The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-04-22
By FRANK SPECTOR

APRIL IA marked the second anniversary OF
II the historic Imperial Valley case On that
day in 1880 the Valley police and thugs in the
employ of the vegetable trusts. raided working
class halls and homes and arrested over a hun
bred members of the Agricultural Workers In
dustrial Union.
The Union, recently then organized in the VAL
ley by the Trade Union Unity League, had been
in the midst of preparations for strike in May
the cantaloupe season. Hundreds Of Mexican,
Filipino Negro and white workers were already
IN that unions ranks. The 10000 workers in
he Valley learned to look upon the A. W. I. L.
IS their fearless leader in the fight against the
vretched working and living conditions. For
hat reason the Union has earned the bitter
hatred of the bosses. The April IA raids and the
brutal boss-terror that followed was aimed to
prevent the coming strike, crush the hated I'M
ion and bury in Jail its leaders.
Criminal SyndicaIism Law Applied
Eight workers were tried and convicted to
'erve ~ years in San Quentin and Folsom. To
2btain these convictions the bosses used their
Yilest. instrument of frame-up the Criminal
Syndicalist Law, specially invented to smash
militant workers organizations.
So bitter was the Valley bosses hatred against
these convicted workers that through their
flunkey, the trial Judge, Thompson, they made
the strongest efforts to bury these workers in
prison for the full term OF AZ years. This judge
requested the State Prison Board to fix as the
final sentences the maximum penalty, stating
in his request, '"The court considers them THE
defendants) of or benefit whatever but
on the contrary, decided menace and detri-
ment TO society and civilization in general: that
under these circumstances any prison term less
than life for each defendant is quite moderate
Working Glass Defeats Valley Bosses
The International Labor Defense, which was
in the very midst of the Valley workers struggle,
has aroused American working class against this
terror. Powerful demonstrations and numerous
mass meetings were held in protest. Thousands
Of resolutions flooded the State and prison adj
rnnistrations condemning the Criminal Syn
dcalist Law and demanding the workers release.
AS a result---the Appellate Court was compelled
to modify the convictions. Sentences Of seven
of the workers were reduced to to IA years
and Frank Speetor's conviction was reversed. At
the trial the paid stools failed to identify Spec
tor, yet he was sentenced with the rest
Prison Board Fixes Five Years
The continued mass pressure, led by the IL.
D. compelled the prison board to fix the SEN
fences at five years with paroles ranging from
to 1 years. Orozco. Mexican worker, was
Herrera native of Panama is being deported
there this month. Oscar Erickson and Danny
Roxas will be released on July 49, 1882 and
Lawrence Emery on February 10. 1888.
SkIar and Horuchi victjm'zed
Carl Sklar and T. Horiuchi have been victim
lied from the beginning. They were confined
to Folsom-a prison for recidvists Chose con-
vcted of felony more than once. under ruth
less regime
T, Horiuchi faces on july 10 deportation to
fascist Japan that is. certain DEATH In Sklsr's
case, while the Board well knew the ilnpos-
sibility for his deportation to Soviet Russia, Of
which he is a citizen, yet they made this a con-
dition of his parole. This is clearly an effort
to keep Sklar Is months longer in prison
Fight to Change Parole Conditions
The LID, through its attorneys, had made
requests upon the Prison Board to chenee the
parole conditions for these two mltaQts SO that
they will be free men on July 49, This legal
step is now being backed by rese'~'ions from
workers organizations demanding this parole
change.
900 ne,nand Repeal fIrin'n~i Syrd'calsm Law
The Imperial Valley case from It's beginning
y 49,