The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-02
lid Demands Govt
Act on Lynch Wires
Scores Western Union
for Accepting Wires,
Refusing Protest


NEW YORK. "A demand for fed
eral action against Eastern Shore,
Maryland, lynchers who, in several
kilograms to Bernard AIDES, Interna-
tional Labor Defense attorney,
threatened to duplicate the fiendish
lynching of George Armwood and
William Matthews, was sent to U. S.
Attorney General Homer S. Cum
mings by William L. Patterson, Ma
tional Secretary Of the 1. L. D.
Two of the lynch kilograms sent
over the Western Union, which few
days ago had refused to accept sew
eral kilograms protesting against the
plans of the State of Maryland to
legal murder Fuel Lee, were pub
lished by the Daily Worker
Patterson also sent letter to the
Western Union denouncing its &C
ton in accepting the lynch wires
while barring the protest wires.
At the same time he instructed I.
L. d. attorneys to take such action
as they may deem necessary in the
localities where protest kilograms
were refused by the telegraph COM
panies. Patterson's letter to Cum
mings follows:
Homer S. Cummings,
United States Attorney General,
Washington, D. c.
Sir:
Enclosed find a copy of a telegram
received on the 28th of october by
Bernard AIDES, an attorney who has
been extremely prominent in defense
OF white and Negro workers in the
courts.
Mr.. AIDES handled the defense of
Fuel Lee, a Negro farm worker,
framed and CONVICTED on charges Of
murder Of his employer and family.
Even the opportunity to exhaust all
of the remedies supposedly guaran-
teed under the due process of law
clause of the United States Consti-
tuition were denied to Fuel Lee and
the innocent man went to the gallows
on October 9th.
The term used in this telegram,
Your pals body refers TO Euei Lee.
The telegram as a whole speaks
plainly. The promise Of a dupiica-
tion Of the vicious Salisbury lynch
ing of William Matthews, two years
ago, is obvious. The Western Union
Telegraph Co. openly transmitted this
lynch threat against innocent Negro
people; but it has refused to take
kilograms from labor groups which
contained the statement to state Of
ficials, ostensibly elected for the pur-
pose of ensuring the law, that they
would be held responsible for its en-
forcement. We are instructing our
organizers in the various districts to
prepare mass demonstrations in front
OF those offices which attempt to
deny to white and Negro workers
their rights to the use of telegraph
facilities.
This cynical violation of your laws
contains, however, not only direct
threat of murder. It Is an Indictment
to all who handle ii to commit vio-
ience. We hold that the officials of
the telegraph Office are equally
guilty with its formulators of viola
tion Of your laws.
This office but few days ago pre-
sented to Mr.. Howe, Secretary to the
President, the names Of men who
in the bloody lynch holt
day in Princess Araa. Maryland. 1t
demanded at that time that the
President INN diatcly direct your Of
fica to begin federal investigation.
Failure on the part Of your office
to act in such cases Of provocaeion
TO murder is tantnrloWnt to an en-
do7semcnt q lyaching. The hypoc-
'isy Of you- Saw and order" becomes
thus more obvious to American work.
ars and their symDa.lizsrs.
We are demanding an immediate
reply to this letter as to the steps
your office will take to bring these
lvnchsrs to book fc- thei.
violation Of thu law in 5sndine sunh
r telegram. and what action will be
taken against the officials of the
Western Union Telegraph Co. for
this message,