The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-05-21

MAY DAY in Birmingham has a special sig
IVA nificance for the Party-first of all be-
cause it " !; held under conditions of complete
illegaity, which as a new experience is worth
much to the Party in other sections-particu-
lary for the future. Secondly that here in the
heart of the Jim Crow-lynch law state of Ala
bama where the nine young Negro workers are
sentenced to die in Scottsboro-white and Negro
toIers gathered in solidarity in spite of all the
oppression and persecution, to demonstrate
their working class solidarity, to pledge to carry
on the fight for better conditions, and to free
the victims of the bosses lynch law--at Scots
boro-together with the revolutionary millions
throughout the world
Preparations
The preparations were-issuing of 2 general
agitational leaflets throughout the city as we'll
as the Southern Worker" and other literature.
and individual agitation The spot chosen was
white and Negro settlement-on the out
skirts Of Birmingham, in the woods. These
both settlements in particular, were we'll COW
cred with our literature by the Party units and
contacts in each one as we'll as plenty of in
Yidual agitation.
In each unit discussions were held through
out Birmingham, on the significance of May
Day and our tasks. All of the units were in
structed to be ready to mobilize other workers
to come to the demonstration few days
before the demonstration the units were mott
fled of the time and place, given instructions
on how to get there, and every member told to
come and to bring their fellow workers if pos
sible to try to get cars trucks to come in
Then about two hours before the meeting the
immediate vicinity of the meeting place was
flooded with half page notices of the time and
place of the meeting, which was at $50 D. M,
rTIn rlyoI
too These arrangements left little possibility
of the police being notisied in time to come and
break it up Comrades were assigned to handle
literature, etc.
The meeting started on time-about 100
present, so white, SO Negroes-ncluding 20 youth
lew white women, few Negro women and
some children. There was but one disturbance
from drunk, who was promptly rushed off by
the workers present
Expose Bosses Lies.
The workers, white and Negro listened very
attentiyely rs the speaker explained the mean
ing of May Day as revolutionary working
class day of solidarity Especially was there
quiet as the bosses tactics of dividing the
workers into white and black-of prejudicing
the whites and terrorizing the Negro-and that
the boss class was the enemy of all toilers-
white and black
situation, the unemployment misery and starva-
ton-the bosses militarsm and preparations
for war in which white and colored would be
both sent to defend the bosses profit system.
Especially impressed were the young workers
The exposure of the bosses lying propaganda
about the Reds forcing whites to marry Ne
groes, about us giving every new member a
rifle, and other such lies-and particularly the
exposing In all its brutal bloodiness of the legal
lynch law frame-up of the boys at Scottsboro
-as blow to all workers-was well received
by those present
Send Protest Telegram.
Negro and white unanimously endorsed pro
test telegram to be sent to the governor. The
bosses lie in this as in other lynchings about
protecting white womanhood" was effectively
exposed by the illustration of white women
Shaving and killing themselves in the local cot
ton mills and the women and children starving
to death in the city and on the farm in the
midst of plenty.
The Shortcomings.
The shortcomings were that few shop leaf
lets were issued-that every party and league
member did not come and bring others-and of
course that, owing to the weakness of the party
leadership. the units were not sufficiently KEYED
up and mobilized day to day and checked I'D on
about their preparatons--but as is still a bad
feature OF our party work-preparations we're
rushed the last few days
1t revealed sharply our good agitationa work
but our basic weakness. ORGANIZATION, in
not having all Of the Communist Party and
Young Communist League members present
even though IL is true that most are only men,
T. bers few months--whch means that they did
not understand It's importance and Significance;