The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-05
FARRELL DEFENSE
COUNCIL BARES
STEEL co. PLOT.
Conducting Fight for
Sedition Victims
tspeeIal . rhe paIIy wsrksrl

rAhhELL, Pa, March 4.-The
steel trust had sedition charges
brought against six Workers Party
members in Farrell because they led
the fight for better living conditions
of the workers there, saws the fol-
lowing summary Of the cases which
are coming up in April. The sum-
mary is prepared by the Labor De,
Tense Council Of Farrell and is sent
to militant unionists and to labor
organizations. The defense Office is
not in the steel trust town for OBJ.
vious reasons.
Raided Workers Homes.
On Feb. the police of Farrell.
Pa, aided by department of jus
tice agents, raided the Workers
Party hall and confscated all lit
erature found there. One week
later the police raided homes Of
the workers and again confscated
literature, following this up by
arresting six workers on the
streets and at their places of
work, and holding them in Jail I'M
der $4,000 bond, charged with
sedition, which, in the common
wealth of Pennsylvania, ranks
next to murder.
Three days following their
arrest, the preliminary hearing
was held before Squire Franek,
with Prosecuting Attorney Rick
ard of Mercer courtE and Chief
of Police Leyshock ~ Farrell, APP
pearing for the commonwealth.
At this hearing, which lasted
from 2 p. m. until Z p. M, it was
brought out by the defense that
the commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania accused these workers of be-
ing too deeply interested in the
welfare of the workers and that
the accused were at all times re-
spected and law abiding.
Most Militant Workers.
The defendants, John Radas,
Anthony Dogan, Anthony Marie,
John Sarich, Anton Kovacevich,
and Andy N. Kovacevich, have
long been the most active mill
tant workers in Farrell, contribu-
ting every effort to bring about
better working and living condi-
tions among the steel workers and
for this activity they are now held
for trial before the Mercer coun-
ty grand jury in April charged
with sedition, for having in their
possession literature condemned
by the Farrell police and the COM
monwealth of Pennsylv ania as Sc
ditious. Tie arrest of these work
ers is another link in the long
chain Of prosecutions heaped upon
the militant workers by the police
and the steel trust backed by
the federal department of JUS
tice, who remained in the back
ground at the hearing, but will be
very evident at the trial.
Funds are badly needed for the
defense of these workers and we
urgently request that you respond
Immediately to the appeal to de-
fend them at their trials-the first
of its kind in the history of Mer-
Ger county, and the prosecutor will
do his utmost to bring about their
conviction and imprisonment-if
we do not properly defend them.
A Union Labor Issue.
We urge you to bring these
raids to the attention of your
union and other friendly organi-
cations and to have them pledge
their support for the defense of
these workers. The outlawing of
progressive workers organiza-
tions-raiding of their halls and
meetings by the steel trust owned
police force, and the Imprisonment
of their members has long ago
made these steel trust towns typi-
cal slave camps with freedom Of
speech and assemblage Knocked by
the servile hirelings Of the steel
trust clothed in the raiments of,
law and order.
Make all checks and contribu-
tions payable to w. J. White,
Treasurer, Box SsS, Youngstown,
Ohio.
J. NJ. Didzer is chairman of the
defense council and w. I. Metcalfe
secretary. The district committee
for the defendants consists Of Max
Lerner, Cleveland; M. Chelowitz
Akron: Charles Williams, Warren
Ohio; F. Sablack, Cleveland.
Telephone Brunswiek 5e91