The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-08-22
SOLIDARITY NOT
CHARITY, He SAYS
FROM HIS CELL
Tells of Car Given
Evicted Strikers

Robert Allen, one of the Gastonia
strikers and an active worker for the
Workers International Relief has
sent the following letter to the Daily
Worker, stating that "the workers
of the whole world should all know
the truth about the w. I. R."
To the Workers of the World:
wish to say few thing about three
| letters, the three letters 1 wish to
write about are w. l. R. These
three letters stand for the Workers
International Relief, which was est
ablished in the year 1927. 1t is an
Organization that stands for "Soli-
darity" and not Charity" They
believe in taking care of the workers
who are on strike to better the rot
ten conditions, that they have to
work under. When they come out on
stike the w. I. R. then show solidar-
ity with them, by coming to their
strike and fighting along side of
them. When the workers strike
you know very well that the mill
owners are not going to feed them
and are going to put the workers out
of their homes. The workers really
ought own these houses, for they
have paid the mill owners high
rent for the houses and may have
paid for their houses two or three
times. But they are thrown out just
the same. Here is where the w. l.
R. comes in and helps. They take
the poor workers and feed them and
give them shelter. They fight with
the workers in this way to help them
win their strike. Let's take for in
stance the strike in Gastonia. The
N. T. W. U. learnt about the condi-
lions in the Loray mill and comes
down to show the workers that they
did not have to slave for the mill
bosses. The workers woke up to the
facts, and realized the only way they
could better their condition would be
to join the union They did this and
by joining the union they were fired
out of the mill. On this account the
mill was called out on strike. You
can imagine the poverty of the work
ers, for the w. I. R. had to come to
feed the strikers one week after the
strike was called; want to say that
they have done great work for the
workers. They have worked day
and night. l want to say, l had the
privilege of being the first secretary
of the w. I. R. in the south. This is
the reason that I can tell you what
they do for the workers. They go
all over the world and tell the work.
ers in other Shops and Industries
about the rotten conditions you have
to work under and that you are out
on strike struggling against the
bosses who have shaved you for
many year. In this way they raise
money for your support. The w. /.
r. is not only in Gastonia helping
the workers in any shop in any in
dustry who want to strike against
the slavery they are under. This
organization should be highly ap-
preciated by all workers, for their
solidarity is great. Just think; the
Loray workers were evicted from
their homes! thrown out in the mud
and rain! sick or we'll it made no diff
ference. Came the w. I. R. picked
them up and provided them with
shelter. Those who were sick were
put into houses and the rest given
tents. They are being fed by the w.
I. R. and special food is given to the
sick. The sick are taken care of by
sick committee that was appointed
to go and see the sick each day. If
the sick need any thing the COM
mittee reports it to the relief COM
mittee and they investigate and if
they lind that special care or food
is needed, provide it.
So workers remember that the W.
I. R. motto is; Solidarity for every"
ROBERT ALLEN