The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-12-21
HUNGRY JOBLESS STORM
BIG STORE; TAKE FOOD
Breadlines Close. But
Unemployed Refuse
to Starye
f j e h t Forced Labor
Mass for Demands at
Duluth City Hall

ACA. OACJ 1Aol1
DULUTH, Mimi,
December 20,-Driven
by hunger, $50 work.
ers stormed a large
grocery store here, in
search Of food after the bread
line at the Bethel" was closed
to them. Mr.. Grubbe in
charge Of the. mission had
blockaded the Dining Room,
With TIE aid OF police, after the work.
ers had refused to accept an ulti-
matum laid down to them to either
cut wood for the miserable blue soup,
or starve.
When the workers received a Mega
tive answer to their request for food
at the Bethel, they made several at
tempt5 to get into the dining room
and kitchen and help themselves.
When this failed they went to a
neiEEboring grocer, one of the big
gest IT town and proceeded to help
themselves with shouts of charge it
to the City.
AS a result # this VIM. Carch an
unemployed worker was arrested and
sent to the work-farm for two
months. The workers in Duluth are
preparing mass demonstration to
demand his immediate release and at
the same time to protest against the
miserable conditions imposed on the
unemployed ard starving workers. At
this demonstration they viii also raise
the demand for immediate relief and
for unemployment insurance.
On Tuesday, December 18th, the
unemployed workers of the Bethel
and those living at the Old
City Hall, set aside as sleeping quar-
tiers for the unemployed demonstra-
ted at the Courthouse square against
forced labor and the miserable treat
ment that they were receivino
amongst which was the cutting down
Of their meals to two meals a day.
A delegation was elected by these
workers to go to the Mayor and the
City Council to present their de-
mands After considerable dis
cussion before this body we find that
despite the harsh answer given to the
delegation, that the council appointed
itself as a committee to investigate
the conditions at the Bethel" and at
the same time appropriated an adj
ditional $4,000 for relief work.
DULUTH, MINI, Dec 1S-The un-
employed workers housed in the ver-
min infested Bethel have gone out
on strike. In spontaneous protest
against the dirt, the hrorible food,
and the slave driving forced labor,
$50 have refused to work.
The Bethel is supported by the
community chest Another group of
unemployed and evicted workers are
housed in the "Old City Hall" Both
groups are forced to cut wood for
hours, without pay. in return for
little thin blue soup oatmeal, bread
and coffee. of such quality that the
pigs would turn up their noses at IL.
The men are forced to sleep on the
concrete floor. In neither place are
there enough blankets to go around.
Recently, the three meals, bad as
they are, we're cut to two meals
day.
Recently. too, Grubbe, the man.
ager Of Bethel" made a speech over
the radio imploring people to refuse
to give anything to individual unem-
ployed workers, and force them all to
come to the Bethel" He lied about
the quality Of food, saying the men
got bacon, hot cakes, etc, which they
never see.
"5sthei' workers joined the DEM
orstrction in Court House Square,
where j. CogaH Ct the Trade Union
Unity League spoke, and headed
committee Of six which placed de-
mands tefore the acting mayor and
city council, for three square meals
a da-.. beds ed bedding. washing
facilities, 70 { limitation, so cents
en- hour for saving wood, etc.
The committee was met by insults
and a withdrawing of the Bethel
by local capitalist politicians. Cogan
was held for questioning by the po-
lice, at orders of the active mayor.
The workers masseo outside DEM
onstrated until he was released.
The strike in the Bethel followed.
Organization of the unemployed is
going ahead rapidly.