Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-03-27

BY international Labor News Service
CHICAGO, March 26.-The mys-
terious r. Abramowitch of Russia,
whom the Workers (Communist)
Party of America has been raising
such a hullabaloo, over for several
weeks past, is not at all mysterious
after the facts concerning him are
ascertained. Even the daily news
papers threw a veil of great mystery
around the man when he arrived in
the United States.
He is Raphael Abramowitch, secre-
tary of the Social Democratic Party
of Russia and editor of the official
paper of that party. In addition to
holding these two Offices he is also
the representative of his party in the
Socialist international.
To Raise Relief Money
Mr.. Abramowitch was interviewed
by the Chicago correspondent of In
ternational Labor News Service with
a view of learning his exact identity
and ascertaining for what purpose he
was visiting the United States. He
speaks Russian, German, French and
! fairly, &Ssd English in a precisetedu-
Gated nianners
Mr.. Abramowitch said that he was
in the United States for the purpose
of raising money to carry on the work
of his party in Russia and to furnish
needed funds to and provide necessi-
ties for the 5000 members of his
party who had been imprisoned by the
Soviet government of Russia. He in
tends to cover as much of the United
States and Canada as possible in the
time allotted to him by his commit
tee.
Party Under Soviet Ban
at is a prison offense to be men,
Der of our party or of any other polit-
ical party than the Communist party
in Russia today" said Mr.. Abramo-
witch. "For that reason our party
is of necessity an underground crgan-
ization, and our official publication is
printed in Berlin and struggled into
Russia"
"What is the status of the bona fide
trade unions in Russia today" he was
asked.
"There are no legitimate trade
unions in Russia as you know them
here in America. The last two crafts
to maintain their unions were the
printers and chemical workers.
"The Typographical Union, which
had maintained it's Independent exis-
tence up to 1920, with a membership
that was 95 per cent opposed to Boil
shevism, was forced out of existence
in 1920. The 5 per cent of the MEM
bers who also were members of the
Communist party called in the Cheko
and other police and disbanded the
Typographical Union and reorganized
under the Communist party. Since
that time the printers of Russia are
practically slaves to the government,
as no independent publications are
allowed to exist.
Chemical Workers Fate
"The Chemical Workers and all
other skilled mechanics and artisans
have met with like treatment"
A Russian printer who is now work.
ing at his trade in Chicago as q union
man verified the statement OF Mr..
Abramowitch as to the fate Of the
Russian Typographical Union.
"There are about 100000 mem
bers in the so-called trade unions IN
Russia that are dominated by the
Communist Party" said Mr.. Abramo-
witch. "Of these 100000 only about
oIle-half are mechanics and labOrers.
The other half is made up Of govern
mept employees, professional men and
women and domestic servants. There
are only from to per cent of the
real workingmen and women Of Rus
STA in these alleged unions.
Reds Rule All Unions
ain order to be a member Of one OF
these unions one must either be a
Communist or submit to Communist
nle," he continued. 'The unions are
rganized on the shop basis in the
rye government industries. The