The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1932-07-29
NO FREE SPEECH
Streets Denied Communist
Candidate for Lieut..
Governor of State
FOUND GUILTY
Defense of Workers In
Court Exposes Terrorism
of Capitalist Lackeys

Bemidji, MINI. July 23.-On the
18th of July United front confer
ence was called for Clearwater and
Beltrami counties to prepare for
the August l anti-war day demon
stration at Bemidji and also to
make last minute arrangements for
a United Farmers League picnic
to be held at Solway, about II mile
out Of Bemidji. AS the workers of
the Unemployed Council had been
promised by the Mayor, Tom
Smart, and chief of police, Gray,
Of Bemidji, that they could hold
hold their meetings on the corner
Of the city hall, the workers had
arranged a meeting for Comrade
John Lindeman, Communist Candi-
date for Lieut.. Governor, to give
an address at that place.
1t was decided at the conference
that C0mrade Ed C. Baumann
should announce the picnic 30 be
held at Solway, and give a it'll
talk at the same time. Comrade
Ed Hanna of Bemidji, was TO give
the opening address.
Refuse to Allow Street Meeting
As the comrades put the box
DOWN on this promised corner, the
Chief of Police stepped up to Com
rade Hanna and told him that he
could not have any more meetings
on that corner. Comrade Hanna
explained to him that as he had
been promised that this corner
was open for meetings, he had adj
Vertised the meeting and the I'm
employed Council had gone to
trouble and expense in advertising
the meeting, that he would see
what the workers said about it.
de turned to address the workers
when Chief Grey, supported by
officer Daley, stepped up and told
him to cut out the talking, that
there would be no street meeting
there that night.
Protest Hanna's Arrest
The workers, feeling they had
something to say to that, having
been promised the corner, crowded.
about COmrade Hanna, who con.
nnued to speak to the workers II
tnd out whether they would
change the place of meeting as or
Greed The Bemidji police grabbet
Comrade Hanna, brutally dragging
nm to the police station.
Some of the workers ran afte,
The police, trying to stop them
irom taking Comrade Hanna, tell
ing them he had done nothing
wrong, but these tools of the bos
class in Bemidji refused to lister
% the workers and farmers tina
made up the crowd. At the sam,
ume others of the crowd realizing
mat a drive was on 10 stop tn
workers having free speech i
6emidji, several of them made
Jump for the box.
AS Comrade RENO Tanttil
jumped on the box, stating to tn
workers that he would explain tn
situation the police came back an
grabbed him, dragging him to jai
Demand Candidate be Allowed
to Speak
AT this time Comrade Mrs. Har
"a Who was under a 30 day SUI
pended sentence for May A RI
hef fight, before the Commission
Sfs OF Beltrami county jumped o
'ne box. Knowing the police ha
started the trouble she tried
Orng the workers meeting to
peaceful conclusion. AS she b,
gan to talk to the workers the D
Ce again came back, dragged hi
rom the box and started to Ia,
neT TO jail, but were met by mo-
militant resistance from the woFl
s who demanded that their ca
uldate be allowed TO speak or tht
you'd all go to Jail. Comrade
~ bauman, u. p. L. organize
men stepped on the box, told Il
SOrkers how their rights were b
ing denied them, and asked the
" gather around the box Will