The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-13
BENJAMIN, FREED BY MASS
PROTEST, URGES SPEED in
CONVENTION PREPARATIONS
C.W.A. Workers Need
Organization, Says
Leader of JObless
Speaks This Evening
at Webster Hall on
Gallup Strike
BY CARL REEVE


Mexico stirred by the successful
struggle OF the Gallup coal miners,
will send stable delegation to the
National Unemployed Convention TO
be held Jan. Is in Washington, D. C.,
Herbert Benjamin, Just out Of New
Mexico prison, reported yesterday,
Benjamin, national organizer Of the
Unemployed Councils, was serving a
years sentence In the penitentiary al
Albuquerque, New Mexico, when re-
leased by the terms Of the strike
settlement. Benjamin speaks tonight
on the Gallup strike at Webster Hall
The one thousand Gallup strikers,
in five mines, won strike settlement
which is one Of the few TO include the
agreement OF the employers and the
government representatives to release
all strike and unemployed leaders ar
rested during the course Of the strike.
Refused To Leave State
after this strike settlement was
reached" Benjamin stated, "the
sheriff called George Kaplan Of the
International Labor Defense and my
self into the prison office and told us
we were to be released. However, he
tried to violate the settlement and
ordereds us to sign a statement
agreeing to leave the state OF New
Mexico for a year. This We refused
to do. The other strike leaders who
were held at Gallup, also refused 10
sign such a statement. We were sent
back to our cells. But the Gallup
strikers refused to return TO work
until we were released. Five days
later, in the face OF the protests
throughout the state and the solid
arity Of the Gallup miners, the auth
critics were forced 10 release Us
unconditionally."
Eight Days on Bread and Water
Benjamin was arrested In Gallup
while on tour in preparation Of the
National Unemployed Convention. He
,sooke on the picket line to the Gallup
miners, after the militia, headed by
General Woods, had banned all meet
ings, arrested most Of the strike lead
ers, and instituted reign Of terror
after Benjamin's arrest. The miners
marched TO the stockade demanding
his release and were dispersed only
by tear gas attacks Of the national
guard. Five days later he escaped
but was re-captured after being lost
In the desert for 80 hours. Benjamin
was sentenced to year In prison and
Kaplan TO six months. In the mill
tary stockade he was on bread and
water, together with the other strike
leaders for eight days. In the Gallup
Jail, after sentence, he was II, a dark
cell for two days.
Speed Convention Preparations
~Enroute on my return here from
New Mexico, found that the mem-
! ployed put on G. W. A. work are
highly dissatisfied" Benjamin con-
tinued. 1.-THE need for organization OF
the CW.A. workers is great. Many
have not been paid after being cut off
relief and put on C.W.A. Jobs"
"The whole tempo Of preparations
for the national convention Of the
unemployed January Is, should be
speeded UP. Only month Is left
before the convention" he said. Tag
days throughout the country have
been called for December Is and II,
to help finance the convention. Many
local and county conferences are
taking place this week. The program
for the convention includes the devel-
opment Of local struggles and activl-
ties for relief and for the Workers
Unemployment Insurance, and the
building OF solid councils and com
mittees in the neighborhoods, on the
C.WA. Jobs and In all workers or
CARNATIONS. The Griffith Park fire
in Los Angeles, where negligence
killed 100 relief workers, proves the
need OF such organization. This week
the national government refused to
supply food and housing for the con-
vention, after I. Amter visited the
White House with the unemployed
workers demands. But II the work
ers throughout the country protest At
once, We can force the national gov
eminent to grant the unemployed de-
mands for food and housing"
Present Situation tn Gallup
The strike settlement, Comrade
Benjamin declared, has established
the National Miners Union not only
In Gallup, but forced q settlement,
without an sctual strike, tn Madrid
New Mexico. In Madrid $50 out OF
500 miners have Joined the N.MU.
and won IS demands" Benjamin said,
Benjamin Will ten the history Of
the Gallup struggle tonight ut the
Webster Hall mass meeting. His cass
went to the New Mexico supreme
court on appeal. This court upheld
the court martial sentence Of Ben
janlin on the ground that a @state OF
instruction" existed. 1.-THE state o.
New Mexico denies the demands OF
the Unemployed Councils for ade-
ouate unemployment relief" declared
Benjamin, But they spent over
100000 on the national guard TO try
to break the Gallup miners strike by
means of martial law.
Roosevelt Machine Responsible
The demonstration Nov. 4 of the
Gallup miners, Benjamin pointed out,
coupled with the nationwide protests,
forced the state government to move
himself and Kaplan to Albuquerque
and end the manhandling in prison.
1t was in this Nov demonstration
that the national guard cavalry
charged the strikers with drawn
sabres, wounding several and arrest
ing 8 dozen workers.
Benjamin emphasized the respon-
sibility OF the Roosevelt administra-
ton for the terror against The Gallup
miners. Bronson Cutting, senator
from New Mexico, he pointed out, IL
head of the democratic machine in
that state, and was responsible for
the bringing in Of the soldiers and the
assaults IN tho etrilcrr q mall .r ~.