The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-23
WHY THEY MARCHED
IN DETROIT

loans used mainly to pay interest 10 tins bankers
themselves.
The Slash in Wages
Then came the wage cut last November. A
more complete subsection by the press, more
cynical attitude by the Ford Motor Company,
could not be imagined. Men Of great skill and
experience, men who had been the most useful
In the building Of the industry, found their
wages literally cut In half From $40 and $l2
they were cut 10 $5. And if the slightest sign
Of disappointment WAS evidenced, they were
coldly discharged
And still the speed-up was mounting, the dis
cpline stricter. We began to realize that no
matter how bad hell may be, 1t can always be
made worse. Such q ruthless icut WAS first
denied. and later called readjustment. howl
went up In the factory, but the lack Of organiza-
ton among the workers made it impossible to
crystalline the anger into action
The Slash tn Unemployment Relsef
Throughout the winter, the conditions became
worse. The demand for action against Ford, the
liar, the thief the ruthless exploiter and against
Murphy, the vile demagogue Of the whip and
club, ready as the tear and the soft word
became izAistent. ~ -
The March 80
Then, the Hunger March was organized. The
intention was to present demands Of the I'M
employed to Henry Ford, and also to demonstrate
the power of organization before the factory. No
incendiary intention, no desire nor preparation
for any violent action, but the steeled determine
ton to present the demands The rest is known
The massacre at Baby Greek, thousand dollars
worth OF gas bombs were used, and although the
anger among the marchers was great, the police
were put in flight with stones and sticks found
on the ground. Before the plant, fire hose
revolvers, shot guns, machine guns.
In the presence Of Edsel Ford Charles soren-
son, Harry Bennett, Ex-Governor Green, and
some officers Of Henry Ford, the massacre was
prepared, carried out. There was no justihca-
ton. The guards were within the gates, behind
the fences. The crowd Of workers had stopped
and was being rallied by Alfred Goetz who was
advising the workers to go back, as we had
accomplished our task, when fire broke loose
from several points. AS the workers began to
retreat, another protracted firing machine gun
fire moved the crowd down. The workers were
no less than 300 feet from the guns. No plea of
self defense could Justify the slaughter The
action Of the service men Of the Detroit and
Dearborn police was most vicious
After the massacre, the wounded and the
dying that were not rescued In time by the
workers were allowed to remain on the ground
for as long as fifteen minutes, while the COPS
stood by idling.
The Press and Courts Conspirs
The very day Of the massacre, the tools OF
capitalist justice tried to charge the murdered
the wounded and leaders with criminal syndicai-
ism, while the raurderers were congratulated
The farce is too obscene The workers are No.
fooled by it. Our action, the anger within the
plant the wage-cuts, and the lay-ofYs to come
VIII build the Auto Workers Union The blood
Of the victims will cement the Union Their
example will be our beacon, and the Ford Motor
Company viii be made to come to terms.