The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-04-16

Inc QemOnSCraClOn OF over S0O
starving East Side workers in front
of the Home Relief Bureau, SO East
LIST ST., was broken up by the Tam
many thugs in wild, bloody fight,
in which dozens of workers were hurt
and eight arrested. Some were so
badly hurt that they had to be treat
ed by ambulance doctors.
In the crowd of workers were many
women and men who had had their
relief cut off by the new starvation
edict Of Tanmany Hall and the
bankers. The registration OF these
workers at the Downtown Unen-
ployed Council the last two days re-
vealed hearG-rending stories Of
months OF unheard of suffering and
starvation OF themselves and their
children. s.
They were determined only as
hunger can make one determined to
demonstrate, not plead as they had
been doing futilely, but to demand,
immediate relief. and to protest the
threat, to close the Home Relief Bu-
reaus without any provision for re-
lief When the meeting opened with
a speaker of the council on the plat
form, five cops and a captain rushed
to stop it. The workers, men, women,
girls, surrounded the speaker and
raised their voices in protest.
"Do the workers want me to
speak?" shouted the speaker. +YesT"
Numbered the workers. In face of
this militancy the cops retreated.
eve want bread, we want relief,
our children are hungry" the work.
ers shouted, fixing their eyes on the
windows of the bureau.
The cops stood inside guarding the
well paid supervisor, Bartlett" as
the sneaker said.
"Are we going inside to make our
demands?" asked the speaker.
Eyes" Numbered the workers.
'"Then let's CO."
1t was at this point that one Of
the cruelest attacks ever witnessed by
this writer took place and at the
same time one of the most inspiring
examples Of working class heroism.
The cops drew their blackiacks as
the workers rushed the door. One
worker led the way. Blackiacks
drummed on his head until his head
was cracked and blood streamed
down his face. but he went forward
towards the door.
The cops smashed head after head,
hitting middle AGED women and
young girls in the crowd. Blood
stained the sidewalks and was on
the clubs of the police The workers
fought back heroically, the women
fought like tigers trying to defend
the men. The cops called for REIN
forcements. Reserves came and the
workers met new attack of the
well-fed armed forces of the bank
ers and the government. Workers
with their heads already bleeding
were sinpled out and dragged into
the building and beaten again. A
young girl with her arm almost
twisted from its socket by a husky
brute was dragged in.
An impromptu meeting was started
the workers defying the police. When
the police patrol started away with
the six workers the speaker called to
follow to the police station and the
workers, many OF them now workers,
went to the meeting and marched to
the 5th st. station house shouting
for the release Of the workers One
Of the prisoners was mother with
a child at home just out of the hos
pital. She pleaded to be allowed to
go to her child, but the cops re-
fused. There the cops made another
attack.
A worker climbed on machine
and brought the lesson home to the
crowds. This is the answer of the
bosses to the workers cries for
bread" He called them to an indoor
meeting at the headquarters of the
council, f34 East It'll st.
The hall was filled. The workers