The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-05-09
CONTINUED from page u

OF the working class. l shall now
trace, step by step, and strictly accord
Ing to the indisputable facts In the
case, how Van Lear stole the Star
from the farmers and workers, in
legal way, and converted it into the
property Of the capitalist class.
Van Lear Starts Fight on CASTOR.
Mr.. Herbert CASTOR was the first
editor of the Star. He was gentle
man and scholar. He edited the pa
per on truly progressive policy. He
also assembled a progressive staff of
writer's, who knew how to write for
the cause of the farmers and work
ers.
CASTOR himself wrote the universal
" appreciated Topics of the Day."
In this column he expounded genuine
farm economics, which won the admit
ration of the farmers everywhere. He
really instructed the farmers concern
ing their ever growing plight, be-
cause he knew how and he possessed
the courage of his convictions. The
farmers were greatly delighted.
CASTOR had man of real talent
editor Of foreign news, Mr.. Adler.
Adler mirrored in a most effective
style, the imperialistic slaughter 60
ing on thruout the world. He pub
nshed accounts of the capitalist strug
gle for oil, coal, shipping and markets
generally, in which he showed how the
working classes bled themselves white
for wretched cause.
The Minneapolis Chamber of Com
merce was alarmed. It feared the
able editorship of Castor. The facts
which CASTOR presented daily to the
farmers and workers, would, if left
unchecked, soon destroy their politi-
cal power.
They also hated the work of Adler
who was exposing the unholy game of
international war. The capitalists
cannot afford to let the people under
stand the economic nature of war. 1t
means the doom Of war. Therefore,
both CASTOR and Adler became the
special objects of the ire of the Min
neapolis Chamber of Commerce. This
Is not difficult to understand.
The capitalists established a con-
tact with Van Lear. who proceeded in
o planned fashion, to harass CASTOR.
His first attack was made on Adler.
He demanded that Adler should go
as a member of the board Of directors.
Van Lear was helped by Thomas ".
Sullivan.
However, CASTOR held the fort vail
antly. Van Lear fought Adler persis-
tently, as he fights better for capital
ism than he ever did for the workers.
The fight lasted months. Then Gas
ton was forced to give in, in order to
OBTAIN the support Of Van Lear and
company for finances. The Minneapo-
lis Chamber Of Commerce scored it's
first victory, thru the person of Van
Lear. .
The victory of Van Lear on the
question of Adler, spurred him onto a
fresh challenge, this time against
CASTOR himself. The capitalists
could not wait; they wanted the head
of CASTOR quickly. They got it.
The war on CASTOR came in the
form of attacking his anti-vice and
gambling den crusades. Van Lear was
opposed to the policy of exposing
these immoral joints, undoubtedly be-
cause he had received much financial
support from them, in the shape of
campaign contributions" as a can
didate for office. 1t may also be that
his opposition to Gaston's moral pol
icy, was based on principle.
The more Van Lear pressed for a
cessation of the exposures Of immoral
ity, the stronger CASTOR pursued his
attacks on vice.
One day Mr.. CASTOR left for Chi
cago. Van Lear was at the Office.
An article exposing a new gambling
den was set up. Van Lear heard
about It, He few down stairs in
rage, seized the stereotyped story,
and in a true Van Learesque fashion,
smashed it on the floor. He vowed
that no more such rubbish would ever
appear in the Star.
The fight waxed hot and long. The
paper needed money. Van Lear and
company refused to consent, as mem
bers of the board, to the financial
plans of CASTOR. Castor, as a conse-
quence, was put in the position of
either acceding to the dictates. Of Van
Lear and company, or getting of the
paper. In fact this proposition was
actually made to him.
CASTOR was too honorable man to
play the role of stool pigeon for the
Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce.
He therefore resigned as editor, with
his flag flying high.
Van Lear, in carrying out his prom
Use to the workers, II will protect the
interests OF the workers on the pa
per-" hired sports writer by tho
name of Fred Coburn, to edit the pa,
per. This gentleman could not tell
the difference between trade union
bnd threshing machine. He was az