The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-05-14
Bv ROBERT MINOR

TaQES serious Danger arising III Oll6 Ul lIlb Oou
important mass campaigns that the Party has
ever understanding campaign around the
Scottsboro case.
The danger arises out of an almost complete
iaIlnv u leading committees of the Party in
the organizing of the mass base for this cam
psign.
Comrades! Old habits and the weaknesses Of
a purely propaganda party must be resolutely
thrown aside. The saving of the lives and the
liberty of the nine Negro youths framed up at
Scottsboro can be accomplished only by a move
ment which has not been stirred into motion be-
fore.
Your District Committee as a whole is placed
under full responsibility for this campaign
throughout your district We have reports that
the campaign is being RELOCATED to sub-depart-
ments and to non-Party organizations in direct
violation of the instructions of the Central Com
mittee. It is impossible to tolerate any such
course on the part of the District Committee, the
Buros and District organizers. You, comrades,
the full District Committee, as among your first
and most important duties must take charge and
put the machinery of the Party itself into this
campaign, utilizing its departments and involv-
ing all mass organizations but with the District
Committee directly in charge, the Buro super
visng and directing the whole work as task
which is second to none. Incomplete reports
on May Day demonstrations in more than 100
cities show that in some places good results have
been obtained for the Scottsboro defense III the
sphere of agitation and demonstration although
in many cities there was very bad neglect of the
important task of reaching the Negro masses and
drawing these into the demonstrations as active,
organized participants. On the whole, the agit-
ational work considered as a beginning, has been
good and to the credit of our Party and has
a1r mod r,oSsihIe first small legal vic
tory for the Scottsboro defendants-the securing
of a change of venue. But what of the organ
Rational work.
The organization work is not being done The
practice of combining our Scottsboro campaign,
aside from demonstrations, etc. to the visiting
of organizations is opportunist error of the
worst sort. Our only connections with the masses
would be through the supposed good will of
officials who could debate the whole defense
campaign at the most critical moment.
The visiting of organizations and in this way
securing their participation in the United Front
Conference is important work and must be con-
tinued: but the united front in this case, as in
all Others must be primarily and at all costs
united front from the bottom-a united front
of the rank and file masses of Negro people and
black and white workers for the purpose Of saw
ing the Scottsboro boys. This mean the or
ganization of masses in support of this cam
paign even if at first only in more or less
loose form for the duration of the campaign.
Without this there can be no success in this
campaign no matter how successful" the agita-
tonal side of it may otherwise be.
Your first attention must be given to the form
alton Of Neghborhood Committees OF the L. S.
N. R. for the Scottsboro boys.
The following instructions for Neighborhood
he
l. The District Committee through the Blu
reau takes full responsibility, and itself directs
an dchecks up on the work.
2. AS the means of day-to-day execution of
directives the regular departments of the District
Committee will function, not separately in
routine way but under close and constant guild
ance of the District Organizer and Org Secre-
tary In all Districts the Negro Department. is
very weak, it must Immediately be strengthened
and must become the strongest possible depart
nent that the District Committee can form.
The District Organizer or Org Secretary must
be member of this department from the mo-
ment of receipt of this communication and must
attend every session.
8. The District Committee and Section Com
mittees to allot to very Unit of the Party
certain selected territory, bounded by certain
specific streets in Negro and white working class
residence districts.
T. The special meeting of every unit in your
District must be devoted solely to the Scots
boro case, and primarily to the organizational
work of building neighborhood committees of
the L.SNR. for united front to defend the
framed-up Negro boys at Scottsboro. This first
meeting must open with report on the case
by comrade familiar with Negro work.
s. A general outline of the case will be sent
you within two days. To this the District Buro
must add short section giving local adapt
alton Of the meaning of the case to the Negro
masses and white working class, black and white
concretizng on local activities as well as local
issues of persecution of Negroes.
6. simple popular leaflet of the LSNR will
be sent you very quickly, and this together with
an LID leaflet, must be carefully distributed TO
every apartment within residence neighborhoods
assigned to comrades as shown in following di-
receives (Aso TO workers in factories, as later
specfied).
T. good number of the best members of
every Unit to be modified for work, and each
of these to be given a specific number Of eve
nings Gf working in day tirne) or must be given
specific hours during day time if unemployed
and each must report promptly, under the di-
rection Of the Unit executive and each member
must be assigned personally to visit tenants
within territory and apartment houses allotted
According to the strength of the Unit and the
local conditions the Unit executive may send
the members singly or in pairs (perhaps one
Negro comrade and one white) to make these
Visits