The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-05-16
BY BILL GEBERT

uELRosE PARK, northwestern suburb OF
M Chicago, is a town OF 10000 population, OF
which 90 per cent are workers, the majority of
whom are unemployed. large percentage OF
these workers own little homes, which they
bought on payment few years ago. Now they
are losing them This year alone over 100
workers lost their houses.
, The largest factory in the town is factory
branch of the American Can Company, winch
previously employed about 1000 men and women
and al present only about 200 are working there.
Up till May LIST they worked hours day,
receiving 80 cents an hour. On May End wage
cut c. 10 per cent took place and the hours
increased to hours day They are working
one and two days a week. There Is also
1ounof5 which employs 100 men and some green
house. enjoying about so workers. This IS the
entire industry in Melrose Park.
The workers in MelroSe Park are actually
stsrvi.l they began to realize that only by
organ. ng. themselves will they be able to force
the b. ;5s5 to give them relief. On April Goth
G mas meeting Of unemployed was held. The
Police and Leg4onnaires came to the hall and
arrested Inc speakers. Berman and Griggs we're
thrown INTO jail. The workers did not go home
from the hail. but marched to the jail and de-
mandt L tie release Of the arrested speakers.
Under vass -ressure of the workers the Chief of
Pclcc rs lvrced to release the speakers,
On April 9th another meeting Of the unem-
rloyed was called. Over 900 workers, American,
Germal italian and Others crowded into the
hall Leg Iolnaires also came to the meeting,
aIso; as. Of the Village Board were present
trhey lccl. the floor trying to tell the workers
not to listen to the speakers from the Unem-
pIoyed Ccuncil-thst it is the American Legion
that win Take care of the unemployed. A woman
from = charities spoke in the same light. The
starving-lnothers, answered them that up till now
noShin. had been done by the village admins
tration and bosses. That is only now, when the
Unemr loyed Council begins to organize workers,
the bosses and village authorities speak about
giving relief to the workers. But the workers
would not believe the Legionnaires and charity
workers and would not leave the Unemployed
Counci .-4,ar this meeting, relief was given to
many Workers, especially those who showed any
signs OF activity in the unemployed movement,
in an attempt to bride them Workers who
were previously denied penny were given
checks from 10 to 500 and were told that they
needn't worry, that the Legionnaires and char
tiles would take care of them. The workers
we'll knew the meaning of this policy of the
bosses. The president of the village told the
committee of Unemployed: 81 know that there
is misery and starvation in village. But we
will not tax the rich. We will not allow the
Communists to come here to agitate these
people.
The workers in Melrose Park prepared for the
May Day demonstration. They sent commit
tee to the- chief of police, Arthur Leeseberg,
informing him that there will be an open air
meeting on the streets. The chief of police
answered the workers that the police will not
interfere with the meeting of the workers. But
on May Day, when hundreds of workers gathered
on the streets, the meeting was attacked. Ber-
man. an unemployed carpenter, was taken from
the streets by police and Legonnaires, beaten up,
taken for a-ride and then thrown into a ditch
outside the city, skull fractured. A railroad