The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-10-21

THE shooting of two Negro workers and wound
ing of four in fight against evictions follow
ing similar incident in Chicago should give many
experiences to our whole Party in mobilizing
large masses of workers. In the past two years
capitalism has taken a large number of martyrs
from our ranks. This has called forth mass
resentment New York Chicago Cleveland)
which must be even more consolidated into our
ranks Building the Party and mass organiza-
TONS
The Activity of Council No. g.
1t is not accidental that the attack was made
against Unemployed Council No. 8, which is To-
Gated in the heart of the jim crowed Negro dis
trict in Cleveland This council, with a mem
bership of 800 before the massacre NOW reached
about 1900 is an active force in fighting against
eyictjons and for immediate relief of the work
ers in that territory 1t is especially this section
with its large Negro population segregated that
suffers more the brlnt of unemployment.
Recognizing this the sheriff decided to carry
the eviction out at night. In this way attempting
to Illustrate the plans of the Unemployed Coun-
Gil to fight against the eviction But in this they
were mistaken Immediately more than 300 were
gathered to stop this new maneuver. Finding
themselves frustrated the police were called and
without warning the murderous shooting into the
crowd was started.
Immediate Response Against Police Terror.
The workers heroically defended themselves as
best they could from this murderous attack. IN
daunted by the attack meeting was held i'm
mediately, attended by hundreds of workers in
protest against the murder and preparing to
fight against the police terror. Despite the send
ing in of additional police to terrorize the Ne
groes in the neighborhood the Unemployed
Council TANNED its hall the following afternoon
and marched back to the house to put back the
furniture.
The response of the Cleveland workers to the
mass demonstration at the funeral even sur
prised many leading comrades With over 3d.
900 at the demonstration and 10000 in the line OF
march the Cleveland workers have shown that
they support the Communist Party. Significant
is the splendid discipline on this occasion and
the fact that we succeeded prior to the funeral
In wringing a number of concessions from the
city administration. While many planclothes men
we're no doubt sent not policeman was to be
found at the demonstration or near the line OF
march The high militancy among the workers
against this massacre forced the city officials to
concede to many of our demands (removal of
wounded to hospital no police at funeral march
ing through congested traffic area on a Saturday
afternoon.
Our Mistakes In This Campaign.
In order to correctly estimate these events we
must learn from the experiences in Cleveland.
A number of these mistakes are too oft repeated,
but in an emergency" they are usually tested
and glaringly shown up. What are they?
u we waited too long before issuing our first
leaf1et While the capitalist press shouted for
more blood we had no leaflets to counterfeit It,
For example, the Press, liberal Scripps- Howard
sheet wrote editorially, The occasion calls for
the prosecution Of the mob leaders under the
appropriate laws" But we waited until the sec
ond day before we had any leaflets issued. This
was later overcome but some time was lost. The
fact that we had the vi Elore here was Of con-
siderable aid. 1t demonstrated what Commu-