The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-01-05
The Il. S. Working
Class Watches
Kentucky
BY HARRY SIMS

ny SATAHNA oANAO
HUNDREDS OF thousands Of workers have their
Al eyes fixed on the coming strike Of Kentucky
and Tennessee miners against starvation and ter
ror on January /, under the militant leadership
OF the National Miners Union.
The workers Of the South have special inter
est in this struggle. The well known facts Of
the Harlan and other fields here are typical
though a bit worse than the conditions OF the
industrial southern workers and particularly the
miners. 1t is the first real large scale strike TO
take place in the South under the leadership OF
the revolutionary unions OF the Trade Union
Unity League, since the Gastonia struggle,
against misery and starvation
A few words suffice to show the conditions.
Men working every day in the week yet not a
crumb OF bread in the house. Scores of children
dying daily Of the dread starvation disease "flux"
and hundreds more unable to go to school be-
cause Of their nakedness. Company prices are
100 per cent higher than elsewhere Every min
er's paycheck shows big list Of deductions and
a round 70" at the end Of his statement or may
be he owes the company money for working.
Many haven't seen a red cent IN months.
The terror regime in Harlan, KY, is so bratal
and open that even the bosses own vile sheets
are forced 10 admit that "awlessness Of the law"
kidnapping, brutal cold -bloode6 murder and
hundreds Of jaiings OF militant workers is the
order OF the day for Sheriff Blair and his gun
thugs hired by the respectable, outstanding coal
operators" Thousands OF Negro miners are forced
TO work under the gun and endure the same con-
ditions as the white miners Side by SIDE they
work with them in the hell holes and side by
side they and their families are slowly starving
TO death under the starvation rule Of their COM
mon enemy, the boss class.
The miners are determined to win In spite OF
the threats and actions OF the operators and
their tools Already over 10000 are lined up in
the NM.U. Men and women, young and old,
white and Negro children, and all are prepar-
ing solidly for January /.
The Kentucky miners have a responsibility be-
fore the American working class. They stand
ready, every man, woman and child, to fight to
the bitter finish against the feudal starvation
terror system. They lead the fight Of the south
ern workers Upon their struggle will hinge a
great deal Of the future Of the class struggle OF
the South They are organizing soldly-some
places openly, others secretly Significant is the
welcoming in open brotherly fashion Of Negro
miners into the ranks Of the National Miners
Union and the strike in the struggle against the
common enemy, who Expresses all workers-the
coal operators.
Negro workers sit on the leading bodies Of the
union and all leading committees beside their
white comrades. " shows that the poison preju-
dice which the bosses have put into the white
workers minds can be broken through militant
organisation and struggle against the boss class
The kentucky and Tennessee miners will do
their share-fighting not sIone the companies
starvation and eviction plans-but the murderous
gun thugs and government tools and other stool
pigeons Of the operators.
The American working class expects much OF
these Kentucky toilers, born and bred in the
hills and hollows Of that historic battle ground
They win not be disappointed. The Kentucky
miners, zoo, depend on and count on the unfail-
ing support OF The entire American working class,
white and Negro, 90 aid them IN CHER struggle.
The Kentucky miners and their families are
counting On Che support Of The broad masses Of
this country 20 help them win their fight for
better conditions and against the terror reign.
Relief will be needed from the first day Of the
strike. Miners now working are starving-the
minute they quit starvation faces them. Many
may be evicted-though not without q fight
but sfey must be provided with tents Many
have no shoes or clothes TO go on the picket
Line sxEsfxESEsrFr--~ y=ty.-,