The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-31
"COmmuniSm in
Kentucky and
enneSSee"
BY FRED vIGMAN

l. 4
DIRECTLY melting for the disruption and sup
preston OF the relief Of the striking ana
biacklisted miners in the southeastern Ken
lucky and Tennessee coalfields, organized
through the Workers international Relief, the
Knoxville Journal has concluded q series OF are
tcles entitled, Communism in Rentuck ana
Tennessee.
Coming, as It does, hard upon the heels OF
the murder Of Harry Simms, this represents
further link in the coal operators campaign TO
attempt to crush the relief weapon OF the min
ers In this immediate period when the miners
are consolidating their union organization and
strike struggle to win immediate concessions and
settlements and to establish the local unions at
individual mines this organized campaign Of
the coal operators Is primarily designed to un-
dernne the W.IR. mass relief campaign and 60
snatch victory from the miners in given Sec
tions.
Highly significant is the fact that the Knox
vile Journal articles followed Immediately after
meeting OF the police heads OF Knoxville TO-
gether with Harlan and Bell County officials
the committee Of 100 of reactionary businessmen
the gun thugs and the American Legion at Pine
vile. Knoxville was selected by the coal oper-
ators for the point Of attack in this new terror
drive because 1t is now the centre for the or
ganization and distribution of relief that is such
an important factor In the strengthening OF
the strikes at mines where victories may be
won
Attack the w. I. r.
In all six articles in the Knoxville Journal.
the most vicious attacks are reserved for the
mass relief campaign organized by the Workers
International Relief, which the coal operators
ers in their strike struggles. Alfred Wagen-
Bnecht, national secretary of the Workers IN
ternationa Relief, is n,cde the centre of attack
in most of the articles, eloquent testimony Of
the role of the Workers International Relief in
the miners struggle.
The coal operators articles resort to the old
lies somewhat revamped TO play upon the pre-
JUDGES and fears of many elements, concocS
fabrications with no basis in fact and brazenly
inclte for the immediate suppression Of the
Workers International Relief offices and ware
house in Knoxville and the forcible repression
OF the National Miners Union, the Unemployed
Councils and the Communist Party
The Knoxville journal opened the coal oper.
ators' latest campaign written anonymously, In
the following manner:
"For the first time in the history OF Knox
vile an alien army is quartered in Che city"
'Under the red banner of Moscow, owing
allegiance only TO the Soviet government and
receiving orders direct from Stain Of Russia
more than 1850 Communists here plotting
destruction Of property and the overthrow OF
homes, churches and all constituted authority
Immediately, they are seeking to call strike
in the textile mills and other industries"
The last sentence is meant for those Knox
vile textile bosses who have not as yet joined
the coal operators terror drive with the enthu-
siasm that the latter demand. The flag waving
patriotic appeal is taken out Of stock I'm
Knoxville where the Union Jack and the stars
and bars of the Confederacy we're not permitted
to fly the red flag Of Communism has been
unfurled unmolested Patriotic descendants Of
heroes Of Kings Mountain, who proudly boast
they are sons Of the volunteer state, stand by
while Stain of Russia directs a peerlessly or
ganized warfare in their midst"
The second of the series Of coal operators ar
ticles starts with pure fabrication against the
Workers International Relief.
Led by the experienced Alfred Wagen-
knecht alias, Meek, alias Price, alias Wagner,
and directed by committee In Moscow, Of
which Stain dictator OF Russia, Is head, q
great mass meeting of these strikers together
with 10000 from the mine area Of Tennessee
and Kentucky may be held May Day In
Knoxville (the figures are Mr.. wagens
knechts)."
Incite Against Wagenknecht.
BY trying to attach row of inexhauSible
aliases to Wagenknecht, the known leader OF
the Workers International Relief, the journal
sought to give the activities of the W1R. a
sinister tinge. The crudity of this method may
be seen from the fact that Meek is local miner
and member of the N.MU. Board; Price,
speaker from Pittsburgh, and Wagner fig
ment of the Imagination of the Knoxville Jour
nal Moreover Wagenknecht never made state
ment in regards to May Day, and the whole
thing is an unadulterated lie.
The second article follows the line Of the first
in trying to incite Knoxville factory workers.
small shopkeepers and other elements that
would be sympathetic or neutral towards the
miners struggle, by raising the spectre Of an
immediate general strike to be called in the city
by the Communists.
The fears of the Knoxville bosses that their
workers may organize and the recent movement
to organize Unemployed Councils which has
the city officials panicky is sldllfully played
upon by the coal operators to line up the Knox
willie employers and other elements in the pres
ent terror drive.
(Tomorrow-The Coal Operators Can the Mia-
er's Struggle 'The Communist-Le6