Throttled! The Detection of the German and Anarchist Bomb PlottersTunney, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
History
Throttled! The Detection of the German and Anarchist Bomb Plotters
Tunney, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Secret service -- Germany
We caught a glimpse, in the chapter describing the attempt to wreck St.
Patrick’s Cathedral, of the peace-time game of the anarchist group;
we looked into their meeting places and their disorderly minds; and
those of us who are familiar with the localities which were their
haunts in New York City will have been enabled to visualize with some
clearness the squalid surroundings in which they worked. War gave
them new opportunities, and possibly a few high-lights which the Bomb
Squad caught of the anarchist, I. W. W., and Russian activities since
1914 may prove to be readable. If they are readable the author should
be content, but he will not be unless he has put before his people
something which may serve as a warning for the period of readjustment
which the end of war has opened.
An anarchist publication appeared in New York, dated November 15, 1918,
four days after Germany had signed the armistice, with this legend on
its front page, in large type:
“The War Is Dead: Long Live the Revolution!”
It reflects the joyful frame of mind with which orthodox anarchists
received the news of peace, and hailed the beginning of what they
thought would be unrestrained guerilla warfare on law and class. They
had done very little to help the war, and their two chief figures, Emma
Goldman and Alexander Berkman, were in prison for obstructing the draft
of America’s army. Yet the anarchists as a class were extremely happy.
Let us review some of the reasons why.
On October 25, 1915, Har Dayal, who had fled at the outbreak of war to
the protection of Berlin, where he was placed in charge of the Indian
Nationalist Committee, wrote from Amsterdam, Holland, to Alexander
Berkman in New York. The letter follows:
“Dear Comrade:
“I am well and busy and sad. Can you send me some earnest and
sincere comrades, men and women, who would like to help our
Indian revolutionary movement in some way or other? I need the
coöperation of very earnest comrades. Perhaps you can find
them in New York or at Paterson. They should be real fighters,
I. W. W.’s or anarchists. Our Indian party will make all
necessary arrangements.
“If some comrades wish to come, they should come to Holland. We
have a centre in Amsterdam, and Dutch comrades are working with
us. If some comrades are ready to come, please telegraph me
from New York to the following address:
“‘Israel Aaronson, c/o Madame Kercher,
“‘116 Oude Scheveningerweg,
“‘Scheveningen, Holland.’
“My assumed name is ‘Israel Aaronson.’ Kindly don’t
telegraph in your own name. The word ‘yes’ will suffice. The
Rotterdam-Amerika Line will receive instructions from us here
to give tickets, etc., to as many persons as you recommend. All
financial arrangements will be made by our party.
“News from India is good. We have lost (?) some very brave
comrades in the recent skirmishes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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