The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-03-04
That
Telegraph Pole

MANY years ago. I stood before monument in
1V1 Damascus, smiled-and pondered.
1t a peculiar thing-that monument a sort Of
Cleopatra's Needle of Modern Imperialism. Imagine, if
you can, the upper half of telegraph pole done in
bronze without deazation, without embellishments and
set upon pedestal in the public square for the happy
contemplation of the ensaved populace!
Last year. when the papers were full of the
Of between French and Syrans, remembered that
monument. Monuments, it seems, even when cast in
bronze, don't make mperalist rule permanent, but that
one seemed especially symbol of revolt.
The Arabs fought. Damascus, which the capital
of Sultan Pasha Atrah brave leader of the astounding
Druses, was lost to the French
Natives were forced to surrender the city and with it,
doubt, the public square-the site of the bronze
Christening roda rod of Science wherewh the absentee
expoiters belabor and torment the native workers.
During those months last year, the Arabs suffered
heavy losses but they punished the enemy" chad it
but been in person!) severely.
The struggle for Syrian independence is not yet ended
although the battle of peaches" against Daddy"
Browning may crowd out of the news altogether the
French Syrian conflict
Suffice it to say the Syrans still fighting their
woud-be saviors, the French Imperialists.
But what set out to tell was not the story of the
monument the square, the defeat victory of
the French the Arabs. What meant to tell about
was the stuff the Druse made of.
But if you've read about the monument, perhaps you'll
read further.
1t is said of the Arabs that all of them are born
fighters but of the Druses it is said they the bravest
and most formidable fighters of all the Arab tribes.
You can then imagine what the Druse are like
when you are told that the of this tribe are
Drawer and fiercer even than their men.
Last spring the height of the Syrian revolution it
frequently reported that several baaions of women
appeared in the ranks of the Druses, and fought as
fercely as the men, Battalions of Druse also
appeared in defense of the ancient city of Damascus
which the French had bombarded and partly destroyed
When the villages attacked the who were
left behind took up and defended their homes.
Once the French attacked village ruled by woman
chieftan. She lost moment but called together all
the able-bodied and men in the village, and led
them, armed to defend their homes against the imperial
ist invaders
More than 10000 Syrian lives lost since the
French were given the mandate Syria.
During the world war, the Allies had promised Syria
native government if they in their side and
helped them click the Turk" The Syrians accepted the
bargain and did their share Of the clicking" then found
to their sorrow that there is pledge made by a
robber nation to little nation that the robber nation is
bound to respectespeciay if the Capitalist League of
Nations endorses the sentiment
Since the League had given the French Imperalists
the mandate Syria, there have been twelve native
ebellions against the invaders. And the of the
especially the Druses, have done their warrior
share.
The Syrian armies are said at present be encamped
in the wilds of the Lebanon Mountains There each viii
age on the crest Of hill is citadel, and the Druse
men and prepared to defend with their lives
their right to freedom from imperiast domination.
Some day. the masses Of Arabia will gather in the
Square of Damascus to celebrate their true freedom
when Soviet Syria will melt down that Christening
rod" of Imperialism to turn the metal to the beautiful
of machinery of production, owned and controlled
| by the workers.
In that day, too they will, perhaps spare one small
bit of the metal for modest figurine-the fearless in
trepid Woman Warrior Of the Druses.