The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-01-19
Nv HARRY HAYWOOD

BY HARRY HAYWOOD
TIE attempt to railroad nine innocent Negro
l bows TO death through the Irame-up trial at
scottsboro vas correctly met by the Communist
Party with a nation wide challenge and seized
upon as the best means TO arouse the fighting
spirit to bring out the political activity OF the
Negro masses and 10 start 8 tide Of organiza-
-ion and resistance 10 the offensive Of the cap
italists and Southern landlords against the Ne
gro workers, Door farmers and hare-croppers.
The Partys correct entrance into this cam
oaign met with g degree OF success which has
caused our worst enemies (for example, Howard
Kester of the pacitist Fellowship Of Reconciia-
tiou) to report that ''it is no longer true that
Communism is q relatively unknown term
among the Negroes" and that the Communist
Party's activity among rural Negroes has "suc-
ceeded in arousing many hitherto Respondent
and lethargic spirits" and that the Communists
are winning adherentS everywhere"
A new turn OF sharper attention Of the Party
toward Negro work as g. direct result Of the
work Of the Party and the revolutionary mass
organizations in the ScottSboro campaign, and
81 general stimulation Of its agitational Negro
work, have directly drawn many thousands OF
Negro workers under the influence OF the Party
and sympathetic organizations. 1t has laid the
first proletarian foundations OF the Communist
Party among the Negroes in the Southern states.
One of the most outstanding achievements in
the campaign has been the drawing in for the
first time OF large masses of white workers in
support Of the struggle for Negro Rights
The Scottsboro campaign has also succeeded
in making much clearer than at any previous
Deriod the treachery Of the Negro oourgeoisie
and Negro reformist organizations in the strug-
giles of the Negro masses, and their alliance with
the white ruling class lynchers.
Betrayers Temporarily DemOralized.
The quick reaction Of the Party and revolt
tionary mass organizations to the Scottsboro
case, the rapid mobilization Of mass move
nent in defense OF the Scottsboro boys, the ire
mendous enthusiasm OF the movement, pro-
foundly influenced the rank and file following
Of the Negro reformist organizations. The sud-
denness and force Of the impact OF this move
ment against the Negro reforniSt-white liberal
bloc in the National Association for the Ad-
yancement OF Colored People-caused temporary
demora lization within the top leadership Of this
organization, which was reflected in the treach-
erous silence Of the NAACP. a sham battle
followed the substance Of which was really how
best to betray the masses in the Scottsboro
struggle. This was reflected in the left" crlti-
cism against the N. a. A. c.. P. leadership by
Eegro papers OF definite bourgeois character,
'uch as the Chicago Defender. Amsterdam News,
,tc. the misunderstanding" in The executive
STATS OF the N.AACP., etc.
The role OF the Negro reformisCs was to serve
as q shield for the white ruling class lynchers,
whose Ynurderous intentions ere thWarted by
the wide mass movement developed by the Party.
Their strategy was the following: with the help
Of the white slave drivers, TO get hold of the
legal defense and through employing the most
dastardly denagogy to confuse the masses and
Isolate the Communist forces. and IN this man
ner prepare the way for the legal lynching OF
Jhe boys Direct proofs OF this intention we're
Walter Whites secret letters to the Negro press,
vicious attacks upon the Communist Party, the
collaboration Of the N.AACP. leadership with
the Southern hangmen IN the torturing Of the
boys in Jail in an effort to force them to de
nounce the LID. defense and accept the N. A.
a. c. P, etc.
Forced to Make Left" Maneuver.
Faced with the militant mass movement and
weakening prestige the bourgeois reformists, in
order to carry out their policy Of treachery, were
forced to execute left maneuver william
Pickens field secretary OF the N.AACP, made
& fake endorsement OF the LID campaign sup
ported by the group around the Chicago De-