The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-30

i fare Island lost one of their mem
bers, the young Communist worker,
Sam Gonshak. Today, the ranks of
the organized unemployed are richer
by the addition of one of its militant
leaders.
The courtroom is crowded with
workers. Many are standing. At the
door, bailiffs bar entrance to freshly
arriving throngs of workers. In front
of the railing, on the lawyers bench
sits Sam, quietly talking with our
LID. attorney. On all sides, scattered
among the workers, at the doors and
beside the judge and prisoners dock,
whether uniformed or plainly clad
you can pick out the defenders OF
claw and order"
"Case of Sam Gonsfak, Joseph
Riley, Peter Banison, Mary Smith
Meta Mania, Joseph Porper," bawls
the Court Clerk.
"Step up, move over, face the
judge"
His Honor, the squeaky-yoiced
pasty-faced, almost bald-pated
Thomas Auerelio, is busily engaged In
conversation with the prosecuting at
torney.
In moment the farce begins
(Scottsboro, Mooney, Leipzig, Meerut
The prosecution presents It's array OF
good citizen thugs, good citizen Jerry
the Cop, good citizen relief officials
| in quick succession. No proof OF any
guilt is adduced, but prejudicee
! tougues lash out in venom.
Worker witnesses are summoned
They ATTEMPT to tell their stories OF
hunger and evictions, red-tape and
police brutality. Repeatedly, Aurelic
attempts to dam the flood of work
ers' exposure.
II don't want to hear Of your dis
possess notice" And again-"That's
not important"
Strike that from the record" or
ders the ku,ak on the bench, rnonot-
enously, squeal1ily, intermittently
during f;he testimony of workers. Soon
the workers voices are stilled. Soon
the trite formula, 'The defense
rests" ''The State rests
The high pitched, squeaky voice re-
sumes,-"Sam Gonshak, you were ar
rested, convicted and sentenced three
times before" arrested for Gre
ating riot at the Home Relief Bu-
reau in Brownsville" -. ARRESTED 10Y
resisting an eviction in the Bronx
''you are an agitator paid to Gre
ate dissension among the needy I'M
employed"
The voice drones on.--"Sam Con-
shak, the Court finds you guilty
Have you anything to say before SEN
tence is passed upon you?'
Firm, manly 23-year-old proleta-
rian voice speaks in even tones
IT am not ashamed of my record
If fighting for relief is crime, ther
am guilty"
The effeniinate voice, ignoring The
challenge, continues, now containing
fused note of triumph and malice
land I sentence you to a term OF
hard labor in the penitentiary, for ar
| indete-nlinc sentence, not to exceed
two years."
7 SAW Sam yesterday and he looks
better than ever. even the rot
ten prison fare. dispensed by the
Grating officials is sometimes better
than what our unemployed organizers
are used to- All the cokeys on the
Island; the whole run of part-tine
pimps, and part-time scabs; the NOR
bid atmosphere of this capitalist car
nivaI of degeneracy, could not weaken
the will of our Comrade Sam. Yes
comrades who came off the Island
(after STRIVING themselves of the sins
Of organizing and striking, have to,d
me Of his splendid spirit. They tried
to pick on him. They tried the choic-
est of their epithets, taunts and
abuse; but all of 1t was ignored. AND
if you knew Sam, you would say thai