Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-19
Out of the Night

dirty. unshaven, weakened by
our hunger strike. Girls from
the Communist Sport Clubs
received us in the streets with
red banners.
They served Wiener sausages
and beer. We celebrated our
triumph. II was true that
the strike had ended i'm defeat
for the German workers,
nevertheless. for the Soviet
Union il was a triumph.
Toward the close Of 1881.
the Maritime Section of the
Comintern turned a large
share of its attention to the
merchant feet OF Japan.
Events in Manchuria had been
rushing to an unmistakable
crisis. The Japanese army
was on the point OF Selling
that country.
Relations between Moscow
and Toxic grew more threat
ening daily. The Comintern
had launched a worldwide
anti-Japanese campaign.
Our seamen's organization
started a sabotage offensive
against the transport of war
supplies TO Japan. and against
Nippon's merchant marine in
general.
This was, to my knowledge,
the first time that Com
munist sabotage methods were
put to the test on large
scale. The Comintern net
work was too feeble in Japan,
partly because the death
penalty had been decreed
there for Communists, TO
paralyze its harbors by
strikes.
In accordance with the gen.
eral rule of action at any
price" sabotage was employed
wherever strikes could not be
effective.
Sand was manipulated into
the bearings of the steamers
propeller sh ats. Cargo
Winches were disabled. Winch
runners and hawsers were
treated so that they would
break when put under stress.
Labels and inscriptions on
boxes and crates were
changed.
WATER IN THE HOLDS
AT sea, in bad weather,
ventilator shafts were turned
into the wind TO allow sea
water 10 pour into the cargo
holds. AT night gallons of
kerosene or benzine were
poured through the airshafts,
and a few fistfuls of kerosene
soaked oakum followed.
As the weeks passed on.
each vigilante chief evolved
his own set of tricks. Japa-
neSe ship guards were rein
forced 10 no avail.
Soon evidence cropped up
to show that Japanese secret
service agents were busy in
European ports to check the
wave Of sabotage acts.
A Chinese language student
at the Berlin University. a
highly intelligent lad known
in our Chinese section as
Comrade Yang" was sent TO
Rotterdam 10 take charge of
our sabotage brigades in
Dutch ports. In the guise of
a laundryman's runner, he
personally boarded every in
coming Japanese ship TO in
veStigate sabotage possibilities
and TO lay. plans which then
were executed by members of
his port vigilante committee
and helpers in the steamers
crew.
One day Yang was over
powered by secret service
agents aboard a japanese
vessel. He was kept a
prisoner. The ship left Rot
terdam, bound for Yokohama
by way of lie Havre, Oran.
Port Said. A hue and cry was
raised in Comintern circles
over this incident.
Yangs delivery TO the
police of Nippon spelled GER
tain death for him. 1t also
tended 10 demoralize the spirit
of our sabotage groups every
where. Kommissarenko gave
me the assignment to do
everything necessary to save
Yang from the hangman in
Yokohama.
APPEAL FOR ACTION
I wrote an appeal for action
and had it translated into
seven languages under the
heading, Rescue the kidnapped
Chinese coolie." I notified
our units in lie Havre, Oran.
and Alexandria 10 leave moth
ing undone 10 help Yang
escape from his floating
prison.
The ship meanwhile called
at lie Havre. An attempt by
local Communists 10 free our
Chinese comrade was foiled
by the French police. The
steamer proceeded TO the
next port of call, Oran. on
81. Moth Afr.n,r rAacf urtft