Vol. 71/No. 33      September 10, 2007

The turnout—particularly in face of the government’s repeated threats to crush the demonstrations with force—showed Solidarity’s continued massive support among working people, more than eight months after its activities were outlawed by the imposition of martial law last December.

The demonstrations were called by the Provisional Coordinating Committee (TKK) of Solidarity, which is functioning as a national leadership. In a major strategy document issued at the same time as the demonstration call, the TKK noted the population had to be prepared to carry out a “long term” struggle for its aims: “freedom for the political prisoners and internees, an end to the state of war, and the reactivation of the independent union movement.”  
 
September 9, 1957
Troops of the Arkansas National Guard with clubs, carbines, armored vehicles and jeeps yesterday surrounded Central High School in Little Rock to prevent entry of nine Negro students. Thus did Governor Orval Faubus directly and deliberately flout a federal court order backing the school board’s gradual and token integration program. His action amounted to armed insurrection against the federal government.

The response of President Eisenhower, who by law is charged with enforcement of the orders of the federal courts when they are defied, was to back away from the issue and make excuses for the white-supremacists. Queried at his Sept. 3 press conference about Gov. Faubus’ use of the National Guard to overrule the federal court, Eisenhower refused to be more definite than saying the Justice Department would “study” the case.

On Sept. 4 the Negro children courageously braved an insulting, threatening mob. Gov. Faubus’ troops barred their entry.  
 
September 10, 1932
The past week has marked several aggressive steps of the German bourgeoisie on the foreign front. The pronunciamentos of [German chancellor Kurt] Von Schleicher with regard to the military plans and ambitions of the Junker government have created quite a stir among the world powers.

To be sure, the main aim of the German bourgeoisie remains the same; in the words of Schleicher—first of all to “settle accounts with the internal Schweinehund”—that is, with their working class enemy.

The capitalist class of Germany knows full well that to settle accounts with its proletariat it will be dependent upon its basis of mass support: the Nazi movement.

The Hitlerites, for their part, are content to wait. They prefer to hold out in all readiness until the big bourgeoisie sees itself forced to resort to them. And of that they can be quite sure.  
 
 
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