Socialism in Mexico, Central and South America * It may seem unnatural, but it is quite logical, that the developments of the socialistic and labor situations in Mexico and South America, although on our own continent, should have less vital connection with our own situation than any of the European developments. In the first place, the soil was not propitious for the development either of organized labor or of political or economic Socialism. It is only during the years just before and after 1900 that any beginning was made either to organize labor or to the development of a socialist party. It was natural that the first developments should take place in Argentina, because of the very large proportion among the workmen there of hundreds of thousands, not to say millions, of emigrants from Italy and Germany, who brought with them to the Argentine the socialistic and unionizing tendencies of their motherlands. The Socialist Party in the Argentine was founded in 1896 and it almost immediately established connections with the International Socialist Bureau, which it joined in 1904, taking part in their subsequent Congress. It took part also in parliamentary elections at home, electing two deputies in 1912 and four in 1913, and nine in 1914. There was no corresponding development of trade unionism or of co-operative organization. In Chile, where the miners formed a very strong element among the workingmen, there was an early development of socialist and democratic tendencies among the workers without an exact definition of socialist principles or the organization of a definitely socialist party, until, in 1912, there was formed in the northern part of the country a socialist labor party which was strengthened by the already existing organization in the Argentine. A difference between the Chilean and the Argentine situation is the far greater development of union labor in Chile. The only reason why the unions did not sooner obtain political power, is the lack of a close federation of unions. Brazil was even later in coming into line, no socialist party being formed until 1916, and there being no organization of workmen's unions of any import ance. In Peru there is a federation called the Centro-Latino Americano, composed of three sections or sub-federations of labor, made up of workmen of every sort, from hod carriers to street car men, * See Addendum, Part I. in the General Federation of Workers; of printers, carpenters, painters and others, in the Federation of Artisans; and of every class of workman in the Federation of Mutual Benefit Societies. The organizations have very little to do with politics or economics, and are simply a basis upon which socialism and labor unionism can build, especially as they form the main link with the corresponding classes, in Chile, with which country their own is politically at swords' points. In Mexico, with one exception, the situation is even less propitious for organized labor, and theoretical Socialism in connection with labor, than in the Argentine. Yet, in one province of Mexico, in Yucatan, which is industrially speaking, very advanced, a socialistic government has actually been applied for several years with communistic elements in the administration. In the rest of Mexico a vague sort of Socialism, quite lacking in the scientific characteristics of real Socialism, has made progress since the beginning of the war. During 1918 and 1919, partly owing to the influence of outside agitators, the scheme of the general strikes and of special strikes in public utilities was attempted to exercise pressure on the governments in a number of South American states. In the American Labor Year Book for 1919-1920, page 324, we read: "General unrest was manifested among the workers of South American countries during 1918-1919. Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Peru have experienced a general strike movement, which, though industrial in origin, had assumed political importance, and brought the workers in direct conflict with their respective governments. In many instances, troops had to be used to quell the riots which were a result of the oppressive measures, practiced by the local police authorities. "The railway workers of Argentina declared a general strike in the winter of 1918, which paralyzed transportation throughout the country. The steel workers followed with a strike in the beginning of 1919, and a sympathetic general strike was proclaimed to aid the striking steel workers. Strikes of longshoremen, clerks, telephone operators and workers of many other callings took place during the spring and summer of 1919. The strike movement greatly aided the Socialists, who were among the leaders of the striking workers. In the municipal elections of Buenos Aires in October, 1918, which was soon after the railway strike, the Socialists elected twelve members of the council. In the "Several strikes were inaugurated in Uruguay, in sympathy with the striking railway and transport workers of Argentina. As a result of the strike an eight-hour law was declared by the government. Two Socialists sit in the National Legislature of Uruguay. "Several strikes took place in Chile where the Socialist movement is growing rapidly and is supported by the labor organization." A split in the Socialist movement of Mexico occurred at the convention of the Socialist Party in the fall of 1919, when a seceding faction organized the Communist Party. The split is attributed to the undue influence exercised by the representatives of the A. F. L. in Mexico, who are also members of the Socialist Party. Two Pan-American Congresses took place in 1918 and 1919. The first of these was a Pan-American Labor Conference at Laredo, Texas, in November, 1918. It was under the patronage of the American Federation of Labor and was attended by delegates of the labor unions of Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Salvador, and Colombia. The sequel to this was a Congress in New York in July, 1919. In both cases, the South American and the Central American delegates showed signs of radical tendencies and socialistic and, at times, communistic ideas, which led the American delegates of the Federation of Labor to show a lack of sympathy with a part of the proceedings, which did not please the Mexican delegate, J. deBorran, who complained of the reactionary character of the A. F. of L. in a communication to the New York "Call." Of quite a different character was the first Pan-American Socialist and Labor Congress, which met at Buenos Aires, Argentina, between April 26th and May 1st, 1919. The representatives of the American Socialist Party could not be present, as they were denied passports. The countries represented were Chile, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. The Socialist member of Parliament of Argentina, Dr. Bravo, was made President. The Congress showed its communistic tendencies by the messages it sent to the revolutionary proletariats of Russia, Germany and Hungary. It passed resolutions elaborating a very detailed program of economic and social and even political character. It established a permanent labor and socialist secretary at Buenos Aires, charged with the interests of the Socialist and labor movement in America, and empowered to select the time and place of the next congress. It must be noted that the Argentine Socialist Party was repre sented at the Berne conference by two delegates, Drs. Tomas30 and Justo. To complete the picture of the circumstances and the results of the strikes during 1919, which were referred to above, we must add that the strikers in Lima and Callao, Peru, in January, 1919, demanding an eight-hour day and a 50 per cent. increase in wages, were successful in obtaining from the government an eight-hour day decree and the designation of the Supreme Court as arbitrator in labor disputes. But in the course of the strike there was great disorder. The strikers were shot and arrested and troops were used to quell the disturbance. In connection with the disturbances among the miners in Chile in December, 1918, the President, in discussing martial law, spoke of the disorders as provoked "by Bolsheviks who have managed to reach the country." This connection of I. W. W., Russian or other alien agitators, with the South American labor troubles, is generally considered to be more a fact in the case of the Argentine troubles, where the strikes, curiously enough, broke out at about the same time as the Peruvian strikes, both in and near Buenos Aires. The strike involved not only industrial workers, but almost every branch of municipal employees; martial law was declared and machine guns were used against the workers in street fights. The strike of the harbor workers was the most difficult to settle, and here again was seen the hand of the International agitators. There is the beginning of an extensive Bolshevist agitation in Central America centered in Guatemala, looking toward a union of the five republics in a single communistic state. |