The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-09
Reformist Treachery

HINDER the auspices Of the Interracial Commission
u group OF Negro reformst leaders on the Eastern
shore OF Maryland scene Of the fendsh lynchlng OF
George Armwood on october Is, came out last Thurs
DAY as the mouthpieces of the lynchers to attack
Outside interference" with the Roman sport OF the
best citizens" of burning Negro workers.
These gentlemen. Rev J. M Dckerson James L.
johnson and James F. Stewart repeat the savsh argu-
ents Of the leadership Of the National Association for
the Advancement OF Colored People that those who
rnilitanty fight against lynching are disturbing the
pood relations between the lynch lords and the Bit
tery prosecuted Negro people They declare that
Bernard AIDES, international Labor Defense attorney
and leader in the fight for the arrest and pun
ishnent of the lynchers Of Armwood and abolition
Of the JinCrow conditions and bitter economic eX-
poitaton which breed lynching, is entirely responsible
for the disturbances the Eastern Shore for the past
two years"
It is necessary to review briefly these disturbances"
Early last October George Arrnwood arrested on
the charge Of grabbing the arm" Of white woman
He was sent to the Baltimore city jail for safekeep-
ing" A few days later ne returned to Princess
Anne on court order Within "a hours Of his return
he had been lynched One of the aiers admit opening
the door of cell to the lynchers Armed troops and
deputies stationed at the jail refused to fire on the
lynch mob whose leaders the "best citizens of
the Eastern Shore. Eye witnesses to the crime have
testified in afidavs that the commander Of the
state troopers and Sheriff Daugherty of Princess Anne
were in the mob. In his affidavit, Captain Frank
Spencer named Judge Duer and States Attorney Rob
ms as meters to the lynchng.
* Robins later refused point blank to arrest seven
known lynchers Judge Duer, with Judge Pattison,
speedily released four of the ynchers arrested by state
troops sent to the Eastern Shore by Governor Albert
c. Richie under pressure of the indignation mob
sed by the League Of Struggle for Negro Rights and
the International Labor Defense. Governor Ritchie
himself had refused to order out additional troops for
the protection of Arr1wood although given ample warn
iyo that was ING IN 1v0rh NE
leased ynchers were hailed as heroes in wild ceebra-
tons the Eastern Shore. Two years ago in the
same section George Matthews was taken out of the
Peninsula Hospital and 1ynched in the public square
Of Salisbury
EADnG white citizens the Eastern Shore have at
tempted to Justify" these violent attacks on
the Negro the grounds that the legal murder
Of Fuel Lee framed Negro worker, was not carried
through swiftly enough. They denounce the l. L, D.
for slowing up the processes of the lynch courts by
ganzing and legal defense for Fuel Lee. Today
U. s. Court is attempting to disbar Bernard AIDES
for daring to defend this victim of capitalist Justice
The court refused to review the issues of the
fragrant violation Of the constitutional rights Of Lee
and the Negro people in the systematic exclusion
Of Negroes from juries on the Eastern Shore The
u S. Supreme Court also refused to review these
amental issues affecting the democratic rights of the
Negro People.
The Negro reforInist leaders support their white
rulng class masters IN the attempt to justify these
crimes against the Negro people the grounds that
Outside interference" with the murderous lynch courts
was responsible for the lynch orgy the Eastern
Shore. These reformsts attack not the lynchers but
those who theoretically fought for years to save
Euel Lee. They attack not the lynch but those
who are leading the nationwide fight against
legal and mob lynchangs. BY their silence on the
action OF the court releasing the known ynchers Of
George Armwood they endorse the open defense of
lynching by the courts and the state power of the
oourgeoisie
THE events in Maryland and the Decatur lynch YER
diets against two Of the innocent Scottsboro boys
afford refutable proof that there no justice in the
courts, that lynch terror is organized by the white
ruling class and Its governmental organs 1t is this
c that the reforists trying to up in their
stupid attacks on the T. L. D. attorney and by their
kaitorous defense Of the 1yncfiers.
The politically conscious workers faced with the
task Of carrying through the most energetic campaign
@ exposure against the lynch courts and of the role of
Ne refornist and liberal defenders of 1yncEEng In
every shop and factory, in every union and mass or
Sanization, In every neghborhood we must rally the
sodns masses and all sincere opponents to lynching
FOR the ercest struggle against the ynchers and their
reformist agents.