The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-01-09
Reactionaries
Kill Watanabe
Japan Militant
BY X. YAMAMOTO

As a result of the raging reaction
in Japan, the trade union movement
has been deprived of a great number,
of leaders and fighters, and it has
now lost one Of its most prominent
leaders.
In the beginning of October,
Comrade Masanosuke Watanabe
(Asano), was killed by the police at
killing, Formosa.
Leader of Left Wing.
Comrade Watanabe was the Gre
ator of the Tokyo Codo Kodo Ku-
Mai General Workers Union) of
the Hyogikai, he was also the leader
of the Hyogikai (Trade Union
Council of JAPAN, and, conse-
quently, the leader of the entire left
wing trade union movement in
Japan.
Comrade Watanabe's activities in
the trade union movement were re-
markable and splendid. He was
born at Ichikawa, a small village
near Tokyo, in 1899. AS the son
Of a poor handicraftsman, he was
worker from his boyhood. He was
one of the pioneers in the postwar
trade union movement in 1918.
Such famous trade unions as the
New Celluloid Workers Union, the
Kokushoku Rodo Kumiai, the Nan
katsu Rodo Kai, etc., were founded
either under his direct leadership or
with his closest collaboration. His
activity was mainly confined to the
Kanto District Eastern Japan),
until after the Kameido Case, when,
burning with hatred Of the ruling
class which had murdered his seven
comrades, he advanced to the lead
ership Of the national left wing
trade union movement.
Split Reactionaries.
The most epoch-making event in
The history of the trade union move
ment in Japan, was the split of the
Sodomei (Trade Union Federation)
and the formation of the Hyogikai
Grade Union CounciD. In the de-
velopment of a militant rank and
file struggle against the compromis-
ing policies of the Sodomei leader
ship, Suzuki, Matsuoka & Co., Com
lade Watanabe represented most
clearly the leftswing ideas and pro-
gram.
In this struggle his genius for or
ganization showed itself; when in
March, 1924, his union sent him
into the Scdomei as its representa-
tive, he had only hundred mem
bers behind him, but when in Sep
tember of the same year the reac-
tionary officials expelled him, he
already had the solid support of
more than two-thirds of the men,
hership of the kanto Sodomei.
Extended Unity Movement.
After the formation of the Hyo-
gikai on a national scale, in May,
1925, Comrade Watanabe's activity
extended greatly. The labor move
ment at that time was greatly split
up. Unity was only possible through
building strong left wing, per-
meating all the unions. II was
Comrade Watanabe who realized
this necessity first, and his tireless
efforts, in Tokyo. in Osaka, in Kyu-
shu, etc, brought everywhere the
left wing groups into existence that
laid the foundation for the unity
movement in Japan.
Exposed Reformists' Treason.
His activity in the proletarian
party organizing campaign in 1925
vas also remarkable in the history
of the japanese working class. He
carried on a relentless struggle
against Nishio and other right wing
leaders on series of political ques-
lions. The first issue was between
Nishio's proposal for a reformist
parliamentary '1abor party" against
which Watanabe proposed party
representing united front between
the proletariat and the peasantry.
He put forth the program of
''confiscation of land by the pea
santry," against Nishio's proposed
Gland naturalization" by the bour-
geois state; he advocated complete
emancipation of the colonies"
against Nishio's autonomy of the
colonies; and against Nishio's slo-
gan of disarmament" he put forth
the demand for "arming Of the
workers and peasants" The sharp
divisions on these questions were
made the occasion by the right wing
for seeding from the campaign,
thereby exposing thoroughly the
anti-working class character of the
right wing leaders.
! ! Of course the opportunists called
him destroyer Of organization"
on this account, because his militant
program and organizational abilities
shook the right wing control Of the
masses. He published pamphlet
on the British Minority Movement,
which contributed much to the left
movement in Japan. He also or
ganized the first factory committee
movement. By the autumn of 1926
these efforts had been srystallized
in the Toitsu Domei Unity League)
which embraced one-third of all or
| ganized workers in Ianan LARGELY