An interview with Narayan Krishna on his visit to Chicago.

‘Socialist of India in City’ from Chicago Daily Socialist. Vol. 2 No. 191. June 8, 1908.

Dr. N. Krishna of India arrived in Chicago yesterday. The doctor is a veteran in the Socialist movement in India. He is very enthusiastic about the movement in the country of spice and just as much about the United Stater. He is at present living at the Saratoga hotel, but intends to leave Chicago to day. He will return toward the last of the month, when he will afford Chicago Socialists the opportunity of hearing him from the soap box.

Speaks Many Languages

The doctor, like many others of his nativity, is the master of numerous languages, being able to speak French, Polish, Russian, English, Bohemian, German and all of the East Indian tongues. He is slight in build, but agile and brisk in conversation. On being interviewed by a Daily Socialist reporter last night, the doctor expressed much regret at being unable to remain in Chicago long enough at the present time to give a few open-air talks, and thus help out the campaign.

“You’ve no doubt heard, or, rather, read about the visit that King Edward intends to pay the czar of Russia.” said he, turning to the reporter. “Well, there are many opinions regarding that visit. Which of them is true is hard to tell; but I will tell you what I am sure is the real object of the visit.

England’s Three Enemies.

“In the first place. It must be borne in mind that England has three enemies Japan. Russia and the United States. England is anxious to defeat either one of them. If England defeats either will benefit her very much. In the late Japan-Russian war England figured prominently. It was through its efforts that the controversy between the two countries resulted in war. It was because English and Japanese capitalists incited the Japanese press against Russia.

“Now that Russia has been weakened by its defeat, and is well-night powerless to do England harm, King Edward intends to visit the czar and establish an alliance which he hopes will enable him in the near future to down either Japan or the United States. That is my version of the visit.

To Wipe Out Socialists

“Another reason of the king’s visit is to establish an Anglo-Russo alliance for the purpose of defeating the revolutionary elements in both, countries. Both rulers realize the danger that threatens them from the growth of the Socialist movement, and through an alliance they figure that both would stand more chance of coping with it. King Edward figures that through an alliance he could call on the Russian Cossacks and have a horde of them butcher the English Socialists.

There are today 50,000,000 people In Indian. Most of them are not class conscious by any means, but out of nine leaders four are class conscious. By leaders I mean men that are influential in the affairs of India–men who are presidents of colleges or occupy other prominent places.

“Some time ago the people of Canada asked England to give home rule to India. England, however, saw that this would be against her interests and began to look for ways and means of doing away with such a feeling in Canada. She soon discovered that there was an anti-Asiatic feeling on the Pacific coast. On making this discovery King Edward, saw his chance, and forthwith discharged two regiments of Hindoo soldiers in Hong Kong. These Hindoo ex-butchers he supplied with funds and provisions and sent them in–directly to the Canadian coast in order to excite an anti-Hindoo feeling. The plan was successful, and today the anti-Hindoo feeling in Canada is as strong as the anti-Asiatic.

Revolutionary Spirit Acute

“Another point I want to touch is this: The Asiatics do not come to a the United States to lower the standard of living. No. They come as a result of the praises of America, sung into their ears by religious fanatics, who in turn are instructed to do so by the capitalist element. The Japanese and Chinese find more advantages in Manchuria. In fact, there are very few of either the Asiatic or Indian races in America.

“As far as the revolutionary spirit is concerned, I must say that the feeling is much more acute in India than it is here, for in a recent copy of one our Hindoo papers I saw a report stating that five revolutionary papers had been subsidized in one day.”

The Chicago Socialist, sometimes daily sometimes weekly, was published from 1902 until 1912 as the paper of the Chicago Socialist Party. The roots of the paper lie with Workers Call, published from 1899 as a Socialist Labor Party publication, becoming a voice of the Springfield Social Democratic Party after splitting with De Leon in July, 1901. It became the Chicago Socialist Party paper with the SDP’s adherence and changed its name to the Chicago Socialist in March, 1902. In 1906 it became a daily and published until 1912 by Local Cook County of the Socialist Party and was edited by A.M. Simons if the International Socialist Review. A cornucopia of historical information on the Chicago workers movements lies within its pages.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/chicago-daily-socialist/1908/080608-chicagodailysocialist-v02n191.pdf