The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-09-20
HARMF Ill TKOTS
LAW USED FIRST
time BY CHANG
Directed Against All
RevOlutiOnists
(Bv 7. r. A. Press Service }

NANKING, China (By MaiD-
The first use of the infamous "Code
for the prevention of counter revolu-
ton" is requested by the Marking
government authorities in the trial
Of several arrested students here.
The code was promulgated March 9,
1927, but has never been used be-
fore. 1t is vicious anti-labor law.
A "counter-revolutionist" is de-
fined as ANYONE who, with intent
to overthrow the Kuomintang and
the National Government, or with
intent to impair the Three Peoples
Principles, creates riot by vio-
lence". The term as used by the
Kuomintang means, of course, any,
one who disagrees with its regime.
Punishment of the ringleader shall
be death. Important principals in
the affairs shall receive the same
sentence or life Imprisonment.
Under the clauses dealing with
treason and espionage, it is provid-
ed that ANYONE damaging or de-
stroying the railroads or other
means of communication by methods
of dynamite or other illegal means,
or making them unavailable for
communication and doing so with
counter-revolutionary aim" shall be
punished with death, life imprison-
ment or not less than the second
degree punishment.
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 abso-
lutely no way left open for legal and
public opposition to its despotism.
This section reads: Whoever propa-
gates a doctrine irreconcilible with
Three Peoples Principles or has an
opinion which is Instantaneous to
the revolution shall be punished
with Imprisonment for not more
than the second degree and not less
than the fourth degree.
Organizers 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
Rewards For Betraying.
Several months after the promul-
CATION of this code additional regu-
lations were announced providing
for reducing or renting the SEN
fences of revolutionists who would
turn police informers. when a
Communist, before performing i'm
portant duties of the Communist
Party, and while he has as yet not
committed the crimes (before de-
scribed-Ed.) and before the pro-
jected crimes have been discovered,
surrenders himself to the authori-
ties he may be pardoned." If on
the other hand he has already COM
mitted the crimes mentioned but
surrenders himself before their dis
covery, his punishment shall be re-
duced by one-third or one-half."
Two further articles provide adj
ditional incentives for betrayal of
the revolutionary movement. One
stipulates that "a Communist who
has surrendered himself may have
his punishment partially or wholly
RENTED if he will disclose the
crimes committed by other Com
munists and provided his disclosures
lead to the arrests of such other
communists and the seizure of vital
evidence"
The other clause stipulates that
"When party to the crime of Com
munism is discovered his punish
ment shall be reduced by one-third
or one-half on condition that he
surrenders himself and discloses the
other crimes committed"
Armed Rebellion Only Way.
1t is by means of such all-inclu-
sive provisions that the clique of
high Kuomintang officials, civil and
military, who have arrogated to
themselves the political control of
nation of over 400,000,O00, fortify
their positions and seek to make i'm
possible the organization of any
movement for their overthrow.
What the high officials have done
at Marking and Shanghai and the
provincial centers the lesser fry
the local militarists, the gentry and
the landlords, the struggling nation
al bourgeoisie and their dangerous
try to accomplish within their re-
) spective spheres. These suppress
sions are having their inevitable eff
, fect-the developing unrest of the
, masses.