The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1932-09-29
LabOrers Slain;
Buried In Mud
Continued from page y

intent on defending itself than on
getting the facts. For example
he inquired whether Miss Board
man had reported the insanitary
living conditions to the local health
authorities of Mississippi. This
question is laughable to anyone who
knows the conditions there.
HE also asked how the food and
sanitary conditions in the camps
compared with those of the lower
class of colored people in that
region, the War Department being
willing apparently to adopt the low
est living conditions for Negroes.
At that Miss Boardman replied that
both food and sanitation in the
camps were worse than among Ne
groes generally in the Delta.
when General Pillsbury asked
whether there was any evidence to
show army officers carrying arms
had used these arms to threaten
colored people. Miss Boardman re-
piled that the mere carrying of the
arms was in itself a threat.
General Pillsbury further in
CURED whether Negroes had resort
ed to legal recourse to collect
wages in arrears. Miss Boardman
n m
tion in derision: legal recourse for
the Negro In Mississippi and Louisi-
ana?'
miss Boardman thoroughly out
lined the system of terrorism, COM
missary store robbery, brutality and
exploitation which prevails In the
camps and stated on the authority
of an officer of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor that where Negroes
are now worked II hours a day for
10 cents an hour and less, the wages
a few years ago for this levee work
were 60 cents an hour for an eight
hour day"
Pass Testimony Along
AT the conclusion of the hearing.
General Pillsbury said the testimony
would be sent to Colonel Ferguson
president of the Mississippi river
commission at Vicksburg.
He is making a thorough inves-
tigation down there" said General
Pillsbury.
In the statement of Miss Board
man, all of which went into the
transcript to be sent to Mississippi,
she was quoted:
II saw Negroes living in ragged,
miserable and overcrowded tents,
unscreened from mosquitoes and flies,
of garbage.
"Tbe men worked from IL to Is
hours a day Wages amounted to
from 81 to $3.50 a day, but by the
use of trick commissary system
even that amount was seldom paid
lone man told me he got $1.50
for three weeks work.
Allege Brutality Rules
Brutality in the camps is the
rule. In one place the contractor, q
man of particularly violent temper
was reported as having picked up q
club and knocked a worker down
simply because he did not like the
way he looked at him. Women were
beaten for not having. meals ready
on time. Two men were beaten and
discharged for refusing night work
after working all day"
Miss Boardman told of foremen
armed with rifles. II saw them my
SELF" she observed, driving mer
through mosquito-filled swamps II
temperature of 100 degrees.
II always talked" she said, "tc
all of the white people in charge o
camps, and to as many coloret
workers, both in the camps and il
the vicinity as l was able to con
tact. The admissions of the whit
contractors and foremen corroborat
ed what the colored men charged.
Report Negroes Murdered, Burie,
An additional refert to the Ma
A.C P. concerning brutalities on tn
Mississippi Flood Control project
states that Negroes were murderet
and their bodies buried in the mud
This confidential report also state
that Army engineers are suppose
to have found bodies and refused t
report the same"
The same source informs the n A
Ac.P. that Senate bill 3847. whic
would have prevented the extremel
low wages among leyee workers. wa
vetoed by president Hoover at tn
instance of secretary of Labor Doal
after having been passed by tn
House and Senate.
Appeals for Aid
Mr. White also issued an urgen
appeal for aid for the NA.A.C.I
in carrying on this fight.
I'VE need money and we need
badly and at once" he said. ..Thi
is a fight that must be backed u
by investigation. publicity withot
ntfnt md Il tnunlr.o. trnunlln.. /