The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-13

and even the theological leadership, of the pro
letariat in the revolutionary government of
Paris
But perhaps the immediate aim of the Com
mune was complete socialist upheaval? With us
supposedly, there can be no such illusion.
But in fact, in the famous manifesto Of the
general council on the Commune, which was I'm
doubtedly written by Marx is said "The Com
mune was therefore to serve as a lever for up
roofing the economic foundations upon which
rests the existence of classes, and therefore of
class rule" But the manifesto continues: mThe
working class did not expect miracles from the
Commune. They have no ready-made utopias
to introduce par decret dW peupge. They know
that in order to work out their own emancipation
and along with it that higher form to which pres
ent society is rresstibly tending, by it's own eco
nomic agencies, they will have to pass thru long
struggles, thru a series of historic processes
Transforming circumstances and men, They have
no ideals to realize, but to set free the elements
of the new society with which old collapsing
bourgeois society itself is pregnant"
All measures, the entire social legislation of
the Commune, had practical and not utopian
character The Commune realized what we call
the minimum program of socialism" In order
to sum up just what the Commune accomplished.
we will quote from Engels' introduction:
con March 26 the Paris Commune was elected
and proclaimed on March %. The central com.
mittee OF the national guard which had hitherto
carried on the government, abdicated its func-
tons into the hands of the Commune. On March
30 the Commune abolished the conscription and
the standing army and. all military forces xeeffe
the national guard, to which all citizens capable
of bearing arms were to belong 1t RENTED all
rents from October, 1870, to April. 1871. such
rent as had already been paid to be applied to
future quarters; and returned gratis all pledges
OF necessltlous persons in the public pawning
establishment (MOntdePiete). The same day the
foreigners elected onto the Commune were con
firmed in their functions, since it was declared
the flag Of the Commune is that of the Universal
republic" On April it was decided that the
highest salary of functionary of the Commune
"ne1ner member or otherwise, was not to ex-
i ceed 5000 francs GAO pounds) a wear. On the
following day was declared the Separation Of
church and state, and the abolition of all state
payments for religious purposes as also the
transformation OF all ecclesiastical wealth into
nalohal property. As consequence of this. on
April all religious symbols, dogmas PRAYERS
IN snort, "an things appertaining to the sphere
OF the individual conscience" were ordered to be
oahlshed from the schools, an order which was
carried s OUT as quickly as possible. On April 6
the gulllotine was fetched out by the 18TH hat
- ' n"tIohdi guard, and publicly burnt,
AMID loud popular applause. On Aprii 70 the
commune ordered the column on the Place Ven.
dome, which had been constructed by NapoIeon
4 ! after the war of 1909 out of captured cannon.
70 De oyerthrown as monument of national van.
ny ana international jealousy This was accom-
pllsned on May L. On April Is the Commune
made an order for a statistical account of all
factories and workshops which were not at work.
ana Tor the elaboration of plans for their utiliza,
eion W ana Tor account of the workmen hitherto
ensaseu IN tnem who were to be formed into CO.
operative societies for the purnose and fnrtbor
Tor the amalgamation of these societies into ono
great cooperative organization. On Nav 90 they
apolshed the night work of bakers. as also the
register Office for procuring employment. which.
since the second empire had been the mononoly
Oh certain scoundrels appointed by the police ex-
pioiters of the worst kind The matter was hence.
forward placed in the hands of the mayoralties