25, 50 and 75 Years Ago

August 6, 2018

August 9, 1993

ST. LOUIS — The flood now affecting the Midwestern section of the United States has already wreaked tremendous damage and will continue to devastate additional areas in the coming weeks. The inaction of the U.S. government in addressing this crisis will intensify the effects of the flood on working people, farmers, and small businesspeople.

The extent of the devastation is massive. Parts of eight farm-belt states are so wet that 16 million acres weren’t planted this spring or are under water.

Mike Galati and Nell Wheeler, Socialist Workers Party candidates for Des Moines City Council, explained in a statement: “The flood of 1993 was brought on by too much rain. But the catastrophe it has produced was caused by the system of private profit — capitalism — which puts profit before human need.”

August 9, 1968

SEATTLE — Fifteen Seattle cops burst into the Black Panther Party headquarters here July 29 with a search warrant for two stolen typewriters. After rifling through desk drawers and searching cabinets and corners of the small storefront office, they examined the two typewriters in plain view on the desks. Then they put handcuffs on Black Panther captain Aaron Dixon and on Curtis Harris, Panther co-captain and Black Panther candidate for state representative. They were jailed without charges.

Word of the arrests spread quickly, and Black Panther supporters began gathering at the Panther Party headquarters. Elmer Dixon, Aaron’s brother, addressed a press conference.

While Elmer Dixon addressed a rally of over 200 Blacks at Garfield Park, an ever-expanding picket line of militant whites began forming downtown.

August 7, 1943

Italy is now in the throes of revolution. The Italian revolution is only ten days old. But already the workers there are displaying all the imagination, boldness, and heroism that the working class always displays in time of revolution. They are taking their place at the head of all the oppressed masses in the country. And their example is already inspiring the workers of all Europe, especially those of Germany.

It was the Italian masses that toppled Mussolini from power. They stormed the houses of the fascist leaders. They sacked the leading fascist newspapers. They forced open the prisons and freed the political prisoners. The Italian workers seek to obliterate and destroy every symbol and vestige of the fascist regime.

The Italian workers want an end of the war. They want bread. They want to regain their political rights and freedom.