The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-18

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in the Philippines has just reached
here by mail and is Illuminating
reading inasmuch as it reveals the
deep-going discomfort in the is
lands as well as the despicable tao
tics of the American administra-
tors who deceptively lured the
leader of part of the revolt to their
headquarters and placed him in an
insane asylum. This low trick of
the American gunner of imperial
ism is but one sample of the meth
DDS of suppression used against the
colonial slaves of Wall Street.
In the middle of May an insurrec-
ton broke out on Negros Island, one
of the large islands of the Philippines
Archipelago "a colony of the U. S.
Az. At the head of the movement
was Flor Intrencherado, the MAD
Emperor" as he is called by the news
papers, who gathered an army of sew
eral thousands.
The facts are as follows: on May
Id Intrencherado's followers attacked
the town councils at Victoria, Bago,
Silei and La-Carlotta, disarmed the
police, and in some places took pos
session of the municipal buildings.
The instruction broke out so sudden
ly that the authorities lost their
heads. Troops were promptly dis
patched from Manila and Governor
General Wood took command. For a
long time Intrencherado declined an
invitation to a personal meeting with
Wood. Eventually, however, he was
lured aboard steamer and carried
off to Manila where he was placed
in a lunatic asylum for examination
by mental specialists. Several hun
dreds of his followers were impris-
oned. The arrest caused the break
ing up of the rebel forces, and the
movement was soon suppressed.
A Working Class Revolt.
1t is alleged by the bourgeois
American press that the movement
was caused by an outbreak of reli-
gious fanaticism among the popula-
ton. A similar report was made by
General Wood. On the other hand,
the Philippine Herald of May II said
that sit was rather the discomfort of
the working class, than any ignor-
ance or fanaticism, which was the
real cause of the revolt" In order to
appreciate the situation it would be
necessary to learn something more
about Intrencherado himself and
about his followers.
Who are the people that follow
him?
In the western part of the Negros
Island, where the revolt started, is
concentrated the sugar production of
the Philippines; the sugar-cane plan
tations and the refineries. The sugar
cane is cultivated on about 400 es-
tates (haciendas) occupying an area
of 100-250 hectares each.
The planters employ from 100 to
200 hired laborers on each estate,
working in groups Of from 8 to 80
people; but only one-fourth of the la
borers are permanently employed, the
rest being employed only for the sea
son, from October to April.
A Form of Peonage.
The seasonal laborers are recruited
in the adjacent Paley Island either
directly by the planters or by their
agents, or by contractors who under
take to harvest the sugar crop on
given stretch of land.
These agricultural laborers and
the workers of the sugar refineries
constituted the main body of the in
surgents. The conditions Of labor are
so hard that there was lately unend-
ing discomfort in that region. Wages,
depending on the existing demand for
labor and on local conditions, fluc-
tuate from to 2 pesos q peso is
equal to 2 shillings or 30 cents) per
day. The workers get also their food,
usually consisting of rice or cereals
and dried fish, meat being given only
once week. The workers are domi-
ciled in the villages near the plan
tation, whilst the permanent workers
are accommodated in cottages, and
the remainder in common barracks.
The planter, to insure himself
against the workers quitting his job,
usually advances him small sum of
money and endeavors to keep him in
debt, so as to prevent him from leav-
ing the hacienda.
Strike Against Tyranny.
In March strike was declared at
the "Bais" sugar works, one of the
largest in the district. The workers
, asked for an increase in wages of
30 per cent, for a shortening of the
working day, which extended to Is
hours, and for withdrawing the order