The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-03-10
BY GRACE LUNrPKIN

When the International Labor
Defense sent representatives to
Alabama, and hired lawyers to de-
fend the nine Scottsboro boys, the
mother Of one of the boys wrote
eve thought we were alone in the
world without friends, and suddenly
we found people wantin' to defend
our boys"
When the United States Sup
RENE Court ordered a new trial
for the Scottsboro boys another
mother said, - we are glad and
happy over the new trial. You
tell us the workers are glad, too.
1t is fine to know that others are
rejoiced."
would like ~ make d map OF
the South, the sort of animated
map that is sometimes used in the
movies. On the map, throughout
the South, in Memphis, Tennessee,
in Chattanooga, in Atlanta, I would
like to draw, single and isolated,
the sort Of shacks in which the
mothers of the Scottsboro boys
working women-are forced by the
rich owners of this country to live
In misery and poverty. From these
shacks and cabins, I would draw
straight lines running toward and
centering in Kilby prison in Ala
bama where the sons of those
mothers lie in death cells waiting
for another trial which will decide
whether they are to be free, or are
to be murdered in the electric
chair. For it would be murder,
since it has been proved that these
boys are innocent.
If you have children, you prob
ably know the anxiety of waiting
for small son or daughter who
has not come home from school
or from an errand on which you
sent him. Has he been run over
by a car or a truck, you ask your
self. 1t is getting dark. Why
doesn't he come? You are tense
with anxiety. If you have felt this
distress, you will know, partly,
what the mothers of these boys
have gone through since their
children left home nearly two years
ago to find jobs.
You will know how they waited
for word, and the misery which
came to them when they heard
that the boys, instead of finding
jobs, found the death cells of a
prison. These mothers are still
waiting. And while they wait,
isolated in their cabins, they are
helped only by the fact that other
mothers, other workers, are stand
ing by them.
m the map of the South with
" the cabins and the lines run
ming toward Kilby prison, would
like to add other lines. These
would come from places all over
the world, and all over the United
States, showing that workers In
these places are rejoicing because
OF the new trial that has been set
for the boys, rejoicing with those
AiptilCA ., Wdleill5 IA UiiCn CdDlllS.
Mrs. Netrefa, a working woman,
heard about the Scottsboro bows
and their mothers. She came to
the Office of the International
Labor Defense.
II read and read the appeal"
she said, until I was crying and
praying till I come here. / had
a little boy once and he died. 7
know how would feel If he was
In that jail. I make four dollars
washing clothes, but gladly give
three dollars to help the fight, so
the poor boys get free and go home
to their mothers"
NOT only our sympathy swes to
~ these mothers, but, like Mrs.
Netrefa, our money, our. hard earn
ed, scarce pennies and nickels
should go to them through the
International Labor Defense.
We have rejoiced over the new
trial. Now It is necessary TO work,
% that in March, when that trial
is carried on in Alabama there
w. b saesagh gafnsE t9 nsht "