The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-09
fContinued from PAGE u


labor movement" concluded Comrade
Cannon, "and it has demonstrated its
ability to mobilize thousands of work
ers of all opinions and affiliations in
the working class under the banner Of
Labor Defense. 1t his given many of
them their first lessons in the class
struggle. Our work will not end
quickly for it can end only when all
workers in prison are released and
none can any more be threatened with
Imprisonment. But that will only be
when all workers are released not
only from jail but from that gigantic
prison which is capitalism"
Big Ovation for Cline.
Before discussion began on the rer
port Chairman Flynn introduced
Charles Cline, who had but two weeks
ago been Released from a thirteen yeah
term he served in Texas prison for
participating in Mexican revolution
airy expedition. Cline was greeted by
great ovation with cheers and ap.
plause, reaffirmed the faith he had al
ways held, and which had always
buoyed him up in prison, in the work
ing class. 1t was this faith which en-
able him to stand up under the hell
Of a Texas prison for thirteen years.
His thanks for release were to the
working class and to such an organ
lzation as International Labor Defense
which was developing the power that
would free all the class war prison
ers. Cline read the pardon given by
the governor, with his own comments,
while the delegates laughed when the
governor declared that Cline had done
no worse that the immortal Travis,
Bowie and Crockett" the heroes of
Texas independence. ut took them
thirteen years to find that out" said
Cline.
Albert Weisbord, the young leader
of the Passaic textile strike, followed
Cline, the delegates rising and singing
the International. Weisbord said that
his own case or that of any other in
dividual in itself was not of essential
Importance, for the class struggle
would proceed with or without this or
that person. But the need of defend
ing prisoners for labor activities, of
maintaing thier morale and courage.
of snatching prospective victims from
the clutches of the capitalist class was
of great Importance. The l. L. D.,
said Weisbord, was doing a great work
and the cases in Passaic demon
strated this. 1t had become and
should become not only shield Of
defense but weapon for offensiYes
against the enemy.
Chairman Flynn "conscripted"
Ralph Chaplin to speak. Chaplin
spoke of the great faith of the men in
prison and of the value of the Inter.
national Labor Defense as a unifying
instrument in defense work.
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn began her
talk by saying that year ago, when
l. L. D. had been organized, she was
a skeptic. But her doubts were all
removed now. The work of the /. L.
D., especially in the Sacco-Vanzetti
campaign was of great value to the
working class. 1t had proved, in ad-
dition, that defense work was not
something undertaken for sentimental
reasons but that it was an essential
and integral part of the class strug.
gle.
Delegates Join in Discussion.
Discussion from the floor was then
opened. From one city after another
the delegates spoke Of the develop.
ment Of the work of the international
Labor Defense, of the obstacles that
they had overcome and the successes
they had achieved. Agreement with
the report of the executive committee
given by Cannon was universally ex.
pressed.
Cyril Lambkin, secretary Of the De-
triot /. L. d., then reported for the
committee on the secretary's report.
A resolution proposed was unani.
mously adopted. The resolution ac.
cepted the report of the executive
committee and commended II on the
| WIN nhANAA ~ udu Carried Iniu
the resolutions Of the last conference.
1t recommended to the incoming com.
mittee that it conduct it's activities
along the same line, adhering to the
same policy.
Carl Hacker, secretary Of the C1eve.
land I. l.. d., reported for the resolu.
tons committee. Resolutions were
adopted against the imprisonment of
workers and peasants in Poland, after
speech by the representative to the
conference Of the Inter-parliamentary
Committee of the Polish sejm for Am
nesty in Poland, B. X. Gebert; the de-
mand for amnesty was endorsed and
cable sent TO that effect to the Po-
lish premier. A resolution Of greet.
ings to class war prisoners, assuring
them Of the untiring efforts that I. L.
d. will continue In their behalf, was
unanimously adopted, as were all the
other resolutions. Resolutions OF
| warm greetings were sent IN gacoo