The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-07
u. s. COMMUNISTS
FOUGHT Terror
Defied Legion, Klan.
Boss Police

During the election campaign
which has resulted in the cleo
tion of the favorite son of Wall
Street, so we'll fitted by ex-
perience to serve American i'm
perialism in it's heyday Of power.
the Workers (Communist) Party,
which has fought the most wide
spread and revolutionary campaign
ever waged for the working class in
an election campaign in the United
States against the three parties of
capitalism, has of course encountered
the hostility of all elements pledged
to support the capitalist class and
its government. This intense hos
tility has been expressed in various
forms of persecution, attempted in
timidation, brutality, legal and lille
gal suppression, and terrorism, some
instances of which are reviewed be-
low.
AEfSSt NanulOdte.
Tn Wilmington, Del, the Commu-
mist candidate for president, William
q Foster. was arrested together with
three other comrades, charged with
melting to riot, when he advocated
full equality for Negroes. The fol-
lowing night, Paul Crouch and
Richard Moore and several local
Communists were arrested. After
that the Wilmington police backed
down from their threat to breal. up
all Communists meetings and ar
rest all speakers.
Attempt kidnapping.
The attempted Kidnapping of the
candidate of the Workers (Commu-
nist) Party for president. Ben
jamin Gitlow, at Phoenix, Arizona,
was frustrated only by Gitlow's nom
appearance on the particular train
on which he was expected. He re-
ceived word from William O'Brien.
Communist candidate for Governor
Of Arizona, that caused him to wait
in San Diego for further instruc-
tions as to whether the Phoenix
meeting would be held or not.
O'Brien was arrested and could not
send word to Gitlow, and the gang
of Legionaires, labor takers, Klans-
men and city officials waiting to
kidnap Gitlow at the station failed
in their plot. However, the local
papers had gone to press, and The
next morning published the state
ment that Gitlow had been taken to
Nogales, Arizona, on the Mexican
border.
When Gitlow held meeting in
Houston, Texas, it was in the small
local headquarters, the only room
available because all hall owners had
been intimidated by the fascists.
Hundreds had TO be turned away for
lack of space. Then the meeting
was broken up and six comrades ar
rested. Two of them, l.. ]. Kelly
and Harry Lawrence, were fined
500 each. The only charges against
them We're based on their distribu-
ton of anti-lynching leaflets, and
carrying placard advertising the
meeting.
Violence in Midwest.
In Wheeling, West Virginia, sew
eral meetings were broken up and
finally Scott Nearing was. arrested
for disturbing the peace" I. AM
ter and number of others wer, ar
rested in Martins Ferry. Ohio. after
the police had repeatedly dispersed
the workers gathered to hear Com
munist speakers and threatened vio-
lence against all Communist speak
ers who tried to hold meetings. They
were later forced to back down and
issue permits for meetings.
In Arma, Kansas, the Communists
had the same experience. After two
meetings had been interfered with,
mass protest forced the authorities
to give Communists permits. Hugo
Oehler and three other comrades
were arrested, however, charged
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