The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-11-25

TO the extent that our Party intensifies its
activities particularly in developing mass
movements of struggle, in this period of deepen
ing crisis and war, the bourgeois state becomes
more aggressive in trying to smash the Party.
From all parts of the country comes daily re-
ports of arrests, raids and general police terror.
The most recent case is the raid on the Party
office in Chicago This was not an isolated at
tempt although it is the first time since last
year that the District Office has been raided.
This was preceded by mass arrests and falling
According to I. L. D. figures, in Chicago alone
during the six weeks prior to the raid there were
294 workers arrested for revolutionary activities
and the judges used to get rid of them by say
ing. Refer them to the Red week-Nov 18TH"
so that 1913 cases were scheduled to be called on
November 10th. In the south side territory
where the Party's influence grew tremendously
after August 3rd Captain Siege and Lieutenant
Barker, who demolished the Party office a year
ago and beat our comrades, and whom the capt.
talist papers call stern dsciplinarians" were
placed in charge. There has now been started
a campaign of terrorism on the South Side par
ticularly against Negro workers. To be stopped
and searched on the streets is common practice.
To see Negro and white workers walking to-
gether is sufficient to convict you as red"
Another step has now been taken in all parts of
the city, but particularly on the South Side by
closing all meeting halls and threatening hall
owners who agree TO rent TO any working class
organization
1t was in this atmosphere that the raid on the
Party offices on November 14th took place and
20 comrades were arrested. Preceding that
comrades had been taken out of their houses in
the middle of the night. All these raids we're
conducted by the Infamous Red Squad"
The basis of all this was efforts by the local
bosses and bankers the Traylors, Randolphs,
5srgents, McCoriricks, Hurleys and meat-pack-
ing and coal operator bosses to try and stop or
cripple the mobilization of the Chicago working
class against the imperialist war. It is an at
tempt TO smash the defense of the Soviet Union,
and was also aimed at Gripping the mass mob
ilization for the National Hunger March
They had seen the dozens of Public Hearings
conducted b. the Unemployed Council in the ten
preceding days, where workers exposed the char
ity rackets of Cook County, Emmerson Emer-
gency Committee, and the United Charities and
voiced their determination not only to fight for
immediate relief but unemployment insurance
at full wages. They had seen the widespread in
fuence of the Party among the Negro masses
the thing which the bosses are particularly
aroused about A year ago Captain Siege told
c. Hathaway, LAY off these damned niggers
and everything will be all right" They had seen
the overflow November 7th meeting in Chicago
ano As additional throughout the district, where
the struggle against unemployment, wage cuts
and war. we're the central Issues where the
highest enthusiasm was reached when the work
ers declared their determination to defend the
Soviet Union
TIE situation amongst the coal miners of
Southern Illinois was the specific key to the sit
uation The bogrgeosie is more alert to this
than the Party itself The coal miners are be-
ginning TO move again-they just vent through
district convention OF the U. M. W. A. where
Walker and Lewis fought for control, but where
the miners had their death benefit lowered from
$3.50 to $3.50 by decision Of this official" packed
cor milton Not word, not to speak Of deeds
to I hit against the starvation OF thousands Of