The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-24
BY ARNE sWAREck.

storekeepers, reinforced by the ap-
pointed henchmen of the coal oper-
ators and the well-known steam roller
Of the United Mine Workers Union
They are the servile tools of the mas
ters. Of course, any expression of
solidarity by the workers is both de-
tested and feared by this gang.
THIS county is bordering on the
south to Williamson County, made
famous two years ago when the strik-
ing coal miners taught bloody lesson
to professional scabbing, and made no
torious recently thru the hard boiled
exploits of Grand KleagIe" Cor some
thing like that Glenn Young. 1t is
located right in the heart of the IL
linois coal fields. Thousands of min
ers have been compelled to accept a
status of more or less permanent idle
ness. At present over half of the
mines are shut down tight. However,
most of these coal miners own a little
shack and the storekeepers, in the
hope of some day taking over the
deed to such property, are quite will
ing to grant credit for the most es-
sential necessaries, while meanwhile
nothing will be left over for clothing.
1t seems like the coal barons cherish
the hope that some day these valiant
miners will be starved into submission.
I asst year the little city of Chris
- TOPPER, in Franklin County, put
on grand May Day Celebration. I'm
der the auspices of the two mine work
ers' local unions great parade thru
the town was staged, winding up in a
mass meeting over which the Mayor
presided while Comrades Earl Brow
der and Mother Bloor spoke. Now
matters have changed somewhat. The
Ku Kluxers, the local operators, and
suppose, also the lieutenants of
Frank Harrington, have had an op-
portunity to inform the Mayor that he
made a mistake. This year nothing
like that was going to happen.
I'M Thursday morning, May First,
~ after having been pulled thru the
muddy road from Benton by horse
team, l arrived in Christopher for the
scheduled May Day celebration. A
mass meeting had been advertised at
the tiny city park. Some of us board
ed a Ford and came to the park at
the appointed hour. Several hundred
coal miners lined the streets. None
had been permitted to enter the park.
Immediately the Mayor stepped up
and told us CURLY that mo bolshevik
speeches or May Day celebrations
would be allowed anywhere in Chris
topher," and mo arguments about it,"
echoed the sheriffs and deputy sheriffs
while a gang of the Ku Klu Khan sent
us some rather hostile looks.
"What were you going to speak
about" one little storekeeper asked
me. well. give me chance to get
it of my chest" replied, "and you
may listen" But, nothing doing. We
were pushed back into the Ford and
compelled to leave.
XKTE next made for the miners hall,
wv followed by part of the audience,
right" to free assemblage. Comrade
Barney Mass, organizer of the Young
Workers League. opened the meeting
with a few appropriate remarks on
the rights and guarantees" set forth
in the United States Constitution.
However, the sheriffs. deputies and
Ku Kluxers thought otherwise. No
sooner had Comrade Mass started
than in rushed big organized gang
Of this tribe, again laying down the
law: mo May Day celebration any
where in Christopher" Arguments
availed nothing. Comrade Mass was
placed under arrest and the meeting
broke up.
THE excitement became transferred
| to the streets; the crowd increased
expecting something to happen. While
we paced the walk on the one side,
awaiting an opportunity to place
bonds for Comrade Mass, the Ku
Kluxers, growing in numbers, watched