Montana labor news., 1935-12-26
Mayor LaCuardia,
0ne-Time Liberal,
Attends Fascist Rally

NEW YORK-(FP)-Mayor Fiorel-
10 H .LaGuardia's attendance, as speak
er and guest OF honor, at the recent
Italian Fascist rally at New York's
Madison So. Garden, has provoked a
reaction among liberals which varies
from deep regret to a feeling that he
has irrevocably cut himself off from
his one-time progressivism.
Despite the entreaties OF a delega-
ton Of prominent anti-Fascist, headed
by Norman Thomas, Socialist leader,
that he not throw the prestige of his
office to the glorification OF Mussolini
at a time when the Facist spirit al
ready constitutes a threat to American
democracy, LaGuardia nevertheless
went to the meeting and told 10000
pro Mussolini talian-American voters
that you are quite just in the pur-
pose Of the meeting here tonight"
Though ostensibly to raise funds for
the Italian Red Cross, the purpose Of
the meeting was set forth o frank
ly by Generoso Pope, New York Fas-
cist publisher, when he wrote The
Madison So. rally must serve to show
that each and every qtalian) national
is ready to give all within his power
to give a chance to the Italian sold
iers who are in Africa to write anoth-
er epic page Of glory in the history OF
civilization"
Italian anti ascists pointed out that
Mussolini had refused the aid OF the
Init. Red Cross for Italy's war wound
ed, as in that case he would not con-
troll use of the funds collected at raj
lies such as this one. LaGuardia has
shown no interest in efforts made to
raise funds for Ethiopian Red Cross
work in New York.
While the mayor was addressing the
Fascist rally, his mounted police were
charging into crowds Of anti-Fascists
who were holding a counter-demonstra-
ton or the streets outside.
Commenting on the mayors action.
Vice-Pres Luigi Antonini Of the init
Ladies Garment Workers Union, head
OF Local 80 with 1900 Italian-speak-
ing members, though a longtime friend
of LaGuardia, said:
THE participation OF Mayor Lagu-
ardia in the socalled Italian Red Cross
meeting at Madison So. Garden was a
shock to liberal and progressive opin-
ion. Perhaps he could not Officially
permit himself to lift the Red Cross
label to reveal the fascist and wal pro-
paganda purposes that were the rea.
aim OF the meeting. The few words
that he delivered from his box were
confined exclusively to the mercy as
poets OF the Red Cross.
"As n who has taken a firm stan6
against Mussolini and his war Of ag-
gression both on the Ethiopian anC
the Italian working class and become
the target Of abuse and vilification, ]
can understand some Of the mitigating
circumstances. LaGuardia is a politi-
cal figure up for reelection. Many
Italians, both here and in Italy, are
drunk on war fanaticism and cannot fol
the moment see that this is not a wal
of the Italian people against Ethiopia
but a war being waged by Mussolin
and his gangster henchmen. LaGuar-
dia's record in the past and his firn
anti-Nazi stand are sufficient indica-
ton that he has no personal sympathy
with the cause which political exigen-
cies caused him to grace by his pres.
ence. Politics is a queer occupation.
Meanwhile, New York is the scene
of several other incidents which, lib.
erals charge, give aid and comfort tC
the forces Of reaction. Mayor LaGuar
dia has come out for a continuation o
the sales tax, which bears most heav
lily on the poor. A private home a
which a group Of high school boys werl
planning a meeting Of the American
Student Union was raided by polio,
without a warrant. The boys wer'
taken to the principals office and il
legally held while their names were not
ed,
The League OF American Writer
charges that Sinclair Lewis 1t Can
Happen Here, Haywood Broun's
ISeems to Me and other anti-Fascis
books have been ordered barred from
the library Of another high schoo'
while a school official admitted he hai
discouraged purchase Of the volumes
A secret investigation Of the use OF tn
auditorium OF a third high school b,
educators recently returned from tn
Soviet Union is reported under way b,
the board of education president. Il
Brooklyn, striking shop girls VIII
picketed Mays Department Store ar
under arrest for conspiracy to inter
fere with business" a charge whicI
would make all strikes illegal.