Viewing page 13 of 17

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

is to further worsen the condition of the workers and to prepare for war in order to re-divide up China, Africa and other colonial countries. And at the same time all these robber states are planning a combined attack against the Soviet Union, the only country ruled by the working class, the only country which is constructing a new socialist regime, free from exploitation, oppression, race hatred and unemployment. When this war will break out (and already the Japanese imperialists are conducting the war in China, with the aid of the English, American, French and Belgian imperialists) than the war-mongers and trade union misleaders who are today cutting down your wages and are throwing you on the street to starve will call upon you to fight for them, to help in the transportation of soldiers, to load and unload ammunition and armes destined to massacre your class brothers in the East. Comrades! You must refuse to make yourself the agents of the imperialist murderers of these capitalist slave traders; you must follow the example of the Russian worker who, in 1917, transformed the war of "their" capitalist class into the civil war, and have taken the power in their hands.

VIII. Negro Seamen and Dockers, Wake Up!

Let us unite and fight:

1. Against discrimination of Negroes, fostered by the war mongers and capitalists with the aid of their reactionary trade union agents and spies.

2. For equal pay for all workers, irrespective of race, colour, or nationality.

3. For benefit for all unemployed seamen and dockers, at the expense of the government and the capitalist companies.

4. Join the ranks of the Minority Movement of the English sailors, the Marine Workers Industrial Union in America and the C.G.T.U. in France!

5. Organize revolutionary ship and dock groups!

6. Join the ship and dock committees of the International Seamen and Harbour Workers Union which are fighting for the following demands on behalf of the Negro seamen and the sailors of other races and colours;

a)Equal pay for equal work for colonial and white sailors

b) Increase of the wages of the seamen and dockers from the colonial and semi-colonial countries.

c) Three shift system for the men on deck and the 4 shifts for the men under deck; seven hours' day during the watch.

d) One free day on shore for every sunday spent on the journey.

e) Social insurance at the expense of the capitalists and the State.

f) Unemployment benefit; free food, cloths, shelter for the unemployed.

g) Double pay for overtime work.

h) Against the system of robbery through "dashes" and "pay offs" to headmen, boss stevedores.

i) Equal rights for colonial and white seamen in signing on; and registering at the employment office; down with the P.C. 5 in England.

j) For the right to organize and the freedom of meeting and speach; against the arrest and deportation of foreign born seamen.

k) For the complete freedom to go ashore on foreign ports.

l) For the fight against reactionary legislation for seamen and their trade unions!

Negro workers, defend the Soviet Union which is the fatherland of the working class! Hands off China!

All delegates to Hamburg on May 20th!

The Economic Crisis and the Negro Workers
By O.E. Huiswood

Editor's Note:

This is the concluding part of the report of comrade O. E. Huiswood, Chairman of the Negro Trade Union Committee of the Red International of Labour Unions, made at the recent plenum of this organization. The first part, dealing with the effects of the capitalist crisis and the tremendous growth of unemployment among the Negro toiling masses in Africa, America and the West Indies appeared in the March issue of the "Negro Worker".

In this section of the report, comrade Huiswood reviews the counter-offensive of the Negro workers against the imperialists by means of strike struggles against wage cuts, demonstrations against unemployment and taxation leading to open revolts in the Congo and Equatorial Africa.

The Struggle Against Taxation and Terror.

The most important development in the recent period is the struggle of the native masses, particularly South Africa, West Africa, and the Belgian Congo, against the policy of increased taxation. Last year in South Africa alone about 40,000 natives were jailed for being on the streets after prohibited hours. This alone shows that greater numbers of natives are violating the pass laws instituted by the bourgeoisie and landlords in order to prevent the workers from organizing. Daily drives are being launched on the part of the police for the purpose of collecting taxes from the natives. With the result that from 300 to 1200 natives are being held up every day for taxes. Besides, a new ordinance has been enacted to the effect that every native in South Africa must carry a poll tax receipt dating from the year 1925, and any failure to produce this receipt means immediate imprisonment or deportation. This indicates the increasing terror which is being spread among the natives in South Africa.

Throughout West Africa we can also see an increase of income tax, of poll tax etc. Beginning with the revolt in 1929 when 30,000 native women in Nigeria revolted against the imposition of taxation and organized tremendous demonstrations, we have witnessed other demonstrations against taxation. For instance, in the protectorate of Sierra Leone, hundreds of natives, led by an armed battalion, invated the Kambia district and engaged in a struggle against the European officials who attempted to enfore the payment of hut taxes among the peasants. At Cape Coast in October of last year a tremendous demonstration of natives took place against income tax, which ended in the stoning of police barracks. In Sekondi there was also a tremendous demonstration of natives against this some form of taxation. Mass demonstrations are occurring in different parts of west Africa quite often at the present time against the increase of taxation hunger and unemployment.

In the Belgian Congo the imperialists, faced with a budget deficit of 130 million francs are imposing new taxation upon the natives and also, passed an ordinance to the effect that the price of cotton, which was formerly 1 franc 20 centimes per lb. is to be reduced to 60 centimes. Today the price of agricultural produce is 50% of what it was a year ago, resulting in the closing of many commercial centers and trading stations. This has given rise to mass unemployment and unrest among the toiling population. From the month of July up until the present time open rebellion has been going on. When the revolt is suppressed in one territory, it breaks out another. In spite of the most brutal terror employed by the imperialists, the anti-imperialist movement continues to draw in ever wider masses.