The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-04
BY 5. zENIcH.

South Slavic parts Of the Austro-IIun-
garian monarchy began to develop
with rapidly. Up to then there had
been very small number Of the work
ers around the social-democratic party
while the party was young, inexpe-
rienced, and It's official leaders already
leaning to the bourgeoisie, altho that
movement itself had been prosecuted
by the government.
Their leaders came mostly from the
ranks of the bourgeoisie and from the
liberal intellectuals. The most promi-
ment of these were: Durai Demetro-
Vich (now one of the leaders of the
Croatian fascisti); William Bugshek,
supporter of the government during
and after the world war; Vitomir Ko-
rach, later a member of the Belgrade
fascist government (now, as a former
minister of social affairs, on the gov
eminent PAYROLL; Edbin and Anton
Kristan, now both in the service of
the Belgrade government. and some
others. All of them have become
traitors to the workers and peasants,
but they were the leaders of the social
democratic party.
Nevertheless, the movement slowly
but definitely became a mass move
ment which created its own leaders.
The masses were driven by exploita-
ton to consciousness and struggle.
Their wages were small-$1, slips and
$3.50 for fourteen hours work-these
were the wages of the workers. They
had no labor unions, they did not I'M
derstand the English language at all:
they were exploited in all aspects Of
their life.
These conditions forced to the fore
new leaders. One Of these new lead
ers that developed from the ranks
was a printer, Milan Glumac-Jurishich.
From the very beginning of his af-
fliation with the movement he was
very active and showed initiative. He
never was satisfactory to the official
leaders of the party because he did
not agree with their reformistic attk-
tude. He was more revolutionary and
was considered by party leaders hot
headed, uncontrolled enthusiast. The
government called him a dangerous
socialist and sometimes an anarchist.
From the beginning he was isolated
In the party, but he was real fighter
In the eyes of the broad masses. In
proportion as the party developed into
q mass party Milan Glumac became
more dangerous to the reformist lead
ers.
In the meantime in the United
States there were hundreds Of thou
sands of Jugo-Slav workers. All large
cities and industrial centers, especially
Chicago. Pittsburgh. Milwaukee and
Detroit, were inhabited by Jugo-Slay
wage slaves. In these cities were some
workers Qualified to follow trade)
who were members Of the social-demo-
cratic party and labor unions in Eu-
rope. They felt It necessary to or
ganize Jugo-Slav workers into politi-
cal organizations of the workers.
Exploitation of the workers became
more and more intense. Not only
American exploiters but new Jugo-
Slav agents of the bourgeoisie at
tackled the interests of the workers.
Money exchangers, real estate sales
men, builders of new "banks" and
churches, and representatives Of va
rious political grOnps In Austria-Hun-
gary-these gentlemen were very
busy trying to win over the workers.
OF course, the conditions OF the
workers and peasants were such that
they inevitably were forced to create
their own leaders. The wages were
small, working hours long and the
peasantry carried burdens of taxes
and military expenses. The leaders
were not revolutionists-all that was
a condition for the development Of
new leaders.
In the city Of Pittsburgh there was
organized the first Croatian Workers
Club. Pittsburgh was followed by
rhfcooo and qaneraI sentiment for in |