The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-05-20
By ii. M. WICKS.

DEFENSE of lynchers has become part OF the
every day activity of the Socialist party lead
ers. This is in accord with the role of the So
cial-fascists to try to carry into the ranks Of
the working class the policies Of the capitalist
class. ~ ~. - sa.'.'
Lynch terror against the toiling masses, par
ticularly against the Negro workers and poor
farmers in the United states and against the
colored inhabitants Of the American colonies, is
rapidly increasing. It is part OF the general
imperialist policy Of trying to find capitalist
way out of the crisis 1t Is used to aid In inn
posing mass hunger upon the toiling masses and
to forward the imperialiSt war drive. ~
The vicious frame-up against the Scottsboro
boys, the legal lynch conspiracies against Willie
Peterson in Birmingham, against Orphan Jones
in Maryland, against Willie Brown in Phiadel-
phia are attempts to defeat the growing unity
of white and Negro workers against the COM
mon enemy, capitalism.
Norman Thomas presidential candidate for
the Socialist party, tries to aid the supreme
lynch court of Alabama in the attempt to burn
alive in the electric chair the innocent Scots
boro boys Thomas, in the New Leader of April
2, says:
1.-THE Communists tactics Of exploiting labor
struggles and examples of racial prejudice for
party purposes probably helps to explain the
action of the Alabama Supreme Court in con-
firming the conviction of the Scottsboro de-
PENDANTS"
Thus according to Thomas, if the Commun-
lists did not irritate the judges by organizing
mass protests and exposing the frame-up, the
ruling class might voluntarily release the VIC
Tins of their own monstrous lynch conspiracy.
1t is not the lynch ruling class that owns the
courts that is responsible for confirming the
conviction Of the innocent Scottsboro boys, says
Thomas, but the action of the revolutionary Par
ty of the working class probably helps to ex-
plain" it.
Thomas further tries to conceal the class
character of the lynch campaign by referring
to lynchings as examples Of race prejudice"
In every way Thomas re-echoes the capitalist
press in slandering our Party. This is an at
Tempt to hold back the increasing mass resist
ance that threatens to defeat the lynch drive
of the capitalists.
. Norman Thomas defends the Alabama lynch
gang.
Haywood Broun, another Socialist party lead
err, defends the Hawaiian naval lynch gang.
In the World-Telegram Of Friday May 6,
Broun says:
Secretary Wilbur is quoted as saying that
Governor Judd of Hawaii has found an adj
equate solution for difficult problem in COM
muting the sentences OF Lieutenant Masse and
his associates. For the first me in many
months I am in almost complete agreement
with member of President Hoover's cabinet"
In his article, Broun, the social-fascist has
not one word of sympathy for the Hawaiian
lad, Joseph Kahahawai, who was so, brutally
butchered by Lieutenant Massie, his society
leader matron mother-in-law, Mrs. Granville
Fortesque and the two enlisted naval men, Lord
and Jones. Broun evinces concern only for
the welfare of the lynchers and praises Wall
Streets governor, Judd, and Clarence Darrow.
for their part in trying to establish reign OF
lynch terror In Hawaii as prelude to and ac-
compartment Of martial law Fe
1t is not enough for the journalistic prostitute,
Broun, to praise the upholders of the institution
OF lynching. He tries to insert some typical
socialist party demagogy by referring to the
Mooney case. Here are his comments:
ut is particularly unfortunate that the
Massie case and the attendant Communication
should have followed so closely upon the heels
OF Governor Rolph's action In regard to Tom
Mooney. There Is of course, not the slightest
connection between these two Examples. Of the
functioning Of American justice save the ac4
cident Of time"
Unfortunate for whom?