The daily worker., 1933-11-16
Plan Slaughter Of /.
.ScOttsboro Boys OF,
Eve of Their Trial
knight Leads Lynch
Organizer Judge
Denies Protection
NJONtthNed Jfofb Pdge ]
a showdown is inevitable it might Suss
as well come now. sss.s;..c's :Ss.,'s
Bosses Fear Rising Militancy Of
Negroes sss,
Continued from Page ,1)

Bosses Fear Rising Militancy Of
Negroes
4-The state Of Alabama knows
that some 5000 Negro share-cropperE
are secretly organized. State Off
cials have been trying for q long time
to catch the organizers or learn the
Identities of the members. They have
failed. This secret organization of Me-
gro choppers, which Is, growing rap
idly, partly because OF the economic
conditions and partly because of the
Scottsboro cases, constitutes grave
menace to the powerful white land
owners and the white supremacy the
ory of the state. A smashing blow
against the Scottshoro boys and the
LID. attorneys might act as a ter
rifying warning against Negro orr
ganizational activities and so would
be welcomed by the state.
These, roughly, are some highrghts
which make it possible to understand
the causes that might have infIu-
enced preparations for the Scottsboro
trials. These preparations, which
arouse more than Just grave appre-
hension in the minds of leading cati-
zens OF what might happen, follow:
Judge Horton. who voiced oppos
Sition to two mob threats to lynch the
Scottsboro boys during the last trial
this spring by his orders to the Ma
tional Guard to shoot any one at.
tempting to get them illegafy, = was
removed. "Details OF how he was re.
moved from the case will be told Ia
a subsequent story.) 49,
Judge w. W. Callahan of Deca-
tur was appointed to take Judge Hor-
tons place. Editors Note: Judge
Callahan is a member Of the Ru Klux
Klan)
3-Where Judge Horton is reported
to have ordered soldiers to shoot If
any attempt was made, to lynch the
boys, Judge Callahan says that he
sees no reason to have soldiers at
the trial to protect either the de-
PENDANTS or the attorneys.
4-Attorney General Knight insists
that the defendants come to trial and
OAAoV AAO oCCo AlO ACcsoOtl pOcbROllC IL.
5-Attorney General Knight is run
ming for Lieutenant Governor. A con-
vict.on In a state where lynch threats
are being made against the defend
ants and the LID. attorneys would
make him state hero to q great
many voters and help his candidacy.
Gin the absence of soldiers TO pro-
Yoc+ ff,n krfa ,@s asa
neys, protection will be in the hands
of Sheriff Bud" Davis Of Morgan
County. The number OF deputies the
sheriff will use has not been am
nounced and IL is probIernatical
whether white deputies from Morgan
County will shoot into white lynch
ers from their own county in defense
Of "niggers' and "No'thern Jews
whom they have come to hate.
7--Judge Callahan announced that
he views this coming trial as ''an ordi-
nary criminal case" and added that
he will take no other precautions
than such as are taken at ordinary
criminal cases." S
Officials Acts Invite Lynchinx
With these facts, especially the one
that Judge Callahan does not intend
to caN soldiers to protect the de-
PENDANTS or their attorneys, and in
view Of the extremely tense istuation
here, it amounts to what is tanta-
mount to an invitation for mob action
in the opinion Of many leading citi-
zens. This very morning the Birrning-
ham Age Herald, one of the states
leading newspapers, pleaded editori-
ally for g postponement of the trial.
1t said in part: ,ss...-.
I'VE hope Judge Callahan is right
In his assumption that the situation
does not warrant a request for mill
tary protection. But remembering the
circumstances which prevailed during
the last trial and remembering what
has taken place since that time, most
informed Alabamians viii be inclined
to think that the judge ought to pre-
fer being sage to being mistaken.
What we are facing in this particular
affair is something SO complicated
and explosive that any lack OF dill
gence in safeguarding the prisoners
would be profoundly regrettable.
"As matter of fact, many Of us
are wondering whether, everything
considered, the case should not be
postponed. In the light of all that has
happened in the premises, no one
can justly complain that the state
has failed to move with sufficient
vigor. Would it not be the part Of
wisdom to continue the. hearing?"
Boys May Be Removed to Decatur
at Once
The Scottsboro boys will be brought
to Decatur from Birmingham on the
goth for arraignment. So strangely is
the state arranging this whole mat
ter that Sheriff J.F Hawkins of JET
ferson County, in whose custody the
Negroes are, does not know whether
the Scottsboro boys will stayein the
Morgan County Jail In Decatur ~or be
returned to Birmingham for safety
until the trial opens on the 9Th
In view OF the lack of advance
proper precautions Tor the protection
Of the defendants and; their attor-
neyS, it is significant to- consider how
long 1t would take to get state troop
ers to Decatur if the emergency arose.
II, in the event OF an attack. the
sheriff of the county would have to
get in touch with Judge Callahan.
Judge Callahan, inttnr1, would have
to communicate with the governor for
permission to cail out the National
Guard That permission granted, the
sheriff would thereupon have toscom-
municate with the commanding off
Ger of the nearest National Guard,
which is in Hartselle, some 49, miles
away. 1FneaN sie.e
Considering the time spent IN these