The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-05-05


ment No opposition, much less an organza-
ton of that character, is tolerated in the coun-
try. Here the Catholic church and Washing
ton show their true face Here is brief de-
scription of what happens to those that dare
to forget in these most Catholic countries that
they are slaves.
The Red Road of Venezuela.
To construct railroads is very expensive.
Modern automobile roads are cheaper, par
ticuarly if they are built by convict labor
We're not the convict ships of the christian
Queen Isabella one of the main sources of
strength of the holy" regime in Spain?
The Chain Gang
Anyone that is in Venezuela caught protest
ing against the regime, even in whispers, is
transformed into a "Vago,' a chain gang con-
Wet. No sooner the 'citizen" is caught often
upon mere denunciaton, Just as in the In
QUESTION days, he is, without any further cere-
mony, dressed into a coarse convict suit of red
material taken to one of the roads under con-
struction and submitted 10 the hardest labor
from sunrise to sunset and very often contin-
ual labor until exhaustion. He is clothed red
not only as an irony, but to hide his bleeding
from the chains around his legs and brutal
whippings administered continually like on
Isabella's convict ships) by the guards, in or
der to drive them on to the maximum of exer-
ton. They live on loaf o. corn bread and
few spoons of beans day. At night they
are chained together, to prevent escape and
Sleep irrespective of weather. next to their
work on the road. They awake with the crack
of the whip At the least slowing down in
work the whip cracks over their bodies, and if
any should dare to even show a sign of re-
sistance he is whipped till his skin peels off
his back. The roads, constructed across
swampy, yellow fever and malaria infested
regions, are built in this manner Under such
treatment they die like flies of course, but
you see, the death penalty has been abolished
in humanitarian" Venezuela
This is the regime for the mass of prison
ers. But then there is special treatment for
those that are considered of special impor-
tance.
The Jails
The blessed Gomez, dictator elected" by
the democratic" congress-you see there is
election, congress and all that-has made pris-
ons of two old castles, San Carlos and Puerto
Cabello. There is also La Rotunda," situated
IN the center of the capital. The procedure of
breaking the revellious is as follows: The
political prisoner is put in a square hole of two
yards diameter. There is no light and very
little air. He is kept in there half naked. he
is chained, bit of bread and spoonful of
beans is his meal per day. lie is deprived of
all communication with the outside world or
reading material. Very often water is poured
deliberately into the hole. He is whipped and
tortured by the brutes especially selected for
their depravity to guard him. This is his in
PRODUCTION to prison life. On the slightest
pretext he is put through the second treatment
Bars of iron "grillos" are attached, weighing
60 to so pounds, in way that he can neither
eat nor sleep. Ulcers form where the iron is
liked on the body, and often he is given ''com-
pany," that is, another prisoner is attached
TO nm with the same bars, which is worse
than the isolation. Very often they are left
to die this way, and then they are transferred
to the hospital, to make the relatives believe
they died naturally The great majority of
those that got into these prisons never left
them alive. This is the treatment for the
mass of prisoners in the prisons. But then
there are prisoners that receive Especial" at
tention.
Tortures
In order to obtain confessions they have a
special commission of experts from Italy The
lnquisition specialists have devised three par
ticularly agonizing fortunes, the "Tortol," the
"Soga" and the "Cepo
The one particularly used to get confessions
is the "Tortol." This consists of rope tied
in such a way that it can be put around the
mems most sensitive part The rope is then
attached through tackle on the ceiling and
the prisoner, hands tied, is lifted to the cell
ing very slowly. The pain is such that often
the man swoons before be can even declare
his intention to confess. He is then let Gown
and refreshed and, if he does not confess, put
through the same procedure until he is multi
ated. Similar torture is carried out in various
fashions. Another torture with the rome is
to tie it around the chest and then gradually
tighten it more and more till the rope pene-
trates the flesh and brushes the ribs Very
often the tortured, having been arrested upon
false denunciation, have nothing to reveal. tell
lies and are tortured till they mplicate other
innocents, or till they die
The "Soga" is a torture by which they hang
the prisoner" by his feet TIL the blood runs
out of his mouth nose, eyes and ears; if he
does not Confess" he dies of hemmorhage.
The "Cepo" is torture by which they make
the prisoner crouch and pass his hands beneath
his legs. The fingers then tied up in
certain way. The rope is then frightened up
till it penetrates into the flesh and the fingers
stretched out under the weight and strain.
The pain is so awful that the victims very
often become insane.
TOrtures Today.
The tortures of today reflect the tortures
Of the inquisition of yesterday. Just read the
account of the dungeons and tortures Of catholic
Cascist) Italy Yugoslavia Rumania, Bulgaria,
ETC., etc. In what 10 they differ from the
heather" in China You will find the exper-
fence of the nquisition applied to the working