THE PARIS COMMUNE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2952, 16 June 1891, Page 4

THE PARIS COMMUNE.

* Tim 2nh anniversary o f the proolatnati on of the Paris Commune was celebrated by 11 1 iri.;c held under the auspices nl the Social Democratic l.'Yderation, llorIn it iluirow.-i presided, and among those •Hi Liu platform were Louise Michel, Mr H M. ii vndm.'Ui, Mr tmiilas Mendelson, Mr 11. Qiii'lch, and Mr I'Vrdin.md Gilles. Tlie proceedings opened with a selection of inu.iie by a string hand, the first piece, lie ill'.' Hermann's "Le Diadome." The chairman said that he would not enter into the d' hvls of the great Btruggleof 1871. What they had assembled to commemorate was not a defeat, but a victory. During the last 15 yours tho ideas for which the Commune l'ousrht had advanced at an ever-increasing rate iu this conutry. The following resolution was brought forward " That this meeting hopefully reeall 3 the establishment of the Commune ■if expresses its deepest sympathy with the heroic attempt of the French workers to overthrow the domination of the classes that live by the robbery of labour, and pledges itself to use all means to achieve that emancipation of the workers for which tho Communards of I ,S7l so nobly fought and died." Mr Quelcli, iu moving it, urged that they should use all tho means iu their power to attain the subject of the federation, physical force not excepted if it should i he necessary, He looked forward to the . time, when the red flag should be firmly planted in London. Mr Ferdinand Gilles, who spoke in German, seconded the ri solution, adding that the workers should prepare themselves to light the i middle classes to the bitter end, as no sort of compromise between these two sections iii' tlie enoinninity was possible. Mr II yndinan t.aid tho upper and middle i clases were at last beginning to see that i here was a great power at the back of ihe labour movements. He wished them to keep in vio-.v, not what had happened iu tin-j) i-t, but what should happen in ■ ilte future. He honed to see a Commune in L ludoii before luijr, and one of the deadliest, tyrannies that had yet defaccd |. the world, capitalism, would inevitably bo overthrown Thera should bo no mistako as loth<! ohjeet, It Was not merely to [. obtain a t'i-e in tlio workers' wajfcx, but , i oilo that whieh tho Communists of Paris did 20 voars ago. Louise Michel, who 1 was received with uproarious cheering, J- delivered an enthusiastic euiogyof the j- Commune. The party of labour, she ~ added, were not withoutminor divi-ionß, but these would soon resolve themselves into a common hatred of the middle '' classes. No monarchy could bo a worse enemy to the good of tho masses than a ~ m ddlH-class republic. If it was neoessarv ~ that, the torch shouid be lighted it would be lighted. Modern society rested upon theft and oppression, and ought to bo got rid of at any cost. It was not wrong to " kill beasts of prey. Tho next speaker ' was a Mr Norris, who said that they would have to go through a baptism of blood, ard should bo prepared for all , euiorj.rniicie'-. The contest iu which they were engaged was not one that could be r fought.out. at the ballot-box. Tho meet- , inir. after singinsr the " Marsuilhiiso," separated with three cheers for " the Revolution."