The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-11-28
|. |. D. DEMANDS
FREE SPEECH IN
BEpLAIRE, OHIO
Calls on Workers to Re-
sist Khan

mOStil6 dAAdhBSu Wy tire iulSIudblOH-
al Labor Defense and the American
Civil Liberties Union in Bellaire was
prohibited by the mayor of the city.
Refuse Permit.
Kompart, who was defeated in the
last election by the candidate sup
ported by the ku klux khan, refused
to grant a permit for the meeting to
the representative of the Civil Liber-
ties Union. There will be no meet
ing in this town. he said, despite the
fact that the Miners Temple had been
rented and the meeting arranged.
The chamber of commerce is be-
hind this move. On Nov. 5, the day
prior to the date on which the Work
ers (Communistl Party of Bellaire in
tended to celebrate the eighth ami
versary of Soviet Russia, the cham
Der of commerce met and decided that
the Workers, lCommunist) Party
would not be allowed to hold the
meeting The hall was closed and
ne meeting prohibited. The Interna-
.ional Labor Defense and the Civil Lii
)erties Union, decided to fight the
ssue of free speech. They procured
the Miners Han, and conforming to
all regulations, asked for a permit
which was summarily refused.
Try Frame-Up.
The mayor tried furthermore to
frame-up a representative of the Civil
Liberties Union. This representa-
tive had ordered some throwaways
and took them from the printer. Be-
fore a single leaflet announcing the
meeting was distributed, the mayor
declared that one had been put under
his door. This indicates quite clearly
that the printer supplied the mayors
office with a copy, in order to get
the representative of the Civil Liber-
ties Union on another charge.
The weather1was cold the night
scheduled for the, meeting and only
small number ofrworkers appeared at
the meeting halls AS the doors were
closed-the officials of the hall refus-
ing to open the hall-the workers
gathered in the park opposite the
hall. They decided, however, that
they would not hold the meeting and
dispersed. ~
K. K. K.Akrlves Too Late.
In the meantime, the chief of po-
lice and one of his aides were at the
street corner When he spied the
workers in thenpak, the aide tele-
phoned the station. One minute
after the small scrowd dispersed, the
police patrol and two motor cars fill
ed with ku kluxers appeared and
secured the place for the workers. At
each corner in the vicinity there were
stationed more Ru kluxers, evidently
determined to use strong-arm meth
DDS to prevent the workers from ex-
ercising their so-called constitutions
all rights of free speech and free as
semblage. ~
Attackvon Workers.
This campaign against the Work
ers (Communist) Party in the min
ing region is part of the campaign
against the United Mine Workers. In
West Virginia, just across the river,
the miners cannot meet. Federal
Judge McClintic having declared the
United Mine Workers IAN outlaw or
ganization."
In Scranton, Pa, miners meetings
have been broken up by the authori-
ties. The coal operators, assisted by
the local state and federal authorities,
are carrying on a vicious struggle
against the miners organization, In
tent on breaking it up.
The attack on the Workers Com
munist) Party, the International La
Dor Defense and the Civil Liberties
Union must be regarded by the min
ers as the first assault on the position
of the United Mine Workers. If the
miners do not rally and fight back,
the authorities with their self-appoint-
ed aides, the ku kluxers, will over-run
the country, and "free speech" and
free assemblagR will go aglimmer-
ing. ~
To Hold Protest Meeting.
The International Labor Defense in
tends to hold d meeting in the near
future. Every miner and worker in
Bellaire and the vicinity must be
present at this meeting and demon
strate to the authorities and the ku
klux khan that they have backbone
and that they will fight for their
rights. This is a question for every
miner to stand by the International
Labor Defense means to fight for the
right of the miners to organize and
to meet.