The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-20
French Communist Party
Has Powerful Daily to
Reach Oppressed Masses
By ]. LOUIS ENGDAHL


dePOpera thought it quite natural that should pur-
chase the Paris editions of The New York HeraldIrb-
une and The Chicago Tribune But she was quite puz-
zled when ! also asked for copy of PHumanite EVl-
IDENTIFY she had not sold many copies of the central organ
of the French Communist Party to American visitors IN
the French capital
had secured passage upon the Mauretania, the first
fast boat to leave Cherbourg for New York. But it
would not sail for three days Three days in which to
get acquainted with the French comrades and to study
the French Communist movement! was attracted frst
of course if by magnet to the offices OF the Thu
mantle, at 142 Rue Montmartre
1t was on the heights of Montmartre that the Paris
commune made its first bid for power March 18 1871
when the Communards seized $50 cannons on La Butte
and defied the government of Theirs The revouonsts
were dslodged by the government troops on May oath
and batteries of Montmarre then turned on the
Communards posted La Butte Chaumont and Pere
Lachaise pointed out that of the streets in
this district very narrow making it easy to close
them with hastily erected barricades.
Rue Montmartre is narrow and winding. The neigh
borhood of mo 142" is clearly printing house section
like Williams Street in New York City, Federal Street
in Chicago. LHumanite is only one of many publca-
tions housed in the same building. The editorial and
business offices occupy two entire floors.
The comrade who receives visitors speaks only French
So we have rather difficult time of it, but only until
he finds another comrade who speaks German, which
offers basis of communication Marcel Cachip the edi
tor is in the chamber of deputies of which he mem
Der and the leader of the Communist faction Jacques
Dorot has just returned from China and is now before
committee of the French chamber of deputies replying
to charges that he made seditous speeches at Canton
tending to disturb the tranquility of French colonial rule
in IndoChina Henri Barbusse, author Of several books
on the world war; who is literary editor is out of towr
on his vacation.
decide that the morrow, shall to the Chamber
of Deputies So today l spend my time with Gabriel
Peri the foreign editor of Humane, who speaks very
good English reminding of Comrade Icok, foreign
editor of the Pravda in Moscow Peri is constant con-
+rihu TO he CORRESPONDENCE.
Founded by Jean Jaures
LHumanite was founded by Jean Jaures in 1904, anc
remained the central organ of the French Socialist Party
for many years During the Jean Longuet founded
another socialist daily, LIE Populaire. When the split
came in France between the socialists and the Commu
nists the Communists took the PIumanite with them
have kept the central organ of the Communist Par
ty. Jaures was assassnated by French lingo on the
eve of the outbreak of the world war in 1914 Huge
demonstrations held annually by the Communists OF
the anniversary of Jaures martyrdom and PHumanite
carries its first page, upper left hand corner Fon
dateur, Jean Jaures."
Jean Longuet who used for years by the Second
ociast) International the butt of it's attack te
Communist International, is foreign editor of LIE
Papulare the socialist organ of which the extreme right
wnger, Leon Blum is now the chief editor.
L'Humanite Is Ably Staffed
1t is very evident that lHumanite has able staff
Comrade Peri tells that 20 comrades actively
gagged the paper. This reminds me of our own bare
Cachn is the chief editor Valiant Couturier, also
member of the chamber of deputies editorial writer
Peri is foreign editor Barbusse is literary editor which
also includes supervision of book reews, theater and
kino criticisms and whatever the radio that
goes into the paper Barbusse also selects available fic
ton. This does not that Barbusse does all this
alone He has at least five assistants collaborating with
him. Peri also has four assistants There five in
the trade union department. Andre Delahy is the
political writer Considerable attention is given to sports
in fact during my visit long distance bicycle rider
who had attracted considerable attention, ended his
against time before large throngs that acclaimed him
his arrival in front of Communist daily
Quarter Million Subscription List
The subscription list of lHumanite totals quar-
Der of million readers. But it is the only Communist
daily in France The individual circulation of the Ger
Communist daies much smaller but there are
SO of these German dailes.
But today PHumanite issuing special edition against
the military law that is being foisted the French
working class with the aid of the socialists In fact the
mobilization law is sponsored by the socialist, Paul
Boncourt 1t provides for forcing all men, and
children into the machine Immediately the war
is declared The Communists alone fight this law that
will wipe out all workers organizations simultaneously
with the wars inception The proposal by the So
cast, Boncourt has been accepted by the
its own gloryng in the prospect of the mobilization
of citizen without distinction Of age sex, in
Of war"
News Service Well Organized.
Our French daily has well organized news service
1t gets the telegraph of Tass russian Telegraph
Agency and of Havas the official French telegraph
service
ngaddton lHumante has special correspondents in
every city of any Importance in France. There 10
Of these paid correspondents while about 40 unpaid
There also paid foreign correspondents in London
Berlin Brussels and Rome, while the closest touch is
kept with the news in the Soviet Union
Worker Correspondents in Paris.
LHumante has worker corresp sndents in every great
in II Acc