The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-16
Stone Dust
en- CeS
Barre, Vt.
Workers Look to C. P.
Leadership for
Struggle
By a WOrker Correspondent

BY Worker Correspondent
BARRE, Vt.-Barre, Vermont, lies
in the hills to the north, surrounded
by extraordinary scenic b eauty
Above, and overlooking the city
stands an imposing brick building
which looks like a country club
Ask a native of Barre what this
place is and he will say that s
where we go to stay awhile before
we get buried" Such grim com
mentary is common here. For the
stone cutters of Barre living today
will all be gone in 10 years, unless
steps are taken to change the sit
uation.
In 1924 the average life ex-
pectsncy was SIS, while today it is
"a. This is accounted for by the
introduction Of speed-up and mod
ern machinery which does not carry
h e alt h safeguarding equipment.
Wherever one goes in Barre, in
homes, in the park, one sees the
ghosts of once sturdy and active
men, skeletons, stopped and in a
daze, walking toward their graves.
Sucking dense clouds of stone dust
and iron chips into their lungs, they
at last carry in their chests two
solid rocks, and their breath stops.
Such is the fate of a whole city,
for most men of Barre cut stone,
and their sons after them will cut
stone. Their fathers died as they
are dying. And this is one of the
most BEAUTIFUL and naturally
healtbful spots on earth where
longevity of life is so common
among other workers.
A Great Strike
Last year there was a great strike
in Barre. The city was solid for
the strike, even to the small bust
nessmen. The powerfully intrenched
Rock of Ages Corp. called upon
Governor Wilson for troops. Of
course the governor complied. With
the troops came imported scabs.
Terror on an ambitious and sys-
tematic scale reigned in Barre. Chill
dren leaving school were attacked
with gas bombs. Housewives were
chased into their homes at the
points of drawn revolvers.
One local national guardsman was
forced to defend his little gas sta
ton with lead pipe against the
outside troops. The militant strikers
fought day after day on the streets
to maintain their picket lines. The
Barre strike was a partial victory
and the militant and united front
spirit remains today, as a result Of
the big strike.
Party Influence Growing
These radicalized workers have
formed a branch of the Interna-
tional Labor Defense, and Unit
of the Communist Party. Both
are preparing for the next strike
which everyone expects in The
Spring.
So strong has become the influ-
ence of the Party and the I. L. D
in this proletarian city that loca,
politicians have approached com
rades asking for the backing of the
Party in the local elections. Of
course the local comrades will moi
back these politicians. In fact the
comrades are exposing them as They
have exposed Sam Squibb, labor
faker and International president Of
the Granite Cutters Internationa.
Association.
Last Saturday when the union;
held their annual parade and pic
mic, the I. L. D. stole the parade. ;
to quote number of observers
Fully a third of the line of march
was composed of our comrades anc
close sympathizers.
Daily Workers are sold on the
streets OF Barre. The I. L. D. meet.
ings and social events are well at.
tended. And the Party member.
are everywhere accepted and re.
spected by the rank and file o.
union workers, which means mos
Of the people of Barre.
Thomas Boyd, of South Wood.
stock, is running for governor or
the Communist ticket. The STATE
authorities, seeking to keep us OH
the ballot, require that we collect
a number of signatures equal to one
per cent Of the states population
which is a big order to fill for oul
small numbers. Also, the law re-
quires that each signature be at
tested by a notary, which means
that the comrades must first be-
come notary publics before collect
ing signatures.
1t is a common occurrence while
out collecting signatures to have q
worker say NO when we first ask
for his signature, and to reach out
for q, pen when We explain that
Boyd is the Communist candidate.
The red scare has no edge in
Barre. The Barre workers know
that the Communist movement is
growing rapidly in this city, where
the Party has been but a short time
and far from being frightened they
welcome us. One thing further is
quite certain, if the Barre company
of National Guard is called upon
for strike duty here or elsewhere in
the state, they will not serve as
strikebreakers, and also the bosses
need not look for scabs in Barre.
N. Sparks, District Organizer OF
the Communist Party; T h o m a $
Boyd, candidate for governor, and
local comrades will speak in Barre
on Saturday, Aug. 10.
JACK WILGUS,