davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29

Three thousand United States
soldiers led by Robert e. Lee
marched and countemarched
around the scaffold on which John
Brown was hanged for treason,
December 2, 1859.
having any weak and hypocritical
prayers made over me when am
publicly murdered" Brown wrote
to a friend, "and that my only re-
ligious attendants be poor. little,
dirty, ragged, bareheaded, and
barefooted slave boys and girls, led
by some greyheaded slave mother.
Farewell" It was these for whom
John Brown gave his life.
One time, when just a boy, John
Brown drove some cattle a hundred
miles through the wilderness to the
estate of a rich landlord who was
buying them. The rich man made a
great to do over the big bashful
boy, entertaining him in his man
sion in great style. But out in the
yard John met a Negro lad Of his
own age and a warm friendship
sprang up on sight. John was
amazed to hear how the rich mans
voice would turn from kindness and
gentleness to harsh rage whenever
he spoke to the Negro lad. He was
amazed to see the lad beaten for
nothing at all. He couldn't under
stand why he should sleep in COM
fort while his friend lay in bitter
cold. This deep study the boy made
of this incident was the beginning
Of a life time of activity to free
the slaves.
Said one historian, 90. John
Brown =. began the war that
ended (chatteD slavery" He "a.
did not believe that moral suasion'
would ever liberate the slaves, nor
tina political action would abolish
the system when 1 suggested
that we might convert the slave
holders" wrote this historian, "he
became much excited, and said that
could never be. they could
never be induced to give up their
slaves until they felt a big stick
about their heads" SLAVERY is
wrong. Kill it," said Brown. The
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
Good Readin'
SOVIET CHINA, by M. James and
r. Doonping, 10 cents, at the
Workers Bookshop, 1915 LIST Ave.

r. Doonping, 10 cents, at the
Workers Bookshop, 1915 LIST Ave.
"Out of the ruins of old China, a
new China is rising-Soviet China.
Already Soviet China includes one
fourth of the nations territory and
about 100 millions of its population.
In 1927 under the leadership OF
the Communist Party the workers
of Canton struck and established a
Soviet. Only after several days OF
fighting by the combined efforts OF
the gun boats of foreign powers
was the Soviet temporarily defeat
ed. But the defeat was only tenn
porary, for the survivors spread
their influence inland and to all
parts of China. The Yangtse Valley
and southeastern China are now the
chief strongholds of the Soviets, but
their power is also more or less
strongly organized in other regions
scattered over the length and the
breadth of the land.
Shuikin, in Kiangsi province, Is
the capital of Soviet China, and
Nanchang, a city of 100000 popula-
ton in the same province, Is one OF
the largest Soviet cities. Since 1928
the labo movement of the entire
country has grown rapidly, placing
three times as many workers on
strike in 1882 and 1888 as in 1928.
In the Soviets' struggle for ex-
istence they have had to fight both
the Nationalist government and the
combined efforts OF foreign gun
boats which appear ON every pos
sible occasion to put down any up
risings on the pretext of protecting
lives and property of foreigners.
With the japanese invading from
the north, the French through Indo-
China to the south, and the English
and American gun boats all along
the coast, the Chinese workers have
been held down. But it is now quite
generally agreed by all who know
conditions that all China would go
Soviet over night If the foreign ma
tions withdrew their forces.
From 1927 TO date the Nationalist
government has waged almost an
nudi cdinpdlBnS dBdiuSJ tue oONict
regions. In each case the Soviet
armies, always greatly outnumber-
ed and less well armed, have won
sweeping victories. The Nationalist
armies are also made up largely of
poor peasants who desert to the
Soviet forces whenever possible.
The Red armies are at the same
time the armed force of the Revolu-
ton and the political force for
spreading the revolutionary move
ment through education and propa-
ganda. With some 100000 in the
Red Armies, two or three times that
many In the Red Guards PRESERVE
troops) and well over a million of
the Young Guards. the Soviet pow
er is rapidly advancing against the
greater odds.
The lie is given to bourgeois
charges Of banditry by proof that
the Red Armies are the only ones
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
Your COmrade In Christ

told him they had got him a job
selling vacuum cleaners and that he
was cut off the relief on account Of
having a job. should have thought
Tom would be glad to get job, but
1t seems he didn't get any pay only
when he sold vacuum cleaner and
he couldn't sell none. Then to make
things worse, the landlord heard
Tom had a job, and when he didn't
start paying rent again why they
was all ordered to get out in five
days, and Of course they didn't have
any place to go.
Tom went everywhere to try and
get help. but everybody he knew
was pretty near as bad off as he
was. She says he tried to see the
Alderman and lots of other people
but they was all down to Washing
ton watching Roosevelt start the
New Deal" and of course the char
ity wouldn't do nothing because
they had got him a job.
Parson, l better read this part of
the letter and then 1t won't sound
so much like 1t was me swearing,
and | want you should hear every
word so you can know what TO think
of it. I'll start in at the part where
she tells about the night before they
was put out.
Here tits:
We didn't have anything to eat
that night except some cracked
,,ybaot Loot QUAR- from, the prOparV
box and after supper the children
started to play house. Jimmy and
Margaret were the father and moth
err and Billy and the baby were their
children. Margaret kept sending
Jimmy to the store for imaginary
groceries, which he always got and
then they set out their little dishes
and pretended to have big feed.
That broke Tom all to pieces. He
grabbed me by the arm and drag
ged me out into the kitchen where
the babies wouldn't hear what he
said. "Millie," he said, you see what
we taught those kids. You see what
they've learned from us. They think
parents always take care of their
kids and feed 'em, and its Goddam
lie We don't because we can't. No
body ever taught us anything that's
worth a damn to us now"
Ma. he talked like that for quite
a while and everything he said was
true. After the babies were in bed
we went to bed ourselves but we
couldn't sleep. We just laid in each
others arms and talked and dreaded
daybreak. Ma, it's terrible to hear a
big healthy man wish he could cry,
but Tom said that he hadn't cried
for years and If he could only cry
now he would think of something
to do. Then he kept talking about
everything we had ever learned be-
ing a lie.
He said, "They taught us all alb
out the American Revolution but
not a Goddam word about what to
do when we need another"
ITO be Continued.)
pretty Bad in Chicago was first
printed in Left F'ront.D
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
QUESTION

What do you think Of the fol-
lowing publications" asks one OF
our worker CORRESPONDENTS.
The New Republic and Nation
and the Atlantic Monthly and the
American Mercury are all filled
with bourgeois liberalism.
The New Republic, the Nation
often run stories written by known
radicals but their editorial policy
varies tremendously. one time they
are rankly conservative. next lib
eral.'
The Atlantic Monthly has always
been a conservative standpatter.
The American Mercury has been
consistently anti socialist and anti
Communist. Recently il was taken
over by a man who is an out and
out Fascist.
For a well written radical maya
zine | would recommend that you
subscribe to the New Masses.
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
Rx RALPH MuNsoN

Well, Parson, l reckon you're a
little surprised to see me down
here at the parsonage so early in
the morning, but | want to say that
! haven't slept a wink all night.
IT'S about my Mile, the one that
was born the year after you came
down here to preach. Her that mar
ried Tom Baxter and went TO live
in Chicago. You married 'em, too.
Well, Parson, | got the most curious
letter from her yesterday | admit
| can't make head OF tail out of 1t
and it's just kept me tossing around
all night, so [ says to myself I've
got to see what Parson Brown
thinks about it. Here tits, but /
don't need TO read it. | most know
IL by heart and I'll just tell you
what she says.
Last week they got put right out
In the street. Her and Tom and their
four children and one more coming.
When she wrote me before and
told me there was TO be another,
Just wrote right back and said II
did seem as though man who
couldn't support his family ought
TO be able to control his self, and
it made her right mad She says in
her letter you needn't preach, you
used to have 'em every nine months
and a minute, and Parson, that amt
right for her to talk that way to
her mother. Everybody knows that
mine was all over fifteen months
apart except the first three or four.
Anyway, men used to work steadier
in them days than they do now
and besides we had the farm and
could always eat. | must admit they
came along like little stair steps.
but we had plenty to feed 'em on.
| never did have much use for
Tom Baxter, but / believe in CIV
ing the Devil his due and will saw
that up till about three years ago
Tom always worked regular and
Millie said he brought his pay en-
velope home just the way he got IL.
He thinks the world of Mile and
the children, too, but never could
get over his taking her away to
Chicago and I said no good would
come Of it. OF course there wasn't
much work around here so that
gave him an excuse to go.
knew for some time that things
wasn't going good with them but
Millie never let on just how bad,
till this last letter 1t seems Tom
haint done a lick of work for over
two years and they been living on
charity. Imagine that, Parson, and
after all | taught her about saving
up for a rainy day to keep out of
the pOOrhouse. You know and /
know that i'm this country, any man
who wants to work can get work,
but Mile says that lots of people
are i'm the same fix they are, so it
must be pretty bad in Chicago, still
say he could get something to do
if he looked hard enough.
Millie says they had been on char
ity for year and about three weeks
ago the charity sent for Tom and
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29

Franklin Delanc. so observers at
Washington, d. c., report has
frequent guests. Aldrich, head of
Chase National Bank. and other
Wall Street leaders. The Scots
boro mothers, however. were turned
away from the White House by
guards.
The Soviets output of heavy in
dustry is considerably above that
of last year. On the Soviet farms
more than 80 million more acres
have been sown this year than last
year.
On April Shipper Lewis, a Phil
adelphia lawyer, was appointed by
Governor Pinchot of Pennsylvania,
to look into labor troubles with the
H. c. Frick Coal Co., which mass
agitation had forced upon the pub
lie notice. The lawyer arrived in
Union town where Frick and the
sheriff had AGREED to testify at a
meeting with miners. At the last
minute F'rick and the sheriff re-
fused to testify. So Lewis set out
for the picket lines to investigate
for himself. He saw that the dyna-
hitting OF the homes of union men
was a daily occurrence, and before
he sot to the picket lines his auto
was in the midst OF a hail of bull
lets from company gunner. He es-
cared from death at the hands of
company justice" by hiding oehin1
nearby building. He probably de-
cided that there really are labor
troubles in Pennsylvania.
Once in a long while the p. L.
misses a day telling the people Of
GnnttIa ahoiif The aCnmmnniat Men
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
YcL Goes Underground

Distribution of handbills to the
National Guard, calling on the men
to refuse any effort at armed force
against the longshoremen; the ar
mory in turmoil over the broadside;
officers making speeches to the
men about their oath, Americanism;
no applause; another officer saying
he would never permit his COM
pany to hurt any picket if they
were called out; saying it in front
Of several of his men; distribution
of a similar leaflet at the College
of Puget Sound and high schools
these things happened in Tacoma
week before last.
News for the Voice of Action?
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
FASCISM in N II A

I OF strikes and the enforcement OF
compulsory arbitration on workers
and increased fascist terror. Thus
we see the instruments of capital
list government used against the
workers.
A. F. Of L and Socialist Betrayal
Under the NRA the American
Federation Of Labor is strengthen
ed in its role as the employers
protector by misleading labor. The
American Federation OF Labor
leaders have tried TO prevent work.
ers from making demands and re-
sisting the employers club. We
have a recent example of this in
Seattle when Dave Beck tried TO
break the unity Of the longshore-
mems strike by attempting to lift
the ban from Alaska shipping.
Norman Thomas. the Socialist
leader has tried to make workers
believe that the NRA is a step
toward socialism" and has urged
workers not to strike. The AFT.
and the Socialists are the Amer
lean counterparts of the Social De-
mocrats of Germany whose betray-
al is costing German workers so
dearly.
Toward War
At the present time America ia
preparing for war on the most gil
gantic pre-war scale in history.
More than a billion dollars has been
appropriated for war during this
year. Hundreds of millions are be-
ing spent In CCC camps under the
war department. The New Deal Is
making workers. farmers and the
middle class pay the cost of main
tanning profits, in bringing in fas-
cism at home and preparing for
imperialist war abroad.
Terror Has Begun
In the present strike wave four
Negro iron ore miners were shot
by deputised gun thugs of Morgan
controlled mines. May IL a Negro
longshoreman in Galveston, Texas.
was shot while picketing.
National Guards, trops and police
are being used to stop picketing
and to attack, wound and kill
workers. The right to assemble is
being restricted Kidnapping, beat
ing and terror directed against Ia
Dor leaders meets with no protest
from the government and law.
violence and terror have been
raging in our own coal fields at
Roslyn and Gle Elum. Not only men
but women and children are abus-
ed. The bloody, vicious attack has
begun on workers who ask decent
conditions and enough to eat.
Workers Are Awakening
The strike wave that is sweeping
America shows that workers are
not being fooled by the phrases of
the New Deal Workers must re-
alize the viciousness of the strike
breaking role of the government,
the double crossing tactics of the
AT of l., and the necessity for
rank and file opposition. America
faces the challenge of ruthless cap
italist rule-great class struggles
are upon us.
II is only the whole working class
unitedly working, supporting strik-
ers and protesting against terror
inflicted on fellow workers that will
kill fascism and prevent imperial
list war.
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
Maternal Mortality
Our Problem

The hazards of childbirth that we
spoke about last week are of par
ticular concern to the working peo-
pie. For lack of money is the basis
of these tragic conditions.
What Can We Do?
The responsibility for mothers is
ours. 1t is our responsibility to
make certain that those who should
be responsible do become so. But
what are We going to do about 1t?
Are we going to continue to let
HarbOrview turn needy mothers
away? Are we going to continue
to "lct nature take it's course" as
it too often does in the little towns
and counties where there is no
provision at all (save the occasional
mercy of the local physician) for
those without funds? 1t is quite OBJ
vious that we aren't.
First we must know what our
rights are and what our needs are.
Any woman who is going to have
a baby should go to the library and
read some of the reliable books on
maternal care so that she can be
sure that all the requirements are
prGvi led for her. This includes a
good diet, regular examinations by
a physician and proper provisions
for her during confinement.
How to Do II
But the most important is getting
these things. 1t is up to every un-
employed group and union to make
sure that not a woman goes uncar-
ed for in it's community. Committees
must be sent to the county authori-
ties where as yet there are no pro-
visions made until we secure pro-
per care. Where there are clinics
and hospitals it is up to us to see
that not a woman Is turned away
at the door. We must constantly
fight for the highest medical stand
ards. We must make them stamp
out the attitude that they are doing
a favor to charity cases" We must
not be satisfied with merely being
told that good food" is essential.
We know that already. We've got
to make the relief agencies know
that we know forcefully that the
wholesome food is provided.
SO far this has referred mostly
to the unemployed but we certainly
cannot stop there. In families where
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
BY MARY JORDAN

next week.
BY MARY JORDAN
American workers are awakening
to the fact that the Blue Eagle is
rapacious vulture-the capitalist
class fattening on its living prey
the working class. This vulture is
threatening civilization itself under
the name of fascism.
In America the terror OF fascism
is beginning. Capitalists are at
tempting to take away labor's only
potent weapon against exploitation.
The New Deal is trying to thrust
American workers down to slavery
and to worse starvation Just as
Hitlers program has done In Ger
many. Under the cloak of codes
and pretensions of collective bar
gaining Roosevelt is bringing in
an American brand of fascism no
less vicious than German and Ital-
ian fascism. What are the evid-
ences of this?
Monopoly, Government Financing
The NRA codes have been writ
ten by the big industrialists to
their advantage. Monopoly restric-
lions have been removed, price fix
ing established, and the small bus
mess man and middle class are
being eliminated.
The New Deal finances private
industry with government funds
which have been squeezed out of
NUnRlaRa 20 rF,na h., Inf
and taxes upon the masses.
1t is becoming impossible to
maintain the pretense of demo-
cracy. Government money and ma
chinery are being used to continue
exploitation in an effort to revive
dying capitalism.
Profits Up - Real Wages Down
In 1898 according to a report of
the National City Bank of New
York $40 industrial corporations
made a profit of 440 million under
Roosevelt as compared to a loss
of As million in 1882.
Real wages have been reduced
because of imitation and the 20
per cent increase in the cost of
living. The minimum wages of NRA
have become the maximum wages,
and terrific speed up is claiming
the lives of Industrial workers.
Compulsory Arbitration
The MIRA promised to give work.
ers the right to organize" and TO
receive recognition of the union
of the workers own choice" These
promises are completely discredit-
ed. In every circumstance Roose-
welt and his Labor Boards have
decided in favor of the employers,
their employers. There has been
a SO per cent increase in company
unions under the MIRA.
The National Labor Board and
the Roosevelt labor set-up Is de-
signed to break strikes and smash
unions. Roosevelt personally engin-
eered the decision in the auto in
dustry which delayed the strike
until the peak of production had
been passed.
The Wagner Bill which was sup
posed to strengthen the position OF
labor has been modified" to en-
able the entrance of company un-
ions and Is now acknowledged TO
have as it's true aim the outlawing
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29

.... Aberdeen, Wash.
Editor Voice of Action:
On Sunday, May 10 at 2 p. m.
a meeting was called by the IWW
announcing Jack Kenney as the
speaker on the subject Fascism.
Kenney followed the usual tactics
of the IWW of Misrepresentation
and attacks on the CP. Stating that
the SP and the CP were trying to
save capitalism and that political
State under capitalism and the
dictatorship Of the proletariat were
Identical. He brought out that it
was useless to organize the unem-
ployed or the soup liners, that the
sooner they starved to death the
sooner they would fight. He also
stated that when the wobblies
take power" they will give Henry
Ford a card in the IWW as he is
a revolutionist.
He was asked IL the Iww would
give a card to the lynchers of
Wesley Everest Joe Hill, Frank
Little? His answer was that he did
not know who they were.
After he had adjourned the meet
ing representatives of the NLwU,
lid and the RWPA continued the
meeting. thoroughly exposing Ken
ney and the role of the IWW.
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29

ace" Twice in the past month this
writer has found none of this in
the p. I. and has felt that his time
in reading the paper was wasted.
Roosevelt once well compared
himself wltr n quarterback on a
football team who shifts his stra-
tegy from play to play. And does
he shift!
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29
Correspondence
Salem, Oegon

odieInt OtBOH
Dear Editor:
The picture, War Against the
Centuries, was shown in Salem last
night to about 125 people. This
small turnout was due to the short
time in which we had to advertise
the show.
The picture was loudly applaud
ed by the audience and received
wonderful praise from all those
present. One worker made the re-
mark that If he had it he would
gladly pay $500 to see it second
time.
Salem praises the picture 100 per
cent as it is entirely different from
the other two shows. We want this
type of picture more often and
with time to prepare can assure a
big turnout as this sho has laid a
wonderful basis for future shows
of this kind.
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29

Once in a long while the p. L.
misses a day telling the people Of
Seattle about the Communist Men,
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29

The Seattle activities Of the
Friends Of New Germany will be
disclosed in the Voice Of Action
next week.
Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-05-29

Read John Brown" by Du Bots,
and History of the American
working class" by Bimba.
Newt Week: The Molly Mcguires.
The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-04-02
HIGGASON DIES
AT ASHEVILLE HOME

ASHEVILLE, April FL. l..
Higgason, we'll known Asheville
photographer, died suddenly at
his home last night as the result
of an overdose of drugs. DR.. John
L. Carroll, coroner, declared that
no inquest was necessary.
Mr.. Higgason came here more
than 25 years ago to make photo
graphic portraits of summer Wis
itors and remained, operating a
studio since that time. At the
age of Is he decided to become
professional photographer and
for two years was president Of
the photographers association Of
the Middle Atlantic states.
The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-04-02
CONGRESSMAN POU
DIES AT CAPITAL
from page one.

Continued from page one.)
wears of Mr.. Pou's service in con-
press he has rendered faithful
service not only to his district
but to the state and to the nation
as we'll. He has been for years
one of the leaders of the house
of representatives, beloved and
admired by all who knew him on
account of his absolute honesty
and sincerity"
Pou was born in Tuskegee,
Ala, on Sept. 9, 1868, and was
educated at the University of
North Carolina. He was elected
to the 57th congress in 1901 and
served continuously in the house
thereafter.
During the latter part of the
Wilson administration Pou served
as chairman of the rules commit
tee and played an in portant part
in drafting vital legislation.