The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-22


certainly very trying.
Neither is it very easy to face the terrible scandal
which their action bound to create in the whole
country. Above all, it is difficult to leave behind
this luxurious life of Cinnamon windows and pep
per walls" to face unknown but certain misery.
Xuan-Van and hu-Nguyet dared lace all this
calmly and rasouteIy, consoling themselves that it
for the revolution.
First of all they went into workshop APP
prentices. Their wages were hardly sufficient to
buy rice and little salt fish every day. As they
could not rent rom, they slept in the small office
of the Womens Emancipation League. They found
time work energetcaly for this League and
secretly for the Young Communist League.
In the course of two months they had to change
their employment three times. The. first time be-
they boxed the ears OF d foreman who tried
to take liberties with them. The second time be-
cause they were seen distributing pamphlets. The
third time because they wanted to organize strike
for better conditions of labor Wherever they
worked they succeeded in organizing small nuclei
of the Y. c. L. and sections Of the Women's Eman-
eipation League.
Several times Mr., Fung made attempts at recon-
citation on condition that they would to play
"at revolution" Their answer was that they would
not be reeOncled unless their papa let them do
active work in the and consented to treat
them persons and not as "bengs" without a
will Of their own"
They really sentimental skirnishes between
the reactionary past and the revolutionary future
rather than attempts at family peace.
Mrs Fung who could not stand separation from
her children any longer sent them the following
note:
"My dear children I have been told that YOU
work like common working women that you have
grown thin ard that you wear shabby clothes! I
have been also told Oh Great Buddah! Is it really
possible?-that you work for this horrible League
where the women short hair! Ny angels YOU
are not made to be working women and revolution
ists but pretty girls, charming wives and happy
mothers All if you only knew what your poor
mother has to endure fou you! Great heaven
what crimes did | commit in my previous life to be
thus afflicted in this life-to see myself abandoned
by the daughters whom l adore? Lear chill
dren come back to your mother who loves you and
is waiting for you. Papa will forgive YOU Come
back quick!"
This happened in 1925
Before going on with the story we must tell our
readers that although there was one years differ
ence in age of the two sisters they are alike as
two flowers the same stem" The only differ
ence between them was that Xuan-Van, the eldest,
was more intelligent and eloquent and better able
to appreciate situation correctly and to solve
quickly the difficult questions ard complicated
problems with which they were frequently faced in
their illegal activity. AS to other qualities-cour-
age patience, abnegation, ETC., Thu-Nguyet and
herself possessed them in the same degree
April, 1927 There was something in the
air One scented anxiety and treason .
Nevertheless, everything went on as before
In the night from April IA to Is the long ex-
pected storm broke out At midnight the streets
were occupied by soldiers teegraphic and telephone
communications cut Revolutionary oreaniza-
tons, trade unions, peasant unions, were attacked
traffic was stopped, houses and schools were requi-
sitioned, people were arrested and shot.
Firing was heard in various directions at times
there were isolated shots and then again they came
thick and fast. This the real struggle There
were heroic and desperate fights all of them show
ing that the proletariat had been taken unawares
When April Is dawned the Red town had been
transformed into hell of white terror Power
had been seized by blacklist reaction there were
mass arrests, raids, massacres
Our men comrades were either killed or arrested
or had fled or were beseged together with heroo
railwaymen. 1t was left to the women comrades
to carry on the different arduous task of Illegal
work Somewhere in charge of lason and communi.
cation, others in charge organization and others
again in charge of propaganda
But the police were already beginning to arrest
women and particularly young girls Thirty men,
bers OF Womens Emancipation League, "a students
OF the training college, 81 students of the propa-
ganda school, already in prison
Our printing works was discovered bv the notice
Auan-Van and another comrade who were in charge
OF II were arrested and sentenced to death
Ihe two condemned young girls were placed ga
two rickshaws with chains round their necks and
their arms and legs bound and were placed under
escort of $50 soldiers and policemen armed 70 the
teeth To their backs fixed bamboo board
painted white with the inscription: "Xuan-Van.
10 years, A-Nui, 10 years. Communists arrested for
having printed and distributed leaflets against the
government and sentenced by the military court ia
be shot" y
All along the road the two young Connaun4ts
although their necks and legs and arms wer& lace
rated by the chains-did not stop haranguynp the
crowds who were following them, just as fif thew
had been on the platform of a meeting : At the
place of execution they shouted: Long Eve Com
munsm Long live the revolutionl Dawn with 4
militia . they could not finish the sentence Thew
were struck down by 16 bullets
It was Thu-Nguyet who killed and not Xuan-
Van.