The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-03-26
A Negro 7. U. y. L. Organizer
in the South

where did you get that fancy talk from?
You didn't learn it in the South"
An open hand for all terror against me
even in the courtroom, had been given the boss
es' thugs.
"Why in hell don't you stand still before
l kick hell out of you'll" one big thug said to
me as l, becoming tired of the long proceedings,
shifted from one foot to the other
I given a fine of fifty dollars cash or
112 days on the chain gang. cowardly law
yer refused to appeal the case and was led
away to CELL
Southern Lynch Law
Before reaching the cell, however, several
things occurred to me. Three detectives took
me into a private room, locked the door and
made an attempt to change my accent.
you're fresh Niger" one of them said
II am going to change that fancy talk of yours
and make you talk like real Chattanooga
Niger" and with this he landed blow on
my jaw. Another came to his aid and the
two of them rained blows upon my head and
face
After convincing themselves that my sneech
could not be changed from that of militant
T.U.U.L. organizer to that of crngng Uncle
Tom type of Negro, with his "Yessir" and "No-
sir" and abject servility, they turned me over
to another, who weighed and finger printed
me.
Five o'clock in the afternoon, no lawyer hav-
ing been found who would take the care. | was
taken from the city Jail to the workhouse On
entering the workhouse the driver of the patrol
said to the guard, (pointing to mel "Here is
fellow who swears he can't be made to work
but wants to overthrow the government and
believes in social equality for Niggers. I'm the
South social equality means only one thing
intermarriage). ] guess you know what to do
with him."
In the workhouse a steel ring 81 inches in
diameter was riveted on each of my legs. These
were joined together by steel chain IA inches
long, the chains are placed on YOUR legs on
entering the prison and are not removed until
the day you leave
The next morning, along with "A other nris-
oners, | was taken out to large Stag crock
pole) and set to work DIGGING rock with a six
teen pound rough handled pick My hands be-
gan to grow bsters. One of them burst and
the blood shot out. ] paused for 2 moment
to wine it away
eco on there, you,' shouted the burly guard
A little blood Of your own will do you Reds
good
little later while attempting to drive the
pick through three-foot mass of solid rock
i became exhausted and stopped to blow. The
guard yelled at me to keep going, stating that
Reds would find no picnic on the chain gang
as long as he was around. He stood over me-
gun in hand the whole time | was there, watch
ing my every move About eleven thirty work
ers and svmpathizers came forward and paid
my fine. The guard showed his disappointment
in being cheated of the chance to work "Red"
to death or shoot him should he offer the least
resistance.
These bitter attacks upon the revolutionary
organizations of the workers by the bosses
is being met with increasing resistance from
the workers On the very day that was be-
ing sentenced to one hundred and twelve days
on the chain gang for organizing the workers
to struggle for work or wages workers thru
out the world were demonstrating millions
strong against starvation Right in Chatta-
nooea, though all of the leaders were in jail,
rank and file workers of the Unemployed Coun-
ell held a mass meeting and would have march
ed on City Hall but for fierce rain storm that
made it impossible. The attacks of the bosses
are bearing fruit but not the kind of fruit
counted upon by these bosses.