The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-14
Some Mayors
[ Have Met in
United States
By !. AMTER.

There are mayors-and mayors.
Some of them manage to respect
the laws of the country, and some
of them seem to glory in the fact
that they stand above the constitu-
ton of the United States.
In Martins Ferry, Ohio, when
meeting was peaceably taking
place, Carl Hacker, candidate for
Acknowledgements of Ohio, was ar
rested. Thereupon, the writer rose,
as the next speaker, and declared,
"The constitution of the United
States guarantees US the right,
without interference, of free speech
and free assemblage. The mayor of
Martins Ferry evidently does not
know the constitution of the United
States. The workers of Martins
Ferry will get their constitutional
rights if they have to fight for
them"
This was held against the speak
er as reprehensible conduct-par-
ticularly since the crowd thunder
ously applauded the statement.
Orders From Higher Ups.
In Powhattan, Ohio, the mining
section, the mayor of the town re-
fused permit for the election
meeting. The writer and a few
workers of the city went to the
mayor to discuss the matter with
him. The writer told the mayor
that he was violating the constitu-
ton of the United States by refus-
ing the Communists the right to
hold a meeting. II don't care-I
get my orders from higher up"
The writer told him that he
would not dare to stop Al Smith if
he, the mayor, happened to be a
republican. After much discussion,
during which the mayor manifested
little understanding of anything
more than that he gets his orders
from higher up, the permit was
given, the mayor attended the meet
ing, and the speaker made the
speech that he intended to make,
which evidently the mayor did not
understand, although it was perfect
ly outspoken. The whole thing was
that the mayor only understands his
orders.
Some more interesting things
about mayors in the small towns
not only do they not know anything
about the constitution and care less
about it, but they also boast of
their membership in the unions.
Friends of Labor"
The mayor Of Martins Ferry is a
member of three unions, among
them the carpenters. The chief of
police, the man who eats Commu-
nists alive every morning is men,
Der Of the United Mine Workers
Union, an ex-socialist, and they say
member of the X. X. X. The
mayor of Powhattan is member
of the United Mine Workers, and
like Lewis, double-dyed republic
can. He always was and will be-
and that is why, as 100 percenter,
public official, he knows nothing
about the so-called constitutional
rights, and gets and takes his or
ders from higher up"
| The safety director OF Wheeling,
w. Va, also knows nothing about
the constitution. The Judge of the
Common Pleas Court took it upon
himself to judge the merits of the
platform of the Party even after
the state of West Virginia put the
Party on the ballot, thereby legaliz-
| ing the Party-at least during the
election campaign.
| The press of Ohio has been COM
PEELED to write strong editoria
against the conduct of these &.
tlemen. They are bringing the c.
stitution into disrepute. If the
workers are told badly that the
constitution is scrap of paper,
which any worker can discard, what
will become of the country?
No Illusions.
Communists have no illusions
we know that the constitution is
only scrap of paper, giving no
rights to the workers. But the
whole world does not know it-and
it is bad form for mayors and chiefs
of police to act in such a manner
that the workers learn this clearly.
These mayors are splendid exam
pies of American citizenship! They
are excellent upholders of law and
order! The workers of this coun-
try one day will write a constitution
and these mayors and chiefs of
police-and the "higher-ups"-will
get taste of workers democracy.