The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-08-28
NANK|NC Govt
INvOKES Ne W
SEDITION LAWS
Hopes to Thus Stem
Growing Militancy
By YUNG AN

tionalist authorities have asked the
Provisional Court at Shanghai to ap-
ply the "Code for the Prevention of
Counter Revolution in the case of a
number of students arrested for an
anti-government demonstration. AL
tho this code was promulgated
March 9, 1927, this is said to be the
first instance of its application. Be-
cause of its Importance and probable
widespread future use its provisions
deserve being brought to the atten-
ton of the masses of other countries.
A counter Revolutionists" is de-
fined as ANYONE who with intent to
overthrow the Kuomintang and the
National government, or with intent
to impair the Three Peoples Prin-
ciples, creates riot by violence"
The term as used by the Kuomintang
means, of course, any one who dis
agrees with its regime. Punishment
of the ringleader shall be death.
Important principals in the affair
| shall receive the same sentence or
life imprisonment. Participators in
the trouble or followers of such
demonstrations shall be punished
proportionally.
Treason and Espionage.
Under the clauses dealing with
treason and espionage it is provided
that ANYONE damaging or destroy
ing the railroads or other means of
communication by methods of dyna-
mite or other illegal means, or max
ing them unavailable for communica-
ton and doing so with a counter
revolutionary aim" shall be punished
with death, life Imprisonment or not
less than the second-degree punish
ment. The same penalties apply for
supplying counter-revolutionists with
money or military equipment
An All Embracing Clause. :.
Article of this code is the most
far-reaching of all for it's provisions
legally justify the Kuomintang and
the Marking government in COM
pletely suppressing every form of
criticism of policy. There is absolu-
tely no way left open for legal and
public opposition to its despotism.
This section reads: whoever propa-
gates doctrine irreconciable with
the Three Peoples Principles or has
an opinion which is disadvantageous
to the revolution, shall be punished
with Imprisonment for not more than
the second degree and not less than
the fourth degree" With no criti-
cism allowed and with the heavy
hand of suppression falling more
mercilessly every day the only re-
course left is that of the armed re-
volt. 1t is thus that in it's furious
attempts to make itself immune to
the least possible attack every des-
potism brings into life the forces
which must inevitably undermine it.
Mass Meetings to be Punished.
Organizers of mass meetings or
meetings to organize for Counter
revolutionary" purposes Counter
revolutionary from the standpoint of
the reactionaries) shall be punished
according to the relative Importance
of their actions. The assembly shall
be dispersed and those attending or
who have joined the organization
shall be sentenced as therein pro-
vided. If persons thus convicted
have at the same time violated other
provisions of the Criminal Code while
carrying on such activities they shall
at the same time be additionally pun
ished for these. Conspiracy to COM
NIT such offenses shall receive a re-
duced punishment provided the Of
lenses have not been contaminated.
If convicted for the first or second
degree all civic rights shall be for
feited. For lesser crimes under these
provisions civic rights may be taken
away at the discretion of the trial
judge. The regulations shall apply
to all citizens at home or abroad.