The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-04

of tension, At II noon everything
Everywhere groups of workers were
gathered preparing to go to the flu
neral of Julio Antonio Mells, Cuban
student Communist leader, murdered
by Machados gunner in Mexico in
1929, At l pm. thousands of work
ers we're streaming from all direc-
tionS towards the ti-Imperialist
League where the ashes of Mella
were lying in state. At $780, no less
than 10000 workers filled the whole
street for a distance Of about Is
blocks and thousands were coming
from all directions
At las pm. the first shots we're
heard. At the corner of Zanja and
the crowds. Machine guns we're
placed against the Anti-Imperialist
League few minutes later and were
rt1ring lead into tns bu:,i;ig. The
Young Red Front Guards at the
building wished to defend the lives
of the workers within but it was
decided that this would cause a,
slaughter even greater, since they only
had revolvers against the soldiers
machine guns.
People fell everywhere. Groans and
shooting filled the air Shooting
spread over q. wide rsa@
Finally the workers into the Anti
Imperialist League were allowed to
leave. When they went out, they took
with them Mella's ashes. The sol-
liers and the members of the Ejercito
Caribe, the Student Directorate
armed organization, sacked the build
ing and smashed all they could lay
their hands on.
Then the maddened students at
tackled the Workers Center n d
smashed it, burning all documents
and furniture. Someone began throw
ing the picture of Mella out of the
window (tfle center is on the third
floor. The students yelled Down
with him; he Is responsible for this"
A young Pioneer was killed by ma
chine gun fire. Three other workers
were killed; an army raptain who was
known for his anti-imperialist senti-.
ments was killed, evidently by the
members of the Directorio Estudi-
antil, who arrested him near the
Center. Four soldiers were wounded
and are probably dead at the tins
this is being written In addition,
dozens of workers were badly wound
ed and many may die. 1t is impos-
sible to get any satisfactory inforrna-
ton since soldiers guard all hospitals
and admit no one. Undoubtedly the
number of those dead is ircompar-
ably greater.
The Cuban National Labor Con-
federation Immediately called an en-
larged session of its executive and
decided to continue the general strike
as protest strike "a hours.
While the shooting and the attack
against the Workers Center and the
Anti-Imperialist League were going
on, the soldiers, led by members of
the Eiercito Caribe attacked the
monument and the depository for the
ashes of Mella in Fraternity Park
and wrecked it, firing from machine
guns at the masses who surrounded
the place.
Thus the government had shown
its true face 1t acted in a manner
such as even Machado would hesitate
to use. It acted thus to win recog-
milton from Washington, or perhaps
at the order of Washington. This
is the first step to attack the gains
of the workers in the general strike
and the following struggles. This
massacre was premeditated and we'll
prepared.
Reports indicate that as early a.
yesterday Professor Justiz Garrera, a
university professor associated with
the Directorio. told some friends OF
his not to come out on the street on
the 29th, since something terrible
would happen and that 'she was
opposed to these methods Reuben
Leon, the leader of the Directorio
warned Raul Roa, of the Ala IL
quierda (The Left), that they would
not stand for being called betrayers
and that they would take care OF
their attackers.
This massacre will have its roper
cussions. The masses will see with
even greater clarity that this gov
eminent is an assassin government
of the bosses and landlords and inn
perialisin. They will see more clearly
the need for a Workers and Peasants
Government. The Grau regime gives
only bullets and jails-it does not
even promise an Improvement in con-
ditions. The workers and peasants
and the honest if1tellectuals will in
tensify their struggles in reply to the