The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-07-21
By JACK STACHEL.

THOUGH our Party has gained considerable
l experience in the organization and leader
shin of mass demonstrations since August /,
1929. there are important lessons to be gained
from the first International Red Day. These
lessons taken together with the experiences
gained on March 6, May l, the Katovls DEM
onstration in New York, the Rubio demonstra-
ton in Detroit the recent demonstration IN
Chicago, the various demonstrations of the I'M
employed in Milwaukee Philadelphia, etc, the
experiences in the demonstrations in connec-
tions with the struggles in Haiti, Mexico, India,
ETC.. will furnish US with rich experiences that
will make possible huge mass demonstrations
on August l. In fact the time is already ripe
for our Party to compile all its experiences IN
this field of work into handbook made avail
able to every Party member and revolutionary
worker. In such a pamphlet of course the ex-
periences of our comrades in Germany, France,
Poland, etc, as we'll as the invaluable expert
ences of the Bosheviks in Russia prior to the
revolution should be included.
In 1929.
August /, 1929 saw 100000 workers demon
strate under the banner of the Communist
Party. 1t was the largest demonstration held
under the leadership Of our Party up to that
time. Over 200 demonstrations were held IN
all parts of the country. An outstanding fea-
organized in the small industrial towns, and the
size and militancy of these demonstrations. In
most cities these demonstrations were the first
street demonstrations organized since the world
war These demonstrations were held IN most
cities despite the refusal of the police to allow
these demonstrations. The mllltancy OF the
workers was clearly shown when unlike at pre-
vious demonstrations the workers did not dis
perse at the command of the police. They
fought back heroically.
Tagging Behind.
Just as the demonstrations disclosed the mill
fancy of the masses, they also disclosed the
tagging behind of the Party. In number OF
cities Including Detroit and Philadelphia the
Party leadership refused to carry out the de-
cisions of the Central Committee and did not
organize street demonstrations. In some of the
cities as for example in Waukegan, where the
Party organization refused to carry out the
decisions of the District Committee, on the
ground that it was not possible to hold street
demonstration the Young Communist League
comrades took the initiative in organizing the
demonstration with the result that 5000 workers
participated in the demonstration. The August
First demonstration last year more than any
thing else proved how timely was the address
of the Comintern. 1t revealed the depth of the
right danger. 1t exposed the false theory OF
exceptonalism put forth by LovestOne 1t was
the best proof of the rehabilitation of the
masses and the tagging behind of the Party.
It must be remembered that these demonstra-
lions were successful because of the new line
adopted by the Party. But at the same time
it must be borne in mind that these demonstra-
tons could have rallied even larger masses had
the Party been better prepared. 1t was only a
few weeks after the Comintern Address and
the Party was making only the first begin
nings on the line of the Comintern.
Factory Gate Meetings.
An important feature of the demonstrations
was the large number of workers who attended
the factory gate meetings. This was particular
" noted in the Pittsburgh District where at
the Westinghouse plant 1000 workers attended
the shop gate meeting remaining out for five
minutes after work. In McKeesport Steel Mills
5000 steel workers participated in the noon
day demonstration. In the Mellon controlled
Kensington Aluminium plant 1000 workers at
tended the noon day demonstration and re-
manned our for thirty minutes parading in
front of the police station demanding the
speakers arrested be released. In New York
City 1000 workers attended the meeting at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard. A meeting at the water
front was attended by 800 workers Also $50
workers of the Ward Baking Company quit
work at p. m. and held meeting outside the
plant without any leadership and without even
the knowledge of the Party These lessons must
be borne in mind this year in the organization
of factory gate meetings both before the day
of demonstration and on August First
Valuable Experiences.
The August First demonstrations gave to
our Party for the first time valuable expert
ences in combating the police. In almost every
city there were clashes with the police. In
Chicago and Pittsburgh, Boston and Minnesota,
the police out in full force to break up
the demonstrations. In New York though the
main demonstration was not interfered with
there were clashes with the police the dem
onstration ended. The Young Communist Lea
que demonstrated at the Rand School and were
attacked by the police and they fought back
assisted by the Young Pioneers. In the evening
the police attacked meeting of 5000 workers
in the Bronx and many of the police were
beaten up by the enraged workers who de-
Tended their demonstration. In Chicago the
workers were attacked by the police at every
entrance. But the workers defended their DEM
onstration and the police were unable to ar
rest the speakers who were defended by the
workers. In all over 300 arrests were made
throughout the country and many workers
were brutally beaten. But the police did not