_{Art by Clifford Harper}

From ‘Regeneración’, English Section, November 18, 1911, Los Angeles, California, edited by William C. Owen

Will this Struggle be Drowned in Blood?

Passion of Mexicans for Liberty has been Unquenchable

So far as the Mexican government is concerned, (we Anarchists knew it in advance, and the revolutionists are learning it by experience), the present one, which rode into power at the behest of the great financiers of this country and on the crest of a wave of temporary popular infatuation is no more the friend of the revolting people than was the Diaz regime.

Why in the name of common sense should any one suppose that Madero, who is one of the greatest landlords of Mexico, and whose own haciendas are cultivated by the same exploited labor as that em-ployed on other great estates, would favor the restoration of the land to the people? On the contrary, he has announced himself in favor of defending all rights of property, and has appealed to the industrial population not to strike and embarrass its employers at the present critical period.

However, neither the industrial population nor the rural one is heeding his appeal. Despite the silence of newspapers in the eastern and central sections of this country, the revolution – the economic revolution – is in full swing, and heading straight for free land. No amount of hushing up will put a stop to it; nor can any power at present in sight in Mexico crush it.

Three outcomes of this immense movement are possible:

1. A military organizer of the Diaz type may arise, and unite military forces so as to subdue the people for a time. But at present no such man has appeared.

2. When the vacillators now endeavoring to solve the governmental problems shall have proved themselves incompetent to keep the Mexican revolters from violating “property rights” of American citizens, the U.S. government may be compelled to drop its mask, and openly intervene. Which means possible protectorate or ultimate annexation, – a consummation devoutly to be avoided.

3. The Mexican people triumphant, and an immense, irrecoverable blow given to property in land the world over.

Intervention Feared

The present condition, – that of sporadic fighting, and general insubordination – may go on for a year, or two or three. It cannot go on indefinitely. The great property owners will ask more drastic measures; these not forthcoming, some governmental change must follow.

Of the three possibilities, the worst will be the second. It should therefore be the business of us, in the United States, to keep the purpose of the revolution before the working people of this country, as well as its development from week to week, that they may appreciate the situation of the Mexican workers and its relation to their own struggle. Then, when agitation for interference by the U.S. begins, they may oppose such interference intelligently, and with might and main.

Now, the best means of keeping informed is to read “Regeneración,” published at 914 Boston St., Los Angeles, California. Three-fourths of the paper is in Spanish, but the fourth page is in English. I would suggest that every reader of these lines who is able to read English, send 60 cents for a three months’ subscription to the above given address; and read every line of it, from week to week.

The Spanish editors and publishers of the paper are now under indictment for having violated the neutrality laws and need financial aid for their defense; but more than all the paper should be sustained, since it is really the voice of the heart of the great revolt. Many thousand copies are smuggled in to Mexico, and read aloud to those who are themselves unable to read, and thus the strength and encouragement of fellowship grow and spread.

While the paper refuses to label itself with any “ism,” its war cry is “land and liberty,” its teachings anarchistic. It is intensely alive, having little space for theory but much for facts supporting those theories which are dear to all of us.

To sum up: Our Mexican brothers have appealed to us in a really heart-rending manifesto not to remain ignorant of their struggle; not to believe it is a political one but an economic one, coming down to the primal needs of man; not to ignore the fact that their battle is our battle; and that we sustain them in this immense struggle which must go on a long time yet. We owe it to them to respond. Sustain and circulate “Regeneración”; raise money for the defense; hold meetings where these things may be made known. Any money sent for them to me, or to “Volne Listy,” 217 E. 66th St., New York, will be forwarded to Los Angeles.

Voltairine de Cleyre,

2038 Potomac Ave., Chicago.

Treasurer Mexican Liberal Defense Conference.

Help This Propaganda – Joseph Kucera

From ‘Regeneración’, English Section, November 18, 1911, Los Angeles, California, edited by William C. Owen. Republished in ‘Solidarity‘, November 25, 1911, New Castle, Pennsylvania, and ‘Industrial Worker‘, Spokane, Washington, November 30, 1911

Comrades!

The International revolutionary group in Los Angeles has published 10,000 copies of Voltairine de Cleyre’s leaflet, “The Mexican Revolt,” with the intention of giving the widest possible publicity to the fact that the Mexican revolution did not culminate with the mere change of rulers, but is proceeding on its onward march to liberate the worker.

To attain this end we want your assistance. Since we are boycotted by the political Socialist press, we resort to these means of publicity. Our particular aim is to keep the working class of this country informed on the real state of affairs in the Latin republic, and for that purpose we shall try to distribute the “Mexican Revolt” in every local of organized labor.

Are you willing to co-operate with us? If so, tell us how many leaflets you can distribute in your local, enclose some money to help us pay the printer’s bill and postage, and we will send you the amount asked for. If you have no money, ask for the leaflets just the same, as we shall be only too glad to hear from fellow-workers who, at least, are trying to assist us somehow in our work. Remember that when the first lot is distributed another one will be coming. Get in line.

Send communications to

Jos. Kucera,

914 Boston St.,

Los Angeles, Cal., U.S.A.

I.W.W. and other radical papers please copy or comment.