Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-14
CLASH THREATENS
GASTON|A RALLY
Communists Challenge Warn
ing of "Antis" in Plan.
ming Meeting.
nv the Associated press.

BY the Associated Press.
CHARLOTTE, N. c., September IA.
"A rally Of members of the Communist
party and textile labor organizations
this afternoon In Gastonia, which union
organizers said would be held despite
purported threats OF Self-styled ANTI.
communists" to lynch the speakers,
overshadowed two court hearings here,
one involving alleged anti Communists
and the other Communists and union
leaders and workers.
The mass meeting was described in
q warrant against eight men active In
the union movement rs an incident in
conspiracy to overthrow the govern
ment Of North Carolina. The men were
arrested after the discovery Thursday
night Of riot guns, shotguns and am
munition In boarding house occupied
alleged anti Communists" were taken
into custody in connection with mob
kidnapings and doggings last Monday
night.
Prior to the rally, the case of the
Communist and union workers, among
whom were the two kidnapping victims
of the mob, was up for hearing. The
warrant charged that they "in further
ance Of said unlawful and felonious
confederacy" armed themselves for the
purpose "of feloniously aSsaulting and
killing any or all persons" who inter-
fered with today's meeting, and other
rallies called.
Eight Kept In Jail.
Judge Thomas j. Shaw, who is hear
ing the case Of fourteen "anti-Com-
muniSts" on charges OF kidnapping,
attempted Kidnapping and false arrests,
growing out Of activities Of the mob,
informed Sheriff John r. Irwin, jr.,
that unless charges were preferred
against the eight, who wee held Tor In
vestigation, by noon yesterday they
would be freed. The charges were made
ing today.
While they were given . hearing on
the conspiracy charges, Judge Shaw
said he would continue to hear evil
dence in the investigation into last
Monday nights mob activities. Five
witnesses testified yesterday and all Ia
of the defendants were named as MEM
bers of the mob by one or more OF those
to testify.
Three Of the principal witnesses in
the mob inquiry remained to be nearo
today. Ben Wells, British subject and
textile organizer, who was logged by
the mob, was unable to testify yester-
day and his counsel announced there
was little likelihood of his physical con.
dition permitting him to appear In court
today. The other two witnesses regard
ed as having what the State terms
vital stories" are r. B. Mcdonald and
E. r. Leigh. They were reported to
have come upon members OF the mon
while Wells was being fiogged on q
lonely spot in Cabarrus County Monday
G. d. Saylor and C. M. Lell, kidnapping
victims In custody with the unionistS
in connection with discovery Of the
guns, are witnesses In the inquiry into
the activities of the mob, and also the
case involving conspiracy against the
Government"
Two Are Identified.
Lell and Saylor were with Wells
when the latter was dashed. Saylor tes-
tilted at the mob inquiry that he rec
ognized Solicitor John @. Carpenter and
Mai. A. L. Bulwinkle. attorney for the
Manville- Jenckes mill, as members OF
the mob.
Gov. o. Max Gardner sent his per-
sonal representative and counselor. N
A. Townsend, to GaStonia today to at
tend q rally.
the National Textile Workers Union
issued a statement through Liston NJ
Oaks. publicity director. saying:
The scheduled meeting In Gastonia
will be held. The National Textile
Workers Union and the International
Labor Defense and the Workers Inter-
national Relief as well as the Com
munist party and every other labor
organization Is declared illegal in the
State of North Carolina, under the
warrant against the eight organizers
and members Of the National Textile
Workers Union arrested Thursday
night"
The statement said the warrant made
It a crime for unions to hold meetings
and to protect themselves against the
attacks Of the bosses organized gangs
It continued: THE police have laid
the basis for the massacre Of the union
organizers and active members in South
Gastonia. The rights Of free speech,
free assembly, the right to organize are
involved. In the fight for these rights
we canot retreat. Surrender to the ter
rorism Of the bosses Black Hundred and
their Cossacks, to their onslaught on
the fundamental rights Of workers, we
will not do. Surrender OF these rights
would leave the workers utterly help
less to struggle for better conditions"
Resistance ito the utmost Of the
charges in the warrants against the
eight unionists was promised by Oehler
in the statement, which brought out
that he did not believe I'VE will have
any difficulty in rallying the American
workers. including the rank and file
of the American Federation of Labor"