The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-07-26
The Relationship of Forces
and the Perspective on the
GastOnia Battlefront


tional Labor Defense has ITS active
members. They are carrying on the
routine work and mass work of the
defense in a way that would make
experienced members in much lar
ger and older industrial centers
ashamed of themselves.
The National Office of the LID
has only two workers here-Com-
rades Poyntz and Trumbull-and
consequently the biggest share OF
the defense work falls on the local
members.
A four-page bulletin is being is
sued and it is planned to print and
distribute it weekly-at least up tc
the date of the trial.
5.-The Workers international
Relief is taking care of strikers anc
their families as we'll as of black.
listed workers. Relief work is car.
ried on in Loray mill district by
means of the new tent colony sci
up in Arlington. Relief work is also
carried on in Charlotte and Besse.
mer City. This is in spite of the
fact that the Gastonia authorities
still hold the W.I.R, property in the
city limits and have police deputies
stationed there.
The fact that the textile workers
here live constantly at the subsist.
ence level makes the W.I.R. indis.
pensable in the present situation.
Courtesy to BeaPs Father.
The visit of Fred Beal's father
here has been stimulus to all sec.
tons of the movement. The work.
ers treated him with courtesy anc
Difference that was the finest thing
of its kind have ever seen. After
the Bessemer City mass meeting
where he spoke few words Of
greeting and appreciation, the work.
ers formed in a long line and each
one shook his hand as he passed by
Erred BeaPs daddy" is a phrase
to conjure with in and around Gas.
tonia.
Organization Restored.
In conclusion, it can be said that
progress has been made in restoring
the organization disrupted by the
offensive of the textile capitalists
and the authorities which reached
its high point on June SO. The
work had to be carried on at first
under illegal and semi-illegal condi-
tions-and this is still true to some
extent-but the outstanding fact in
this phase of the struggle is the
courage and loyalty of the textile
workers and the tremendous vitality
shown by the N.T.W., the LID. and
the W.IR.
| In the face of actual terrorism
a phrase which is much abused but
entirely applicable in this case
such as few other sections of Amer.
lean workers have had to face, the
"mill hands" SO much despised anc
mistreated by the lords of the new
capitalism have shown an uncon
querable will to fight their oppres.
sors.
"The Most Men-and Women"
General Early, the southern cav.
alryman who developed into the
greatest leader Of mounted troops
in the "war between the States,
Genghis Khan, the Mongol chieftain
and General Budenny of the Rec
Army of the Soviet Union being
the other two-once said when
asked his formula for victory: Get
there first with the most men,"
The Manville-Jenckes Company
and its army of chamber of COM
merce conscripts were here first.
But within less than a month after
the battle at the union headquarters
the N.T.W. and the LID. have the
most men-and women.
1t remains now to so dispose these
forces and to recruit and bring into
the line of battle in the most eff
1ectlve positions the great reserves
of the American working class. II
there is no let down in our efforts
if renewed energy and forces are
available in greater quantity and
numbers every day as they must be
the issue of this historic class con-
flict will not long remain in doubt
Life and Death Struggle.
If Fred Beal and his fellow work
ers and fighters are freed 50 they
can resume their places at the head
of the proletarian forces in the Cas-
tonia sector, the organization of the
$4,000 workers here in the N.T.W
is a foregone conclusion.
This the Manvil!e-Jenckes Com.
pany and its allies realize even bet
ter than we do. The struggle for
the lives of Beal and the others is
one in which the enemy will give no
quarter. Let there be no mistake