Exactly a century ago, the Commune’s anniversary was celebrated by over 10,000 in a mass pageant at New York’s Madison Square Garden involving hundreds of actors and the audience reenacting the events of the 1871. Adding drama to the event, the bomb squad raided the practice space and arrested comrades for having “firearms”; the stage-rifles for the play. Below are a half dozen articles dealing with the lead-up and aftermath.

‘Commune Anniversary Pageant in New York’ from The Daily Worker. February & March, 1925.

500 Comrades are Wanted for Paris Commune Pageant. February 24, 1925.

The workers of New York experienced a wonderful spectacle on Feb. 1, when 15,000 Communists and Communist sympathizers crowded Madison Square Garden in the name of Leninism. On March 15, the Garden will again be filled with Communists and their followers. The Communist press has arranged a pageant, ball and concert. March 15 is the date the Paris Commune and the lessons of that historical event are to be drawn once more—the lessons of the defeat of the workers of Paris— and the lessons that the Russian revolution has taught the workers—the lessons of victory. In order better to portray the action of the workers of Paris against the bourgeoisie whose assembly was gathered at Versailles, the committee in charge has arranged a pageant, that will excel for its magnitude. Hundreds of comrades and sympathizers, if not thousands, will participate in this grandiose pageant, which will be the biggest thing that the Communists of New York have ever undertaken. The pageant will be directed by Dr. Alexander Arkatov, who conducted the magnificent production of “The Dawn” in Moscow. The pageant will require a goodsized band—and above all a large number of comrades to act in the mass scenes. All comrades of the Workers Party, Y.W.L. and Junior groups who are willing to devote themselves to the pageant and to participate in it, should report at once to Comrade Fralkin, at the district office. Little time can be lost, as there are only three weeks left.

March 15th Demands Your Best, New York. February 27, 1925.

MARCH 15 is the date of the greatest task ever undertaken by the Communist movement in New York City. It is proposed to secure fifteen thousand subscribers for the DAILY WORKER, and to assemble them in Madison Square Garden on that date for press pageant, Paris Commune celebration concert and ball. To fill Madison Square for an entertainment is a real man-sized job in itself. To fill it with subscribers for the DAILY WORKER is a task truly herculean. It will require the active co-operation of every Workers Party paper, every party institution, every party and Young Workers’ League unit, every member to measure up to the possibilities of this occasion. Judging from the response to the early announcements this co-operation will be forthcoming one hundred per cent. As a conception of what this affair will mean to New York in the way of Communist propaganda and organization spreads among the membership of the branches they are starting to work with an unprecedented enthusiasm. They realize that the securing of fifteen thousand subscribers for the DAILY WORKER means a tremendous propaganda in itself. A good percentage of them can be made permanent, and will thus become a mighty factor in the ultimate establishment of a DAILY WORKER right here in New York. They also realize that a Madison Square Garden meeting is worth more for propaganda than a hundred ordinary meetings. In a hall holding only three or four thousand the bulk of the audience always consists of Workers Party members and their immediate friends. Never more than a few hundred non-Communists attend such meetings. But in a Madison Square Garden audience of fifteen thousand know for a certainty that besides the party members and their families there are at least ten thousand outsiders. Such a meeting is therefore a real achievement in reaching the mass. To make it a success will test the powers of the New York movement. But making it a success will also develop the powers of. the New York organization as no other effort could or would. See that your branch puts its shoulder to the wheel and helps push. Subscription tickets for the affair have been sent to all branches of the party and Young Workers’ League. If you have not received yours, come to the District Office, 108 East 14th street, and get a supply and get busy at once. Incidentally worth while prizes are offered to the Individual and branches making the best records in this work. The contest ends March 15. Begin now and make use of this opportunity during the next three weeks to make Communist propaganda and build the Communist organization.

Re-enact Brave Struggle of the Communards. March 1, 1925.

The street fighting of the Paris Communards against the reactionary troops of Versailles will be re-enacted at the press pageant and ball, Sunday, March 15, at Madison Square Garden. The members of the Workers Party and Young Workers League will represent the workers of Paris for that day. Pitched battles of the commune will be brought down in its true historic form. The arena of the Garden will be turned into a huge public square, barricades manned by the workers’ militia will be shown just as they appeared then. Workers’ militia, cavalry officers, all these and many others will be the treat accorded all those coming to the garden. Fifteen thousand workers who are expected at the Garden will participate in this production. The scenario was written by Comrade Beatrice Carlin who has had many experiences along this line. The plan of the play is to get the entire audience in the action scenes as is now being done in all productions in Russia. To help make this a huge success we are fortunate in having secured the services of Alexander Arkatov as director. Comrade Arkatov has Just arrived from Russia where he has been engaged in putting on similar spectacles with Meyerhold. He is well-known as a director in Russia and Germany where he directed the famous motion picture “In the House of Doctor Caligari,” at the present time he is producing “Peter, the Great” at the Jewish Theater. Over five hundred comrades are needed in the mob scenes and all those desiring to help should get in touch with the Workers Party office at once. No speaking is necessary, but the comrades will have to take part in several rehearsals. But despite this, there will be many other features to help make this day historic. The Freiheit Singing Society consisting of 100 comrades will render several revolutionary numbers to befit this occasion. An orchestra consisting of 100 pieces will supply the music. The Ukrainian comrades are promising a special program in which they are not only going to have 60 comrades in their chorus who will render several selections in native costume, but they have also succeeded in getting a Ukrainian troupe who will perform several dance numbers. The Hungarian comrades too, will have dances and their orchestra for the occasion. All this and many other numbers which we will write about in the future will be given with a ono month’s subscription to the DAILY WORKER for 75 cents. The affair is arranged by the Workers Party and the Young Workers’ League to help the entire Communist press. Subscriptions are now out and are selling very fast from all reports now coming into the office. However, the Garden holds 15,000 people and here we have a chance to secure 15,000 new subscribers to the DAILY WORKER.

Commune Pageant to be Greatest Ever. March 7, 1925.

New York Workers to See Mass Action

For the first time in the history of the revolutionary movement, a fitting memorial has been arranged for the Paris Commune. Madison Square, which housed both Lenin Memorial meetings, and which gave the capitalists something to shiver over, will be the scene of the big Paris Commune celebration, on March 15. The Paris Commune was essentially a product of the youthful revolutionists of Paris. Liebknecht has very well declared that “he who has the youth has the army.” And in revolutionary Paris, the youth was with the revolution. The youth, organized in the national guard supplied the delegates to the Paris Commune. youth supplied the army in the fight against the monarchists from Versailles. The youth were the motivating force in the Paris Commune. The special feature of the celebration will be the Paris Commune Pageant, a spectacle in which 15.000 comrades will participate. Additional features will be the big workers’ choruses and orchestras, involving hundreds of comrades. The Workers Party and Young Workers’ League, which have arranged this affair for the building up of the Communist press, call upon all workers to celebrate the Paris Commune in a practical manner by building up a workers press that will carry on the work of the Communards. The Young Workers especially should come to the celebration on March 15. A good deal of the proceeds will be devoted to the Young Worker, the organ of the militant young workers, and the revolutionary youth must remember the traditions of the youth of the Paris Commune and be the foremost in the celebration.

Commune Pageant in New York on Sunday. March 14, 1925.

The 54^th anniversary of the commune, will be commemorated In New York City by a gigantic demonstration and favoring the recognition of Soviet Russia, to be held at Madison Square Garden. Sunday afternoon, March 15. The Russian Soviet government is the direct heir of the lion-hearted Communards of Paris, who for two months ruled the great metropolis of France, and in the demands of the American workers for recognition of the Soviet Workers’ and Peasants’ Republic, they pay honor to the 30,000 brave men and women of the French proletariat who fell victims to the bloodthirsty slaughter of the bourgeoisie with their foreign intervention and their murderous Versailles butchers. Admission to the pageant may be secured by taking a regular one month’s subscription to the DAILY WORKER, or one of the foreign language Communist papers. Many excellent prizes have been offered for the individuals and organizations selling the most ticket-subscriptions to the pageant. The doors of Madison Square Garden will be thrown open to the public at one o’clock.

Give Historical Pageant

The historical pageant, commemorating the 54th anniversary of the Paris Commune of 1871, includes in its cast Carl Brodsky, Walter Speck, Lena Chernenko, Abe Foreman and many others. The program opens with the singing of the first and last verses of the International, followed by a speech on the “World Revolution,” by the chairman, Juliet Stuart Poyntz. Benjamin Gitlow will speak on the “The White Terror”, and M.J. Olgin will talk on “Communist Press.”

The gymnastic exhibition by workers sport organizations, folk dances, and orchestral numbers will enliven the program. The DAILY WORKER is expected to secure several thousand new subscriptions as a result of the pageant The complete program follows.

PROGRAM.

1. International (first and last verses)–Ukrainian Chorus (75 voices), combined with Freiheit and Hungarian Workers’ Symphony Orchestra; Lazar Weiner, conductor.

2. The World Revolution—Juliet Stuart Poyntz, chairman.

3. Lettish Male Chorus (40 voices)—Otto Sauerman, director.

4. The White Terror and the Internatlonal Red Aid—Ben Gitlow.

5. Folk Dances (in native costumes). (a) Greek. (b) Hungarian, accompanied by Hungarian Workers’ Orchestra. (c) Ukrainian, accompanied by Ukrainian Chorus directed by M. D. Hayvorowsky.

6. The Communist Press—Mossaye Olgin.

7. “The Weavers,” Dramatization from Heinrich Heine—The Juniors, directed by Miriam Silverfrab.

8. Gymnastic Exhibition: (a) “Wesa” Finnish Athletic Club. (b) Czecho-Slovak Federated Gymnastic Union. (c) Jugo-Slav Workers’ Athletic Club.

9. “Carmagnole”—Freiheit and Hungarian Workers’ Symphony Orchestra.

10. “The Paris Commune,’’ 1871—Historical pageant, by Beatrice Carlin, staged and directed by Alexander Arkatov, assisted by Sadie Amter; cast of five hundred characters, Workers’ Drama League, Hungarian Dramatic League. Finnish Dramatic League. (Entire audience participating.)

11. Freiheit Singing Society (40 voices)—Lazar Weiner, director.

12.—international—Chorus. orchestra and audience.

The Paris Commune, 1871. Historical pageant, by Beatrice Carlin: staged and directed by Alexander Arkatov; assistant director, Sadie Amter; stage arrangements by Edwin O’Hanlon; lighting effects by Herbert Rolands; sound and shooting effects by Harry Tarr.

Cast of Characters

Prologue speaker–Carl Brodsky
Ranvier, chairman, gen. com–W. Speak
Leaders in the crowds–Lena Chernenko Abe Foreman

Members of the Commune (Speaking Parts)

Chairman–Arthur Leeds
Arnaud–Lo Hartman
Duval–A.R. Gold
Malon–Clarence Miller
Pryat—Isador Cohen
Tridon—John McGuire
Gambon–Max Plason
General Rosael–Charlee Ralas
Communard prisoners–Rosa Spiro, Walter Speck,
Lieutenant, counter-revolutionary firing squad– Abe Foreman

(a)—Prologue: workers of the world, 1925, celebrate the anniversary of the Paris Commune, 1871. A speaker addressing them and the audience. describes the conditions which produced the Commune, and gives Its short history. (b)—The proclamation of the Commune. (c)—The Commune at work. (d)—The modern international group now hears of the gradual disorganisation of the Commune, due to inexperience, untrained leaders, and the lack of an organised Communist Party. (e) Two months later. The Commune in disagreement; the suspicious, quarrels and accusations; the invasion of Paris by the bourgeois Versailles army; the defense of Paris by her proletarian citizens; her defeat. (f) Execution of the Communists. (g)—Epilogue. The lesson of the Commune of 1871; how the Russian Communists profited by it in 1917-26; the world revolution. Costumes, by Stanley Costume Studios; wigs and make-up, by Zauder Bros., Inc.

Every member selling subscription tickets is once more cautioned to settle for them before the pageant if he wants them to count for himself and his organization in the contest.

10,000 Join in Paris Commune Demonstration. March 19, 1925.

New York Gathering Is Great Success

A tremendous demonstration commemorating the Paris Commune was held in Madison Square Garden. The meeting and pageant were duly advertised by the police arresting three comrades of the Workers, (Communist) Party and Young Workers League last Friday night on the ridiculous charge of “possessing fire arms.” These firearms were of the vintage of 1776 and were old and rusty. But the “Bomb Squad,” acting under orders of the federal government, was determined, if possible, to prevent the performance of the pageant—and above all to prevent another demonstration of Communist and working class solidarity such as took place on Feb. 1, at the Lenin Memorial meeting. 10,000 in Demonstration About 10.000 workers and Communist sympathizers attended the meeting, which was enthusiastic from beginning to end. The chairman of the meeting. Comrade Juliet Stuart Poyntz, ridiculed the “antics of the police bomb squad,” her statement being greeted with boos for Captain Gegan of the squad. “We have an international army of workers, armed with a program, organized, disciplined and working toward the world revolution and the foundation of Communist society,” she said.

Comrade Moissaye Olgin gave an historical sketch of the struggles for the establishment of the Commune, when the workers took power from the capitalist class and became the dominant class. The army fraternized with the workers and turned their guns against the bourgeoisie and their leaders, General Thomas and others. “The Red Flag was hoisted in Paris—the first government of the workers the world over,” he said. “They abolished nationalism,—aliens being made citizens. The bourgeoisie retired to Versailles, known to the workers of the whole world for that infamous treaty of that name. Then came 1905 in Russia, when the country was shaken to its foundations. After a decade of revolutionary struggle, came the overthrow of the czar, followed by Nov. 7, 1917, the “greatest day in the history of mankind.” Then depicting the struggles of the Russian workers and peasants, Comrade Olgin said that, “if a conflict between the bourgeoisie of the world and Soviet Russia arises, the proletariat of all countries will say to their bourgeoisie ‘hands off Soviet Russia.’”  Benjamin Gitlow spoke about the White Terror and the International Workers Red Aid. “The bourgeoisie of France, upon returning to Paris,” said Comrade Gitlow, “slaughtered 30,000 workers and deported many more. This same bourgeoisie now talks of democracy and free speech, and is attacking Soviet Russia for putting into prison counter-revolutionaries actively engaged against the Soviet government. There are more than 100,000 political prisoners in the capitalist dungeons, where they are subjected to the vilest torture. The capitalist press says that there is no freedom of expression in Soviet Russia.

“How much freedom of opinion is there for the working class of Germany, where there are 8,000 political prisoners, of Hungary where there are 10,000 prisoners, of India with her 25,000 prisoners? The capitalist press indicates that when the Communists went into power in Soviet Russia, they instituted a reign of terror. This is a base lie, that history refutes.

“The socialist party and the Second (Socialist) International are carrying on an energetic campaign against Soviet Russia. They say nothing about the offer made by the International Red Aid to effect an exchange of the counter-revolutionaries in the prisons of Soviet Russia for the Communists in the capitalist prisons. They say nothing about a joint committee of the Communist International and the Second International to investigate conditions in the prisons of the Soviet Russia. The Second International is assisting the capitalists in attacking Soviet Russia, despite the fact that Soviet Russia is the only country in which workers have the right of open expression. We Communists declare that we are the only ones interested in the question of political prisoners.”

Speaks for Communist Youth

“A new committee has been formed In the United States, hut this committee does not differentiate between proletarian prisoners in capitalist prisons and counter-revolutionaries in Soviet Russia. The liberals in this committee are the tools if the counterrevolutionary socialists in a campaign against Soviet Russia. If they wish to assist in real help for proletarian prisoners, let them join the forces of the International Red Aid.” Herbert Zam, of the Young Workers League declared that the “arrest of the three comrades is a repetition of the arrest of Leo Granoff, a thirteen years old boy, last year for ‘conspiring to overthrow the capitalist government.’ One of the differences between the Communist and the socialist movement Is the attention that the Communists pay to the youth movement. Leaders like Lenin and Liebknecht organized the youth movement, recognizing the importance of youth in the revolutionary movement. The Young Workers League, as the American section of the Young Communist International, is ready to do its duty in the revolution. Long live Leninism, the guide of the struggling workers.” Comrade Zam was greeted with great applause. J.O. Bentall, in making an appeal for support of the Communist press, declared that once a journalist said “give me the headlines and the first paragraphs in the papers and we will make the revolution in a week. If we recognized the possibilities of the press, our DAILY WORKER would have a circulation not of 15,000 but of 500,000.” The Ukrainian and the Hungarian singing societies sang some folk songs, and danced the beautiful Ukrainian and Hungarian folk dances. The applause that followed showed that the workers recognized real art. The Finnish Athletic society performed a most unique exhibition with hammers and sickles ending with the crossing of the hammers and sickles. The applause was tremendous. The Freiheit Singing society sang some numbers for which it is famous.

Pageant Wonderful Spectacle

All expectancy was centered upon the Paris Commune Pageant, for which the comrades had been rehearsing so faithfully and which had received so much notice in the capitalist press owing to the recent arrests. The reporters of the capitalist papers were there in full force, to witness the “overthrow of the American government.” This spectacle was wonderful. The scenario by Comrade Carlin dealt with the outstanding features of the Paris Commune—the proclamation of the Commune, two sessions of the revolutionary council, the last one ending with the announcement that the troops of the enemy had taken Paris and the struggle was coming to an end. The slaughter of the workers of Paris and the execution of four of the heroes depicted the gigantic struggle of the workers to establish their power. The prologue showed the workers of Moscow assembled before a memorial column on which they laid a wreath in memory of the comrades who died in Paris in 1871, the story being told by Comrade Carl Brodsky. The scenic and lighting effects were excellent. The pageant was directed by Dr. Arkatoff assisted by Comrade Sadie Amter. Thunderous applause showed the appreciation of the huge crowd assembled. This first attempt by the Communists of New York to stage a mass production has been very successful and is the beginning of mass productions of a similar and larger nature.

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.