The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-01-12

Lht lUilUHlIS speech WAS udut
by James w. Ford at the grave
Of the Unknown Soldier, in
Washington, ID. c., on Dec. Is,
1882, on the occasion of the me-
mortal tribute to Hushka and
Carlson. Two hundred ex-ser-
vicemen were present (B. Eff.
Khaki Shirts, etc. as well as
some army officials, regular army
soldiers ON duty, visitors and
newspapermen.)
Comrades, Fellow Ex-SerVicenlen:
The brief remarks which l will
make here today will be different
from any re m arkS heretofore
made at this grave.
We are here to pay tribute to
an unknown" soldier. We have
just come from the graves of our
comrades Hushka and Carlson who
were murdered by the police of
Commissioner Glassford and Pres
ident Hoover, on July % of this
year, at the time that thousands
of ex-Servicemen came with their
wives and children, were elected
from Washington at the points of
bayonets, with tear gas and rifles.
These ex-soldiers were in Wash
ington demanding a just back pay,
for participating in the World
War.
At the graves of Hushka and
Carlson we paid our respects and
pledged to carry on the struggle
for the aims for which they died.
We did not make sentimental
tribute to them as individuals and
I am sure they would not desire
such tribute. And we are not
here at the grave of the "un-
known" soldier to make useless in
dividual tribute. To do so would
be to no purpose. We are here
at this time to make fitting tribute
and declare for larger purpose
in line with the desires of millions
of ex-servicemen and workers, as
well as this unknown con1rade.
WHY WE ARE HERE
1t is necessary, therefore, for us
in this brief moment to pick out
these values, and to estimate our
purpose. We are here and have
far beyond in significance to those
far beyond, in significance, to those
already made at the graves of our
comrades Hushka and Carlson.
Notwithstanding the circumstances
of their death, Hushka and Carl
son, just as you and I, might to-
day be in this grave. We should
not allow others to have the IL
lusions we once had.
I declare that no doubt this ''un-
known" soldier buried here went
to France and into the World War
with illusions, just perhaps as mil
lions Of men did. The chances
are that he was a worker. We
can, am sure, declare here with
greater assurance than the capital
lists who try to claim this soldier
for their purposes, that this I'm
known Soldier represents a cross
section of the American working
class, Negro and white, foreign
born and native He Symbolizes
the oppressed of this country.
He was told that he was going
to fight "to make the world safe
for Democracy" "to make the
world a better place to live in"
This was an illusion, especially for
the workers. This war was a cap
italist war. And today throughout
the world toilers are chained as a
result OF the treaties arrived at,
and impoverished as a result of the
economic crisis that grew in the
wake of the war.
WHY were the lives of over 49,
W 100000 of the best of the work.
ing class, farmers and toilers, kill
ed in this capitalist war? Why
were many more millions wounded
and incapacitated? We know now.
We know that the war was fought
for profits and greed, for the di-
visioning of the world by the cap
italist nations. We know that the
lives of these men were sacrificed
Tor the interest OF bankers and in
dustrialists, the same people who
today refuse to do anything for
the destitute veterans and their
dependents, but who order them
shot down and murdered when
they make demands for their just
back pay and wages.
CALLED TO CARRY ON
STRUGGLE
We are therefore called upon here
today, comrades, TO carry on in a
srsuggle which should be the high
est aim of every man or woman,
that is a struggle against capital
list war; a struggle for a. really
better world 10 live in, that is.