The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-07
By JOHN ADAMS

The following was written by
John Adams before he was Jailed
in HiIlsbOro, nI-EditOFs Note.
"TAYLORSYILLE," the bus stopped
1 for five minutes. I turned to
the little grey haired old woman
sitting next to me.
This is the town where they had
soldiers for fifteen months" I said.
This was our first conversation in
two hours Of riding to Chicago
from the southern Illinois coalfelds.
81 know. I read about it, You
know, hate scab. I'd sooner
die"
Don't vote for Andy. He's a
Red" Thus the opposition went
from door to door in Benld, Illinois,
fighting the possibility Of a Com
munist Alderman being elected last
April.
Andy Gricevich, three months a
member Of the Communist Party,
town football player, poet in the
Russian language, miner for fifteen
years, became the first Communist
to be elected to the town board of
Benld, southern Illinois mining
town.
1t is to be admitted that the Andy
and his comrades underestimate
the workers reaction in his favor.
But they are correcting that. Andy
will set up an advisory council.
There he will accept the issues for
which he must fight in the parlia-
ment Of the coal barons.
He is sure Of one supporting vote
Possibly two The crisis has cut
deep into the homes and lives of
these miners. Not every person in
their domain will forget the falling
top" the unbratticed cross sections
Of the mines, for their pelf. Days
at home with empty plates, slate
eyed children of their loins; have
forged fighters out of these men.
AS they spoke to their neighbors
Of these things, even without
organization, their fellows needed
and elected them.
TAYLOR SPRINGS, Illinois. A
small community, mainly NH .ers,
$50 population. Six Communists
and three militant workers rule. The
council leaders are also the men
who lead the fight in the Unem-
ployment Council. 7 saw 200 men
and women, with poor farmers and
visitors from other mining towns, at
an ordinary business meeting of
the Taylor Springs council
There had been demonstration
for relief increase that day in Hills
boro, two miles away. The officials
had fled the town. The sheriff re-
turned and regretted it! A COM
mittee of twenty women found the
mayor and kept him prisoner in his
own home, after marching him back
from his hideawayl They wanted
supper for the thousand demon
stratorsl Adjourned until the next
day, the Unemployment Councils
forced concession of their demands.
I arrived in Hillsboro, at the time
Of the demonstration. saw the
men, whom I was later to meet as
Communist city councilmen of
Taylor Springs I saw and heard
native American working women
tell the sheriff, you can't get us
supper but If you needed tear gas,
if you dared to use it, you'd know
where to get it." The crowd took
this point up. Ninety-nine percent
Of those in the demonstration raised
their hands when the speaker asked
how many were voters. They
cheered the exposures of the off,
Gals and roared at the call to put
a Workers Ticket into the field.
Frank Priskett
We went to the home of Frank
Prickett. mass leader Of the I'M
employed and Taylor Springs coun-
Gilman. Prickett is a smelter worker
unemployed for years. He and his
wife are Communists. Like the
other Party members there they did
not yet know the International!
The kids hadn't heard of the Young
Pioneers. A Communist ball player
land the team is good Two men
tried out by the Cardinals. Red
Birds, they are called, who issue the
weekly nimeographed paper Of the
town., thought the Labor Sports
Union was a good idea Rut these
men and women read the Daily
Worker and translate the Zine" into
practical, serious daily collective
work. They know the meaning of
class struggle and that is their plat
form. Bred in the traditions of
Virden, knowing the feel of troopers
bayonets, seeing men disappear in
the night who we're good union
leaders and fighters; they today are