The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-06-22
TheStruggle Against
Starvation in Knox
Ville, Tenn.
By H. S.
(ConcIusion)

THE workers of Knoxville, unemployed and en-
ployed, as has been shown in the first article,
are starving, and they are starving fast.
Mayor John r. O'Connor, members of the
City Council, Central Labor Union leaders City
Manager Bass, the rich taxpayers, and American
Legion functionaries are worried They are wor-
ried for fear the workers may not starve quietly.
Occasionally they get quite disturbed, when the
Unemployed Council committees break in on
them, demanding relief, or when as the other
day, an unemployed worker shouted at their dig
nified City Council meeting: "Ive got four chill
dren to take care of. I'm not going to let them
starve. You men wouldn't want me to go into
your house and take something, would you?
This is a demand that you appropriate some
thing for us to eat, or wen take It'll"
The Siamese Twins.
With all these labor pains, the respectable, rich
gentlemen of Knoxville have given birth to
Siamese Twins. With this, they hope to prevent
such outbreaks.
Half Of the twins is campaign against or
ganization, aimed at the reds Workers re-
port that in their churches they are warned
against Unemployed Council organizers, saying
they will only take into the organization work
ers who don't believe in Cod In spite of the
local papers playing up the Pope's denunciation
of Communism, other churches warn that "alI
the organizers are Catholics"
A. F. of L. Treachery
The papers, which formerly used to print &C.
casional statements and reports, now for the
most part refuse to print any statements or re-
port any unemployed activities. Plans for
consolidation of forces to conduct the starvation
and suppression campaign against the workers
have just been made by the legislative commit
tee of the Central Labor Union. A conference
will be called by this committee, of editors city
councilmen, the mayor, city manager, represen-
tativeS of churches, president of the Chamber
Of Commerce, and heads of charity agencies. No
workers. In the past week, fascist organiza-
ton, the Knoxville County Property Owners
Association war formed, which talks vaguely
about unrest" and "the reds" and whose avowed
purpose is to protect property" According to
the poetic chairman: SIT is but a local express
sion of a universal sentiments balanced, har-
monious Social-economic order, with abundance
for ALL
In March, fearing the growing organized
strength of the Knoxville workers, ordinance
was passed by the City Council against holding
any meeting, parade or demonstration without
permit. Central Labor officials voted for it.
United Reaction.
The other half of the Siamese Twins is dema-
gogy. Open meetings called by the mayor,
where, according to the press, everyone in the
audience will be given chance to express their
views on how they think the unemployment prob
lem should be handled. Everyone is given
chance to speak except workers and committees
of the Unemployed Council, who are heckled,
shouted at and thrown out by the well-dressed
citizens and Legion members.
At these meetings, the city councilmen the
American Legion heads the Property owners
Association and the Central Labor Union heads
fall on each others necks in an orgy of con-
graduation. At the last meeting, Paul Ailor,
president of the Central Labor Union, stated: II
express thanks on behalf of labor for the efforts
Of Mayor OConnor and the City Council in their
endeavor to help the unemployed"
A proposal by the Central Labor Union, asking
for federal aid, was unanimously passed at the
last Council meeting. Paul Aymon, president,
and Will Cheek, secretary of the State Fedora
ton of Labor, spoke in favor of federal relief,
but temporary, not permanent relief. Labor
wants no dole Labor wants only chance to
work"
Socialist Party Joins Chorus.
The city councilmen practically all of whom
are in the. coal business, lumber business are
contractors or own stores, fall all over them
selves, slobbering No one in Knoxville will go
hungry"
Socialist Party speakers have begun To add
their shrin piping to the chorus
Thousands Of workers in Knoxville are star
wing. And they are starving fast. They want
rnrk and+ tsy- rsnts.a0rents an hour for their