The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-06-27
Rv GERRY ALLARD.

Along the shores of the mighty
Mississippi, situated in high, rocky,
mountainous district, the gray, dismal
walls of the southern Illinois peni-
teniary is visible. AS we approached
the prison we noted that the fortress
is well protected with an army Of
guards. We enter the prison
through its heavy casted steeled
doors; we are swallowed in an insti-
tuition that holds in subsection some
1900 prisoners.
Among those that are confined in
this dungeon of isolation are the vari-
GUS kinds of so-called social outcasts,
criminals, burglars, thiefs, rapers,
murderers, counterfeiters, and the
like. All of these have originated
from the Clover" class of society.
presumably from the working clGss.
The Harry Sinclairs, Daughertys,
Denbys, Falls and other plunderers
are not here.
This institution was erected for the
benefit of the proletariat whose
standard of living did not permit
them to continue at large!
Class War Prisoners.
Among the inmates in this prison
are the bodies of three militant, class
conscious miners who fought for the
preservation of a militant union and
for the determination of the corrupt
and treacherous misleaders of their
union.
Of these, Henry Corbishley, the
leader of the Illinois rank and file
miners, is one.
We waited anxiously for word
from the prison warden for several
minutes; the question of whether or
mot we were going to see our Com
Sade seemed very problematical from
the manner that the officials were act
ing. After much waiting we finally
were permitted to see Corbishley,
although a limit of time was fixed for
reasons best known to the keeper.
The form of Corbishley was now
visible. AS we approached with the
keen pleasure of seeing our comrade
once more, he extended a firm hand
to us. His blue eyes shone like steel
just as ever. His face, with deter
mined jaws, had not lost its courage;
yet slight grey streaks in his hair
were becoming visible.
Ask About Children.
He asked about his children. His
babies he had not seen for long
time. How about his little wife,
Grace. We assured him that they
were getting quite well and that they
were being taken care of by the many
comrades, brothers, and sympathizers.
Corbishley showed great interest
in the miners struggle. He spc sle
lengthy on the great fight and gave
us many suggestions that were very
constructive. He was greatly con-
cerned because he was unable to as
sist in the gigantic fight that his
brothers were carrying on on the out
side. He spoke with hope that we were
doing all we could to have the doors
opened for his liberation, and he
seemed to understand that the move
ment for which he had fought was ad-
vancing thruout the country, a little
step further day by day
Spirit of Corbishley
Yes, the spirit of Corbishley and
his colleagues has manifesting itself
through, the great National Confer
ence of April /, at Pittsburgh, the
many district conventions, sub-district
conventions; the struggles on the
picket lines and the heroism in the
mine camps. Corbishley and the
other class war prisoners speak ir
the struggles of the miners to erect
on the ruins of the old, corrupted
union of Lewis an organization which
under the control of the rank anc
file will advance the miners to a new
,.Io,a 20 I,fo