Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-11-16
Lenin In Zurich

The following is an interview with Mr.. Mann.
a citizen of Switzerland. who recently passed
through Seattle. who remembers Lenin as he
appeared in Zurich.
We were talking of Switzerland and her
mOres, her social problems and solution for
them Mr.. Mann spoke reminiscently of his
bOyhOOd and young manhood in his native
town of Zurich.
81 used to see Lenin often, in the coffee
houses. The little theorst of revolution as he
was nicknamed, went from coffee house to coffee
house in Zurich just as he did in London, Paris
an Geneva repeating the words of Marx and
other revOlutiOnaries, and putting conviction
into them, inspiring his audiences to fight for
the cause. He performed the miracles as great
personalities may, of having his words translated
into deeds"
What did he look ike?" asked How did
he speak,
Dressed Plainly
He appeared usually in a flat sport cap
single breasted grey suit, thick-soled shoes.
When in silence, both hands were in his trous-
ers pockets-when speaking, his right hand
would emerge to drive home his points and to
emphasize
His voice was not impressive at all and lack
ed the usual spell-binder qualities one would
expect in revolutionary He used matter of fact
phrases, giving simple interpretations of sober
socialist on political and economic theory al
right time and the right place.
"In round table group debate he would
use his opposition to his advantage, tearing
their argument to pieces and cleverly forcing
those present to eventually agree with tim and
accept his plan of action.
His simplicity was likewise expressed in his
constant endeavor to have other revolutiOnaries
use plain everyday style in their written and
spoken words In associating with many rebel
characters of different natiOnalites this be-
came an essential formula
Great Lingust
The political radicals at that time felt the
need of a socialist vocabulary which would in
simple language interpret Marks economic
theories. As a linguist Lenin was master in
applying Latin to correct interpretations of
words.
1T was difficult to find out anything about
his personal history and most of his companions
and political associates paid little attention to
the scholarly little Russians plans for the
future. The two Swiss Social Democrats Platten
and Grimm, were perhaps closest to him, with
the exception of a few fellow exiles from the
land which took Lenin's brothers life.
Bitter memories of his brothers execution
made him respect the words: An eye for an eye,
tooth for tooth, life for a life!
Most of those who attended the small anti
war group meetings in Zurich Berne, Olton,
Basel, Lausanne and Geneva will remember
man different from all the rest, in plain tailor
ed. single-breasted, grey suit, bald head,
strangely shaped eyebrows, piercing dark small
eyes, crescent shaped mOustache, pointed chin
beard which occasionally let reveal a patent
single-knot necktie tucked under plain white
collar.
Uncompromising Theorist
They will also remember his uncOmpromis-
ing attitude toward those of slightly different
political faith, his French with hardly a trace
OF accent, his Zuri-Duetsch imitation of German
his most constant companion his devoted most
plainly dressed wife.
Those who attended the social democratic
Zimmerwald conference in September 1915 or
later held in the modest resort village of Kienta
only a few miles from the fashionable Inter-
laken, will not forget the persistent Slav who
was so certain that the time wa smear for the
prOletarat to seize power. Nor will those who
knew him in the small merchant and workers
of the Spiegelgasse in Zurich
where he spent most of his time during the
World War years, forget him.
"a few who sometimes from sheer curiosity
followed him usually drifted into the "Iakobs-
drummer" to drink glass of old red wine and to
discuss this radical leader of men who lived on
the floor above in one room.
THE shoemaker next door was their most
BILE source of information and through him
they knew that he was returning to Russia with
the help of his friends Grimm, Fritz Platten
and Karl Lebknecht
His farewell address to the Swiss workers
was prophetic, and the ones who knew him
then did not realize his greatness until a few
months later when he declared his country the
Union of Socialist Soviet Republics.