The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-06-11
ARTICLE III.
By KARL REEVE.

AS the strike of the workers in
the Manville-Jenckes plant in Gas
tonia, N. c., progressed, it became
more and more clear to the strikers
that all of the forces of the COM
munity were arrayed against them
The government authorities gave the
strikers complete and thorough
education in the use of the courts,
the police, the national guard, the
press, ETC., against them. Almost
Immediately, Governor Max Gard
ner, himself a mill owner, called out
the militia, which made its head
quarters in the mill and which ex-
erted all its energies to prevent
picketing. Machine guns, howitzers,
tear gas bombs, were brought into
the mill by the national guard.
Gables and ropes were stretched and
the streets were cut off from traffic
and pedestrians around the mill.
Lose Healthy Respect for Law"
At the beginning of the strike,
some of the strikers had a healthy
respect for "the law" but, as the
strike progressed, they lost their il
lusions and learned that their only
hope lay in their own organized
mass power. As a part of this edu-
cation, l quote one or two affidavits
made out by the strikers for the
international Labor Defense, which
conducted the defense of the strik-
ers. Red Hendricks, being duly
sworn, declared "this affidavit
swears that he himself was arrested
without warrant, and while he was
conducting himself in a peaceful and
orderly manner, that he was man
handled, mistreated and after he had
been carried to the city Jail was
beaten into unconsciousness by the
officers who had taken him into Gus
tody." Mrs. Ada Howell, one of the
strikers, declared that while walk
ing the streets, exercising their
rights to peaceful picketing, many
strikers shave been arrested by of.
ficers Of the city of Gastonia and
officers of the county of CASTOR and
Rave been cursed, beaten and bay
onetted. The officers declared to
and in the presence of this affiant,
whom they beat numerically, that
they had orders to stop picketing
and they expected to carry them
out" Russell Knight declares "this
affiant and others who have been
set upon by Gastonia city policemen
and special deputies under the sher-
iff of CASTOR county, who have
cursed them, jabbed them with bay
onets, beaten them with clubs and
rifles and thrust them into jail"
Strikers Continue to Picket.
Tom P. Unison, attorney for the
International Labor Defense, de-
clared when the strike was first
called the republican sheriff and the
democratic mayor made common
cause against the strikers and fran
tically called on Governor Gardner,
North Cardinals mill-owning chief
executive, for troops. They acted as
though they had orders to break the
strike. Major Stephen Dolley, in
charge of the national guard, when
approached by the representative of
The /. L. D. with an inquiry about
a prisoner, swelled up like a poi
soned pup and issued statement to
the press on what brand of Ameri-
canism he endorsed. He acted
Throughout like he was the Lord
High Executioner of the mighty
world"
When it was found that the strik-
ers continued picketing, in spite Of
the bayonets of the national guard,
the city Council rushed through an
ordinance which declared "that no
person, firm, corporation, organiza-
ton, socity, order or assembly shall
stage, conduct or carry on any pa
rade, march or demonstration
through or over the streets or side
walks of the city of Gastonia"
without first obtaining a permit.
The ordinance further declared "the
presence Of any such person NOV