The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-03-06
LABOR NEWS
FROM BRITAIN
. FREE WORKERS MOVEMENT
WILL RISE AGAIN
IN EUROPE

When this war broke out, the world
had been for many years IN the throes
of successive severe crisis. Our
troubles seemed never to be nearing
their end: though the symptoms had
varied from time to time there had
never been any real improvement.
In these difficult times Fascism
rose like a fever AS often happens,
many, in their artless simplicity, mis-
took this rise of temperature for a |
new and better form of life which |
they heralded as being about to su
persede all others. Everything that
had been before Mussolini or Hitler
was now-so they said-contemptible
and doomed.
The restlessness of diseased world
presented itself to them as a wonder
full dynamism. The world has since
seen Fascist promises materialiZe in
misery and bloodshed.
The simple minded thought rightly
they can't possibly always be wrong
that new world would emerge
from the present chaos. Few are so
blind as not to see anything new out
side the catastrophies which Hitler
is launching on us in such quick sue
cession. Any man, pushing aside the
decayed remnants of the past, may
discover the ripening germs of real
ly better future.
However, among the things that
some of our simple and artless friends
are vowing to a prompt and inglorlous
death, the foremost are Socialism and
it's. International. But if that is the
case, why on earth have the NaZis
stolen our name, our flag and even
our feast day? Is this a sign that
they truly believe US to have lost all
popularity and dynamic force and
that we have no future? 1t looks as
though Hitler was not as sure of this
as his simpleton friends.
Our international has known many
severe ordeals, and it has always come
through triumphantly. | am intimately
convinced that, once again, it will rise
after dark to make new and import
ant progress. | am going to give the
reasons for my optimism.
x X
Organized workers quickly learned
that to be efficient, the defense of
their vital interests had to be carried
out simultaneously everywhere by
concerted efforts. TO try to build a
narrowly national Socialism would be
an act similar to that of the legend
AIRY executoner who carved new and
monstrous beings in the flesh of his
victims.
The socialists International was, at
first, received with consternation
Now they appear as pioneers, and In
ternationals are numbered by hun
dreds. There is not single human
interest that has not eventually estab-
lished its own international organi2a-
ton, for all require the same common
defense.
Nations themselves can no longer
lead a prosperous life unless they arc
members of an intimate and univer'
sal cooperation-frst to guarantee
them from invasion, secondly to give
them the means of developing then
economical activity, their monetary
circulation and all other aspects OF
material life. Finally to favor the
intensive exchange of ideas, without
which spiritual life is as impossible
for nations as for individuals.
Far from being opposed to natl
onal life, internationalism is in fac
the first condition Of its harmoniou.
and fruitful development. 1t is To
talitaranism, brutal and ncarsighted
which is threatening it with a de
gradation leading to destruction.
All nations want to live, and Wher
Hitler is beaten they will destroy al
traces of his sitting system. 1t i!
in common that nations will organic
their peaceful and fruitful life. Inter
nationalism will then necessarily know
new success as will Socialism, it!
bearer.
Democracy is as necessary "A CharaC
teristic Of Socialism as international
ism. From it's first inception, it ha
always been democratic and will eve
remain so, for its historic role is It
find remedies for that which is "a
yet imperfect in our national dcmoc
racies and to suppress their cviden
contradictions.
The French Revolution had con
ccived a society of peasants ant
craftsmen, wherein freedom should b,
based firmly on property. But full
realization of such an order was nevc
achieved. Many remained withou
possessions while property increased
in the hands Of few individuals o
groups to such an extent that the.
were able to make multitudes worI
for them.
Thus the defense of cmployc
against employers became as necessar,
as that of subjects against their Lord
and it became evident that demo
cratic control Of the state must logical
~ be completed by control Of indus
trial plants.
II is indeed totally new demo
cratic order that we must create. Al
men of goodwill are demanding 70