The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-28
By JOHN L. sPTvAK

TULSA, Okla. - American
Federation of Labor officials
and organizers have been and
are still using appeals to pa
triotism and accusations of
Red to keep the very restless
workers here and in the oil fields
in line.
The leader Of the flag waving is
one Wildcat Williams, college man,
lawyer, chemist, gunman and A. F.
Of L. organizer in % counties for the
Oil Field, Gas Well and Refinery
Workers Of America. 1t was Wildcat
Williams who, unknown even now
to oil workers, organized" hundreds
Of unemployed men and women a
little over a year ago. when they
threatened to seize warehouses con-
tanning food supplies, in order ito
keep them down" as he expressed 1t
to me. He was asked to do this BY
leading Tulsa citizens" who put an
unlimited fund at his disposal when
rebellion threatened TO break out.
Wildcat did not name the leading
citizens when he told me about It.
He did however, say that he drew
about $4,000 during that period and
which was never accounted for. It
didn't get paid for that" he said
Whenever I needed money I lust
asked for it, and it always came
through"
When Wildcat was Organizing
the unemployed who were demand
ing food he was not an A. F. of L.
representative. But 1t is significant,
I think, that just about that period
he and Judge G. Ed. Warren, presi-
dent Of the Oklahoma State Fedora
ton of Labor became fast friends.
Since the unemployed we're kept
from Selling warehouses land going
haywire," to use another of Wildcats
expressions, by being put to work at
odd jobs raising food, chopping
wood, which was exchanged for
foodstuffs, etc. Judge Warren is be-
ing run for mayor here on the Dem
ocratic ticket and Wildcat Will
liams was appointed international
representative for the oil workers
union by the A. F. of L.
Though oil workers do not know
at whose request Wildcat suddenly
became a defender" of the unem-
ployed and now an organizer for
their union. the workers feel that
they are not getting any advantages
by being members of the A. F. of L. /
union. Dissatisfied factions who rise /
at meetings demanding an explana-
ton of the unions inactivity are
hushed either by a patriotic appeal 1
to be patient or accused of being
reds" and threatened with a gun
that Wildcat usually places on the
table in front of him when a meet |
ing starts.
Wildcat is really his name. One
fourth Cherokee Indian, he had |
been educated in a government In
dian school, went to East Texas Col /
lege for year, studied law through |
a correspondence course and passed /
the bar examinations, was abroad in .
the war and returned to work in re-
fneries from the lowest Job to super
intendent. Since his return from .
France, he has developed and nur-
tured the reputation of being an
Oklahoma bad man." He carries q (
Smith and Wesson SO and upon the 4
slightest provocation, or no provoca-
ton, pulls it out and shoots couple
of bullets through the nearest wall
or ceiling.
THE oil union headquarters here at
L 400 East Second Street is very
thoroughly perforated, both ceiling
plays.
Did you ever shoot anybody" I
asked.
mo, I had a couple of shooting
affairs with some reds but no one
got hurt But I've been in 70 pistol
whippings."
"a pistol whipping occurs when
a man has the draw on another one
and beats him over the head with
the muzzle of the gun. The attacked
man dare not reach for his own gun
if he has one because then he'll be
"shot in elf-defense')
Then why shoot holes through
perfectly good lunber?" / asked.
TITS like this. These unemployed
or bunch of reds hollering about
the union come in here all hot and /
bothered. listen to them and when
I've heard enough I pull my gun
like this"
Out came his gun and two bullets
whizzed over my head and passed on
through the wall. When the detona-
tion had died down. | said.