Title: Forward to Records of Freedom
Date: July 1, 1917
Source: From Robert Graham (Ed.), Anarchism: A Documentary History of Libertarian Ideas; Volume One: From Anarchy to Anarchism (300 CE to 1939). libcom.org

The evolution of the world is so slow. After thousands of years of turmoil the republic has just arrived. It seems that the common people enjoy a little more happiness than before. However, when the powerful people discover that the common people are seeking happiness for themselves, they use every cruel means to block the newly emerging trend. The ideal society is still fa r away. Touched by inequality in contemporary society and the helplessness of numerous people, we have become aware of the need to transform society. It is our goal to realize anarchism as political organization and communism as economic ideal. Now that the goal is set, we are determined to overcome all difficulties to realize it. It is nothing for us to endure hardships and sufferings. We appreciate the beauty of anarchism and the goodness of communism, and understand that our ideal cannot be achieved overnight. Our priority is to instill anarchist communism into the common people and raise their self-consciousness. There are two ways to approach this. The violent approach is to use bombs and handguns ... the peaceful approach is to use education and persuasion to improve the morals and knowledge of the majority, and to work with one heart. It seems that the two approaches are quite different, but they are by no means contradictory to each other. Personally, I believe the peaceful approach is more effective.

Alas, don’t you see how evil the contemporary social system is? Are you going to turn a blind eye to it? We have to do all we can to catch up and work with the progressive people all over the world to transform the system. In the Classics of Poetry there is a line: ‘The rain and wind bring in darkness and gloominess, but the cock never stops its crow.” Despite the limitation of our ability we will do our part to facilitate the work and make a wave. It is our great hope that the enlightened peopled in society will share our concern.