On October 12, 1925 police of U.S. comprador, Panamanian President Rodolfo Chiari, fired into a crowd of workers on rent strike, the Movimiento Inquilinario, killing four. Riots and a general strike against his regime broke out, with U.S. marines stationed in the Canal Zone ‘requested’ to put down the strike; which they did. More were killed, union headquarters destroyed, and the mass movement crushed under a U.S. marine boot. Below is the Daily Worker’s first report of the intervention, an editorial, and a statement from the leadership of the Communist Party.

‘The Bloody Fist in Panama’ from The Daily Worker. Vol. 2 No. 235. October 15, 1925.

The Bloody Fist in Panama

Yesterday’s invasion by American troops of Panama City, adds another chapter to the long series of crimes against weaker peoples perpetrated by the international banditry comprising the United States armed forces.

The rape by the Roosevelt administration of the nations of the Canal Zone; the bombarding of Vera Cruz, Mexico; the armed invasion of Haiti and Santo Domingo under Woodrow Wilson–not to mention the expedition into Siberia; the odious role of the government of this country–under republican and democratic administrations alike as international strikebreaker and ravager of small, helpless nations; the whole history of this nation since it entered the arena of world imperialism makes the exploits of Atilla, Alarec and other barbarian pillagers of the ancient world pale into insignificance.

The Panama invasion is purely for strikebreaking purposes. The working class of Panama City organized peaceful mass protests against the extortionate rents imposed by the landlords. The Panama governmental police murdered in cold blood one of the participants in the demonstration of last Saturday night. This so aroused the workers that they showed their indignation by turning out by the thousands at the funeral Monday. The police tried violently to disperse the mourners returning from the funeral. The workers stood firm while speakers urged them to refuse to pay rents until they are reduced.

Later in the day the bakers, tailors, butchers, street car and other transportation workers went on strike in protest against the actions of the Panama police. Then came the call of the Panama authorities to the United States troops. Gen. Lassiter, in command. of the Canal Zone troops, ordered three batallions rushed into the city. Then began the slaughter of defenseless workers. The head-quarters of the labor forces was pillaged and at least one of the workers murdered in cold blood.

Against this savage invasion the unarmed workers are fighting with every weapon at their command. The invasion of the hall was resisted with chairs, clubs and other improvised weapons. In the streets the strikers sprinkled tacks to puncture the tires of the autos bearing the armed banditti and in general resisted as best they could.

As is usual in such cases there is no declaration of war against the people of Panama by the American government. And it is not war. It is plain butchery–the customary strike-breaking tactics of the United States army. Machine guns menace the populace from public buildings, the plazas are armed camps, reminiscent of the armed invasion of Gary, Indiana, by the notorious strike-breaker and scab-herder, Major General Leonard Wood, now directing Ameri can suppression of the natives in the Philippines.

The workers of the United States have a duty to perform in this situation. We should make the struggle of the Panama workers our struggle. The masses thruout the nation must be aroused and the vicious character of this latest assault exposed until the protests will rock the Coolidge administration at Washington.

Furthermore, energetic action must be taken beyond mere mass protest. Every class conscious worker, every militant in the labor movement should immediately start an agitation to tie up transportation of munitions and supplies from this country to the troops in the Canal Zone, thereby bringing the utmost pressure to bear upon those responsible for the ferocious throttling of a helpless people.

American imperialism must be made to know that its vandalism will be challenged not merely by the bleeding colonial victims of its lust, but by the American workers at home.

‘U.S. Troops Terrorize Panama Workers’

SOLDIERS SHOOT STRIKERS; WRECK LABOR HEADQUARTERS; MARTIAL LAW IS DECLARED

BALBOA, Panama, Oct. 13. The protest of the laboring masses of this city against exorbitant rents has called forth most terrible reprisals. Panama City since yesterday has been an armed camp with the invading United States forces swarming the street in full war regalia and brutally dispersing even the most casual gatherings of workers.

In the wake of pillage and destruction inaugurated by troops dispatched there under Brigadier General C.H. Martin, on Sixteenth street, Panama City, have been sacked and one man is known to have been murdered, while scores of others suffering from bayonet wounds and ferocious beatings are being cared for in improvised hospitals established by the workers, who are denied access to regular hospitals to care for their wounded.

Thruout the city occasional groups of women and children clamor for word of their husbands and fathers missing since yesterday, only to be bestially handled to troops who have evidently been given a free hand by the commanding officers.

Heroic Resistance

The workers at labor headquarters, called “Bolshevik” headquarters, by the army commanders, heroically defended themselves with any weapons at their disposal. Chains, flat-irons, spades, stove lids and other missiles were hurled at the uniformed invaders as they mounted the stairs. These, however, were the only weapons possessed by the workers and when they were exhausted the troops entered and began the butchery.

One of the defenders was murdered and his body hurled to the street below, many were bleeding from bayonet wounds, others clubbed into insensibility by the butts of rifles, while the premises were wrecked and the furniture demolished into splinters.

Raid Arms Stores

Simultaneous with this outbreak of terrorism, hardware stores and other shops selling arms and munitions were looted so that the city would be at, the complete mercy of the invaders. Stores were closed and barricaded and this morning Brig. Gen. Martin reports to General Lassiter, in command of the Panama Canal department of the United States army that “peace reigns” in the city. But it is the peace of death, the peace of the desert, where the only sound is the tramp of the iron heel and the muffled groans of the victims of this savage outrage.

Follow Murder of Worker

The new struggle in Panama broke out yesterday as an outgrowth of the riots of Saturday night, when the police killed a worker during a demonstration against high rents. Several thousands Panama workers followed the body of Marciano Mirones, the victim of Saturday’s riots, from Santa Ana Plaza to the cemetery, the leaders carrying red flags. Mirones’ brother, speaking at the grave, promised revenge and urged all to assist him. On the way back from the cemetery, while passing the railway station the workers stopped while speakers urged all to stop paying rent until the landlords made reductions.

Workers Defend Red Flag

Two trucks filled with Panama police arrived on the scene and the officers charged the mob with fixed bayonets, wounding many. The police captured one of the red flags. A worker recaptured one. He appeared later at the American hotel waving the flag and urging all workers to rally round it.

The police charged the workers, but the latter stood firm, baring their chests and urging the officers to shoot. One group of workers passed thru a police cordon, many being wounded in the melee, and attempted to march toward the president’s palace. A strong police cordon at the Santa Ana Plaza charged the group and finally dispersed them.

Firemen Quit

Later the workers held a meeting behind closed doors, where the street car workers, bakers, butchers, chauffeurs and coach drivers decided to stop work in protest against the high rents. Panama’s volunteer firemen, refusing to fight against the workers, turned in their uniforms at the central station and quit work, while the workers cheered.

President Calls for Aid

President Rodalfo Chiari, vassal of American capital, appealed to General Lassiter to rush troops to Panama City. In a short time Martin, in command of three battalions of the 33^rd infantry stationed at Fort Claytou, five miles from the city arrived and proceeded immediately to the most frightful excesses.

All business is closed and the announcement is made that the troops will leave the city within a few days, after firmly establishing “order.” The workers, though crushed, are still rebellious and unquestionably the stores closed by the military will remain closed by the workers thru a city-wide strike, even after the troops have left, until their grievances are adjusted.

‘Fight Wall Street’s Imperialist Rule!‘

(Statement by the Central Executive Committee of the Workers (Communist) Party.)

AMERICAN soldiers are fighting striking workers of Panama, who are protesting against exorbitant rents. The imperialist American government is giving the workers a lesson in why it maintains a big army and navy. It needs soldiers and warships in order to put down the uprisings of the workers whom it is oppressing and robbing in the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America.

THE workers of Panama could not bear the burden of low wages, high living costs, including extortionate rents for the squalid living quarters. They organized to fight against these conditions. Their protest meeting was attacked and two of their number were killed. When they organized a demonstration in memory of the victims of the murderous attacks of the government, the American soldiers were called in to suppress their protest by force.

WHAT has happened in Panama is happening in all of the countries to the South of the United States. The American capitalists are investing the profits they wring from the labor of the workers of this country to exploit the people of the West Indies, Central and South America. When the workers of this country protest against the exploitation thru which Wall Street grinds them to the earth, the American soldiers are called in to protect the investments and profits of our capitalists. The American government steps in to shoot down the workers who dare rebel against their Wall Street masters, as it has in Haiti, Santa Domingo, Mexico and now in Panama.

WORKERS of the United States! The fight of the exploited workers of Latin-America against the Wall Street exploiters and its agent, the American government is your fight. You must join them in the struggle they are carrying on against American imperialism.

DECLARE your solidarity with the Panama workers.
Adopt resolutions in your trade union, hold mass meetings.
Demand the withdrawal of American soldiers from Panama.
Support the Panama workers in their fight for better working and living conditions.
Demand that the American government stop wasting the wealth the workers produce to maintain armies and build a big navy to protect Wall Street investment.
Down with the American imperialism!
Forward to the Workers’ and Farmers’ Government of the United States.

Central Executive Committee, Workers (Communist). Party of America, C.E. RUTHENBERG, General Secretary.

The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak. The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party. In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, which became The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1925/1925-ny/v02b-n235-NYE-oct-15-1925-DW-LOC.pdf