The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-28
Strachey Calls War
Always For Profit
Continued from Page y


fascism before it takes hold 1t is
our activity that is decisive"
+ I mentioned here that Sam Kri-
eyer, a Communist of Bridgeport,
had been sentenced to 30 days for
leading an anti-Nazi demNo stration
without the permit of the Socialist
Mayor McLevy, who had refused a
permit on the grounds Of free
speech"
I could see that the incident
moved him. He replied almost Bit
terlv, I thought: Giving free speech
to fascists is like giving free shoot
ing to gangsters. The fascists' pur-
pose is to destroy free speech. Civ
ing them free speech is only to
guarantee its destruction"
About Appeals to Roosevelt
mentioned here that many in
this country who denounce reaction
and terrorism against the working
class. and other fascist develop
ments, make their fight in the form
Of appealing to Roosevelt and urg-
ing the workers also to appeal to
him as the one who would stop
these things. I mentioned. as an
example, Norman Thomas stimuli
taneouS denuncfation of the Frisco
strike terror and his appeal to
Roosevelt to act against it.
Strachey countered to this: ITO
appeal to Roosevelt in such mat
tiers is to appeal to the man who
is most responsible for that which
YOU are protesting. The menace of
fascism in America comes from
forces outside the White House and
from within it, At certain moment
these two fascist forces coalesce for
their common purpose. We in Eng
land can see this happening quite
clearly. and surely it Is no longer
difficult to see how 1t happened in
GERMANY and Austria. Surely. that
is one Of the lessons of these events"
The conversation veered to the
recent events in the Soviet Union,
the assassination of Kirov and the
( roundup Of class enemies.
Soviet Enemies
There was no n1istaking Stra-
cheyS meaning here. He spoke
sharply and with unmistakable in
tensity. "The murder of Kiroy
shocked us into the realization that
the enemies of the Soviet Union
are still active and dangerous" he
said.
I interrupted here, rernarking that
many who proclaimed themselves
friends Of the Soviet Union were
willing to join White Guard meet
ing in New York protesting the
terrorism in the name of the
workers cause"
"The workers government in the
Soviet Union" he spoke intensely
is the one basis for civilized
world. 1t is not only Just, but
necessary, that it take the sternest
measures against its enemies who
seek to destroy it. In this act II is
defending one of the most precious
things in the world, it is defending
workers democracy against capital
1st enemies. can not reconcile
professions of friendship with sucn
actions as you described to me
here"
This brought us to discussion OF
the position of England in relation
to the Soviet Union. British i'm
perialism," he said, "is torn BY its
desire to organize the anti-Soviet
front and its fear of Germany. Be-
tween these feelings 1t attempts tc
steer its foreign policy"
Bringing our afternoons talk tc
an end, I brought up the subject Of
the spectacle of hunger and misery
which confronts every honest OBJ.
server in all capitalist countries.
Yes, the crisis is bringing these
miseries into the homes of millions
upon millions. In England we are
fighting hunger by hunger marches
The one to London had more thar
100000 workers in it. I see that
you are having National Congress
for Social and Unemployment In.
surance on January 5. That is the
only way to extort, and I use this
word advisedly, any relief from the
rich and powerful. I see the Com
munist Party is exerting all its
energies in this fight, as it Away;
does, leading the struggles of the
masses"
ut is curious" Strachey contin.
ued, "that this hunger march o.
ours produced a Labor majority
the workers thinking that in thi,
way they were advancing their fignt
against hunger. Unfortunately, they
will get little from the Labor
majority. The election of thi,
majority does not lessen at all che
need for pressure on the govern