The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-12-24
Lessons of the Demonstration
and Fight of the New York
Workers for the Streets
By HERBERT BENJAMIN.

THE demonstration arranged by the Commu-
mist Party on Dec. ii against the murder
Gus invasion of Haiti by American marines
for defense of the Soviet Union and Support
of the Chinese Revolution; was a splendid
demonstration of International working class
solidarity. At the same time this demonstra-
ton gave added proof of the rehabilitation of
the working masses, of their fighting will and
courage and of the growing influence of the
Communist Party.
Thousands of workers, members of the Com
munist Party and class conscious workers who
are not (but should be) members responded
to the call of the Party and assembled around
the place of the demonstration long before
the appointed hour. In addition to those who
came directly in response to the call of the
Party, many hundreds of workers drawn
into active participation in support of the DEM
onstration as they became acquainted with its
purpose through the placards and the leaflets
which were scattered among the vast crowds
of workers on their way home from work. The
dauntless courage displayed by the demonstra-
tors in the face of the savage attacks of police
and mounted cossacks evoked the admiration
and sympathy of all who were attracted by the
struggle.
In the scores of battles that took place dur
ing the two hours of struggle, the workers
more than held their own. Scores of COM
rades were wrested from the hands of the
police and saved from serious injury by groups
of workers who came quickly to their aid.
Quite a number of police Slipped on the ice
(although there was none in sight) or dump
ed against something" The embittered workers
did not submit meekly to beatings, clubbngs
and arrest. The streets rang with their shouts
of protest; their songs of challenge and de-
fianop broadway had tho annearance of
battle ground. The thousands of leaflets float
ing through the air and raining down on the
onlookers not only explained the purpose of
the demonstration but served also to prove that
the protest of the workers could not be sup
pressed.
This, the first demonstration of its kind or
ganized under the leadership of the Party in
this district, gave undeniable proof of The cor
rectness of the line and policy of the Party,
which is based on correct estimate of the
fighting mood of the masses. Instead of sec
reilly organizing small group of Communists
and making surprise" visit to the point of
demonstration, was done in the past, the
Party undertook to openly mobilize the masses
for real political mass demonstration. On
the night before the demonstration, eight mass
meetings were held in as many sections of
the city where the workers were explained
the purpose and Importance Of the aemonstra
ton and why it was their duty to participate.
Through the Party press which featured the
demonstration in articles, editorials and stream
ers, the readers of our press were informed
and urged to join in the struggle for support
of the aims of the demonstration. All this
had to be done in the space of a few days.
While registering the positive achievements,
we must also note and learn from the serious
shortcomings that were exposed in the course
of the battle. These shortcomings are the
result of lack of experience. They result also
from habits and methods of work which char
acterize our past and which are entirely i'm
permissible in the present period when the
responsibilities of the Party increase, when
the workers enter more bitter and severe strug-
giles against better organized united front
of all forces of imperialism. If our shortcom-
ings did not have more serious results in the
present demonstration, then we must realize