davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Detailed Abb Proves Innocence Of Ernst Tog Rechstag Fire

with DR.. Diehls. Afterwards had
myself connected with the assessor,
who, as DR.. Diehls' right-hand man.
was responsible for the carrying
through of the release, and talked to
him about the difficulties and the
matters which had to be settled the
following day, for which I had again
an appointment at Karl Liebknecht
House with the detective commits
sioner.
Cloak Room Attendant Calls
after these telephone calls with
police headquarters, Deputy Ernst
Torgler, at about a quarter to eight
o'clock, telephoned with lawyer, DR..
Rosenfeld. AS the telephone call of
a Party friend, which he had been
expecting since 7 o'clock, had not yet
come In, he called up the Waterman
Of door number S and told him that
if the Waterman should get the call
after 8 pm. (after the switchboard
would be closed he should be called
up In the fraction secretariat through
the house telephone.
TN the meantime the south cloak
room called up to ask If Torgler was
going away now or If, as usual, his
clothes should be brought into the
fraction room. He requested to have
the clothes brought up, which was
done towards eight o'clock. At about
this time the south cloakroom and
door number 2 were closed.
"A few minutes after 8 o'clock the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Wholesale Murder by
Machado Agents Just
Before His Overthrow

NEW YORK. - News of bloody
murder and repression by Machado'S
troops and secret police in Santa
Clara province prior to the present
political strike against the Machado
terror and suspension of constitu-
tional guarantees has just reached
the International Labor Defense here
by delayed mail.
More than 100 peasants were MUIR
dered in this region by the Rural
Guards, in the first three weeks of
July, it was learned, on suspicion
that they were helping the insur-
rectionists. The huts of hundreds
were burned down by the same ter
rorist bands.
Young girls of Is and IT years
were captured and subjected to be-
stial torture.
Gregorio Ramirez, a member of the
Cuban section of the LID, was
taken by Rural Guards after a bat
tie between them and the rebels had
resulted in the death of nine of the
former. He was tortured with knives,
shot, and decapitated. His body
showed 70 wounds.
Next day his brother Juan was ar
rested, and is now in a hospital In
a dying condition as result Of tor
lures by the Rural Guards.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Counter Trial for
Reichstag Fire to.
Call All AccuSers
Seek to Hear Prosecu-
ton Along With
Defense

AMSTERDAM, Aug. 22.-Every wit
ness, for the prosecution as well as
for the defense, will be called to the
Counter Trial at The Hague, Holland
when Ernst Torgler, George Dimi-
troff, Blagoi Popoff. Vassil Taneff
and other Communists go on trial al
Leipzig in September on the framed
up charge of setting the Reichstae
fire, it was announced today by the
international committee in charge Of
the Reichstag fire investigation.
Complete alibis for all the defend
ants, proof that the Nazis set the
fire, and complete evidence as tx
who Marinus van der Lubbe, so-calleo
Communist" who was found at the
scene of the fire, is, will be offered
The committee will also attempt tt
have all the prosecution witnesses al
the Leipzig trial come and give theil
evidence.
The counter trial at The Hague will
be conducted by, a group of distin-
guished international lawyers, includ.
ing Leo Gallagher, American lawyer
and others from England, France
Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Bulgaria
Spain and other countries.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23

expected telephone call finally came
in and had to be received at the
Watchman's post of door number 5,
the only exit. which was still open.
For this purpose Deputy Torgler was
called through the house telephone;
he hurried very much, of course,
since he came from the third floor
and did not want to keep his friend
waiting. After a few minutes Ernst
Torgler came back into the fraction
room from the watoilman's room. A
short time afterwards we dressed and
at about a quarter past o'clock we
left the Reichstag, together with the
fraction secretary, through door
number 5.
Walked Out Slowly
Against the statements about our
supposed hurried leaving Of the
Reichstag, it must be stated that &C.
.cidentaIly on this particular evening
we left the Reichstag building more
slowly than ever before, because the
fraction secretary, who left with US
was suffering from inflammation OF
a vein on the leg, which made walk
ing particularly hard for her, 50 tina
we could walk only very slowly
AT this very slow pace we went u
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
STRUGGLE AGAINST
PROVOCATION

Workers Enemies EXpOScu'
All workers and workers organiza-
tons are warned against the follow
ing individual who has been found
cut as a vicious enemy of the work
ing class.
HARRY SCHULTZ (alias Matt
Gcrsracher), of Spokane, Wash. 'Inls
man has been exposed and expelled
by the Communist Party organization
in Spokane and Seattle as a govern.
inent Spy.
He got into the Party by subter-
fuge, saying that he had been q
member in Great Falls. Mont, and
became very active in the Interna-
ticnal Labor Defense branch. Then,
at The beginning Of July, five foreign-
born workers we're arrested for de-
portation, and it was definitely es-
tablished that they we're betrayed by
Schultz (Gerspacher). He led the
immigration agents to the place
where enc of the arrested workers
YVES staying, and he was seen work
ing at typewriter in the .nlmigra-
ton department ciices.
De5arip.icn: About SO FEARS of age
about S Il. in. in hciyilt. 160 pounds
in weight; brcwn hair: frcnt teeth
badly shaped; has a crippled right
hand. He is OF German descent and
talks with heavy German accent;
has knack of making friends easily;
claims to have been an officer In thu
United States Army.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23

Reichstag. I entered the building
shortly before $50 pm. There I
also met my colleague, Ernst Torgler,
who, as director of the official cleo
ton committee of our Party, parti-
cipated in the assignment Of the
deputies for the scheduled meetings.
About a quarter past seven o'clock,
when my affairs were settled, my
friend Ernst Torgler asked me to
wait awhile. because he was expect
ing a telephone call, which ought to
come in soon. Then we could to-
gether go out to eat.
"Since I had undertaken to send
away an urgent postal money order,
I had Ernst Torgler ask the Reich
stag switchboard If the post office of
the Heichstag was still open. He got
the answer that the post office of the
Reichstag had closed at pm. /
then told him about the continuous
difficulties which were made over re-
leasing election material from the
Karl Liebknecht House. We agreed
that Torgler, as director Of the CEN
trail election committee of our Party,
should again officially call up the
chief Of the political department of
the Berlin police, chief government
inspector DR.. Diehls, and again pro-
test to him against the keeping back
Of election placards Of various kinds
and of other election material.
"At about half past eight o'clock
he had. this telephone conversation
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES for Every Move of Accused
from $50 P. M. to Midnight on Night When
German Parliament Burned

Editors Note:-We publish below
the affidavit of Wilhelm Koenen,
Communist member of the Ger
man Reichstag, which completely
establishes the innocence of Ernst
Torgler, leader of the Communist
fraction in the Reichstag, who will
be tried at Leipzig in September
on a charge of setting the fire
which Quilted the Reichstag on
Feb. 81.
Along with Torgler, George Dimi-
troff, Blagoi Popoff and vassil
Taneff, Bulgarian Communists, and
probably other Communists whose
names are not yet known, will have
to stand trial.
This fire, which evidence already
published conclusiveIy proves was
set by the Nazis under the direction
of Hermann Goering, Nazi premier
of Prussia, was the signal for the
reign of terror in which hundreds
of Communists we're murdered, and
tens of thousands tortured and in
termed In concentration camps.
This affidavit was obtained by
the International investigation COM
mittee on the Reichstag fire, which
will conduct counter-trial at The
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23

in the Chinese Soviet Republic.
The congress sent kilograms OF
greetings and solidarity to the ia
panese and German International
Red Aid organizations.
In telegram to the headquarters
Of the International Red Aid, the
Chinese workers declared, 1.-THE re-
dictionary kuomintang, with the
help of inperial,sts, intends to
strange China's revolution by op-
pressing the revolutionary volunteers
and other people who engage in anti
japanese and anti-imperialist &C
tivities. 1t dissolves strikes, demon
strations, and boycott movements;
and is nlobiliZing a million soldiers
to attack the Red Armies, the only
armed force of the Chinese national
revolution, and the Soviet districts
where the masses have obtained their
liberation. They have employed
every savage means, including the
use of poison gases, to murder the
workers, peasants, and revolutionary
fighters in the Soviet districts.
1.-THE Congress pays respect and
sends hearty sympathy to the world
revolutionary fighters, and those who
have fallen victims to the savage
white terror. The Congress shall
call upon all its members as well as
the worker and peasant masses to
carry on the struggle against white
terrorism
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
s States to Hold
Conventions for
JObless Insurance
Benjamin, Organizer
of Natl Unemployed
Councils, to Speak

NEW YORK Unemployment In
surance conventions will be held in
five states at the time Herbert Benz
iamin, National Organizer of the I'M,
employed Councils arrives on his
September speaking tour. The states
which SO far have announced these
conventions are Montana, Washing
ton. Arizona, Idaho and Wisconsin.
The Idaho Unemployed Councils
will hold their convention on Sep
TENDER IT. The Panhandle" section
of the state will be toured with q
truck for the purpose of arousing
workers to send their delegates to the
convention.
Arizona Unemployed Councils are
preparing a county Hunger March to
be held Immediately after the con-
yention (Oct. 81. This is to be fol-
lowed by state Hunger March in
volving all the organizations attend
ing the convention.
All of the states on Benjamin's
tour will hold similar conventions but
have not yet notified the National
Office of the preparations they are
making. The tour has for its purpose
the drawing into the movement
for unemployment insurance, through
tn, state conventions and mass
meetings thousands of workers not
yet reached.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Nazis Plan Monster
Festival to Check
Growing Discomfort

NUREMBERG, Aug. 81. - Drafted
workers at forced labor are busy
building temporary billets and huge
tent city here in preparation for a
mass congress of Nazis on August 80,
called by Chancellor Adolf Hitler in
an attempt to counteract the growing
disillusion and resistance of the Ger
man masses.
All the Nazi chiefs, from Hitler
down and 100000 selected Nazis, will
attend. he reviewing stand will have
space for 1000 honorary guests and
$4,000 preferred spectators.
The whole government propaganda
machinery is at work, pumping up
enthusiasm for the event. Hitler has
chosen Nuremberg instead of Munich,
the Nazi center, because this is a
Protestant center, and the Catholic
middle classes are said to be more OPP
posed to Hitler than the Protestant.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
RELIEF WORKERS
in LOS ANGELES
VOTE TO STRIKE
17O0to Protest Against
80 p. c. Cut in Wages
and Food Orders

LOS ANGELES, Calf, Aug. %. -
Over 100 unemployed workers packed
the headquarters of the Relief Work
ers Protective Union to voice their
determination for a one-day strike
and demonstration this week against
the 80 percent cut in relief work and
grocery orders. The mass meeting
in preparation for the strike was cal
led by the County Council of the R.
WPU. and the Unemployed United
Front Conference.
Earl c. Jensen, Superintendent of
the County Welfare Bureau who was
invited to face the starving workers
and to justify his actions, sent down
his personal contact" man, Rex
Thompson, to tell the unemployed
workers ''to be patient" and to see
how the experiment" go percent
cut) works out. He was told by the
workers to go back and tell his boss
that they will not allow any charity
racketeers to experiment with human
misery and that the fight for food for
their children and wives will be car
ried on. Thunders of applause and
cheers greeted the speakers who in
structed Thompson to bring back the
militant demands of the unemployed
workers.
The demand of the R.W.P.U. are
81, for 6-hour work day; 7-day
work order every 80 days for single
men and women; a ten day work Or
der for married men and days adj
ditiona1 for each dependent; aboli-
ton of all forced labor, and against
discrimination in the giving out of
relief work because of race, creed,
nationality, political belief or strike
activities, and for full pay for the
one day strike.
Solidarity and support for the
strike were expressed by delegates
from units of Unemployed Co-opera-
tive Association, Unemployed Coun-
Gil, Unemployed Voters Association;
Veterans Non-Political League, rank
and file members of the A. F. of L.,
and by the striking millinery workers
of the Golden Brothers Millinery
Shop, who have been out for the last
ten weeks.
Over 400 joined the RW.P.U. at
the mass meeting. The union now
has % locals with membership
of about 5000 embracing every part OF
Los Angeles County.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Marines Called AS
Striking Bargemen
Block French River
One Blockade Broken
After T'hree-Day
Tie-Up

PARIS, Aug. GA blockade Oh. 80
barges strung across the Seine. river
by striking bargemen at Contains
Ste. Honorine, is miles north of here,
was broken early today by three tug
loads of marines from Cherbourg and
200 armed policemen.
The strikers fought back with boat
hooks, encouraged by their wives and
children. They were finally routed
with streams from fire hose, and
thirty were arrested, charged with
rebellion. 49,
Another blockade, across the river
Disc, remained solid.
The Seine bargemen declared their
intention Of forming another block
ade, and virtual state OF siege was
maintained along the river by the
government forces.
The bargemen went on strike Sat-
urday, blockading both rivers and
tying up traffic for hundreds OF
miles.
The bargemen struck for shorter
hours. The strike was reported to
have been precipitated by the intro
duction of motorised river transport
which would drive many of them
out of employment unless their hours
are reduced.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
W.E.S.L. Protests
Attack on Vet Who
Handed Out Leaflets

The National Executive Committee
OF the Workers Ex-Service Mems
League sent a vigorous protest to
the Federal Attorney General against
the persecution Of William Hockstra,
war veteran, who was beaten al
most to death on August 1st. when
distributing anti-war leaflets in Ar
nngton Cemetery.
The assistant superintendent of
Arlington Cemetery, according to the
police blotter at the station where
Hockstra was brought, at first want
ed to swear out a warrant for the
arrest Of the cemetery guard Edward
Beaver who slugged Hockstra. When
the assistant superintendent saw that
Hockstra was near death, he decided
to pin the assault charge on Hook
stra, in order to cover the criminal
action OF his subordinate. The In
ternational Labor Defense Is fight
ing for his release.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Affidavit Obtained by international Committee
Is Part of Evidence for Counter-Trial in
Holland When Reds Are Tried in Germany

Friedrichstrasse station, where the
secretary left us to take the subway.
Immediately, that is about $3.50 pm,
we went into the Aschirger restau-
rant, near the Friedrichstrasse sta
ton, where we ate supper. There we
also met three Party friends, with
whom we talked FOR awhile. Two of
these Party friends left us after they
had eaten, between $3.50 and GAS pm.
At 10 pm. the new shift of walters
came in. so that we paid our bill
shortly before.
After 10 pm. the new waiter came
to our table, talked to me by my
name and said
"'Mr. Koenen, do you know already
that the Reichstag is burning?'
Extremely surprised. I answered
Man. are you crazy? That's entirely
impossible!
VERY excitedly he answered. no
really all the chauffeurs are telling
about it. You can ask in front al
the bar. Thousands of people are
already standing there
This Is how we heard about one
OF the most outrageous crimes In his.
tory. -,
"tsigned) WILHELM HoENEN."
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Students to Demand
"Hands off Cuba" in
DemOnstratiOnTOday

NEW YORK. = Students and
other members of youth organi-
cations will demonstrate. against
American domination in Cuba at
1880 am. today, under the lead
ership of the National Student
League. The demonstrators will
meet at South and Whitehall Sts.
near the Cuban consulate, and
march to the Sub-treasury build
ing on Wall Street.
Among the speakers will be j.
B. Matthews, of the arrangements
committee for the United States
Congress Against War; Paul Bar
lit, Philippine student; William
Browder of the Communist Party;
Frank Ibanez Of the Julio Mella
Club, Irving Dichttr and Edmund
Stevens of the National Student
League.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Philadelphia Mayor
Greets Machado Kin

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 22.-Mayor
Moore of Philadelphia, who said ut
isn't my funeral" when told patients
in local hospitals were overcrowded
sent an official letter extending
greetings and the hospitality of the
city to the family Of Gerardo Mach
ado, the Cuban butcher.
This is the mayor who sent the
police to attack the striking workers
in the Cambria mills, and who was
responsible for the bloody attack on
the workers Of Philadelphia on May
Of last year.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Jobless Run Down
Says Mission Head
Physical Condition of
Women and Children
Worse

NEW YORK.-The physical condi-
ton of the increased number Of job
less applying for aid is very bad. said
Dr.. L. E. Sunderland, head OF the
New York City Mission Society at SO
Blocker ST., yesterday. THE staff and
board are facing the coming winter
with the greatest apprehension" he
added.
The statement issued was based on
a report of three months activity OF
the, Mission. A considerable change
for the worse has been noted in the
physical condition Of women and
particularly of children.
More restitution is found In the
homes, the report continues, and evic-
lions are increasing. Workers who
are being evicted were formerly in the
white collar class.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Paris Fetes Sultan
of Morocco AS Army
Wars on His People

PARIS, Aug. o. While a
French army of $4,000 is batter
ing away at six tribes of Berbers in
the Atlas mountains. Sid Mahom-
med puppet sultan Of Morocco, is
being dined and wined in Paris.
The French army was reported
closing in on the anti-imperialist
Berbers, who, immensely out num-
bered by an army with all modern
equipment, have been fighting he
roically for their freedom.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Unemployed Hired to
SpreadAttack on NTU

NEW YORK. = Forty unemployed
men and youths staying at the Bow
cry Y.M.C.A. flop-house. we're given
"iobs" recently to distribute leaflets
attacking the Needle Trades Workers
Industrial Union as Red menace"
AS soon as they realized the full
significance of this slanderous leaflet,
almost all the men dumped them
The men were to be paid Is cents
for this work by the Peck Distribute
ing Co.. SOB Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn.
Out of this, the vicious Mr.. Rockwell,
unemployment secretary" of the "Y"
takes 60 cents.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23

Labor of Cuba.
They also won 44-hour week, and
rotation of work, although they con-
coded a certain control Of rotation
to the employers.
Ambassador Sumner Welles showed
his power as the dictator of Cuba
yesterday when he ordered the gov
eminent to send a detachment Of
soldiers to Punta Alegere in Santa
Clara province, to attack striking
workers who had seized an American
owned sugar mill, and driven the
manager and his staff out, after hav-
ing been refused a wage increase.
Abe Murders Young Pioneer.
Fifteen hundred Bnitting-m work
ers, chiefly employed by American
firms, went on strike. Their demands
for higher wages were met, but they
are holding out for the recognition
OF shop committees.
Bakers and street car workers in
Santiago, railway men in Oriente and
Camaguey provinces, and workers in
the shoe industry in Antilla, Puerto
Padre and other ports remained out
on strike.
An 11-year old Pioneer girl was
shot dead by members of the ABC,
the former capitalist-landlord oppo-
eition, during a Communist demon
stration in Manianao. The Abe at
tackled the demonstration and MUIR
dered the child when she refused to
carry green Abe flag.
Peasants Seize Land.
Peasants in Guines and Central
Gomez Mena have seized large
estates and begun to divide up the
land. Juan Bias Hernandez, leader
OF peasant guerillas, has been refused
admission to Santa Clara and CANA
guey because of his great influence
over the workers and peasants.
1t was reported that in Guines and
Central Gomez Mena armed workers
and peasants had seized power and
set up workers and peasants coun-
ellis, which they said were after the
pattern of Soviets.
Students Honor MelIa.
More than 1000 students demon
strated on the campus of Havana
university under the leadership of
the Committee to Reorganize the
Left Wing. the Ala Izquerda, revolu-
tionary students organization op-
posed to the Abe student groups.
The renegade leadership of Ala L.
quierda was denounced and the Re
organization Committee approved by
the students.
A plaque Of Julio Antonio Mella,
murdered revolutionary leader and
one of the founders of the Commu-
mist Party Of Cuba was placed on
the statue of Alma Mater, and the
meeting resolved to rename the place
where the statue stands "NIeua
Street.
In Regla workers and students re-
named the main street Julio Antonio
Mella street, and in Santa Clara city
the Machado Children's Nursery was
also renamed after Mella.
More Machadistas Seized.
Louis de Spayne, a Machado po-
itceman, was shot and killed at Palmo
Soriano. A crowd in Santiago at
tempted to lynch a policeman named
Hechevarria after he had been ar
rested,
Rafael Castro, a policeman alleged
to have taken part in several murders
under the Machado regime was ar
rested by police and soldiers. Jose R.
Barcelo, former governor of Oriente
province, surrendered after soldiers
: had surrounded his house.
A majority Of the Cuban House of
Representatives have handed in their
designations to President de Cespedes.
but no announcement of new cleo
tons has been made.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Icelandic Workers
Tear Up Nazi Flag

COPENHAGEN, Denmark.-When
the German vice-consul at Signuf-
jord, Iceland, flew the Nazi swastika
flag for the first time, in honor OF a
group Of visiting Nazis, the workers
Of Signufjord marched in body to
the consulate, tore down the flag,
and destroyed 1t.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Toledo Relief Strike
Forces County to Ask
State for Cash Aid

TOLEDO. 'Ohio.-Mass picketing in
the Springfield and Swanton Town
ships, for cash work relief of go
cents an hour, has forced county
officers to ask the State Relief Com
mission for cash relief distribu-
ton. The county commissioners have
been compelled by the strikers mill
fancy to agree to furnish grocery
orders to all striking families.