The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-08-24
THE UNIVERSAL HANDCUFF FOR
STRIKE LEADERS
(From The Daily Worker)


The judicial tools of the Massachusetts, textile kings
have added within the past few days and drastic
of breaking strikes and suppressng the labor
movement
Peter Hegeias strike leader was tried before Han
ify, the Fall River judge and of the strike lead
convicted simply because the mill owners who
rule that city and who the judge wanted him con-
victed. Hegelas appealed and gave bail pending the
appeal.
But that bail for appeal was not enough.
Here comes the device-a device intended to
handcuff Hegelas and any other union organizer to
whom it may be applied to prevent their activity
behalf of the striking workers.
The device is called "surety bond". What does
that mean? The organizer compelled to put up
bond of 900 for "surety-entirely aside from the
regular bail for appeal What happens next? Simply
this: If the under tn e$1 900 "surety bond' does
anything of any sort whatever that the mill OwneI
doesn't like the police arrest him and the 81 900 for
feited automatically!
Here is the universal handcuff for labor organizers
With this practice in operation in any strike the en-
tire list of leaders be rounded up put under
surety bond" after which every one, any pretext
whatever be rearrested and caused to forfeit the
big of money. The theory is of that work
cannot afford to put up-and lose-a large sum
of money every few days for each and every one of
their active people in the strike. And of the
surety companies will not supply "surety bonds" that
sure to be forfeited.
This dabolica device is a addition to the laws
and practices of intended stop the organza
ton of workers, to prevent speaking by workers with
grievances enther in strikes otherwise and gener-
ally to obliterate all activity of class in protection
against employers for initiative in improvement of
their conditions.
1t is understoond that whenever any petty capitalist
judge receive from his masters instructions to do
so, he put all active workers under such bond
and keep them under bond as long as the employers
may desire.
AS far know it is the first time this particular
device has been applied in just this way. 1t will prob
ably become highly valuable addition to the njunc-
- ton means of enslaving the workers.
The textile workers of Fall River and New Bedford
owe it to the working class whole fight to the
finish this beasy invention of the bosses little judge
But the working class a whole it to the tex
tile workers to Immediately to their rescue This
is flarng light to show the workers that the textile
workers fight is the fight of entire cass-aganst
the entire capitalist class
1t is the universal handcuff that may be snapped
upon the hands that building the labor movement
anywhere.
Not nearly enough support is being given to the tex
tile workers of New Bedford and Fall River They are
fighting heroicay enough inspire other workers far
and wide The struggle leading directly towards the
formation of great Textile Workers Union ON a
national scale which promises to be one of the most
splendid organizations in the American labor move
ment
TO win their fight they need relief funds for their
families we'll defense funds against such
as this.
Help them, fellow workers!