The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-07-16
Theodore Dresser Looks at the Coal Strike

the king Of the land had authority over his
barons-today, under capitalism, the barons die
tate to the highest authority-the national gov
eminent
Dresser = the great novelist had never de-
picted these conditions in his novels. He had
never come across them face to face before 1t
was new to him. And tremendously disturbing
He knew something was wrong with the econ
omy, the government of his native land But
he never encountered the aspects of it in such
reality hitherto.
Sheriff James Cain, of Allegheny County, took
great pains to greet warmly Dresser and Horace
B. Davis the other member of the investigating
committee. To give "his side" of the question.
Sheriff Cain, world War veteran" if you
please-he brought this fact up at least a dozen
times-squirmed behind his desk as the novelist
shot question after question at him. The sher-
ifs Office looks out on the brutal, dirty-gray
fortress = the Allegheny County Prison across
the stred
The eUnent sheriff has but two teeth In the
lower Jas-they thrust upward like tusks-and
his oily smile cleaned and cracked as he tried
to win the novelist over to his side.
Il know the hardships of these people" he
beamed, why, I'm miners son myself. But
he said; Il believe in carrying out the dictates
of the law. I am against violence-on either
side. Oh yes, certainly, believe in the rights
of the miners to picket, but"-and his face
creased in that oily smile, and his fangs jutted
up over his upper lip, mot to infringe on the
rights of private property not to use violence. .
Sheriff Cain was aided now and then by his
shrewd lackey, Solicitor Averbach. Together they
went out and brought in huge gun-the type
the deputies used at Wildwood to pour lead into
t1,a of he
| dren.
you see"-Sherif Cain said, pointing the
| pump gun in Dfeisers' direction. Before he
could continue Dresser warned please point
] that gun at the solicitor instead" The sheriff
| pointed the gun away
/ What I was going to tell you Is this. My
deputy fired into the air like this" and he aimed
the gun at the ceiling. "and no doubt somebody
else killed the miner, Pete zigaric"
But" said Dresser, "the reporter in the
Pittsburgh Past Gazette,"-a paper that like al
the other capitalist press cannot by any means
be termed favorable to the miners" described
how your deputies fired into this group of un-
armed men and women"
The sheriff looked wounded THAT reporter
lied" he said 81 have the utmost faith II
Deputy sheriff Silver Braun and Herbert Real
They did not shoot this miner. No doubt some
miner"
But this sounded so lame that Solicitor Aver.
bach came to his rescue. The coroner Is making
the investigation" he said. eve have every con.
hdence in special deputies. They are triec
and true men,
AS we we're leaving the office, Sheriff Carr
rose and smiled at Dresser. 81 am great lover
of books and pictures" he said
There large picture on the shelf facing
the sheriff who had given and taken the orders
| to kill the miners. This picture, he explained
was THAT of Christ telling the young rich man
| to sell his goods, and give them to the poor. -
He smiled a sanctmonious smile.
you see," the sheriff said, picking up the
pump gum IT have Sunday school class teach
every Sunday. And bought that picture to
present to them"
And he put the gun back on a shelf facing
the picture.