The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-01-12
]. MELLA, CUBAN
COMMUNIST, IS
ASSASSINATED
Was Enemy of Wall
Street Oppression

Mella, the international Labor De-
tense issued the following statement
thru its national secretary, Karl
Reeve:
1--WE have all been profoundly
shocked by the news of the murder
Of the internationally known Cuban
revolltionist, Julio Mclla. Comrade
Mclla was murdered last night in
Mexico City by agents of President
Nachado of Cuba, who is the pup
pet of American imperialism. This
is the latest outrage of the White
Terror which has long ragged in
Cuba, with tie knowledge and en-
couragement of the American i'm
pcrialist government.
"Julio Mella was the founder and
first secretary Of the Communist
Party of Cuba. He was, at the time
Ct his death, a leading figure in the
Caribbean secretariat of the Inter
rational Red,sAids and was secre-
tary of The pelitioalirefugees' group
IN Mexico. ngsaj 3vips
Ridiculous Charge.
con Dec. s. 1925, Mella was ar
rested at HAVANA Cuba, on framed
up charge of setting off some small
bombs in front Of factories. All of
the newspapers of Havana at the
time had to admit5that the charges
were ridiculous Eleven other la
Dor leaders orwere- arrested with
Mella. Bail was refused.
"Mella immediately began d hun
ger strike, which called forth
world protest against the White
Terror instituted at the instigation
CT the American imperialist govern
ment, which controls the sugar in
custry of Cuba. A wave of protest
swept throughout Cuba. Melia was
"a a hunger strike for nineteen
days. The All-America Anti-Imper-
ialist League and the Workers
(Communist) Party at the time
pointed out that the full response
hility for the outrages against the
Cuban labor leaders rested upon the
United States government, whose
h:reling Machado was known to be.
Campaign to Free Him.
an the United States, the U. S.
section of the All-America Anti
Imperialist League conducted joint
campaign with the International
Labor Defense for the release of
Mella and his fellow prisoners. Pro-
test meetings were held throughout
the United States. The campaign
10 free Mella reached such proper
tons that Machado was forced to
release Mella on Dec. %. The eleven
others arrested with Mella were left
behind the prison bars.
"Mella continued his activity on
behalf OF the workers and peasants
Of Cuba and all Latin America, and
was finally driven from Cuba by
Machado and other agents of Amer
lean Imperialism. Mella, after his
veritable exile, visited the Soviet
Union and then returned to Mexico
to carry on his work on behalf of
the Communist movement and the
anti-imperialist movement of Latin
America.
Letter to /. L. ID.
an Mella's last letter, dated Dec.
Is, 1928, he says: I am sorry not
to be able to help the International
Labor Defense more, but, as ex-
planned, communications with Cuba
are extremely difficult. Imagine
that it takes a simple letter Is days
to reach Cuba from Mexico. This
is an instance of the tactics of i'm
perialism. While it has perfected
means of communication with the
United States, it places all possible
obstacles in the way of communica-
tions between the Latin American
countries
"Julio A. Mella was an outstand-
ing leader of the revolutionary
movement of Latin America. He
has been cut down by the imperial
ist assassins at scarcely more than
80 years Of age. The government
of the United States, which controls
the Machado government of Cuba,
is directly responsible for this hor-
rible assassination. With his last
Lreath, Julio, Mella spoke and
worked on behalf of the toilers of
Latin America, on behalf of the
Communist movement of Latin
America, on behalf Of the work
against the White Terror of the
American imperiaiist government in
Latin America Those of us who
were privileged to know Comrade
Mella realize what loss to the rev.
dictionary movement of Latin
America is his murder.
'sThe workers of this country
must join with the workers of Latin
America in a storm of protest
against the vile regime Of assassina-
ton which has been set up in Cuba
by American Imperialism. We must
close our ranks. We must establish
closer connections with the Commu-
mist Parties and the revolutionary
workers of Latin America to make
good this loss to our movement. We
must demonstrate to these imperial
igt butchers that Julio Mella has
not lived and died in vain. Down
with White Terror in Latin Amer
lea, Long live the revolutionary
work against American Imperialism