The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-07-05
A MEETING IS HELD

union. The cops beat retreat to the patrol
box.
The police are telephoning to the headquar-
tiers. The crowd relaxes slightly but drinks
in every word of the speaker His determine
ton, his fiery words of rebellion kindle the
long slumbering fires of revolt within them.
With screaming siren red bandit car arrives.
Seven policemen rush into the crowd with
raised clubs. The nine police collide against
the defense wall. A red faced sergeant breaks
through the defense and makes for the speak.
er. Eager hands grab him by the collar and
yank him away. For the first time his author
ity officer of the law is challenged by
workers He is bewildered. An uncertain
look comes over his face Then he reaches for
his gun. One of the workers holds his hand
and the sergeant frantically tries to shake him
off. patrolman attempts to aid his super
Tor by clubbing the worker but Negro long
shoreman clouts him with big fist. The po-
lice retreat. They draw their pistols. The
crowd growls menacingly. But the cops are
afraid of them and have only drawn their
pistols through fear. The police do not at
tempt to interfere with the speaker. Two po-
licemen with drawn pistols stand on each side
of the speaker.
Fellow workers." the speaker says, "you
have seen the bravery of the police. With
clubs and pistols they have attacked unarmed
men, But they have failed, as yet, of break
ing up the meeting They are the lackeys of
the capitalist bosses and have sold their birth
right as away. Born of working class
women they now are hired to attack the work
ing class. But, comrades, the day will come
when these bootlickers of the bosses will come
to the working class and beg their forgive
ness"
The crowd applauds the speaker. And jeers
the police who stand with drawn revolvers.
The speaker goes on.
"And fellow workers, especially you Negro
workers. remember that the bosses recruit
from all races, Che points a Negro plain
clothes mani. Here is man of your own
race whom the bosses have hired to club you
when you demand food. The bosses know no
race color lines. Therefore, we, the
workers, must unite to crush these bosses
hirelings and the system that produces them."
Thunderous cheers greet this. The colored
policeman grins sheepishly. The police are
beginning to be unnerved by this denounce-
ment and display of workers solidarity. They
have pistols in their hands but are nearly
paralyzed with fear. A sigh of relief comes
from them as they hear the welcome sound
of police siren.
Every second the sound of sirens, heralding
the oncoming riot squad, grows louder But
the speaker does not falter Neither does the
crowd move. With final scream of the siren
the first police car arrives. Policeman stream
out of the car and charge the crowd. Car
after car of police arrive. Two truckloads of
marines arrive on the scene. Fifteen motor
cycles with mounted machine guns ride into
the crowd In the face of raised clubs, drawn
pistols and tear bombs the crowd reluctantly
retreats. They answer this array of clubs,
pistols and tear bombs with drawn hooks,
jeers curses and sullen looks and blows. The
speaker is finally pulled down from the box,
still denouncing capitalist justice and freedom.
Eventually after much swearing and clubbing
the police succeed in dispensing the crowd.
Ten prisoners are loaded into patrol wagon.
After three-quarters of an hours effort, and
with the aid of three hundred police and mar
ines, 1000 workers are prevented from hear
ing other workers speak. These police defi-
nitely proved to all workers that freedom of
speech was a lie and that police would at
tempt to prevent them from organizing to
demand the right to live. These things were
definitely proven.