The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-25
TOLEDO |. A. NJ.
WOULD EXPEL
LEFT WINCERS
Prosecutors Ignorant of
Our Program

AOLLDOy OnlOy mar. Z4.---Cnarged
with being members Of an organiza-
ton dual to the international Asso-
citation Of Machinists, eight members
of the Workers Party who are also
members of the Trade Union Educa-
tional Leauge were brought up on
trial before a committee of local I'M
ion los of this city last week.
The members accused are: Joseph
Willnecker, Ralph M. Huff, Charles
Stephenson, Clarence Buehler, j. f.
Chapman, R. E. Cook, Walt Harris
and Charles e. Weber.
They were also accused of cir
culating false charges against the
officials of local los. Three Grand
Lodge organizers have been busy in
this city for some time since they
realized that their jobs were in
jeopardy thru the success of the left
wing elements in the union in being
able to win some of the offices in the
local. A letter was sent out signed
by the Grand Lodge officers calling
meeting of certain number of
members of the local. This meet
ing was kept secret from the radi-
Gals. Charges were preferred then
against the members who are now on
trial.
Toledo Under Khan Control.
Being asked to appear for the de-
PENDANTS in the case, / arrived in the
city of Toledo Wednesday the 10th.
This was rather short notice to pre-
pare the defense. ! attempted to get
all of the details of what lead up to
this situation.
At the present time the Ku Klux
Khan and other reactionary anti-la-
Dor organizations seem to hold full
sway in the city of Toledo, the mayor
being supported by. the Khan and this
white robed order recently marched
undisturbed in parade thru the city
with all the night caps and other re-
gala. Even the Socialist Party of
Toledo is said to have its majority
of membership also members of the
Khan. Under such circumstances and
in such an atmosphere, we found that
our comrades trial in the ]. A. of
M. resembled the Michigan trial of
the Communists.
Ignorant Witnesses.
On Thursday night the testimony
from the prosecution and the defense
was taken by the committee which,
by the way, is appointed by the presi-
dent of the local according to the
of the union. The prose-
cution appeared with a great number
of witnesses who all practically with
the exception of the business agent,
Mr.. Erbright, denied having any
knowledge of ever having read the
Workers Party program or the pro-
gram of the Trade Union Educational
League. AS one of those witnesses
stated, II haven't read it and / do
not want to read itw
The defense in cross examining Or
ganizer Griffith, found that this won
derful representative of labor had
not studied neither the program of
the Party or the League. The
defense in cross examining several of
the witnesses found that those who
had worked with the defendants
thought that they were good union
men and loyal union men and good
fighters on the job. In the defense
cross examination of the defendants
it was found that almost everyone of
them had been active in one or more
strikes. Especially in the Overland
strike in Toledo.
Amusing Testimony.
Some of the testimony given by
the witnesses appearing before the
prosecution is quite amusing. How
ever, the documents pertaining to
some are not on hand as this is being
written. But one Of them stated that
he was disguised because said de-
PENDANTS continually talked on Russia
and China and other foreign coun-
tries and he didn't like that and in
cross examination by the defense this
witness was asked on what occasion
speeches had been made on Russia
and what particular examples he
could give as to what had been said.
He stated that Brother Willnecker
had spoken on an article written by
Senator LaFollette describing his ex-
perience while being in Russia. The
defense asked this witness whether he
ever studied the Journal of /. A. of
M. and whether he ever saw articles
by Senator LaFollette on Russia. He
answered that he did and also that
he believed the Brother was within
his constitutional rights to speak on
said question, but that he and others
did not like it and consequently they
would stay away from the meetings.
Practically all Of the witnesses for
the prosecution admitted that these
brothers were within their constitu-
tional rights to speak on these ques-
tions which they thought were for
the good and welfare Of the organ
ization. None Of the witnesses were
able to prove that the members of the
Workers Party and of the T. u. Z. L.
ever dealt with the employers direct
ly which should be proven If the
charges were correct, that these or
CARNATIONS were dual in character to
the union. None of them could ex-
plain what a dual union really is.
Quite a number Of them stated that
they were within their constitutional
rights in all of the actions they had
t.law -. 4kn IN~al sxutx.4