davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

A Ford worker has written
the Daily Worker one of the
most revealing and graphic ac-
count of the murder of the four
unemployed workers by Ford
gunner at the River Rouge
plant last Monday. This work
er, not connected with any or
ganization, tells how the cops
came running out saying they
had instructions to "shoot to
kill" the workers. The letter
in full follows:
As / am Ford worker, and an
eyewitness OF the shooting and
murder taking place at Ford riot,
and as wrote OF the Detroit News
asking them to publish my letter
of telling the truth as it is, they
would not do it, and after seeing
the headlines in the Daily Worker
about the Ford Murphy police
slaughter, 1 have decided TO write
the Worker telling what I have
seen.
As I was about to enter the gates
looking down the road a ways, !
saw a group of men looking eX-
citedly down the road. Further as
went to see what was the matter,
and more excitement saw, and on
the last bridge I saw two streams
Of water rathe rhigh. So went
to the bridge and there the road
was blocked by policemen and 1
could not go further. Then look
ing down the road a ways 1 seen
group of men, and some men
throwing stones, and then i in
quired of a bystander what they
were throwing at and he told me
they were being gas-bombed by the
police, and the police were then
outside. Then further looking on
for while I saw four cops just
five or six feet ahead of me. A
cop came running out of the fac
tory shouting to the other cops:
Come on, fellows. We got orders
to shoot them" Then they all pull
ed their guns and shot, and the
crowd ran.
Now 1 could see no reason for
the shooting for there was no shots
fired from any Of the civilians, and
the cops lives we're not In danger,
or I would not have stood there,
but they felt that was the only
way of dispensing the crowd by
buinx them,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNES
1.-THE Japanese consulate in the Tri-
bune Tower on Saturday, March IL
More than five thousand workers
peacefully assembled on Michigan
Avenue to protest against the robber
imperialist war Of Japan against the
Chinese masses which as is openly
admitted is also an open attempt to
attack the Soviet Union on the Far
East through Manchuria. While ia
pan is the Spearhead of this attack
against the Soviet Union it has the
support of all the other imperialist
powers, particularly United States
imperialism, whose leadership in the
anti-Soviet drive has been openly
demonstrated many times (Stimsor
note 1929; non-recognition; en-
bargoes on certain Soviet products
instructions to banks to withhold
cedits, etc..
While differences exist among the
imperialists particularly Japan anc
the U. S. A. it is not difference oil
principle or methods but purely &
difference as to who shall have the
right to plumber, rob and exploit the
Chinese masses and the resources Of
China the most.
While the Chicago workers gath
cred peacefully, and the police anc
the newspapers were previously noti-
fed, hundreds of police on motor
cycles, horses and foot savagely at
tackled the workers, shooting at then
and welding clubs and rubber hose
Some workers were severely injured
many hurt and twenty seven were
arrested. The police in their savage
frenzy shot and dubbed wildly, in
Guiding many bystanders and ever
some of their own ranks. Many eye
witnesses state that when the police
fred low, 1.-THE bullets ricocheted of
the sidewalk hitting many.
Only the day previous a similar
savagc*attack was made on seven
thousand workers gathered on The
northwest side at Humboldt Park
demonstrating for adequate relief
Here also police shot and attacked
the crowd and many we're hurt, some
seriously.
This shows how the police of Chi
cage under The instructions of Ger
max and the big Chicago bosses an
sWer peaceful demonstrations with
bullets and terror. This is part of
the policy of the Wall Street Govern
ment of war and starvation. The
bosses and their government refuse
unemployment relief but vote billions
for war preparations and loans TO
the railroads and other business in
terests but not a cent for unemploy-
ment relief, thus condemning MILLIONS
to slow starvation.
In Kentucky in the coal mines
owned by insult, Ford and Morgan,
strikers are attacked and Harry
Simms is murdered. In Detroit,
Ford orders his police thugs to shoot
workers, killing four The next day
in Chicago, Cermsk Joins hands and
his police shoot into workers-on one
day while demonstrating for more re-
lief and unemployment insurance and
on the next day his police come to
the assistance OF the Representatives
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

to Manchuria.
was packed to overlooking.
Police did not dare enter the hall
and detectives who were sent in tc
arrest the workers leaders, did moi
succeed. Thousands marched from
the Arena to Ferry Hall where the
bodies of the dead workers we're ly-
ing in state.
Rudy Baker, district organizer Of
the Communist Party of Detroit, was
given tremendous and enthusiastic
ovation when he appeared on tbs
platform. The detectives in the hal
did not dare to arrest him.
The workers unanimously adopted
the following demands:
1. No suppression of the rights OF
workers, the right to free speech, the
the right to demonstrate, the right to
organize in unions.
2. Not bullets but unemployment
relief! Immediate jobs and unem-
ployment insurance furnished free by
the government to all workers!
3. Immediate and unconditional re-
lease of all workers arrested in con-
nectiOn with the Ford Hunger March
4. Punishment for those guilty Of
the massacre.
5 Abolition Of all Ford factory police
and spies and immediate discharge
OF all factory police and spies.
6. Indemnity to be paid TO the fami-
lies of all murdered workers by Ford
and the cities of Detroit and Dear
born.
The hall was decorated in red, with
hundreds of banners and placards
calling on the workers to increase
their struggles.
the Ford plant, was the first speaker
David Gray, a worker wounded al
Another speaker was Alfred Goetz
whom the police are trying to frame
up. He read message from Schmies
calling on the workers to build up the
Auto Workers Union. Nydia Barker
of the Young Communist League, told
of the heroic struggles Of Joe York
murdered leader of the Y. G. L.
A big ovation greeted, the brother
Of Joe Work when he was introduced
He called on the workers not TO weep
over their terrible losses, but to con-
tinue the work dropped by the fallen
comrades, to speed up the struggle
against hunger and war, and to build
the ranks of the Young Communist
League and the Communist Party.
A Negro worker spoke calling for
a united struggle of white and black.
On the platform were delegations
from Chicago, Cleveland, Pontiac, To-
ledo, and other cities. Bill Gebert,
district organizer of the Communist
Party of Chicago, spoke.
Many workers Joined the Commu-
mist Party and the Auto Workers
Union.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March
i4.--Six thousand members of the
Unemployed Council here adopted
a resolution Of protest against the
murder by ord Of unemployed
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

ioyously greeting the large vote IN
the presidential elections held Sum
day given to President Won linden
burg, general of the Kaiser, who sent
millions of German workers to their
death for the glory of German inn
periahsn. The American capitalist
press we're sympathetically approved
Of the large vote given to the fas-
cists, but declared their faith in Won
lIindenburg, Bruening and the social
lists in the preserving of the huge
investments of American capitalism
10 Germany, and in their ability.
through fascist DEGREES, to put over
drastic wage slasfes for the German
workers, to maintain German cap
italism.
Great surprise was expressed in
Washington at the fact that the
Communist Party Of Germany did
not increase its vote even more than
it did. The Communist Party gam
cd 100000 votes above the votes cast
for Communism in the 1880 Reich
stag election. In the last presidential
election in 1925 the Communist can
didate Thaelmann, received 1871 BIS;
in the election last Sunday, Thae1-
mann received 4,9S2,079 The COM
bined Communist votes in 1890 were
4,490. 600
The American capitalist press par
ticularly stressed the fact that they
were grateful because the lies and
demagogy of the German socialist
leaders were able to lead the socialist
workers to vote for Won Hindenburg,
the choice of British, American and
French capitalism. The Associated
Press dispatch from Berlin declares:
"Fears had been expressed in some
quarters that the socialists might dis
obey party instruction and vote for
the Communist Thaelmann instead
of Won Hindenburg. These fears were
shown to be unfounded. Social De-
mocracy gave an excellent example
of discipline by voting for a man
whose philosophy of life runs counter
to theirs but whose honesty and in
tegrity they respect"
The same idea was voiced in the
white house by officials close to the
hunger president Hoover. The New
York Times Washington correspon-
dent quoted a spokesman" of Hoover
as being quite delighted with the
socialist support to Won Hinderburg
and the failure of the great mass
of German workers in the socialist
party to vote for the Communist
candidate. The Times said:
Surprise was expressed by some
officials over the failure of the Com
munist candidate, Ernst Thaelmann,
TO poll a larger vote"
The New York Times goes on to
praise the socialist leaders for their
ability to put over the Won linden
burg Bruening branch of fascism by
raising cry against Hitler:
1.-THE iron front is made up prin-
cipally< of socialists and DR.. Bruen-
ing's Catholic Centre party. The
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15
Ford Worker, Eyewitness to
Massacre, Writes of Murders

I am writing this letter so the
public will know our government Of
ficials will frame up murder charges
on innocent workers when the po-
lice done the numbering themselves.
No policeman killed, which Is one
Of the most outrageous things 1
had ever seen. belong to no or
ganization but would testify in de-
Tense of the workers for crime
they did not commit.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

and Mr.. Liggett declares this explains
Hoover's bitter animosity towards the
existing Russian government.
1.-THE Rise of Herbert Hoover" is q
protusely illustrated book of 400 pages
ant practically every assertion is sub
stantiated by documentary evidence
Mr.. Liggett declares II will stake my
reputation upon the accuracy of every
essential fact land virtually challenge
the president and his supporters to
dispute his chrages-''in a court Of
law if they so incline"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

workers at an overflow meeting of
the Council on Saturday night. In
dignation of the workers against
this -blooded shooting is run
ming high. Another mass demon
stratiOn will be held here in few
days.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis. - Eight hun
dred workers at an election campaign
rally in German House, and 300 more
at Cleveland Ballroom expressed their
indignation and protest against the
Ford-Murphy murders and declared :
"We pledge our solidarity to our De-
troit comrades in their struggle a.
gainst the program of hunger and
terror of the bosses"
SEATTLE, Wash.--A mass meet
ing of workers at Ingram Hall here
passed stirring resolution of pro-
test against the Ford Murphy but
cherry which resulted in the death of
4 workers. "The workers will con-
tinue to struggle against imperialist
war, against starvation and hunger,
wage cuts, unemployment, despite the
terror of the boss government and
the police" said the resolution.
ASHBY, MaSs.-The Young Com
munist League here pledged to con-
tinue the struggle of Joe York and
Russell, two Y.CL. members murder
ed by FordMurphy gunner in Dear
born, Mich.
A similar resolution, calling on all
young workers to join the ranks of
the Y.CL., was passed by the Fitch
bury, Mass, YCL
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio. 49, Police
smashed the Youngstown protest
meeting against the Detroit murders
by Ford's thugs Saturday at st. Col
umbos Church soup kitchen although
- permit was granted. However,
speakers suddenly appeared on top of
an abandoned house and spoke to Che
workers. The police. surprised and
unable to climb to the top of the
house, had TO let the meeting con-
tinue unmolested.
The police tried to drive the work.
ers away telling them that all who
remained and listened would not. be
given any relief at the soup line. Ne
gro workers were especially singled
out by the cops. Despite this terror,
hundreds OF workers lined the streets
and listened to the speeches. The
voice of the speakers carried for
many blocks and workers came on
their porches and opened windows
to hear the protest speeches against
the Detroit murder of the unem-
ployed
We, the workers in mass meeting
assembled, under the auspices of the
Unemployed Council of Rock Island"
reads resolution of the Unemployed
Council of Rock Island, Ill, do most
emphatlcally protest the brutal terror
now being carried on against tn,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

imported coolies were indentured for
a term of three years and were kept
in compounds as vidtual prisoners
until hteir contracts expired,
Why Hoover Hates the Soviet Union
Mr. Liggett also relates that during
the World War certain mines in Rus
STA, in which Mr.. Hoover was in
terested in partnership with the iRo-
manoff family, employed 5000 Aus
trian prisoners of war as forced la
borers. Later these mines were con-
fiscated by the Soviet government
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15
Kruger Toll Crash
Shakes Internat'l
Financial Centres
,ooNr1NunD Enom PAGE ONE1

the Swedish ambassador in Paris into
secret session yesterday in an effort
to devise some method of concealing
the real depth of the crash.
In Sweden, the Kreuger bankruptcy
has hit the industrial and financial
capitalists of that country with the
force of national bankruptcy. How
closely the bankruptcy of Kreuger
and Toll is tied up with the Swedish
government was made clear by the
announcement that the National
Bank of Sweden had loaned the
Swedish Match Trust over $2680o,000.
1t will be impossible for the Swedish
National Bank to regain this money,
inasmuch as almost the entire cap
itsl of Kreuger apd Toll is tied up
in frozen assets, being in the form
of loans to such bankrupt and near
bankrupt countries as Germany, Hun
gary, Roumania, Ecuador. Latvia,
Esthonia, Poland, Greece and 8 num-
Der of other central European and
South American countries.
The German government alone
owes the Kreuger cartel over $751;
100000. Hurried preparations have
been made for run on the Kreuger
controlled Polish American Bank in
Warsaw. This is the bank through
which the transaction for a loan to
the Polish government of $40,000000
was made in return for the granting
to Kreuger of the national match
monopoly. Most of this money was
employed in military preparations
for war against the Soviet Union, of
which Kreuger was a bitter enemy
and against whom he carried on the
most vicious campaign of lies and
SANDER, especially in connection with
the campaign against the dumping"
of Soviet matches.
The first sale of Kreuger and Toll
bonds on the New York Stock Ex-
change were made at price 1919
points below the price offered Sat-
urday before the suicide of Kreuger
became known. This tremendous
drop took place despite the fact that
the governors of the Stock Exchange
had attempted to maneuver an ar
tificial opening price. Stocks of the
International Match Co. dropped 5
points, while bonds of the same COM
pany maturing in 1947 dropped 6
points. All along the line a de-
preston in security and stock prices
took place. The full effect of the
Kreuger bankruptcy has not yet
taken place, because the full extent
of the tie-up of the Kreuger cartel
with other firms and national gov
ernments has not yet been made
public.
AS more details of the Kreuger
bankruptcy reveal the worldwide
echoes of the crash, the utter i'm
possibility of capitalism organizing
AOoCAA VI CoNAkA4IS CA4C POWoI1u UlOWo
of the crisis becomes ever clearer.
The bankruptcy of Kreuger and Toll
rips the veil off the lie that the de-
velopment of International cartels, of
which Kreuger and Toll was one of
the largest, can do away with the
periodic commissions of capitalism by
economic crises. Especially does the
socialist" theory of "ultra-imperial-
ism" stand exposed as another lying
device of the socialists" to prevent
the working masses from struggling
for the overthrow of capitalism
According to this theory, capitalism
in the form of a number of such
huge international cartels could
escape crises and be peacefully
transformed into socialist society.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

workers in Detroit and vicinity.
I'VE hold Henry Ford guilty of the
brutal murder Of Joe Yark and the
Ohooting down in cold blood of other
workers during a peaceful demon
etration."
Copies TO Henry Ford, Governor
Of Michigan, Mayor Of Detroit and
The Mayor of Dearborn.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

of the Japanese Government which is
butchering tens Of thousands Of
Chinese workers and again the po-
lice attack the peaceful assemblage
with bullets and clubs.
The Communist Party points out
that this all one policy Of the bosses
namely, to prepare for war for the
redivision of the world and against
the Soviet Union and not give a pen
ny to the unemployed but to carry
on a war against the workers at
home. This is the policy of the
bosses expressed through the Hoover
government of starvation and war
and all the small fry politicians,
whether it be democratic Mayor Ger
max, republican Governor Laffoon Of
Kentucky or liberal" Mayor Muir
ply of Detroit, carry out these in
Structions.
Against these attacks of the police
the workers of Chicago must answer
with mass protests and mass strug-
giles. The Communist Party and the
Young Communist League do not be-
lieve in or advocate individual acts
of terror. 1t emphatically condemns
such acts which play into the hands
of the boss class and which are OPP
posed to the policy of mass struggle
against the boss class and their po-
lice. However, the Communist Party
and the Young Communist League
will not join hands with the boss
class and its press in their attempt
to WhiteWash the cold blooded, muir
derous attacks Of the police who shot
into the crowd, provoking Steve
Chuck to acts Of desperation. We
point out TO the workers that the
only effective measures TO deal with
such mTderous provocations by the
police is through organized mass ac-
ton and struggle, we declare that
against the brutal attacks Of the DO
lice the workers must organize their
mass self-defensc.
The workers Of Chicago shall not
forget August Bird when three Negro
workers we're shot down because they
fought against evictions. They shall
not forget the continual attacks upon
all gatherings of workers and partic-
ularly against the Communists and
the present pending trial for GRIM
inal syndicahsm of seven leaders OF
the Communist Party.
These present attacks are 10 try
and force the workers to starve and
die peacefully and not to raise their
voices in protest against the present
imperialist war in China which is
only the beginning of broader opera
tons directed against the Soviet Un-
ion. We tell the boss class that you
cannot crush the Chicago workers
you cannot separte the mass of work.
ers from their Communist leadership.
LET US learn revolutionary courage
from the Commmards; let us see In
their practical measures an indication
of practically itrCat1t end i,,,,,a1g
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15

jack with the single-jack sys-
tem-where one man virtually
does the work of two-and
when the union refused, strike
breakers were imported.
Later, in 1902, when Hoover
returned to Australia as resi-
dent manager for Bewick Moreing
Company, in charge Of Is Of the big
gest producing mines in West Aus
tralia, he was instrumental in break
ing the unions by importing low paid
italian workers In one Of the Hoo
ver-managed mines the only British
worker was tool sharpener. So de-
termined were Hoover's efforts to fill
his mine with low paid workers that
the Australian Parliament investi-
gated the matter
Endangered Workers Lives
1t was brought out at this hearing
that Hoover customarily tried to cut
costs by skimping in safety devices.
Despite repeated warnings by the
Australian Department Of Mine IN
spection, he neglected to timber his
mines properly and in other mines
the slopes were higher than allowed
by law. The Australian government
on several occasions had to threaten
to close down the mines in order to
compel Hoover to obey safety regu-
lations and in at least one mine I'M
der his control he had not timbered
the mine properly after three warn
ings.
Men Creaper Than Lumber
In the Chinese Mining and Engin-
eering Company's coal mine at Kaip-
ing, near Tien Tsin, China, Hoover
piled up huge profits for his fellow
stock holders by employing Oriental
laborers at from 10 to 20 cents a day.
Here, too, it is matter of record
that Hoover neglected to timber the
mine properly, and in a paper which
he read in 1902 before the British
Institute of MetallWgy he declared
1.-THE disregard for human life per-
mits cheap mining by economy in
timber and the aggrieved relatives
are amply compensated by the pay
ment Of $50 (Mexican) for each man
lost"
Putting it plainly" Mr.. Liggett
comments. "the above statement can
only mean that Mr. Hoover, as man.
ager for the British promoters, found
it cheaper to pay $50 Mexican when
ever Chinese laborers were killed by
csye-ins than he did to timber his
mines properly The amazing cal
lousness of this statement would he
incredible we're il not for the fact
that the author has a photostatic
copy of Mr. Hoovers printed address"
Czarist Police Helped Hoover Murder
1.-THE Rise of Herbert Hoover re-
lates how some 233 Russian workers
were killed and several hundred
wounded in 1921 when they gathered
to demand shorter hours and higher
wages at the Lena Gold Fields in
Siberia, property in which Mr.. Hoo
yer was interested. The workers we're
not threatening, but the mine man
agement called in Cossacks who open
ed fire on the workers. Later more
than 5000 men, women and children
were evieted from their homes and
compelled to leave the district
Mr. Liggett asserts that a group
of South African mines in which Her
bert Hoover was interested imported
$4,000 Chinese coolies in 1904-short-
ly after the close of the Boer War
because the white Iaborers in South
Africa demanded higher wages to
meet the increased cost Of living. The
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15
FiVe Million Workers
in Germany Vote
for SoVtet Way Out

NEW YORK.-The Communist Party of Germany gained
100000 worngcass votes the presidential elections
the vote cast in $780,
President Hoover and all the forces reaction in the Uni
States joined with the Socialist party of this country in
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15
US. ImberialiStS Push
Plan for BoycottAgainSt
Peaceful Soviet Union

connection with the admissions of Washington officials
reported Saturdays Daily Worker of japanese
against the Soviet Union Shanghai dispatch reports that the
japanese sixty transports that city for the
of part of the huge Japanese army in South China These
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-15
AMERICAN WORKERS IN
SOVIET TRACTOR PLANT
BRAND FORD MASSACRE
Protests Continue to Pour in Upon Henry Ford
and His Detroit Mayor Murphy

KHARKOV, U.SSR, March 11--American workers at
the Kharkov tractor plant have adopted the following reou
of protest against he murder of four hungry workers by
Ford-Murphy gunner:
1--WE Americans working in the Kharkov tractor plant ex