The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-03-18
BY ]. LOUIS ENGDAHL.

THE 59th Anniversary March IS, 1930) of
the immortal Paris Commune, more than
any other annual commemoration OF this his
toric event, has a special significance for the
toiling millions of America now in the period
of ever-sharper class battles with their op-
pressors, struggling against hunger, unem-
poyment and the growing imperiast war
danger.
Not only mighty inspiration but practical
lessons in revolutionary class struggles can
and must be drawn by American labor from
the history making days of March, April and
May, 1871, when the courageous and daring
workers of Paris, blazing struggle trails
for their class, took over the powers of gov
eminent for the triumphant masses.
Labor Learns Commune's Lessons.
1t is exactly in these days of marching mill
lions of hungry jobless, mitantly raising the
slogan of "Men Fight, towards Starve", that
workers readily reflect on the previous strug-
giles of their class New masses this year will
therefore rivet their attention on the Paris
Commune's anniversary learning the signifi-
canoe of this tremendous event.
During the few weeks from March 18th to
May 10Th the Paris Commune endured against
all it's foes. Then it was finally drowned in
the blood of massacred workers, slaughtered
by the tens of thousands by the French bour-
geoise, who were only able to carry out their
frightful wholesale murder with the aid of the
Prussians at the gates of the city.
The tradition of the French proetariat, to
honor the memory of the fallen fighters for
the revolution has become worldwide.
The Commune Is Immortal.
Lenin correctly said: "The cause of the Com
mune is the cause of the social revolution, of
the complete political and economic liberation
of the working class, the cause Of the prole-
tariat of the entire world. And in this sense
it is immortal"
The ill-starred war with Germany, the suf-
ferings during the siege of Paris, unemploy-
ment amongst the workers, the ruin of the
petty bourgeoisie, the indignation of the
masses against the upper classes and the au-
thorities who hal proved their complete in
competence deep ferment in the working class,
the dissatisfaction of the workers with their
situation and their efforts for the establish
ment of new social order, all these factors
and more combined to drive the population of
Paris to the revolution of the 18th of March
which placed the power in the hands of the
working class.
Began Decades of Struggles.
The Commune, the flaming example that the
workers of Paris gave to the oppressed of the
world, in spite of it's defeat continued to live
on in the decades of revolutionary struggles
of the international working class.
The final goal which the Paris Commune set
out to achieve is reflected in all the revolu-
tonary struggles of the toiling masses. 1t
found its heritage in the Bavarian and the
Hungarian Soviet Republics, in the Canton
Commune of the Chinese revolutionary masses,
in the defeat of which American Imperialism
assumed leading role.
Thirteen years after the overthrow Of car
ism in Russia, the mighty victorious successor
of the Paris Commune not only still lives but
grows more powerful in the Proletarian Die
tatorship of the revolutionary WORKERS and
peasants in the Union of Socialist Soviet, Re-
publics, that includes one-sixth of the terrific
ries of the whole world.