The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-07-04
Meeting BAN IN
FALL River is
! SMASHED BY TMC
Details of Free Speech
Fight Told
By PAUL CROUCH.

FALL RIVER, Mass, July "a
tremendous victory for the textile
workers here was won Thursday eve
nlng. One of the greatest events in
the history was the smashing of the
absolute control which had formerly
prevented all meetings of the work
ers.
More than twenty-five hundred tex
tile workers cheered speakers who
called for organization, and followed
the example of New Bedford strikers,
instead of having the repetition of
closed halls,
Formerly, Police Chief Feeney had
repeatedly stated in the press that no
kheetings under auspices of the Tex
N lie Mills Committee would be per-
nltted in Fall River. He publicly
#8aye orders that police should pre-
vent all meetings of the textile work.
ers. AS the organizational work went
forward and the movement became
more powerful retreat was made.
The police chief denied that he had
been responsible for refusal of halls.
When the Casino was obtained for
the Thursday evening meeting in
which Smith 0. Dexter, protestant
episcopal minister of Concord, was to
participate as representative of the
American Civil Liberties Union as a
test case, the police tried repetition
OF their former tactics. Because of
the police, the owners were forced to
close thei- doors to the meeting in
spite of contract and advance deposit.
Meet on Lot.
AS the mill owners and the author
tiles were preparing to celebrate their
1 victory, their joy fell to zero as they
found the workers meeting on a huge
lot purchased by the Textile Mill
MCommittee.
" The audience of twenty-five hun
dred which gathered on the lot some
distance from the scheduled meeting
place, and the organizational results
exceeded the most optimistic expecta-
tons. Every effort had been made
by the authorities to prevent distribu-
ton of leaflets and many arrests had
been made for this "crime." The
press had aided in giving the impress
sion that no meeting would be held.
Police Chief Only Disturber.
The only disorderly conduct or dis
turbance during the meeting came
from Police Chief Feeney in defense
of Tansey, following Weisbord's
statement that a policeman could not
be good union leader. Tansey is
an assistant police chief and also
union Official.
The meeting began with a short
speech by Rev. Smith O. Dexter,
pointing out that this is another step
lin breaking down the policy of re-
Ifusing rights of meeting to the work
lers. The police, stunned by their I'M
Expected defeat, did nothing. No or
ders had been received from the tex
tile barons for this completely unex-
pected development. Then James p.
Reid, Fall River organizer of the Tex.
tile Mills Committee, took over the
meeting and introduced Albert Weis-
bord. Enthusiastic cheering greeted
the appearance of the Passaic strike
leader.
Weisbord began by answering the
argument that organizers of the
union are outsiders" He pointed out
the terror in the mills, the certainty
that any workers who dared to pro-
test individually would be fired and
blacklisteo, and exposed the so-called
unions" which had failed to do any,
thing against the wage cuts.
Portuguese Speakers.
After Weisbord, Portuguese
worker from New Bedford, Paeheco,
spoke in the Portuguese language.
Then Reid reported on the program
Of the Tex tile Mills Committee, and
the demand for not only the abolition
of the 10 per cent wage cut, but that
they were going to fight for a 20
hper cent Increase, for 40 hour week,
IAN 8 hour day, and a 5 day week.
UTremendous cheering followed Reds
announcement that in spite of perse-
cution by the mill owners and author
tiles, the Textile Mills Committee al
ready has more members than all re-
dictionary textile unions" of Fall
River combined.
Reid announced that following the
great initial victory, there would be
intensive olganizational work prepar-
ing for the coming struggle with the
mill owners and that there will be
many mass meetings on the lot. The
next meeting was announced as al
ready in preparation.