davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news., 1933-05-26
PART III
(BY JOHN L. SPIVAK)

A hundred convicts were relaxing in the
Muscogee county camp stOckade that Sunday
morning. AS | walked through the white-washed
cages the sounds of hymn reached my ears
Some preacher was leading them in song and
while the preacher taught them to pray found
convict lying on bunk with an iron collar locked
around his neck, like some ancient galley slave.
"He ran away" said the Warden.
81 want to talk to him alone" | said, and the
warden withdrew.
'eWhy did they do that to you?" asked
He looked sullenly on the ground.
''You may talk freely" said '"There. will
be no harm come to you for it,
mot while you are here" he said.
what happens when no outsiders are here"
persisted.
1--WE get hit over the head with sticks and
pick handles" he said.
Prison Commission rules-such pretty cloak
for the Georgia inquisition said Guards shall
not be permitted to strike convict except to pre-
vent escape in his own defense or in that of an
other, and in no case will be permitted to curse
convict" And remembered prison inspector S.
w. Thorntons letter on May 16 1881, from Mill
edgevile to Miss Ida ]. Henderson, the ComEAis-
sion's secretary
81 expect that one of the commissioners did
have an axe handle and did use it which in my
opinion was the best way to get them out of the
cage"
And I remembered the Prison Commissions
letter (for the newspaper and for the records) to
Mr.. Thornton on July 3O 1881:
MANY complaints of laxness in camp thru
out the state and of abuses of prisoners, of i'm
proper feeding and of working prisoners in viola
tion of the rules keep coming in; and as you have
seen, the papers are teeming with criticisms made
by outsiders touching some of these matters
And the pathetic letters convicts themselves
scrawled laboriousy in pencil, pleading letters
on May 2, 1881:
"Mr E. L. Reany lissen here Mr.. Reiny This
is Eugene Brown talking Mr. Reiney am begging
you with tears in my eyies for trancefor Becais
l cannot make my time here Becais this worden
and county M is beating us over the head
with pick handle and they draw their guns on us
and make us stand and let these trustees Beat
us up and Let the hare gun to M Reiny don't
Belive that you know how they is treating us
primers you auto cone and sc Mr. Reiney want
you to do all you can am willing to go anywhere
and make my Time Becais my hand is all messed
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Renew Your
Subscription Now
" on THE CHAIN GANG u

here in Georgia, 300 years later, he did not sit
on a board.
He hung, groaning, helpless, pain-wrenched
thing, crying weakly:
20 my Lawd, my Lawd, look what they is |
doin to Yo' chillun."
He hung, for the board was pulled out from
under him, hung three inches from the ground, |
with the wood encircling his wrists squeezing
against his arteries and interfering with the
circulation while the weight of the body dragged
him down. tearing at his shoulders and threaten
ing to break his back
The sweat broke out on his face and tears
rolled down his cheeks.
"How long do you keep him in stocks?"
asked
Not more than an hour at a time" said
Warden J. d. Williams eff they lose conscious
ness we release them and when they are little
stronger we restrict them again"
What did he do for this?"
Hes been fussin' about his meals" said the
warden.
Isn't this worse than the lash the legisla-
ture aboshedY'
"Oh, don't know. I'd like to see the leather
returned The worst we can give them now is
little stretching"
Stretching l thought, "what can this
stretching be that is worse than hanging helpless
in stocks?'
When you work from sunrise to sunset un-
der Georgia sun you go mad sometimes and
talk back to the guard, and convict in Early
county talked back
They put handcuffs on him anl tied rope
to the cuffs and led him to little post to which
they laced him tightly from ankles to hips. A
guard took the rope attached to the handcuffs
and swinging it around another post. yanked
sharply at the wardens command
The convict's torso jerked forward, his hands
outstretched.
"Pull"! shouted the warden
The trustee pulled until the rope was taut
He dug his heels into the red clay of the stock
ade
The convict screamed in agony
His head dropped between his outstretchec
arms.
And as the beads of sweat broke out on hi
arms and neck and face cold sweat broke out OF
me. I doubted my sanity.
They were tearing this convict's arms out
The guard quickly tied the rope around tn
post and left him stretched on the Georgia racI
while the sun beat upon him and the sweat from
his head dripped to the red soil
Georgia, in this year of our civilization
1882, was breaking its convicts on the rack.
left witr the convict's groans ringing in m,
(The Endl
The producers news., 1933-05-26

up and every time | ask the doctor for anything
they is ready to punish me my hand is so bad
till | cant hardey hold a shurvle and l am ask
ing you now for help l am looking for your avian
Ger wright away YOrs
EUGENE BROWN
l remembered the many, many such letters
of abuse and torture from those who lowed
Georgia a debt"
l found myself within eight miles of the
Seminole county camp and went there again.
A drOwsy summer hush was over the stock
ade. In the glaring light of the day the clap
board shackS baked under the tropic sun. The
kitchen with it's torn screen, the mess hall with
its grease and flies and mosquitoes, the rusty,
wire fence and the cross now bare and bleak,
throwing its shadow on the red soil swarming
with ants
A boy lay at the foot of the cross, bound hand
and foot, with pick thrust between the limbs.
His eyes were closed and his head lay loose on the
soil, as though the neck were broken. He could
not move
He opened his eyes when I walked over to
him.
Does it hurt, boy?" l asked
eyes, sub. 1t sho does, he said weakly and
closed his eyes again.
'What did this boy de? ?" asked
Talked back to a guard" said the warden.
Sometimes they become unconscious and then
we unite them," he added.
| examined the neat little booklet of prison
rules. Each warden is instructed to frame in
glass, and hang up in conspicuous place in the
building a copy of these rules" | did not see
them hanging anywhere, nor did the warden have
copy available. But my copy read:
They (the wardens) shall safely keep all
prisoners committed to their custody, rgidly en-
force discipline by the use of such humane modes
Of punishment as will best enforce submission to
authority :. -
Humane modes of punishment :"
The commission itself suggests as one hu-
name method of furnishing fastening them IN
stocks in such way as will cause them to be re-
stricted in their movements for not longer than
one hour at one time, provided the prisoner is
found to be physically sound upon examination by
the camp physician"
Stocks" I thought, ''this cannot mean the
old Puritan stocks for that is gone three hundred
years. Even Webster's dictionary says: Stocks
a frame of timber with holes in which fomerly
the feet and hands of offenders were confined
by way of punishment
In the Early county stockade | saw prls
oner in stocks. His hands and feet protrudec
thru the holes made to hold them walked
closer. | had seen pictures of Puritans in stocks
They sat them on boards in public place, Du
The producers news., 1933-05-26
JAIL UNEMPLOYED
DEMANDING RELIEF
Committee Defended By
Attorney for Intnatl
Labor Defense

Phoenix, Ariz., May 13.-Last
Tuesday morning, May 8, COM
mittee of four workers from the
Phoenix Unemployed COurcil took
the father of a family of seven I'd
the local Reconstruction Finance
Corp, relief office. Previously the
father had been refused aid.
When the committee entered to
see Mrs. Rubenstein, official in
charge of Direct Relief, she re-
fused I'd talk with them and called
the stool pigeons to come in land
throw these folks out. l don't
want to be bothered" Outnum-
bering the Committee several
times, these stools proceeded tc
viciously assault the workers fol
about half an hour when the po-
lice arrived. The latter placed
the Committee under arrest fol
disturbing the peace.
TWO CASES DISMISSED
The workers stayed in Jail fol
two days, after which the Inter
rational Labor Defense raised th'
necessary bonds. Today the case
against two of the Committeemel
were dismissed. Two remain to b
disposed of.
At today's trial more than tw
hundred workers gathered ahou
the court, but were quickly chase
to the outside. One worker, slo7
in getting cut cf the way, wa
beaten by the cops and thrown i
Jail for resisting an officer. TIL
I. L. ID. is defending him.
LABOR DEFENSE ATTORNEY
Clarence Lynch, fighting 1.
D. attorney is defending the aboy
workers. Lyrch was the attOrne
The producers news., 1933-05-26
800 Farmers, Workers Rally to
Protest Mich. Foreclosure Sale

those who fail to understand why
their local real estate sharks, the
bankers, politicians, etc. and their
armed henchmen are interested IN
breaking up every militant work
ers and farmers organization.
1t would clealy explain why
the Muskegon Heights police want
to frame-up workers leaders, as
they tried to do with H. Aldrich
when they arrested him on sus-
picion one day after the demon
stration.
LEARN NEED OF UNITED
ACTION
1t is gratifying to see that the
workers and farmers learn more
and more that by uniting all o.
their own forces can they smasl
the capitalist frameups and th'
whole rotten capitalist system.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Socialist Headquarters in Danzig
OCCUPIED

Danzig, May 1S.-SOcialist headquarters were
occupied today by National Socialists. Socialist
ard Communist workers who went on strike and
demonstrated in protest against this action Of the
fascists were attacked by the police Of this city
which is under control of the League of Nations.
The Socialists leaders have appealed against the
fascist attack to the League of Nations and to
Poland. AS election day on May % approaches
the situation is becoming very acute.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Germany Sinks Deeper Into
Economic Chaos

Berlin, May 16.-Germalny's foreign trade
for April was 10 per cent below that for
March. Exports fell 10 per cent and imports
fell IL per cent. Thus far this year Germany's
export surplus is 146,OOO,OOO marks below
what is needed to pay her foreign debts
These first figures on Germany's foreign
trade since Hitler assumed power show that
he is unable to stem the decline of German
capitalism.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Try to Hide Sales Tax Plans

Washington, May 18-In order to conceal to
some degree the plans for general sales tax ON
the American working class through the Indus
trial bill which Roosevelt has proposed, Director
Of the Budget has suggested four ways in which
the money for the bankers can be raised. Two
of the plans are sales taxes and two income
tax levies.
cit was generally believed, however, that the
general sales tax favored by the administra-
tion and would be adopted" admits the capitalist
press.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Economic Conference Doomed to
Failure

London, May 1S-Great Britain will en'S, -
into new tariff agreements with Norway SlS u,s
Sweden as part of the British campaign fOr wO'.s
trade ''The British win regard the tariff uu-'
(recentIy agreed on by the chief capitalist cOu.
tries-Ed), as bnIy partial armistice IN sne =.
nOmic warfare of the world" says the capi'ai.s'
press. All of the other capitalist countries !.
gard it in the same way-as cover Tor "0''
bitter economic struggles
The producers news., 1933-05-26
United Front of Unemployed
In Chicaoo

Chicago, May 18.-The Convention of the
Federation of the Unemployed Workers leagues of
America met here May 1S, A. Is. Despite the
oppositioni of the Socialist leaders, the program
of the Unemployed Councils adopted. ma
tional committee was elected for the federation
which will be body to unite the existing unem-
poyed organizaticrs and not new organization.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
New Internal Loan for Second
Five Year Plan

Moscow, May 14.-The Central Executive
Committee of the Soviet Union today called for
the first issue of the new internal state Oan The
loan will total S,OOO,OOO,OOO rubles in ten-year
Hotes and will bear ten per cent interest Inc
loan will be used to provide funds for the second
Five Year Plan. A campaign is on to get all
workers and farmers to subscribe to the lOan
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Naval Construction Is Public
Works

Washington, May 18.-Under the terms OF
the new Roosevelt Industrial bill, the government
plans a $23O,OOO,OOO naval building program, to
begin Aug /, and continue for three years. The
program would provide fo twenty destrOyers, SIX
cruisers, four submarines, two gunboats, ard two
aircraft carriers This is public works un-
fer the new deal.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
$50 Miners Join Struggle for
Better Conditions

Allegheny Valley, Pa, May 1S.-The latest
mine to join the strike movement for better con-
ditions in the Western Pennsylvania coal fields is
the Newfeld mine in North Bessemer. There
are $50 miners on strike there under the leader
shin of the National Miners Union.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
General Approval of Roosevelt
Speech But

The japanese agree with ROOsevelt's peac.
speech except as far as Manchuria is concerned
The British agree except as far as Inda,Otber
parts of Asia, and Africa are concerned. The
French agree except far as their colonies are
concerned, and Roosevelt agrees, only the United
States has its military forces in Haiti the
PHILIPPINES, and in China.
The producers news., 1933-05-26

for Paul Peter Ortner, recently
tried in the Federal Court. The
government attempted to revoke
his citizenship papers because he
was a member of the Communist
party. The Judge, Fred c. JAG
obs, ruled against the government
contentious and released Ortner.
This represents a tremendous vic
tory on an important case.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Railroads Demand Wage Cuts

New York, May 18.-The committee which
will represent the railroads in the coming wage
negotiations will meet In Chicago on June 1. The
railroads are planning to ask for 20 to 25 per
cent cut which can then be "arbitrated" to Is per
cent, or per cent more than the cut the rail-
road workers are now taking.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Textile Workers Firm in Demand
for Waoe Incearse

Dover, N H., May 18.-One Thousand cotton
textile workers on strike here against the Nor
gan controlled Pacific mills solid for their
demand of 25 per cent increase in wages. The
compromising offer of the Mill Superintendent to
settle the strike with a 10 per cent increase was
rejected by substantial majority of the strikers
Wednesday.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Rebel Peasants In Cuba Fight
MilitantIv

Havana, Cuba, May ia rebel band of so
or more attacked the Rural Guard near the city
of Sancti Spiritus yesterday and routed them
The capitalist press states that the rebels "main
tain close contact with the inhabitants" They
are in other words, rebellious peasants, fighting
against Wall Streets Machado government.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
industrial Bill to Aid War
PrenarafionS

Washington, May 17.-President Roosevelt
today sent to Congress new industrial control
bill The first part of the bill provides that the
President cam do away on his own initiative with
the antitrust laws. The second part provides for
war preparations under public works" pro-
gram with an appropriation of $3,SOO,OOO for the
purpose.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Predicts Initiation in France

Paris, May 14.-LTntransigeant, an impOr,
tant French capitalist paper, says that the "Orlu
Economic Conference must be postponed because
otherwise it is doomed to failure. This is an az,
mission that this conference will go the way "
all the conferences held since the war-onE
sharpening the antagordsm among the impenaiS'
countries.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Wall Street Sends Representative
to Germany

New York, May 18.-Albert H. Wiggin, rep
resenting Wall Street, as chairman of the stand
still committee on German short-term debts has
sailed for Germany to take part in the struggle
around the coming German moratorium on pri-
vate debts
The producers news., 1933-05-26
More Efficiency In War
Prenarafions

Washington, May 15.-One third of the navy
is to be laid up in a new program for increasing
the efficiency of the navy, under orders issued by
Rear Admiral Pratt Chief of Naval Operations.
Far from being disarmament program it will,
according to Pratt Increase the material worthi-
ness of the fleet"
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Norman Davis Admits War
Ts CIoea

Berlin, May 15.-The Deutsche AHge-
meine Zeitung, a nationalist paper, today
stated Norman Davis (ROOsevelt's ambassa-
dor at large) is reputed to have literally
stated in a small circle of confidential friends
that war was close at hand if no solution was
reached at Geneva.
The producers news., 1933-05-26

Paris, May 16.-"f the governments ws.s
sincere" writes c. ]. GignOux, capitalist lOsiS
list, in lie Journal Industrielle, "they wouiu -
journ the World Economic Conference. IS .s,.k
ter to say 50 out loud than for everyone % ''''
80 quietly"
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Hull Warns of Collapse of
CauitaIisrn

Washington, May 15.-Secretary Hull stated
today that if the World Economic Conference
does not accomplish something the world (the
capitalist countries) win surely move into the
whirl of bankruptcy. The French press has al
ready predicted that the conference win accom-
plish nothing. Putting two and two together
shows that capitalism is nearing the rocks.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
HitIer's Armed Gangsters Parade

Dusseldorf, Germany, May IA field day
of $500 members of Hitler's Elite Guard took
place here today. The Guard is another branch
of Hitlers bloody gangsters. The assembly in
cuded a motor corps, an aviation corps cavalry
and engineer sections Twelve airpanes were
present
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Educators Urge Recognition of
Soviet Union

New York, May 14-A letter urging recog-
milton of the Soviet Union has been sent TO
President Roosevelt by thirty-five professors
economists educators, and engineers, all OF whom
have been in the Soviet Union.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Hitler Tries to Hide Imperialist Aim.

Berlin, May 17.-Hitler spoke today on Co.,
many's foreign policy before the Rechstag which
had been specially convoked for the purpose An
parties were present except the Communists N,
speech was only comparable in hypocrisy 10 that
made two days previously by President Roosevelt
on the need for world peace. Hitler too, tried 10
cover Germany's preparations for war bv wav
ing the olive branch.
The producers news., 1933-05-26

Vienna, May 13.-Considerable fighting also
marked the parade today of 10000 members OF
the reactiohary Heimwehr. The Heimwehr sup
porters fought with the fascist National Socialists
About $50 arrests were made during the day
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Second Revolt of Prisoners In
Massachusetts,

West Concord, Mass, May 14.-The second
revolt occurred in two days, tonight, in the Con-
cord Reformatory. Guards and prisoners being
injured by broken china. Overcrowding and cur
tailment of athletic privileges have embttered the
prisoners.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Crisis in German Debt Payments

Berlin, May ia government spokesman
stated today that Germany will probably declare
a moratorium on her foreign debts at the end of
this month. Germany has been losing gold
steadily until now her whole financial structure
is ready to fall apart like a house of cards.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Banker Tries Suicide

Mineoa, New York, May 20.-J0seph w.
Hartman, who is to be tried for robbing the
Hartman Trust Co., to play the stock market,
plunged a pennknife into his breast today. The
attempt at suicide was unsuccessful
The producers news., 1933-05-26
Stockholders of A. T. and 7. Get
Millions

New York, May 18.-The rich stockholders of
the Telephone and Telegraph company received
$42,OOO,OOO yesterday in dividends.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
WHY OFFICIALS TRY TO
SMASH ORGANIZED FARMERS

1 strongly recommend to farm
ers and workers, in Muskegon as
well as in every other county in
the state and nation, to investigate
the dealings of their officials. Such
an investigation will be one of the
best eye-Openers, especially to
The producers news., 1933-05-26
OFFICIALS DECLARE SYMPATHY BUT RALLY
STATE AND CITY POLICE, AND
DEPUTIES TO FORCE SALE

1t is noteworthy but not sur
prising that it was deputy
sheriff Peterson who threk
the first tear gas bomb IN
White Cloud ON March Is.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
DEPUTY SHERIFF is ZEAL
ESTATE SHARK

In 1927 Mr.. Beres bought ALE
other 40 for $4,000, from Mannel
Peterson our present deputy sher-
iff. Afte r a down-payment of
$500 the balance was to be paid at
$10O per year or more, plus inter
ests. It seems that Peterson's OBJ
ject was to have Beres pay him
mostly MORE. That farm was lost
for Beres throlgh sheriff sale in
1881. According to farmers re-
ports, deputy sheriff Petelson has
played this same racket on many
others.
The producers news., 1933-05-26
new UFLLOCAL
in CALIFORNIA
Farmers Have Been Fooled
Many Times, But League
VIII Win Them
(BY A. K.)

Manteca, Calf, May 1O.-On
Friday, April IA, Carl Patterson
California state organizer OF the
United Farmers League, held a
farmers meeting in the Lindbergh
Grammar school im Manteca.
In his fervent appeal for the
farmers and all tOilers to unite,
and struggle against misery and
merciless oppression of the bosses,
Patterson pointed out the only
outlet for the farmer was through
rank and file mass cooperation.
He pointed out several of the
very important achievements OF
the United Farmers League (as
young as it isl and vast possl-
bilities in the future.
SPEAKERS FROM ESCALON
LOCAL PRESENT
There were also present several
fellow farmer speakers from Es-
Gallon, where the United Farmers
League local is rapidly growing.
A fairly good sized crowd attend
ed the meeting. After the meet
lag % members were signed up
and a local was established in
Menteca. A campaign was also
started for membership.
Many difficulties are encourA
tered, such as lack of funds and
facilities of transportation and
publication. The main difficulty,
however, is due largely to the fact
that the farmers have been fooled
so many times by fake organiza-
tiors under boss control that they
see no use in joining.
We however, earnestly believe
that the United Farmers League
is a genuine toilers organization
where it is impossible to sell out
In spite of the many barriers that
confront us we will convince the
farmers of this fact not only thru
words but through deeds also.
OFFICERS ELECTED
On May Z we held the reall,
first organized business meeting
An Executive Committee wa
elected consisting of the follow
ing:
Gabriel F. Reibin, chairman
Alex Koftinoff, secretary; Georg
Paulos, treasurer; William Val
gas, newsman; Robert KoftInoft
correspondent.
We ordered one hundred copie
of the Producers News for FIRE
distribution and to thereby intens
fly the drive for membership wit
the aid of this militant organ. Tt
meeting adjourned until May 26
RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTIO,
TOnAV 60 a vaor
The producers news., 1933-05-26
(BY J. r.

MuskegOn, Mich, April %.
= About 800 farmers and
workers met in a militant dem
GnstratiOn on April 21 at the
MuskegOn county court house,
to protest the foreclosure sale
of the Andrew Beres farm at
Dalton township.
State police in addition to
all available city police and
sheriff forces were modified
to enforce the decision of the
banker controlled county court.
The officials in charge express
sed their sympathy" with the
miserable conditions of the
farmers and hOme-Owners but
claimed no authority"