davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07
Fight For the Unemployed

viously they escaped. It is this
extraction of money from the
pockets of the rich and the attack
upon the low wage standards along
lines which annoy the supply and
demand politicians and employers,
that is upsetting the equanimity of
The ruling clays. Poplarism is a
class war attack along the hunger
line.
The counter attack by .Asquith,
leader of the Manchester School OF
Liberals, only served to carry the
fight a stage further. George Lans-
bury's reply damned the whole in
stitution of poor law administration.
Poor law relief in England has been
safety valve against revolution
for hundred years and more. But
it has not stood alone. There is
indoor relief when the applicant
goes into what is called the work
house. There is outdoor relief.
There is state insurance and count
less charitable organizations operat-
ing on this problem. Asquith de-
mands the revision of the poor law
because Poplarism is ia danger of
making it into a weapon for the
extraction of money from the rich
and damaging the bargaining power
for low wages in the LABOR market.
Lansbury calls for new methods of
dealing with relief because the incl
dent of its operation is demoraliz-
ing and hateful to the workers.
History of Poor Law.
The history of the poor law in
England is one of the most terrible
to recount. It stretches far back
to the beginning of the seventeenth
century, and it's trail along the in
tervening centuries is wet with the
blood and tears Of the aged, the
infrm, the broken, the demoralized
and battered by the soul destroying
machine of a developing capitalism.
1t is story of horrors only para
lelled by the stories of the slave
trade. By the act of Elizabeth in
1901 the state Cor the firsi time
acknowledged its responsibility to
the poor and destitute" Previously
this had been the function of the
church. The parish "a village OF
group of villages) constituted the
unit and the applicants for relief
had to apply to the overseer or a
magistrate for relief. a century
later application was first to the
overseer and if refused thu to the
magistrate. The form of relief was
either; ~ outdoor relief, or week
ly pension of shilling or two al
home; (2) indoor relief IN a work
house, or house Of industry. The
eighteenth century saw an impetus
given to the workhouse form Of re-
lief, for the overseers were empow-
cred to farm out the poor and any
applicant for relief was refused
without they expressed q willing
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07
The Price Poincare Paid

The sterilization of the franc, its rise to the
level of last December, the victory of President
Poincare in the Chamber of Deputies, the
passage of the emergency measures which he
demanded are not only feeting triumphs for
French Imperialism, but they have been Sc
cured at price that is beyond the capacity
of even this gang of INSCRIPTIONS buccaneers
to pay.
The emergency measures comforting on
Polncare dlctatorial powers in regard to taxa
ton and reduction of expenditures were, as
admitted by Poincare in the debate in the
chamber, introduced at the demand of the
House Of Morgan and were the part of the
conditions under which the recent loan secured
by the French gold reserve was granted
Polncare must now raise taxes 20 per cent,
discontinue all reconstruction work-less than
two-thirds completed-cut off the payroll a
small army of government employees, dispose
OF government monopolies such as tobacco,
quash all plans for increases Of wages de-
manded by government workers and carry out
the pledge already made that no more loans
will be issued and government expenditure
kept within the limits Of revenue
The Poincare government has kept power bv
system of wholesale debauchery of the popu-
lace that is without precedent in modern
Europe; 1T has catered to the military caste
and allowed the most extravagant use of the
public treasury for the purpose Of satisfying
this parasitic group. It's hegemony over
Poland, Rumania and Czecho-Slovakia has
been secured by huge loans for military ex-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07

wife and seven children still in
slavery, and he was trying to
raise money to buy them, for they
were to be sold furfner south. He
failed at this; and joined John
Brown in desperation. He was
killed at the Ferry, and 50 failed
to free his poor family, as he had
dreamed.
Shields Green, colored, was also
born slave, but escaped, leaving
little son in slavery. He met
Brown thru Frederick Douglass,
the great Negro orator, and join
ed the raid, tho many warned him
it would mean his death. He was
uneducated, but deeply emotional,
and deeply attached to the cole
man." as he called John Brown.
He was hung after the raid; his
age, %.
They were all young men: the
average age of the band was 25
years and five months. They were
all strong, intelligent, in love will
life and eager for the future: but
they chose to attempt this mad,
dangerous deed rather than con-
sent any longer to the lie and to
the power of black slavery.
John Brown they followed ard
loved as one would a strong and
kindly father. There was always
something patriarchal about John
Brown and his soldiers, many OBJ
servers said. 1t made his deed
seem like some story out of the
Bible, the swift and terrible JUS
tice of the Lord of Hosts.
Ito Be Continued tuesday,
(The "Nigger-Thief.")
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07
"The Story of John Brown

reading, and then it was impos-
sible to catch MS attention. But
in his last few years he came out
very fast. His awkwaroness left
him. He read every solid book
that he could find, and was espe-
cially fond of Theodore Parker's
writings, as was his father. Had
Oliver lived, and not killed himself
with over-study, he would have
made his mark. BY his excr-
tons the sale of liquor was stop
ped at North Elba.'
John Anthony Copeland, a free
colored man, rs years old, was
educated at Oberlin College. He
was dignified and manly, and in
Jail there were prominent South
erners who were forced to admit
his fine qualities. He was hung
for the raid.
Mostly Young Men.
Stewart Taylor, the only one of
the raiders not Of American
birth, was a young Canadian
wagon maker, % years old. He
was fond of history and debating,
and heart and soul in tie abolition
cause. Killed in the Arsenal.
William H. Leeman, the young
est of the raiders, killed in his
10Th year. He had gone, to work
in a shoe factory at Haverhill,
Mass, when only IA years old,
and tho with little education, chad
a good intellect and great ingen-
uity." He was the widest of
Browns men, for he smoked and
drank occasionally, but, the Old
Puritan captain liked him, never
theless, for he was boyish, hand
some and brave.
Osborn Perry Anderson was
also Negro. lie escaped after
the raid and fought thru tine
Civil War.
Francis jackson Merriam was a
wealthy, young abolitionist who
put all his fortune into the cause,
and came from New England to
join John Brown in the raid. He
escaped also, and died in 1865,
after having been the captain Of
a Negro company in the Civil
War.
Lewis Sheridan Leary, colored,
left wife and six-months old
baby at Oberlin, Ohio, to go to
Harper's Ferry. He was har-
ness maker by trade, and de-
scended from an Irishman, Jere-
miah O'Leary, who fought in the
Revolution. Leary was 25 years
old when he died Of his terrible
wounds in the Arsenal fighting.
Owen Brown, another of John
Browns sons, was stalwart and
reliable, and is reported original
in expression and thought, like all
the Browns. He is also said 20
have been quite humorous. He
survived the raid, and died in
Pasadena, Calf, in 1891.
Watson Brown, another son, "a
years old when killed at tine
Ferry, was tall ard rather fair,
very strong. and man Of marked
ability and sterling character.
All Loved John Brown.
Danger6cld Newly was born q
slave in Virginia, but his father
Scotchman, freed him with other
! mulattc children. Nswby had q
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07

soon after John Brown for the
Harper's Ferry raid.
John E. Cook was a young law
student of Brooklyn, New York, a
reckless, impulsive ard rather in
discreet youth, to whom much
was forgiven because of his genial
smile and generous nature.
Charles Plummer Tidd escaped
after the raid, and died a First
Sergeant in one of the battles of
the Civil War. lie had not much
education but good common sense,
and was always reading and
studying in an attempt to repair
his lack of training. Quick-tem-
pered, but kind-hearted, a fine
singer and with strong family
affections.
Courageous Fighters.
Jeremiah Goldsmith Anderson
killed at Harper's Ferry in his
9th year, was also Of Revolution
airy American stoc'S. A sworn
abolitionist, he wrote in a letter
three months before his death:
millions of fellow beings require
it of us; their cries for help go
out to the universe daily and
hourly. Whose duty is it to help
them? Is it yours? is it mine?
1t is every mans, but how few
there are to help. But there are
a few to answer this call and dare
to answer it in a manner that
shall make this land of liberty and
equality shake to the CENTER"
Albert Hazlett, executed after
Brown, was Pennsylvania farm
worker, "a good-sized, fbe-looking
fellow, overlooking with good ma
ture and social feelings"
Edwin Cappoc, also one of
those captured and hung, was well
liked even by the coutherners who
saw him in Jail. and some Of them
hoped to get him pardoned. He
came of Quaker farmer stock.
Barclay Coppoc, his brother,
was not yet twenty-one when he
fought at the Arsenal. He escaped
after the raid but was killed in
the Civil War. After the raid he
returned to Kansas ard nearly
lost his life in an attempt to free
some slaves in Missouri.
William Thompson, a neighbor
Of the Browns at North Elba, in
New York, was killed at Harper's
Ferry, in his 26tn year. He was
full Of fun and good nature and
bore himself unflinchlingly when
face to face with death.
Dauphin Osgood Thompson, his
brother, was only twenSy years
old when he met tho same fate
for the cause Of freedom. Dauphin
was a handsome, inexperienced
country boy. "more like shy
young girl than a warrior, quiet
and good" said one Of the Brown
women later.
Browns Son Sacrifices Life.
Oliver Brown, John Browns
youngest son, was also twenty
years old when he died at Har-
per's Ferry. His girl-wife and
her baby died early the next year.
"Oliver developed rather slowly
says Miss Sarah Brown. an his
earlier teens he was always pre-
occupied, absent-mindcd - always
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07
United Hebrew Trades
Leaders Oppose Plan
For May Celebration

NEW YORK, N. Y, April e.
The United Front Nav Dav con-
ference representing 100000 ORGAN
l'sed workers of this city in an effort
TO oppose the solid capitalist front
with the united forces of the work.
ers has again sent delegates to tho
May Day conference called by the
United Hebrew Trades in coniunc-
ton with the Jewish Verband. and
again joint action was forstalled bv
the leaders Of the United Hebrew
trades railroading a motion TO table
the communication extending an in
vitation to jointly celebrate the COM
ing May Day.
"A motion to grant the committee
OF the united Front May Day con-
ference the floor was amidst great
uproar declared defeated.
On a motion to hold a parade the
coming May Day a debate ensued
with the rank and file in favor and
the stagnant leadership bitterly op-
posed. Some were open in their op-
position while others like s. p.
Kramer Of the Socialist Party feared
that the American Legion and the
ku Klu Klan would interfere. The
truth, however, was brought out
when the officials Of the United He
brew Trades voiced their opinion
that IL was doomed to be failure,
well knowing that they have not the
masses behind them, and also that
they may entail the wrath Of the
masters by awakening the revolution
airy fervor Of the workers.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07
Above His Price

It is an old rule of capitalist politics that
every man has his price One can safely say
that as a rule, the big interests can buy the
services of any man in governmental affairs or
public life, provided they set price common
surate with the abilities and standing OF the
man desired.
John w. Davis, who is now being boosted
for the democratic presidential nomination,
has been asked by some friends to cut loose
from his bic financial connections in order to
be more presentable to the masses IN Novem-
ber Mr. Davis was for years resident at the
Court of St. James, sometimes known as
American ambassador to Great Britain and
more often as agent plenipotentiary for }. T.
Morgan & Co. in Europe. Today, Mr. DAVIS
is attorney for many big corporations among
which is the House of ]. P. Morgan.
In view of the dearth of democratic presl-
dental timber of passable quality and IN view
of the hostility aroused amongst the masses
towards outright corporate ownership OF gov
eminent officials, these friends would like to
see Davis come forward as the Democratic
white hope and free himself from the disad-
vantage of being open to attack because OF his
financial connections. But, John w. Davis is
an old timer at the game of playing politics in
the interests of the big bankers and manufac-
turers He is a practical politician OF the first
water. Replying to the request of his friends,
Mr.. Davis declared that this is price entirely
too high to be paid for the presidential
nomination of the democratic party, even in a
year having such favorable outlook for success
at the polls. The Morgan agent punctuates
his refusal to comply with the advice of his
solcitous friends by saying that to sever con-
nections with his clients would be against his
philosophy.
Is this lofty idealism or plain business sense
dominating practical capitalist politics? Mr..
Davis will fool no one. The only reason he
refuses to break his legal and illegal connec-
ton with j. P Morgan & Co. at this juno
ture is that he knows it is somewhat too
late to be of service to him in presidential
campaign. Such a change at this late hour
would be looked upon by everybody as mere
political maneuver and would not serve its
purpose. If Mr.. Davis knew that he could
get away with clean skirts in such dropping
of clients he would hasten to accept the ad-
vice. The price asked of Mr.. Davis is, there
fore, too high only because of the severance
of relations with j. P. Morgan just now would
not be of aid in bluffing the workers and
farmers into voting for him. All this talk of
PHILOSOPHY and idealism" on the part of Mr.,
Davis is just that much bunk. 1t is merely
strengthened assurance offered by Mr.. Davis
to his Wall Street masters that he is with them
to the limit and that they need have no fear
OF his ever cringing and crouching before
popular sentiment, like the fake progressive
McAdoo did after he was uncovered as the
attorney of Mr.. Doheny, in order to get polit-
ical Office. :.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07

lnlS IS Inc OJOIy u OOuH
Brown" by Michael Gold. Pub
lished by the DAILY WORKER
thru arrangement with Haldeman-
julius Company, Of Girard, Kans.
Copyrighted, 1924, by Haldeman-
Julius Company.
John Browns Men.
T HAVE WRITTEN almost en-
L tirely Of John Brown, and be-
cause Of necessities OF space l
have given little attention to the
brave youths who fought under
him at Harper's Ferry. Yet here
l must stop and with only the
facts, paint some portrait of the
men who followed John Brown.
1t will be seen that they were no
ordinary rufians, no bandits, adj
venturers or mad1en, as the
South called them at the time.
They were young crusaders,
thoughtful, sensitive and brave.
They had a philosophy of life;
and they were filled with passion
for social justice. One may dis
agree with suen men, but one
must not fail to respect them.
There were twenty-one men
with John Brown at Harper's
Ferry, sixteen of whom, were
white and five colorcd. Only one
was of foreign birth; nearly all
were of old American pioneer
stock.
Students Not Fanatics.
John Henry Kagi was the best
educated of the raiders, largely
self-taught, a line debater and
speaker, and an able correspond
ent for the New York Tribune and
the New York Evening Post. He
had been a school teacher in Vir-
GINA, and had coma to know and
hate slavery there, protesting so
vigorously that he was finally run
out of the State. He practised law
in Nebraska, but left this to join
John Brown in the Kansas fight
ing. He was killed at Harper's
Ferry.
Aaron Dwight Stevens was in
many ways the most attractive
and interesting Of the personali-
ties about John Brown. He ran
away from his home in Massachu-
sets at the age Of sixteen, and
Joined the United States army,
serving in Mexico during the Mex
lean War. Later he was sentenced
TO death for leading q soldiers
mutiny against an ofensive pro-
slavery Major at Taos, New Mex
leo. President Pierce committed
the sentence to three years at
hard labor in Fort I.eavenworth.
Stevens escaped from his prison,
and joined the Free State forces
in Kansas, for he had always been
a firm abolitionist. Stevens came
Of old Puritan stock, his great
grandfather having been q cap
tain in the Revolutionary Var. He
was man Of superb bravery ano
Of wonderful physique; well over
six feet, handsome, with black
penetrating eyes and a fine brow.
He had charming sense Of
humor, and a beautiful baritone
voice, with which he sang in
camp and in prison. HTc was hung
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07
By J. T. MURPHY.

When the Poplar Board Of Guar
dians, headed by their Communist
leader, Edgar Lansbury, and his
father, George Lansbury, waited on
the new Minister Of Health, John
Wheatley, and secured from him the
resembling of the Mond Order of
1922, they levelled challenge which
has reused Liberals and Tories
alike, in the defense of class inter-
ests. Not so much because Wheatiey
had cancelled an order Which none
of his predecessors dared put into
operation, but because it registered
the triumph of a new principle in
dealing with the problem of unem-
ployment which, if allowed to de-
velop turnout the country, would
shake the foundations upon which
capitalist economy mad been operat-
ing for a century. Poplar declared
that # the workers appealed to
them for relief because Of their in
ability TO find the means of subsist-
ence then they must give relief
according to the needs of the appli-
cants without regard to wages paid
in the neighborhood. If wages were
lower than the relief which was
granted then that did not prove that
the relief was TOO hign but that
the working conditions of the work.
ers were a scandal to civilization.
Tax Rich, Help Workers.
So consistently had they applied
their principles in one of the worst
areas in the kingdom so far as I'M
employment and living conditions
are concerned, that it passed beyond
the power of the Poplar Guardians
to find the money and money had to
be secured from other authorities.
This broke down the independence
of the guardians in relation to re-
lief, and forced the inequalities Of
the districts, both in numbers of
unemployed and relief payments,
right to the front. The higher
authorities prosecuted the Poplar
Guardians and forced them into
prison for six weeks. But the Guar
dams won. BY their victory they were
able to transfer 250,000 Pounds per
annum onto the other boroughs of
the Metropolis so that the rich bor-
oughs have now to pay where pre-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07

EDITORS NoTE.-Here is the
first of a series of articles that
will run in the DAILY WORKER
during the week, by J. T. Murphy,
the prominent British Communist
and trade unionist. He tells of the
brilliant fight Of the workers of
Poplar, the big working class dis
trict in London, that has always
carried on a tremendous fight
against labor's biggest problems,
among them that of unemployment.
Murphy writes as follows:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07

Morris Hillqut has discovered that Senator
La Toilette was always one in thought and ac-
ton with the Socialist Party. Victor Berger
was the navel string that connected both.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-07

w JOIN THE WORKERS PARTY
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-24
ONE ROOSEVELT SUCCEEDS.

It appears that one of the sons of Theodore Roosevelt, at least, is carving out a personal success mainly through his own efforts. That son is Kermit, presi- dent of the Roosevelt Steamship Com pany, operating a line of six shipping board vessels between this country and India, in addition to other steamers. This inauguration of service between America and India by private enterprise is illus trative of the growing courage of Amerl- can steamship concerns. It is one ot the many recent evidences that private enter prise will eventually bestir itself to grasp and develop Americas unprecedented op- portunity to build up merchant marine to carry American commerce.
 The projected steel combine in Europe and the other rumored trade organiza- tions throughout the world bring home to the American producer and the Ameri- can shipper more strongly than ever the truth of the warning that control of the seas and of American tonnage by foreign ned and operated steamship lines would be disastrous to American foreign cOm- merce. There is many liner hauling American goods today which is under the control of foreign concerns which pro- duce the identical lines of merchandise for competitive marketing with our product What more natural than that these concerns should seek so to regulate carrying charges as to give their own goods the advantage over ours in price at foreign ports? Whether it is natural or not, that is what they have done in the past and what, but for the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-24
REAL ESTATE MEMS VISION.

Although much of the activity Tn real estate in Birmingham has been the lnev- itable outcome of the districts business and commercial expansion and the rapid growth in population, yet it should not escape attention that the real estate busl- ness here was thoroughly organized and ready to handle the development. in or derly manner The expansion of this community did not find the real estate men unprepared. They were ready and waiting for the ball, so to speak, and lost no time in carrying it down the field. Their service has been of great value, both to the people whom they have helped to locate in homes in attractive new addi- tions and have assisted in financing, and to the city's desire to grow in beauty as we'll as in wealth and in size. The real estate men have helped bring 1t about that people of small means may live in tidy, sanitary and well-kept neighbor- hoods just as readily as the people of great wealth.
 Now the real estate men plan further service for Birmingham. They plan definite program of advertising Birming- hams opportunities and attractions far and wide. They are doing this, not in behalf of their own business, but also in behalf of the common sentiment in this community that Birmingham needs only to reveal herself in order to attract de- sirable newcomers from all over the coun- try. "The facts about Birmingham ap- pears to be the fundamental idea of the advertising program. Exaggeration is not sought, and misleading data are to be rejected. The facts, the true facts, reliable in every way and capable of demonstration on demand, form the basis of the effort to stimulate to further de- gree the migration of capital and enter prise and honorable intention to this To- cality. The program deserves the warm est support and cooperation of all the people, for 1t will be of general benefit insofar as it is successful. And it will be successful in the measure in which it is supported and promoted.