The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-31
BY PAUL CROUCH.

If it had not been for the efforts
of the class conscious workers repre-
scented by the International Labor De-
Tense made in my behalf, l would
still be prisoner on that rock of hell,
Alcatraz Island, facing living death
in which existence is a torture, for
1 the rest Of my life. And Walter
Trumbull, sentenced by the army
czars to twenty-six years at hard la
Dor, would also be over there with
me. Comrade Trumbull and l owe
our freedom to- the efforts of the
working class.
Were Tortured For Truth.
I was sentenced to forty years at
hard labor because l did not wish to
be used as tool for the enslavement
and murder of my fellow workers.
saw that patriotism has two objects.
First, to Cypress and enslave other
countries too weak to defend them
selves. Second, to divert the atten-.
ton of American workers while they
are being exploited. Because Walter
Trumbull and l saw these facts and
called them to the attention of our
fellow soldiers, we were considered
dangerous by those who wish to use
the soldier as cannon fodder to pro-
tect the millions of Wall Street.
At the time of our arrests, the
Hawaiian Communist League was
composed exclusively of soldiers, but
it was our intention to extend our &C
tivities and unite the civilian workers
and the soldier workers in a common
movement against our oppressors.
Hawaiian Communist League.
! Effect means little without an I'M
derstanding of the cause. Therefore,
/ it is necessary to understand the con-
ditions in Hawaii and the army,
which led to the Hawaiian Commu-
mist League, and the tactics of the
/ government in using the soldier
against the civilian worker while he,
himself, is treated like a brute by his
superior officers until he thinks of
/ himself as an inferior being.
Before the organization of the
Hawaiian Communist League, there
4 had been long strike of the Filipino
plantation workers. The cost of liv-
ing in Honolulu in decent manner is
even higher than here. Yet, the aver
age wage was less than one dollar
per day for ten hours hard labor I'M
der the tropic sun. The strikers de-
manded two dollars per day. Not only
was this very modest demand denied,
! but the power of the government was
used to aid the plantation owners in
| forcing the men back to work. While
! the American army stood ready to
crush the least opposition with blood
and steel, the local authorities used
brutal force in suppressing the strike.
/ If it had not been for the soldiers. the
workers without doubt would have
realized the motto of the Hawaiian
Communist League: Hawaii for
Hawaiian workers" But the work
ers were forced back to work in
slavery as before. Twenty-four
4 Filipino workers were murdered at
one time by the government agents
of the plantation owners. Pablo Man.
lapit, the brave leader of the strikers,
is in prison in Hawaii today, because
of his efforts for the working class.
He is eligible for parole, but the au-
thorities refuse to release him unless
he will agree to leave the Hawaiian
Islands. This he refuses to do.
Economic CONSUMPTION.
1t is said that the United States has
volunteer army. In reality, it is a
conscripted army, drafted by more
brutal methods than those in use by
European countries. The majority of
American soldiers were forced into
the army by economic necessity-by
unemployment and the fact that one
must eat in order to live.
One hears much talk about Ameri-
can prosperity. Undoubtedly, the
capitalists are prosperous. But IN
spite of all the wealth in this coun,
try, hundreds. of thousands are I'M
employed and on the verge of syarva-
ton. Many of these unemployed en-
ter the army. Remember, comrades,
that the soldiers are the worst vic
tins OF capitalism, and we must carry
our message Of Revolution and free
dom into the army, the last defense
of capitalism. The army is the tool
of capitalism, and we must take
definite and emphatic stand against
imperialist wars and militarism. But
the soldiers are fellow workers who
have nothing in common with the in
terest Of their officers. We must
win them over to our cause. The
Russian Revolution was won because
the soldiers fought by the side of the
civilian workers for freedom from an
autocratic government and the CAPT
talist system. That lesson some day
will be repeated in America. And
that day may not be far distant.
There is no difference in the external
appearance Of a fresh egg and one
ready to hatch. Capitalism contains
the forces leading to its own de-
struction, and we must prepare for
the final struggle.
Il