The Daily Worker Newspaper, May 14, 1931, Page 1

| og Sac BE 9 Ni eal 18 d. et” ne 9 ne _ Astrates Courts, called Miro into an- STOP THE DEATH EXILE OF T.H. LI! AT Protest, Demonstrate For Free- 9 « Out Saturday 128th St. and Lenox Ave. Pp. m: at (Section. of DEMONSTRATE FRIDAY dom of the Scottsboro 9, All Da il Central 9x the Communist 4 Interna orker e-Cowmunict Party U. S.A. tional) TATION WORKERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE! Vol. VIII, No. 116 at New York, N, Entered ax second-class aiatter at the Post Office geal Y.. under the act of March 3, 1879 NEW YORK, THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1931 CITY EDITION Price 3 Cents Organizational Directives on the Scottsboro Case (Issued by the Central Committee, C.P.U.S.A.) HE struggle initiated by our Party to save the lives of the 9 Scottsboro Negro boys has already resulted in a broad protest movement. The organizational consolidation of this moyement is now a burning problem The Central Committee, therefore, gives the following directives which are to be quickly applied by all District Committees: . * * 1.) The rapid activization of great numbers of non-Party elements is the chief immediate organizational objective. Only by securing the help of thousands of hitherto politically inactive elements, or of workers pre- viously following reformist leadership, in broadening this struggle can the lives of these boys be saved and substantial beginnings made in creating a great organized mass movement for Negro rights. . . . 2.) Other work (factory, unemployment, trade union, etc.) must not he neglected because of the Scottsboro fight. A real division of work must be quickly inaugurated in the Party units and sections. Without disrupting other work, each unit, according to its size, shall assign from two to four comrades to the task of carrying forward the work of the LSNR and a similar number to the work of the IL.D. These comrades shall be per- manently and exclusively assigned to the work of these organizations. It is their task to build these organizations, drawing into the work of these organizations as many non-Party workers as possible. One comrade from each section committee shall be assigned to direct the work of these comrades who are assigned by the units. The District Committee shall be responsible for guidance to these comrades in the sec- tions and the leading fractions of the mass organizations, carefully co- ordinating their work. Other comrades in the unit now assigned to factory work, unemploy- trade union work, cr work in other mass organizations, while ring and organizing the struggle against wage cuts, for nent demands, etc.), must also raise the Scottsboro issue. ould endeavor to have protest telegrams or resolutions adopted; 2 tes elected to the united front conferences; from their factory 'S organ: jon; arrange for speakers of the Party, LSNR, or ILD var before these orgenizations; prepare their organizations to par- ticin>*+ in macs demonstrations; etc. ivision of work and with each comrade carrying through z ’s to which he is assigned the greatest organizational can be secured. W'<h such a the aclar, resu . . . The central task of those comrades assigned to the work of the . shall be the bvilding of Neighborhood Committees and Groups Contacts for the,setting up of such committees and groups itational mectings held in connection with the Scotts- other mass organizations, in the factories, but chiefly throu ing workers at their homes, and convincing them of the ne- cessity of helping in the fight to save these 9 innocent Negro boys from the electric cheir. When such contacts are secured, our comrades, with the helo of these non-Party workers, should undertake to organize a neighborhood meeting preferably in the home of one of these non-Party wo! where the Scottsboro case is to be explained and a committee of the L. S. N. R. sets up to further carry on the work in the neighborhood. ‘This committee should be given only a few simple tasks that inexper- ienced ron-Party workers can perform, such as, 1.) election of delegates to the united front conference; 2) distribution of a limited number of leaflets and “Liberators;” 3.) arranging another and broader meeting to further popularize the Scottsboro case and to draw still greater numbers of non-Party workers into the campaign; and 4.) drawing as many people as possible in an organized manner into any demonstrations that are held. ‘These two or more comrades who are assigned by the unit of the Party to the t of building these L.S.N.R. committees on the Scottsboro issue must r nber that it is absolutely necessary to give the closest attention ~eraiion to these committees after they are formed, carefully guid- > in their work, preparing them to become permanent groups of © T.°.N.R. and recruiting she most advanced and self-sacrificing workers for the Party. . . . 4.) The chief task of those comrades assigned to work in the LL.D. sha!! be to activize and build the existing branches of the LL.D., to estab- lish branches where none now exist, to secure the affiliation of mass orsenizetions to the LL.D., and to secure the broadest possible representa- tion to the Scottsboro united front conferences called jointly by the I.L.D. and the L.S.N.R. They shall also be responsible for organizing tag days or other collections in their territory and for aiding in mobilizing the workers for mass meetings and demonstrations of protest. They shall enlist the aid of the L.S.N.R. committees and neighborhood groups in carrying through tag days and other collections for the Scottsboro defense. They must also remember to prominently bring forward the other cases being defended by the LL.D. (Paterson, Harlan, Imperial Valley, Mooney, local ceses, ete.) 5.) Mass organizations (A.F. of L. and revolutionary unions, clubs. lodges, ete.) must be systematically visited by Party, L.S.N.R. and LL.D. speakers (both Party and non-Party) in connection with Scottsboro, pre- sentiny th's case as a particular manifestation of the persecution and lynch terror against Negroes, and as a part of the general capitalist terror against all testers (bringing in also the other cases—Paterson, Imperial Valley. etc. These organizations should be urged to send protest telegrams and resolutions to the Governor and judge, elect delegates to the Scottsboro united front conference, and to participate in all the mass activities (meet- ings, demonstrations, conferences, etc.) to save the 9 Scottsboro boys, In addit.on they should be urged to themselves carry on activity to broaden the campaign. Where possible sueh mass organizations should be won for permanent affiliation to the LL.D. or the L.S.N.R.—a flexible policy being adopted depending on the character of the organization, its purposes, its leader- ship, ete. Where these organizations cannot be won, minority groups should be organized and drawn into the campaign, carrying on a fight also against the leaders who block the entrance of the organization as a whole into the fight. . . . 6.) The United Front conferences which are built up from these Party, LS.N.R., and LL.D. activities must be kept alive as a real united front movement, which, with the direction of our Party fractions, leads the whole Scottsboro struggle in accordance with the political directives which will be issued from time to time as the case develops. ‘These united front conferences which arise from the foregoing activi- ties, must greatly stimulate the organizational work. More LS.N.R. groups; more branches of the I.L.D.; more affiliated mass organizations to both the LS.N.R. and the LL.D.; more effective mass mobilization for bigger meetings, conferences and demonstrations—all this must follow the united front conferences by arousing and enthusing there still greater umber of non-Party workers, preparing them organizationally and po- litically to systematiclly carry forward the fight to save the 9 Scottsboro boys. In this way a powerful and permanent mass movement can be built. CENTRAL COMMITTEE, COMMUNIST PARTY, U. S. A. ea ete 0 a ioe UA A ICN Reveal Police Swer the charge of “perjury.” Miro's 2 bank accounts were all in the 116 Gambling Racket | street and texington Avenue Branch ‘Tammany racketeering, involving of the U. S. Bank, but all the ac- counts except one were carried in the police force and courts, in gam= bling operations that piled up a some one else’s name. It is clear that Tammany Republican or so- bank account of more than $1,250,000 | cialist party investigators, will never for Henry Miro, one of Harlem's “policy kings,” was revealed today in expose the connections between the is arrest. The Tammany “inves- racketeers, the police, the courts, the tigator” Seabury, of the rotten Mag- Bank of the United States swindlers who are: ' in the same game for the same ends. lo rob the workers, ng that their chief task is the work to which they are directly j PROTEST ON FRIDAY 10 SAVE TH. L Prof, Dewey W ak Against Murder All G25 3611200. A. Mect at Ellis Island Ferry, Battery Pl. BULLET Li’s NEW YORK.—Nathazicl Peffer, authority on China, author of “White Man’s Dilema,” the “Col- lapse of a Civilization,” and former editor of China Press, as well as Peking correspondent for American newspapers, commenting on the threatened deportation of T. H. Li to China stated: “Communists |are danger in many in phy portions of China. For this reason, I believe that Tao Hsuan Li might be either seriously injured or ki if the government of the Uni States insisted on his deportation to China.” Li has asked for “voluntary de- parture.” This has been’ refused. A cable from Russia granting a visa to Li has been sent to the Depat- ment of Labor. The cable yeads: Visa Li entry Soviet Union owait- ing in Berlin.” NEW YORK, May 13. — A mass pretest demonstration against the deportation of T. H. Li to Chiang Kai-shek for execution is being or- ganized by the N. Y. District of the International Labor Defense, Friday, at 11 a.m. at the Ellis Island Ferry, Battery Place. Professor John Dewey of Colum- bia University has written a letter of protest to Secretary of Labor Doak, against the virtual death sen- tence of T. H. Li. Li was ordered deported by the Department of Labor and ordered to surrender on Friday May 15 before noon at Ellis Island to sail on the 16. In order to prevent the attempt of the immigration authorities to kidnap Comrade Li and ship him to the butcher Chiang Kai-shek for ex- ecution, all militant workers of New York who are fighting against wage cuts, unemployment and for defense , of the 9 Scottsboro Negro boys, must come out in mass protest this Fri- day to prevent the murder .of our revolutionary comrade and fighter. T. H. Li was arrested last Decem- ber by immigration officials on the lying charges brought against all re- volutionary and militant workers by the bosses government in its cam- paign of persecution of foreign born Negro and white workers. The Dep- artment of Labor is determined to hand Li over to the firing squad and has denied the demand for yolun- tary departure to the Soviet Union. T. H. Li came to this country in 1926 as a Tsing Hue (Boxer Indem- nity) scholarship student. Besides studying he devoted his energy and time for active propaganda against imperialism. He was also a leader in the anti-imperialist movement in China. The LL.D. is doing everything in its power to prevent this legal mur- (CONTINUED PAGE 'TWo) The Meial Workers’ Industrial are taking control of the strike, * . MANSFIELD, Ohio, May in the Empire Steel Corpora The strikers immediately around the mills. 3750 Steel Workers Strike In Ohio Against Wage Cut ports 2,000 on strike in a spontaneous walk-out of Empire Steel workers against a 20 per cent wage cut during the last two weeks. paraded through the plant and spread the strike. cut of 15 per cent, which makes a 30 per cent cut this year workers out on strike here today, and the strike has aleady spead to the same company’s mills in Niles, Ohio, where 3,000 more haye joined the struggle. drawing up a list of demands, and for leadership of the strike. The company has already brought in gunmen to place League organizer at Mansfield re- The strikers The men themselves 13.—The latest general wage tion brought 750 unorganized began to form organization for attorneys of the International Thus far in the case the Scottsboro Hearings on May 20 Must Hear Roar of Protest International Labor Defense Has Won Two Important Points in Fight So Far; Hearings For New Trial Before Judge Hawkins NEW YORK.—The hearing on the motions filed by the for all the nine Scottsboro Negro boys is set for May 20. victories in forcing the Alabama courts to recognize the right USE KNIFE ON H. FEINSTEIN Boss, AFL Gang Try to Kill TUUL Member NEW YORK. — Harry Feinstein, secretary of the Window Cleaners Protective Union, was brutally as- saulted on May 11 at 11 a, m. at 332 Beekman Ave., while returning to his hallway of the house where he lives, two racketecrs of the bosses’ Window Cleaners Assn. and the fascist A. I. of L. union leaders, attacked him with a knife. This is the second time Feinstein has been assaulted by these gangsters. On the 9th of March in the same place the hired tools of the bosses tried to overpower him and Fein- stein suffered a badly lacerated ear. Feinstein’s militant activity in the union in building the Trade Union Unity League has won the enmity o! the hosses’ agents who have r sly blacklisted him but are > icse murderous methods on him. (Cable By Inprecorr.) MADRID, Spain, May 13.—The revolutionary trade unions he7* demand from the government the following: 1, Immediate release of all ar- rested union members; 2, immedi- ate proceedings against all guilty of excesses under the monarchist regime; 3, dissolution of the civil guard; 4, arming of the people; 5, Bosses Admit He’s Innocent, But Sentence Negro to Life MONTGOMERY, Ala., May 13.— Alabama boss justice wreaked its vengeance yesterday on aged Tom Robertson, father of the Robertson family, six of whose members were wiped out last July by a mob of rich planters and shop keepers. Tom Robertson was one of the two Negroes for whom the then governor of Alabama, Graves, offered a reward of $300 “dead or alive” as a further incentive for mob action against the Robertson family, members of which had dared to defend themselves when attacked by the white mob. The other, John Robertson, a son of Tom Robertson, has so far managed to escape the clutches of capitalist “justice.” The trouble arose when a white shop keeper tried to force Esau Rob- ertson, another son of Tom Robert- son, to pay twice for a battery he had bought. Young Robertson refused to pay a second time and effectively de- fended himself against the attacks of the shop keeper. The latter gathered @ mob and went to the Robertson home with the declared intention of lynching the young worker. Grover Boyd, one of the white mobbists, was shot during the fight which followed. Six of the family were lynched. Aged Tom Robertson was tried for the death of Boyd, although the old man had had no part in the fight. Railroaded through the capitalise court in the same manner as were the nine Negro boys at Scottsboro, he was sentenced to burn in the elec- tric chair as an object lesson to the Negro masses not to defend them- selves when attacked by the white bosses. He was to have been electro- cuted this coming Friday. As a result, however, of the mass indignation aroused throughout the country by the Daily Worker and the Communists against the activities of the Alabatha boss courts in legally lynching Negro workers, the governor and the Alabama Board of Pardons have thought it best to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment. Although admitting in his order commuting the sentence that the old man had taken no part in the fight and was innocent of the charges made against him of murdering the white mobbist, Boyd, Governor Miller refused to fy Hee aed Negro. worker, home from work. As he entered the} Labor Defense for new trials LL.D. has won two important “for a hearing on these motions and to concede a change of venue. The hearing will take place in Fort Payne, Ala., and not in Scottsboro where the first “trial” was held vicious lynching atmosphere, with an armed mob in and around the court house, and with eight of the boys being vailroaded to the electric chair, Both Joseph Brodsky and General George W. Chamlee, two of the |I.L.D. attorneys, attribute these vic- tories to the pressure of the masses aroused by the Daily Worker and the | LL.D, to thunderous protest against the Jegal lynching of these nine in- nocent children. Sham motions for a change of venue and a new trial for one of the boys made by Stephen Roddy and Milo Moody, the two at- torneys who helped railroad the boys in the first “trial” had been peremp- torily denied by the court, which fully recognized the hypocrisy of Roddy and Moody. The hearing of the motions for new ‘trials will be held before Judge J. A. Hawkins, the same judge who pre- in a MARCHERS ORGANIZE TO WIN FOOD FOR STARVING THOUSANDS CITY FLOP HOUSE TODAY AT NOON Demand Real Food and} Lodging Every Night NEW YORK.—Led by the Madison Square council of the unemployed. workers and jobless will demonstrate today at noon before the municipal flop house at 25th St. and First Ave They will demand three nourishing meals a day for those forced to sleep there, sleeping accommodations for all applicants every night, complete sanitary equipment with laundry and} proper clothing, and no forced , all work to be paid for. t 2 p. m. these demands will be presented to Supt. Mannix. Oust Sick Woman. The issue came to a head with the report of Mrs. Mary Thomas to the unemployed coun Mrs. Thomas has been in the hospital eight weeks with pleurisy, and then being put out with no home and no money or job, has slept three nights at the muni- cipal “shelter.” They now notify her that she ca nstay two more S only, Yesterday morning for break- fast, Mrs. Thomas got only a cup of cofiee and breadcrust. The jobless at the flop house! complain that they get little besides! stew, mostly bones and potatoes. In two militant demor ‘ations, the Madison Square council forced the flop house to raise the number of} nights lodging allowed each jobless! worker from 5 to 15. But now Man- nix has gone back to five. The Madison Square Council terday sent a committee of 20 andj forced the Hotel Employment Agency to give back a fee of $7 taken from Harry Smith for a counterman's job which turned out to be work in the kitchen for two shifts only, and a total pay check of $4.20. The Madison Square Council of the Unemployed is giving a dance to raise money for organizational pur- poses, Wednesday, May 27, at 301 “CONTINUED OF PAGE TERE West 29th St. Martial Law Fails to Stop Spread of Spanish Revolt Thru Country Fear 30,000 Jobless in Cartegena; Rats Leave expulsion of the religious orders from Spain; confiscation of ali church property; 6, withdrawal of martial law. Killings are being ordered by the provisional Republican-Socialist gov- ernment of Spain to protect the property and huge land-holdings of the Catholic institutions of Spain. Despite the extension of martial law, the masses are continuing their at- tacks against the headquarters of monarchy and feudalism in the church centers. In Cordova the people attacked the armory in order to procure arms, When the Civil Guard attempted to resist, two were killed. As the result of the Zamora goy- ernment’s order to kill, four have thus far been murdered and 200 hurt. The socialists, who support the new dictatorship of the provisional government, enforced to protect the property of the feudal landowners and the king, favor the killing of workers and peasants who seek to stamp out the counter-revolutionary centers, Troops were rushed to the Bank of Spain on the fake cry that Com- munists were going to raid the bank. The capitalist newspapers ndmit that this was a pretext for throwing a heavy guard of soldiers around the bank building, and that there was no basis to the charge of a Communist raid, Fifty thousand monarchists and church officials are reporting to be fleeing. of 30,000 unemployed workers in that city will lead to trouble, as the un- employed demand that they be fed and that the wealth be wrung from the churches to buy food for the starving. Churches are constantly being burned and the troops have not been able to quell the growing revolution- ary spirit of the masses. The burning of church institutions i sspreading to the villages. Here the church owns millions of acres of land on which the peasants live like slaves. The events in the big cities is spurring the peasants on to sieze the land that rightfully belongs to them. However, the republican-so- cialist government threatens whole- sale bloodshed to protect the prop- ‘| serby was DEMONSTR ATE AT Demonstration Before the Ohio State Capitol Backs Demands Presented to Governor and Legislature by Committee of Jobless lichigan Conference Draws Up Demands For Hunger March On Lansing, May 27 Competition to Elect Delegates and Get Out Tag Day Workers to Collect Funds for March; Tag Days May 15-17 BULLET! Although no word had been rece! interview of the hunger marchers ived directly from Columbus on the and other delegates with the Ohio state legislature and governor, capitalist press stories here yesterday told of the committee presenting demands and being supported by 2 demonstration in front of the state capitol. The capitalist press did not give the state government's answer to the demands for relief and unemployment insurance. DETROIT, Mich., May 13.—With a large percentage of Negro and women workers among them, 210 delegates of 78 workers’ the following demands for the FIGHT FIRST DAY OF BREAD STRIKE Boss’ Wife with Knife Repulsed by Pickets NE WYORK.—The first day of the bread strike called under the leader- ship of the United Council of Work- ing Class Women in Middle Village, Brooklyn, resulted in a clash with the owner of the bakery at the cor- ner of Wayne & Griffith Ave. Mrs. Weiss, wife of this bakeshop prop- rietor, attempted to assault the strike picket captain, Sadie Lefkowitz, mem- ber of Council 14. Although this woman picket was struck by the bak- ery pr ietor and hurt, and a pas- lashed over the hand with Mrs. Weiss’ knife when he attempted to intercede in behalf of Mrs. Lef- kowitz, the bakery bosses’ wife re- ceived a good beating from the woman picket. The picket line will be stronger today. The whole community is an- gered by this attack of the bosses and threatens to throw any bread into the gutter which the grocers buy while the strike is on. A mass meet- ing will be held tonight at 9-11 Hin- man St. at 8 p. m. to rally all forces in the neighborhood for a fight to the finish for their demands to re- duce rolls from 24 cents to 15 cents a dozen; bread from 8 cents to 5 cents a lb.; white twists from 25 cents to 19 cents a loaf; white loaves from 15 to 10 cents and French loaves from 10 cents to 7 cents. The strike headquarters are located at the Workers Center at the corner of Ful- ton Ave., Middle Village. PLAN TO BREAK STRIKE MORGANTOWN, W. Va., May 13. —Officials of the United Mine Work- ers of America are smashing the strike of 1,000 miners at Scott's Run by calling in the government. The strike was forced by the rank and file, who refused to take a wage cut. ‘The U.M.W. has asked for some of the strike-breaking Department of Labor “conciliators” to come in and erty of the churches. settle it. Hoover Talks ‘Disarming’ But Pushes Biggest Air Maneuvers WASHINGTON, May 13.—While the navy and army departments pre- pare the largest air war maneuvers ever seen before, Hoover yesterday issued an announcement calling for “economy” in the army. In Dayton, Ohio, 672 bombing and other types of war planes are gath- ering from all parts of the country. It will be the largest concentration of fighting planes ever gathered at one spot. Hoover, who urged the passage of the $1,000,000,000 navy and army bills, now wants the masses to be- lieve he is taking measures to “cut down army expenditures.” The fact of the matter is, Hoover has ordered the discontinuance of several old. In Cartagena martial law has been declared. The authorities express Breat fear that the growing unrest outworn army posts, so that the huge sums provided for war expenditures can be used more efficiently. ‘This is propaganda being pre- pared by the Hoover administration to back up his lying plea for “disar- mament” made at the International Chamber of Commerce sessions in Washington recently. The European capitalist representatives at the In- ternational Chamber of Commerce gathering voted for repeal of war debts. Hoover's answer was that with the growing deficit in the finances of the American government they would not listen to any talk of can- cellation of war debts. He demanded that the potential enemies of American imperialism cut down their war expenditure, and, to make the argument sound logical to the American masses, Hoover goes through the motion of eliminating a few decrepit army posts, while at the same time millions are spent for the largest. airplane war maneuvers in Dayton, Ohio, a organizations in Detroit and vicinity worked out state hunger march which will ~~ reach Lansing May 27. 1.) Immediate enactment of the Workers Unemployment Insurance Bill calling for week- ly payments of $10 for single workers, $15 to families, with $3.00 additional for each dependent: the funds to be raised by a tax of 10 per cent on fortunes over $25,000 and on annual incomes over $5,900. This fund to be managed by the work- ers themselves, employed and unem- ployed. 2.) An emergency appropriation by the State Legislature of fifty-five million dollars from the proposed budgest to be turned over to the Unemployed Insurance Fund, and to be paid out to the unemployed as in- dicated above. 3.) Immediate cancellation of all debts and mortgages for poor farm- ers. No taxation of poor farmers. 4.) No eviction of the unemployed. The repeal of the State Eviction law. No sherrif sales of workers’ homes or property of poor farmers, for non- payment of taxes or mortgages. 5.) No discrimination of relief. Equal rights for Negro workers. 6.) Free gas, electricity and coal for the unemployed and part-time workers. 7.) The right of the workers to free speech, assembly and to strike. The repeal of the Criminal Syndical- ist Law and granting of an amnesty to all political prisoners. Abolition of the injunction in strikes and the immediate release of the organizers in the Flint Fisher Body Strike: Phil- ip Raymond, Louise Morrison, and Nyria Barkin. 8.) The unconditional release of the nine young Negro boys in Scotts- boro, Alabama. Competitions These demands will be presented to Governor Brucker and to the state legislature. ‘The conference met in Ferry Hall, May 10. Besides drawing up the demands, it endorsed the tag days, May 15-17, to raise money for the expenses of the march, and the vari- ous sections of the city challenged each other to bring out the most collectors. There will also be com- petition in electing the most dele- gates through mass meetings, unem- ployed councils, etc. Friday night there will be locai parades and demonstrations all over Detroit. EDISON PLANT LAYS ALL OFF Will Probably Follow , With a Wage Cut ” WEST ORANGE, N. J., May 13.— Edison Storage Battery Plant at West Orange, N. J., laid off the entire work- ing force in most of the departments on the old “making inventories” ex- cuse. Vice President Eugene Reed issued a statement to the effect that “rather than reduce part of the force for an indefinite period, we are sus- pending the work of the entire force in a few departments for a shori time.” 6 Now A Wage Cut, ‘The next move will no doubt come with rehiring the workers at reduced , if they get their Jobe beck et all ea x