The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-07-10
Fascist Terror in Barbert0n

Decker and the Barberton bosses generally be-
came increasingly hardboi1ed as the indignation
of the workers mounted This sharpened class
feeling was very evident during the state hunger
march Decker modified a regular army to
prevent the marchers from stopping in Barber
ton. He declared that the $50 American Legion
naires and businessmen that he had sworn IN
and armed in addition to police and county
sheriffs were under instructions ito adopt MIL
itary tactics to move the parade ahead at oouD4e
time if necessary" The workers OF Barperton'
on the other hand, we're so enthusiastic about
the hunger march that their numbers and their
cheers took the marchers by surprise, according
even to capitalist press reports, and they show
cred the marchers with silver coins
The next major act of violence against the
Barherton workers was when police and Amer
lean Iegionnaires with clubs and blackJacKs
smashed up a peaceful indoor meeting at the
Serbian Hall, called to protest the Alexander
kidnapping
Following this an open-air protest demonstra-
ton was called by the International Labor De-
tense for June 26 in Lake Anna Park. But no
sooner did organizer Jennie Cooper of the LID.
start to speak than tear gas attack was
launched by scores of special police sworn in
for the occasion. Prize fighters and other de-
putized thugs armed with brass knUckles clubs
and blackjacks, but wearing no uniforms,
plunged into the crowd hitting right and left
at men women and children The workers
fought back and three tear gas attacks had
to be launched before the police thugs could
drive them from the park. photographer, his
assistant, and reporter for the Akron Beacon
journal were among those assaulted and in
jured in the murderous attack,
Here is how the Akron Times-Press reporter
described the scene: with tear gas and black
Jacks Barberton police with their specially
sworn allies turned the meeting into night of
terror for Barberton citizens. Hundreds of
persons, gasping, eyes watering, fled from the
heavy barrage of tear gas The battle ragged
over an area of more than half mile in down
town Barberton. Traffic was paralyzed. Hun
dreds of machines were caught in the milling
thousands Residents in nearby streets were
driven from their homes by the singing fumes
of the gas attack. Screaming women and small
children we're caught in the melee. Literally
thousands of curious Barberton citizens SUI
fered the same fate as the scattered Commun-
lists"
Two workers. Paul Mayer and Matt Miovac,
were arrested and have been charged with dis
orderly conduct, but all of the police thugs who
started the attack have been left free. Both
Mayer and Miovac had been badly beaten by
their attackers and Miovac has severe scalp
wounds According to spectators, Miovac who
is a small man. was tripped and jumped upon
by nearly a score of the deputized thugs.
After the brutal assault on the thousands OF
Barbarton workers demonstrating in protest
against the murder of Alexander, Mayor Decker
attempted to shield the identity of his deputized
suggers, insisting that he did not know VINO
they we're but was positive they were good, sub
stantial citizens" Both he and Police Chief
we~ptz disclsmed responsibility for their APP
pointment. The Akron Times-Press points out
however that Mayor Decker was active before.
during and after the rioting. 1t was fact
noted by hundreds that in most instances those
who welded blackjacks retired to Barberton Po-
lice Station where, though ununiformed, and un-
distinguished as police officers they reported TO
| the city's annA t4t,,t~A -..Ai-~------"