Page:Samuel Gompers - Out of Their Own Mouths (1921).djvu/44

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OUT OF THEIR OWN MOUTHS

or by their friends and apologists. Only a careful examination of their own publications can afford an answer. Fortunately these are now at hand—in abundance. They bring the whole movement into the light, and answer every reasonable question.

In addition to the vast accumulation of documentary evidence from Russia and the weighty decisions of two American administrations, we have had adverse comment on Soviet Russia from practically every labor delegation that has visited that country in the last twelve months—from Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain and other countries. Only the British report was ambiguous on certain points, but a large part of the delegation, including Turner, Shaw, Mrs. Snowden, Dr. Guest and Bertrand Russell, who accompanied the delegation, was overwhelmingly adverse—after having seen the Bolshevist régime with their own eyes. Influenced by the reports of Dittmann and Crispien, both of them radical Socialists, the German labor union movement is now lined up almost solidly against the Soviets.

What has been the effect of this avalanche of evidence and testimony on the pro-Bolshevist agitation in this country? Practically none at all. In May, 1921, the propaganda of falsification continues unabated. The position of the writers and speakers who are active in this campaign is similar to that of the American Socialist Party, which still remains with one foot in and one foot out of the Third Internationale. The Executive Committee of that body reports that the "Socialist Party of America has always given its unwavering support to the Soviet Government of Russia,"