Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1920-10-02

OF the twenty million dollar governmental
grant to agricultural schools-a distinct tri.
umph over the opposition of Hoke Smith of
Georgia and the other Bourbons of the
South
In conclusion, Mr. Thomas states, "a
vote against these friends of the race is a
vote for Pat Harrison, the governor of
Governor Cox. Pat Harrison will be to the
Cox administration what the ignorant auto.
crat Of the postofice is to the Wilson re-
CINE. Do you want more of Mississippi
and the Burleson peonage farms in this ma.
ton? Vote for Cox and you will get it,
AS I remember it Dr. Leroy N Bundv
told his story about the East St. Louis fatal
tragedy along the following lines: Prior
to 1916 there were about 10000 colored
folks residing in East st. Louis, and some
Of them got employment in and about the
various industrial plants located there, but
the great bulk of them did such odd Jobs
about the city as colored folks are wont to
do IN such cities, there being some 10000
whites there. Some years prior however,
large numbers of colored men were EN-.
ployed in the packing plants there and
shared and shared alike in the best post
IONS IN the plants with the white employees,
but the whites unionized the plant. admit
ting the colored workers into the various
unions, and that accomplished, all of them
white and black-went on a general
strike for higher wages and shorter hours.
In the course Of time however, the strike
troubles were adjusted but only the white
employees returned to work, so the colored
men felt that they had been jobbed. vet
they took their medicine and bided their
time. Then came the war rush work and
colored men were invited to come and help
to turn the work out. In less than twelve
months the colored population increased
800 per cent and they numbered 10000.
Housing them became serious problem,
but many brought money with them and
the industrious real estate agents cot busy
and began selling them houses and lots in
blocks occupied exclusively by white ten.
ants, and soon the entire block was for sale
and would be gobbled up by the colored
workers; then other blocks would be &C.
CURED by them, all of which was sewing
the seeds Of a mighty storm. White and
black worked side by side in the industrial
plants but the preference in many of the
plants were given to the colored men,
which was the sewing of more discord be-
tween the white and black laborers Then
the strike agitator once again became act
I've. Unions were formed and were joined
by both white and black laborers and once
thoroughly unionized strike for higher
wages and shorter hours were advocated.
The black brother at first thought well of
it, but after being informed by the colored
men of the treatment handed them in the
settlement of the previous strike the lat
ter day colored union men backed up and
refused to walk out, even for more pay and
shorter hours the latter little bit out
OF the ordinary. The white employees how
ever struck but were told by the plant
operators they had walked out their last
time and for months prior to the trouble
they were absolutely idle The plants were
rapidly filling up with colored employees
from the South and it was very evident
that the strikers were in desperate straits
A great mass meeting in their desperation
was called to devise ways and means for
getting rid Of the colored men already there
and, if possible, prevent others from COM
ing in. After three hours futile discussion
pro and con it remained for lawyer to
strike the match that lighted the torch.
He ballad fo,, bo