The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-10
FREE THEM ALLY
is SLOGAN AT
Ii. D. MEETING
Enthusiastic Gathering
Hears Noted Speakers

1--WE must weld our forces together.
so that at the next annual conferences
of international Labor Defense we
shall have on this platform not only
Charles cline and Albert Welsbord but
also Saoco and VanzettI and Tom
Mooney and Warren K. Billings and
the scores Of other working class fight,
ers who are In prison today" said
Elizabeth GurIey Flynn at the mass
rally Of international Labor Defense
held at the Ashland Auditorium fol-
lowing the adjournment of the con-
ference Of the organization. Tho sew
eral hundred workers gathered at the
meeting stood up, cheering and APP
pIaudna this declaration.
Chaplin Speaks.
Ralph Chaplin, himself former
class war prisoner in the famous |.
w. w. cases during the war, was the
first speaker to be introduced BY
chairman James P. Cannon. Chaplin
spoke of the importance Of the Inter-
national Labor Defense and the suc-
cess attained at the conference.
Chaplin was followed by B. X. Ce-
bert who pictured the persecution Of
workers and peasants in Poland under
the regimes of Witos and then OF PHI.
sudski. A resolution demanding gen.
eral amnesty in Poland was adopted
by reclamation.
Negro Workers Support.
A. L. Isbell, chairman Of the Chi
cago American Negro Labor Congress,
who spoke next, pledged the support
of increasing numbers Of Negro work
ers to the cause of labor defense. The
imprisoned soldiers of Houston, Tex
as, who had asserted their rights fol-
lowing the war were a part Of the pris-
oners Of American big business, and
the prosecutions of Negroes that are
still going on made 1t necessary for
them to unite with the white workers
for common defense.
Paul Bucha, thirteen-year old de-
Tense enthusiast from Hammond, In
diana, told Of the activities Of the chill
dren in that city for the l. L. D. and
that the police there were not only
afraid of the children "overthrowing
the government" but had actually ar
rested four Of them. The audience
laughed and applauded as Bucha told
how the children outwitted the Ham,
mond police.
Cline Cheered.
Charles Cline, a free man for two
weeks after serving a thirteen-year
term in Texas prison for participate
ing in a Mexican revolutionary expe-
dition, was given a tremendous ova-
ton by the audience. Cline told the
story of the events leading up to his
arrest and exposed the manner in
which he and his Mexican comrades
had been framed up by the Texas
bourbons. He reiterated his faith In
the power Of the working class and
called for continued support in the
struggle for the release of all class
war fighters.
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was ap-
plauded when she told OF how her
doubts as to the efficacy of Interna-
tional Labor Defense had been rap
idly removed in the last year thru the
work done by the organization. I'VE
must not allow our fellow workers 10
be snatched from the ranks of labor
by the capitalist class and imprisoned
in their dungeons. We must unite
our power and our solidarity willmake
1t difficult indeed for workers to be so
easily seized and buried alive" she
said.
Ruthenbere Speaks.
G. e. Ruthenberg, who is awaiting
decision on his Supreme Court appeal,
urged all workers to unite in the In
ternational Labor Defense to free
those who dared to challenge the
might Of the ruling class.
"shleld and Sword"
A contrast to Charles Cline. Just re-
leased from prison, was Albert weis-
bord, facing the courts next month on
charges arising out OF his activities
in the Passaic strike which he led.
Weisbord was given another tremen-
dous ovation by the assembled work
ers. mot only must the l. L. d. be a
shield OF defense but II must become
a sword of offense against our COM
mon enemy" said Weisbord.
A good collection was taken up for