
taneous defensive movement OF the
working masses, and the Communists
by carrying out their historic mission
as the vanguard Of the workers in
their every struggle have won hege-
mony over it and now have the ire
mendous benefit. As soon as the
Dawes plan sterilization resulted in
partial employment and a subsiding of
the revolutionary wave, the various
fascist bands became more and more
brazen in their attacks on the work
ers. The more militant elements were
singled out for decrimination-Com-
munists and other militants, precisely
the elements that could fight back,
tooth and nail. Right out Of the shops
and factories this defensive shock
troop of the proletariat sprang forth,
and the Communists gave it fun
support and encouragement. Thael-
mann, Communist Party presidential
candidate, became its honorary com
mander. From a few handfuls it grew
into the thousands and tens Of thous-
ands, the cream of the working class
and especially of the working youth.
Disarm Fascists.
The "strong-arm squads" Of the fas-
cists were disarmed, spanked and sent
home when they came around to ad-
minister punishment to some local
strike leader. The perfect discipline
and martial bearing of these thous-
ands of MILITANT ,proletarians gave
new courage to the workers and threw
CONSERVATION into the camp Of the en-
envy. And well they might. During
the summer groups Of from ten to-
a hundred hiked out into the country
distributing literature to the farmers
and villagers. About twenty of our
boys came upon as many fascists Sc
cretly engaged in army rife target
practice, made a surprise attack, dis
armed and marched them back to the
village police station, to the great de-
light of the workers who had been
terrorized for months by this band.
And at the same time another 40 more
armed fascist had. ben hiding i'm the
woods only a short distance away
but they did not dare to attempt
rescue.
Things do not always come off so
easily, however. In Leipsig recently
the monarchists Of all Germany
staged a tremendous militarist DEM
onstration. The Communists called
for a unter-demonstration but the
social-democratic leaders refused and
called upon their followers to ignore"
the reactionary hordes. There were
many clashes between our young mill
tants and the armed braves of the
monarchists, two Of our boys on point
of death from bullet wounds, and
many others injured. Many arrests
were made on both sides, but all the
forbidden arms were found on the
fascists. The r. L. B. in such cases
as this makes tremendous propaganda
by calling for a united front of all
working class elements in shops and
factories to fight back this anti-labor
violence, and despite the crawfishing
of the right wing labor leaders the
working masses respond to the call to
fight.
The United Front in Practice.
It is not easy for these Communist
veterans of the barricades of 1918 and
1923 to stomach unity with the very
elements which, duped by their trail
torous leaders, made futile the sacri
fee of the revolutionary vanguard.
But new ferment is working among
these masses, no longer can they be
so easily herded by their bosses in
the interest Of the plutes; more and
more they are beginning, if not &C
tually to get into this big proletarian
mass Communist Party, at least to
cooperate actively with its activity on
fhe field of workers. relief Red Front