The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-05-06


case Of Mr. William Kelley, editor of the AM
certain theoretical pretensions in his statement
In the APPS Crisis. Mr. Richardson says:
Communism is form Of socialistic govern
meut which advocates the doctrine of having
or possessing all property in common, or popu-
lar ownership and conrtol Of all property. Fun
dannentaly, Communism is opposed to violence
and does not seek revolutionary methods to
change existing conditions and governments but
essays to accomplish political reformation and
economic equality through orderly and evolu-
ionary process"
Anyone even slightly acquainted with the
teachings Of Communism will realize at once
that Mr.. Richardson does not know what he is
talking about. What Mr.. Richardson repre-
Sents as Communism in the ADORE quotation has
absolutely nothing In common with the prin-
ciples OF Communism as expounded and ex-
planned in the vourninous Communist literature
since ths days Of Karl Marx.
Even Mr.. Richardson will agree that sound
reasoning. not to mention intellectual honesty,
would have required at least a correct state
naent OF the principles which he is so ready to
reject However, if we cannot trust Mr.. Rich
ardson to state correctly what we Communists
stand for how much faith can one put in his
criticism of us, based as 1t is upon total ig-
norance Of Communism? Certainly criticism
which Is based ON a misrepresentation of Com
rntmism Is hardly sufficient reason for reject
ing its teachings!
But let us examine Mr.. Richardson's state
nent point by point. Mr. Richardson undoubt-
edly believes hs Is doing Communism a good
turn by representing the Communists as OPP
posed to revolutionary methods. We even ven
ture to hope that In so doing he is trying to
~
Nevertheless, we marvel at MIR. Richardson's dis
hnbing innocence Of the fact that 1t is precisely
because OF their revolutionary methods and revo-
1utionsry aims that the Communists are feared
and hated by the Jim Grow rulers and exploit
ers of the United States
Of course, it is true that the more the capi-
talists pile up their bloody instruments of mass
destruction and intensity their brutal terror
against the masses the more their agents de-
claim about the violence" Of the revolutionary
workers. Tbs crimes Of all the slave owners
from ancient Rome down to pre-Civil War days
In our own South pale into insignificance beside
the bloody violence Of modern capitalism against
the exploited and oppressed Of all lands. Capt.
talist wealth began with the plumber, piage and
murder of colonial peoples and it continues to
drip with the hfe-blood of millions OF toers at
home and in the colonies. American history
CdSlly 10 0ScCLIbCu obOIy VI
Violence directed at all times particularly against
the Negroes.
One Of Americas most respected bourgeois
historians OF the 18th century, John L. Motley,
has admitted this as far back as 1861.
mo man. Motley wrote, ION either side Of
the Atlantic, with Anglo Saxon blood In his
veins, will dispute the right of people, or of
any portion of people to rise against OPP
preston, to demand redress of grievances, and,
in Of denial Of justice, to take up arms TO
vtndicate the sacred principles of liberty. Few
Ensishn1en OF Americans will deny that the
source OF government 10 the consent Of the
governed. a. that sHy melton has the right
{