davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

they can successfully withstand criticism.
Those who wish to suppress all such criticism
are thereby tacitly confessing their fear that
cur institutions do not have sufficient merit
IN themselves to command the allegiance of
the American people. We have no such tim
orous doubts as to the fundamental worth of
the democratic principle of free discussion
we are confident that any such changes as
may be necessary can be brought about thru
peaceful democratic processes, if the prOpertied
classes only show that regard for obedient
acqulescence in the decisions of the majority
which they now urge upon the working
classes.
Turning to the question of compensation
for American property, it is a matter Of his
tory that many respectable nations have prac-
ticed the confiscation of property without
compensation and have even repudiated their
debts. Thus England under Henry VIII con-
fiscated church property, while the French
Revolution seized the lands of the nobility and
clergy. In the new states which were created
by the world war there has been virtual con-
flscatl0n of large part of the properties for
merly owned by the landed nobility of the cen
trail empires and of the Baltic states. All these
cOnfiscatOry acts are now sanctified by usage
Nor, lest we should become self righteous,
should we forget that number of our own
states repudiated their debts during the years
following the panic of 1897 and that after
the Civil War reconstruction period many
southern states also repudiated the bonds
which had been issued during the regime of
the carpetbaggers. Governments, indeed, be-
ing sovereign, have the legal right Of con-
fiscation.
Nevertheless, the responsible heads of the
Russian government declared to us their will
ingness to make a settlement in full both for
the property of Americans confiscated at the
time Of the revolution, and for the bonds of
the former czarist government held by Amer
leans, provided that such a settlement would
not constitute a precedent compelling Russia
to grant similar treatment to other countries.
The American holdings in Russia at the
time of the revolution were not large, being
by the Soviet government at APP
S59,000,000, and were mainly
confined to such concerns as the General Elec-
trio Company, the International Harvest Com
pany and the Singer Sewing Machine Com
pany. The holdings Of czarist securities
amounted only to S75,000000, and these were
largely in the hands of the New York Life
Insurance Company. While the Soviet gov
is willing to pay these claims to the
American holders, it can not formally &C
knowledge its obligation for all the debts of
the cars government.
A very important diplomatic principle is at
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07


'-0I ne O0-i"''loII9 IoL lHI9 success we
nav. 10, Ecu 10 '""Ae Gear IheI ne not only
-! 'I.I 0eS Vi oie L"Ao ana the renewed
,l1''l.1I 10y ~ .lle people "uV also IN measure
VI 'iI''71 a'SlIO-IlS ana IoIoealahce abroad.
n Il'o'i" can 20 Oh, we are convinced OF that
lleI go' elIIIsi!I ~ moving towards strength
anu I',e s'o1'G Oh peace but she
~ vi 10 'I'1 A-i" Oh success "hlch lies
"I'IIIsi 'iSloiI "I'"ouI .[eedofh from malicious
ii'C ,I 81 LEI eliCe III llvl 'lI}',Is'
- O9 Ie' aloHe "oula De measurable as
,S'fiilG ~ CHG "eEelopI.ehl OF ner internal
= u eng 'll ~ 'e IecoS-1|eo oe lure ana 10
I"'e DIInge" u commerce. ana coinmunlcatlon
s l.'5 % 'IiS"en WIZ" oOlgt naIlohS would be
s'nl more eIITc''Ie' mere are those VINO
"ovto lIe''ig 81, ieI ief aone nor recognize her
->Is 1e'iee MS seems 10 US an arrogant at
~ Ieeel mine Tue ilSVl1uloH through
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

should not forget that, without any declara-
ton Of war on our part, an American army
invaded Russia in 1918 and helped to kill Rus
sian citizens and to destroy Russian property
in the Archangel district An American de-
Sachment also accompanied Kolchak's Army
and, although it abstained from actual COM
bat, it lent the moral support of America to
the counter-revolutionary forces and operated
railroads for their benefit The munitions
bought with money furnished by the United
States were also used to damage Russian pro-
perty, as those Of us who have seen the de-
predations wrought by Kolchak's army in the
Ural districts and in Siberia can testify Rus
sia's claim for compensation on these counts
seems perfectly valid. A striking precedent
in international law to support this view is
furnished by the Geneva award in the Ala
hanna case. The British government was here
held liable for damage caused to American
shipping by the confederate battleship Ala
Lama which had taken to the seas from a
British port with the knowledge and consent
Of the British government. If this claim was
adjudged valid, the United States and the gov
ernments of Europe should be even more liza
Bile for damages caused in the absence of
declaration Of war by their armies and by
munitions which they furnished.
On these reasonable basis Russia is willing
to negotiate an immediate settlement that will
give substantial justice to American holders
of Russian property, while at the same time
rot compelling Russia to pay billions Of dol
lars to the nationals of the other European
countries whose claims do not stand on the
same moral basis.
We +hprefOrn STRONGLY recommend that the
United States take immediate steps to recog-
nize Russia, since Q it is in harmony with
cur sound historical foreign policy; (2) it
would lessen hostile foreign threats against
Russia, and by reducing the fear of external
would lead to less repressive and
more democratic methods in Russia itself
(3) it would promote American trade and in
dustry and a. it would strengthen the ties
Of friendship between the peoples of these two
nations
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

THE telephone rings and I am asked
to write an article for the Lenin-
grad Pravda. Just ten years ago l
received similar request. That time
it was the Petrograd Pravda and that
time it was Lenin himself who asked
me.
That was in February, 1918, those
tense critical days when the fate of
the Revolution seemed to hang by a
thread. The Imperial German Gov
ernment had violated the terms of the
first Brest-Litovsk Treaty and the
German soldiers climbing out of the
trenches were sweeping north in a
raid upon Petrograd Over the roofs
of the city now hoarse, now shrill,
shricked the factory whistles giving
the alarm, calling the workers to
arms. Out of the shops and factories
issued the long irregular lines of Red
Guards with slanting bayonets.
I, too, felt the urge to action. Tho
I was an American and had come to
Russia as correspondent of a New
York newspaper, I had been swept
by the elemental force of the Revolu-
zion. With irresistible power it had
laid hold of me, and I had written in
support and praise of it. But now
the Revolution was in danger, now
was the time not for words but deeds.
SO I, too, volunteered as a Red Guard.
In Smolny l ran into Bukharin who
took me to see Lenin. "My congratu-
lations," said Vladimir Ilyich. Gas a
foreigner you are doing good. But
maybe you can do better. Maybe you
can form a foreign detachment
His wish was command. With
Samuel Agursky and Neibut | drew
up a "call" which by Lenin's order
appeared in the Pravda on February
"a, 1918, printed in parallel columns
in Russian and English.
Il
IN response to this "calP volunteers
began to appear at our headquar-
tiers. After rejecting five or six sus-
picious characters, who were obviously
spies and agents from the foreign
embassies, we enrolled some fifty
members. A medley of nationalities.
Amongst them were three Americans,
two Enelishmen, ten Austrians and
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

The three vital demands which the United
States has in the past made upon Russia as
the price of recognition are: % Full com
pensation to the American owners of property
in Russia confiscated as q result of the revo-
luton, and full payment to the American hold
ers Of czarist bonds (2) Payment to the
United States government of the 1913, 900 900
leaned from 1917 on, to Mr. Bakhmetiev, the
Washington representative of the short-lived
Kerensky government. Secretary Hughes in
his note of December q, 1928, insisted that
both of these claims should be fully acknowl-
edged by Russia IN advance of any conference
between the two countries, and that they
could not be adjusted around the conference
table. (3) Complete abstention from any
propaganda designed to overthrow the gov
ernment of the United States.
If we may begin with the last point first,
it should be clearly realized that the Russian
government, through Chicherin, Commissar
for Foreign Affairs, has repeatedly declared
that it would not indulge in Communistic
propaganda in the United States, and that it's
legation and consular offices would be devoted
solely to the conduct of official business, as
they have scrupulously done in all the "a
countries that have recognized Russia.
It may be objected, however, that the Com
munist International would still continue to
carry on its propaganda and that this organ
ization is supported and controlled by the Rus
sian government. The fact is that the Soviet
government has no control, as a government,
over the Third International, which is the CEN
trail union of the Communist parties of CT
countries, although the Russian party controls
the government and is dominant in the Third
international. The government as such, has
no power of dictation over the 81 diverse and
often disagreeing national parties or their
central body.
Furthermore, the Russian government it.
self has scrupuously refrained, since the con-
clusion of the great war, from using its diplo-
matte service as a means of carrying on Com
munistic propaganda. 1t is prepared to give
definite guarantees to this effect, and there is
small doubt that it will discharge any over
Jealous Communist who seeks to use diplo-
matte immunity for this purpose. In our
judgment, the United States can hardly ask
for any more complete assurance than this.
Nor should we be afraid of any criticism or
agitation which the Communists may conduct
against our economic or political system. To
the extent to which our institutions are sound,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07
NOW AND TEN YEARS AGO

Germans, Italians, Jews and Chechs.
Some Of them indeed never had gun
in their hands before. For example,
Professor Charles Kuntz of New
York, heretofore a Tolstoyan with
scruples against killing even a chick
en-. Now that the Revolution was in
peril he threw over his pacificism and
took up q gun. A trem ,ldous change
to convert fifty-year- Old philosopher
into a soldier. In target practice his
rifle would get tangled in his beard.
Once his bullet hit the bulls eye and
his eyes gIistened with JOY.
Undoubtedly there was more moral
than military value in our little de-
tachment. That isn't for me to esti-
mate. ] can only vouch for the high
spirit and enthusiasm in which we
entered it. I recall the clear, crisp
winter morning when we first
marched down the Nevsky. White
snow glistened under our feet, pink
and Purple nists swimming above our
heads. We were cold, hungry, awk-
ward and perhaps bitsscared-but
with high hopes and light hearts and
Joy tingling in our blood, for we were
part Of the Russian Revolution, the
one thing in all the world worth living
and dying for.
ONCE that day ten years have
~ passed, and l take account of the
fate of the members of the little de-
tachment Many of them gave their
lives for the Revolution. Some like
Olgin, the commander, died of typhus.
Some like Neibut were caught and
cruelty killed by the Whites. Others
fell fighting at the front.
Of the living-one, an American,
turned renegade. He went abroad
and sold imself to the capitalist
press. slandering and reviling the
Revolution, making big money, but
now despised by the very bourgeoisie
who bought him.
He is the one shameful exception.
All the rest have record of staunch
and loyal service to the Revolution.
When they laid down the gun they took
up the plow, the hammer and the pen
and today they are in one field or
another, at work helping to build up
the Soviet structure Even old Pro-
fessor Kuntz, with enthusiasm that
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

might be printed today. Then we
wrote:
"The working classes are being
ridden into the SHAMELESS by the i'm
perialists of all countries. The So
Wet power is making heroic effort
TO end the war and to keep the torch
of civilization from being extin-
guished in a welter of blood"
Is not thai precisely the situation
today? Now as then all the bourgeois
Of Europe and America
are war-mad, spending vastly more on
ornaments than before 1914. All the
capitalist powers rivaling one another
III a feverish competition for more
tanks, aeroplares, cruisers. All man
kind standing aghast before the hor-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

rors of the coming war of gas and
chemicals.
Now as then the Soviet Power is
the one government that is consis-
tently trying TO put an end to wars.
Now as then it is the one government
that is consistently pursuing a policy
of peace, reducing its armed forces to
a minimum, trying to sign guaranteed
treaties with all its neighbors. Now
as then it is straining all it's efforts
to ward off the oncoming catastrophe
and to save civilization from being
wiped from the face of the earth.
Another sentence from the "call":
"A terrible threat is being aimed
at the heart of the Soviet Power by
the advancing army of the Imperial
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07
Soviet Russia After Ten Years
Report of the American Trade Union Delegation LSsR

stake here, for Russia has already signed
treaties with Germany, Italy, Belgium and
other countries which bind her to give to these
nations the same treatment as to confiscated
property which she accords to the most fav-
cred nation. The draft treaty with England
negotiated by the Macdonald government, but
not finally ratified, and the proposed treaty
with France contain somewhat similar pro
visions. Since the major portion Of Russian
industry was owned by citizens of these var
ious countries, and since several billion dol
lars worth of the czarist bonds were held in
France, for Russia to give formal diplomatic
acknowledgment of the small proportion of
the property and debts held by Americans
would obige her to repay these huge sums to
the nationals Of these other countries. This
would mean giving up some of the most sub
stantial fruits of the revolution to the very
nations responsible for inflicting the severest
damage by their intervention and undoubted-
ly would never be acceded to by the Russian
people. In our opinion, therefore, the rigid
demand made by ex-Secretary Hughes for an
explicit acknowledgement of these debts in
advance of and as prerequisite to the hold
ing of a conference is an impossible condi-
ton. We believe instead that our govern
ment should be willing to enter conference
with Russia where these claims could be ad-
justed in d general settlement that would fully
protect the interests of all American creditors
without involving Russias diplomatic rela-
tons with other nations under the most fav-
ored nation clause.
The loan of $187,O00,O00 to the so-called
Bakhmetiev government stands upon a some
what different footing. Most Of this money
was used by Bakhmetiev after the fall in No
vember, 1917, of the Kerensky government.
which he represented in the United States.
Mr. Bakhmetiev subsequently remained in
Washington for several years, being recog-
rized during this time by the state depart
ment as the official representative of the Rus
sian government, although his government
was non-eXistens. The major portion of these
funds was used, with the knowledge of our
government, to purchase military supplies for
the armies of Admiral Kolchak and other
counter revolutionists, who invaded Russia
and attempted~to overthrow the Soviet gov
ernment 1t is obviously the height of unfair
ness for our government to insist upon COL
lecting from the Russian government the cost
of the munitions which were used in an at
tempt to crush it. Yet the Commissar for
Foreign Affairs of the Russian government
to us his willingness to admit even
this claim, provided that he can in return file
claims for the damages done to Russian pro-
perty by American armies and by the NUM-
tons furnished by the United States. We
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

keeps growing with his years, has
collected a quarter of million rubles
in America and is bringing tractors
and machines for a new agriculture
educational colony on the banks of
the Dneiper.
New implements for the new tasks.
New tactics for the new times. But
in all the survivors Of The little de-
tachment the same loyalty and dcvo-
ticn today that famed in them that
winter morning they marched down
the Nevsky.
=
TEN years ago! A full decade! Yet
4 as / read that call" printed in the
Pravda, am struck by the fact that
with few alterations the same call
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

lists"
Is not that as true today as it was
ten years ago? Now as then the i'm
perialists are trying to draw an iron
Gordon around the Soviet Republics.
Now as then the capitalists, like a
pack of hungry wolves, with watering
mouths look upon the immense nat
ural resources Of the Soviet Repub-
lies--the oil of Baku, the gold fields
Of Siberia, the forests of Archangel.
Now as then the chief concern, that
day and night occupies the bourgeois
statesmen, is the crushing of the So
Wet Power that stands as a bulwark
against grabbing the wealth of Russia
and the weaker nations thruout the
world.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07
A Second Delegation

For all of US this journey into Russia has
been a fresh experience. We, as others, had
not been immune from the cross currents of
opinion which have disturbed most western
minds. Some of the conflict and confusion has
Teen, for us at least, resolved. We have some
thing of picture of reality The vastness of
the Russian experiment is overwhelming, but
that has served mainly to emphasize the dig
nifty Of achievement in the past few years and
to sharpen our anticipation of what may
come For Russia's success lies mostly ahead
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07

The following is the last instaIment of the re-
port of the first American Trade Union Delega-
ton to Soviet Russia, in the words of the delega-
ton. The report will be published in The DAILY
WORKER in successive issues until completed
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07
.Signed)
(Signed)
JAMES H. MAURER, Chairman
JOHN BROPHY
FRANK L. PALMER
ALBERT F. COYLE, Secretary
(THE END.)

(The fill report of the American Trade
Union Delegation to Soviet Russia, as pub
ltShed here By courtesy of International
Publishers. can also be obtained in book
form at all b0okstOreS)
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-07
By Albert RhyS Williams

} One last sentence from that call:
THE eyes of the revolutionists
IN all foreign lands are TUNED to
the Soviet as the revolutionary cul.
ture of the world"
That point certainly does not have
to be labored. If it was true then. it
. is certainly true today. For the Rus
slams are still the only working class
in the world that have broken the
letters of capitalism. Now as then
they stand a beacon light. guiding
the exploited workers Of the West
and the colonial peoples Of the East.
inspiring them in their struggle to
throw off the brutal domination of
the lmperialists. Now as then the ra-
yolutionists know that the fall of the
Soviet would mean the tramplinp If
the working class organizations in
all doregn lands beneath the iron
heel Of capitalism and the triumph
OF black reaction throughout the
world. ''0
IN all these ways the situation TODAY
is identical with ten years ago. On
the other hand how tremendous the
difference How colossal the contrast
IN every field beginning with tho
Pravda itself.
Then the Pravda was small poorly
printed, limited in circulation. Now
1t has grown into scores Of Pravdas
with hundreds Of correspondents In
The U. S. s. r. and all over the world.
with millions Of subscribers.
Then shops and factories were haIf.
dead or altogether silent. Now they
are noisy with the hum Of the wbiri-
ing wheels and the stamp Of the trim
hammer and new ones are arising al
over Russia.
Then the streets were half lighted
or plunged in total darkness. Now
Leningrad, Moscow, Tiflis, thousands
OF towns and villages are lit bv the
electric currents sweeping into them
from the new electric stations. Then
the streets were snow-blocked and
rubbish-cluttered. Now the worst
enemies Of the Soviet are astounded
at their order and are forced to adj I
NIT they are cleaner than before the
war.
Then the granaries were empts.
Continued O1 Page Four
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-26

l o Reach
Drive out Nlassa-
chusetts Ave. to q st.
and over the q st.
Bridge to 18th ST..
turn north one block
to the sample house
at
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-26

the boot and shoe industry shows that
wages in this industry were in gen
eral slightly higher in 1926 than in
1924. Average full-time weekly earn
ings of males increased from S29.4i in
1924 to S304S in 1926 Although the
hourly rate of females was slightly
higher in 1926 than in 1924, weekly
earnings decreased from 1881 to
$3.50. due to slight reduction in
full-time hours. but the earnings for
the industry a. a whole increased from
$25.2S to $25.67. Hours per week were
ia per cent lower in 1926 than in
1918.
The problem of the proper use of
leisure has become important through
the extension of the shorter working
day in many industries and in many
countries. A selected list Of refer
ences on workers leisure is published
in this issue of the Review.
Other sections Of the Review contain
statistics of prices and cost of living,
wages and hours Of labor and employ
ment. and various articles on labor
and economic conditions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-26
Maryland's Court of Appeals Sustains
Validity of Baltimore Zoning Ordinance

permit from Mr.. Osborne's office AMI
the board of coming appeals.
The case then was taken to the
Baltimore City Court, in which
Judge Walter |. Dawkins on Novem-
Der ~ denied the company's petition
for a writ of mandamus requiring
the issuance of the building permit.
This action of the City Court was
sustained by the Court of Appeals,
The appellate court stated that it
upheld the earlier decision because
in it's opinion the appellant did not
provide for side yards. as required
by the zoning ordinance. This pro-
vision of the ordanince was de-
clared to be "promotive of the public
safety, health and morals by pre-
venting an increase in the popula
ton and thereby reducing fire and
traffic hazards and giving more
light and air and improving the
living conditions of the people
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-26
HOUSING SHORTAGE OVER.
Realtor Holds Selling Market Here
Has Passed.

'"rhe crux of the new home situa-
ton in Washington is that there
exists here no longer a sellers mar
ket. but a buyers market" Morris
Cafritz. realtor, said today.
THE sortage of housing accomnlo-
dations accustomed by the World War
no longer EXISTS he pointed out.
Home buyers today do not have but
a few houses to choose from. They
can make a selection from many, dit-
ferent in architectural treatment, plan
and equipment, location and price.
.Competition between builders Is be
coming keener and the critical atti-
tude of the public calls for better
product, modern in every detail, In
order to achieve success. This IS
condition which is healthful Tor any
community and will cause the con-
tinued development of Washington
with beautiful homes