The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-05-16
MACHTNE-GUN FIRE IS THE BOSSES
ANSWER FOR BREAD

worker, Cain, was also beaten up by the police
and Legionnaires.
DIR. Brust in Jail When Cain Was Beaten
Leading up to May Day the police, Italian
priest and Legionnaires went from house to
house Of the workers, terrorizng them and tell
ing them not to come out on the streets, and
giving money to some of them. But in spite OF
this, more than 300 workers broke through the
terror and came to the meeting which was
broken up.
The workers in MelroSe Park called an indoor
mass meeting on May l. They rent Socialist
owned an dcontrolled Lyceum Hall. deposit
was taken for the hall by the Socialists, but a
day before the meeting the Socialists sent
telegram to the committee in charge, informing
them that the hall had been cancelled for the
meeting. In answer Of breaking up May First
meeting, the workers Of Melrose Park called an
indoor meeting on May 9Th at Eureka Hall The
last minute the hall was closed.
Workers began to assemble around the hall on
a vacant lot few blocks away from the hall
1t was about 215 in the afternoon when about
200 workers assembled in and around the lot.
They were surrounded by a gang of police.
legionnaires and Capone gangsters, armed with
machine guns. They made circle around the
lot and started lining up the workers against
wall, and then opened fire The machine guns
made four rounds over the crowd. First they
shot below, then in the legs, about the middle of
the body and then above the heads of the
workers. Nine workers were shot. The boss
controlled Chicago American" reports on the
massacre in the following manner:
Seven men were wounded, three probably
fatally, when MelrOSe Park police opened fire
with sub-machine guns ShotgunS and pistols
on group of 200 Communists attempting
an unemployment parade this afternoon, No
shots were fired by the Communists
This attack on the workers was well planned
and organized Information was received by the
committee arranging the meeting that con-
ference of Legionnaires, city police gangsters,
businessmen, under the leadership of the Village
President, Brust, was called at which a cry was
raised that 1.-The Reds are coming to destroy
property" and that the businessmen, "in order
to protect their property, had to pay" They
put up tax on the businessmen and $500 was
raised. Then they hired gunner and thugs
paying them So each and giving them machine
guns and ammunition and instructed them to be
at the meeting Friday. In one case it was de-
Scribed to the meeting, his mother ran after him.
cinging to him and crying that he should not
go and turn against his fellow workers.
Such an outrageous murder as took place in
Melrose Park by Village authorities headed BY
DR.. Brust, tool of the American Can Co.. AM
eLAOdI LeSloIl5 Cdpone gangSCerS Dy lining UP
workers against the wall and shooting them has
not been recorded in recent years. The workers
did everything they possibly could do to protect
themselves and to fight back. They rescued one
worker from the hands of the thugs. They tried
to group together to prevent being put against
the wall and shot at However, they were not
able to assemble and defeat the circle of death
which is estimated about so or so armed thugs
against the handful of workers on the vacant
lot who were lined up against the wall
This bloody massacre on a peacefully unarmed
unemployed demonstration in Melrose Park
aroused the indignation Of the masses in Mel.
rose Park, haywood, Bellwood, Belmont Heights
and the city of Chicago as well as everywhere.