The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-05

re and more Communist daily,
corner block further west. A few of
the msrchers upon noticing that the
hose was to be connected again, ran
in that direction to stop 1t II possible,
but they were too few at that time,
and while fighting with the police,
the firemen, citizens and a number
Of college students, the latter "anti-
freedom of-speech" element succeed
ed in getting the water turned. Mean
time a great number more Of the
marchers in scattered formation,
ran to the church corner, mixing
with citizens of Normal who were
watching the encounter.
The firemen at the nozzle, not
knowing their own citizens from those
from Bloomington, poured water upon
anything like a group Of six or more
in any and every direction. The police
themselves in the melee received
drenchings, as did several Normal
and Bloomington people likewise. A
street-car became blocked at the in
tersection of the streets there, and
around it fist battles took place, COM
rade Bricker receiving wounds and
cuts on the head, and another De-
catur comrade having little finger
broken as he was holding the police
man Cooper's gun and hand up in
the air to prevent the shooting Of
those who managed to get the water
shut off for time.
During this fighting some stones
were thrown, but without any injury
noticeable on either side. The crowd
was so scattered and mixed that al
times it appeared that the firemer
were washing the streets and side
walks, not knowing where to poini
the stream in aggression towards the
Bloomington Unemployed Council
marchers. The names of the firemer
and Normal citizens who engaged II
this one-sided water-battle against
the Constitutional rights Of freedom
Of speech In their town, as known &c
several of the narchers, are: Fred
Fissel, Jim Callans, Jake Lutz, Lee
LutZ, Kenneth SchneblyS Sherman
Dennis. Police: Chief Ed Cooper
Elmer Eads and Bill Craig.
While the fracas was thus on at the
corner to the west, comrade Mayer
remained with a gathering Of follow
ers at the Bank corner, talking with
city officials; and on both sides II
was being said that no violence was
desired. However, in contradiction tt
this, the Normal officials were wit
Messing that their fire department
were active trying to break up the
street meeting with the water hose
What blocking Of traffic occurred was
by the hose and the fire truck, the
Bloomington leaders shouting always
to allow automobiles to pass as they
wished to.
After the water and the fist-fight
battle had been going on for several
minutes, comrade Mayer, who had
been warned in an anonymous letter
a week before that he was due tc
be murdered by the "Via5lantes,"
walked down the middle Of TIRE street
westward toward the battling, the
rest Of the marchers who had re-
manned with him following.
It was anticipated by the Council
at Bloomington before starting that
opposition on the part Of the official.
Of Normal would be met. And, al
above observed, 1t was. Far more
important than any speaking thai
could have been made there at thai
time was the showing up Of the XIX
K. minded types at Normal against
the most fundamental principle II
this country's Constitution. There
could have been but one legitimate
excuse for trying to stop the speaking
upon the subjects outlined In tht
opening paragraph of this article
and that was the possibility of block.
ing traffic. However, that excuse wa,
never mentioned; the idea of tht
Normal officials rather being that M
Americans, whether tax-paying re-
sidents Of their city or otherwise, car
speak upon any doctrine Of which
they have not the intelligence to un.
derstand.
From additional reports coming
from people Of Normal since the bat.
tie described, the leaders Of the Bloc
mington Council learn that 1t will no,
be long before many Of the "opposi-
ton" at Normal will be joining ir
the movements now become so strong
in the city to their south. For those
movements are to emancipate ever
those of Normal from the destructive
teeth Of the financial dragons who
now hold their final straw Of power
over the producers and the actually
serviceable workers Of the western
world.