The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-24

dragged into the fray at the Place
de la Concorde by the very same
leaders who were arrested and
thrown into prison for having been
the accomplices of the arch-swin-
dler These individuals, so compro-
missed and intertwined in thievery,
were the ones who pretended to
lead honest workers but whose only
reason for their activity was the
hope Of setting up a fascist regime
which would have allowed them to
continue their crooked careers and
at the same time to strangle any
possible struggle of the working
class.
In the face of such trickery we
had remained divided, and con-
scious of our weakness, we were I'M
able to offer any resistance against
something which could be overcome
only by the unity of all.
1t was then that the spark burst
out which fired all minds. Then,
those who had refused to join in
any united action understood the
whole extent of their error, So
cialists, Communists, unorganized
workers all found themselves
shoulder to shoulder on Feb. IL,
Three hundred thousand marched
along Vincennes and the Place de
la Nation.
Leon Blum and Marcel Cachin
addressed the demonstration. They
still spoke from separate platforms,
but a great step had been taken
Tomorrow would take care Of the
rest.
80 Per Cent on Strike
The strike, supported by the two
parties, was 80 per cent successful.
Never had similar strike been re-
corded. So grimly and firmly did it
hold that the government did not
dare to make a single move against
the strike leaders. Fascism in a
brutal form still lived, but it sur
vived hypocritically, disguised as a
national coalition which could rule
only with the support Of the decree
laws. But the unity of day did
not remain thus, without a tomor-
row. The workers wished it, de-
manded it at any price. On the
morning of the funerals of our
comrades who had fallen in the
battles of the preceding days enor-
nous crowds were massed in the
streets. Through these crowds could
be seen only one gesture. the raised
fist of vengeance: one cry only was
heard. United action!" The heads
of all parties who were present COM
pretended the force of this move
ment SO resolute in suomerging all
differences. Our committee pre-
pared the ground. Under its guild
ance in all the cities of France So
cialist and Communist workers
fought side by side, many signing
the pact of unity with Their blood.
Taking the initiative, the Commu-
mist Party launched vibrant ap-
peal for unity to the Socialist Party,
which no longer would, or could,
hesitate in giving its answer. Rep
resentat.ves of the two parties met,
entered into discussions, argued,
took stock of one another; condi-
lions were posed, debated, accepted
and. after the National Council OF
the Socialist Party had been hastily
gathered together, ratified. 1t was
done-UNITED ACTION WAS AN
ACTUAL FACT.
what appiness throughout
Francei One met old, old militantE
who wept with joy. Huge nesting;
we're organized, against fascism, fol
the liberation of Thaelmann, o
Paul Wallisch. of Seitz, and of al
imprisoned anti-fascists.
Then there were the elections
TIE old mistakes we're not going tx
be repeated. The main basis of tbs
agreement, which the Cornmunis
Party had proposed, was: the com.