The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-07-28
The MIRA TqVo>Gun Policy
In MINNEAPOLIS

DEARING olive branches and mounting
ID sweet hypocritical phrases about peace
and justice, the Reverend Francis J. Haas
and E. H. Dunnegan, missionaries of the
n. R. A., entered the strike area of Mime
apolis.
But behind the olive branches there
cleaned the ugly, cold steel bayonets Of the Ma
tional Guard.
The Roosevelt government now chiefly occupied
in the art of breaking is applying to strikes
a quite similar strategy to that applied by Amer-
can imperialism in the invasion and footing Of
colonial territories.
First come the missionaries with cruclfx m
hand to convert the natives" then come the troops
to shot them down.
It's this two-gun policy OF peace that the Mn
neapolis workers are confronted with today.
The Roosevelt Mediation Board laid down the
plan for the smashing of the strike through the
arbitration joker; now the troops are in town to
see that the plan is carried out
Vertable martial law has been declared by the
Farmer Labor Governor Olson. military die
tatorshp, headed by the saber, rafting General
Ellard A. Walsh, exists in the city OF Minneapolis
The courts the police Department the very life of
the city is now under complete control Of group
of cut-throat army officers.
Military courts nave Oeen planned, Wnere
workers will be tried in terse court martial proceed
ings and flungg into prison with no opportunity for
adequate defense. The provost marshal is ruling
the roost while the mediation board urges the work
ers to quit their good strike and rely on the N.
R. A. to settle matters.
And how does the n R. A. propose to settle
matters? BY herding the strikers back to work and
then to arbitrate through a so-called impartial
board composed Of friends Of the employers This
is the way the N. R. A. has broken every strike
where it has had its way.
Demands of workers are not won after the
strike is over. Demands are won only be nego-
tiating an agreement while the workers are on the
streets,
Arbitration boards are not set up to help work
ers win their strikes They are set UP to break
strikes.
The workers Of Minneapolis must see to it that
all negotiations are conducted directly with the en-
ployers by a rank and file committee elected by the
strikers. These negotiations must be carried on
NOW when the workers are on strike and not to-
morrow after they have returned to work.
IN proclaiming martial law, Governor Olson said
he did it 'in order to protect the citizens"
What citizens is the governor protectng2
He is protecting that minority of citizens, the
bosses, the bankers, the rich coupon clippers The
National Guard was called to protect the profits
Of the capitalists Troops in Minneapolis to
beat down the living standards of the people who
work and produce the necessities Of life.
'T hope the strike negotiations will continue
and that settlement may be arranged by Father
Haas and E. H. Dunnigan at the earliest pos
sible moment" said Governor Olson, after the
troops had taken control Of the city-after they
had begun to move trucks and protect scabs and
strike breakers.
The settlement that the Governor is suggest
ing is complete surrender b the employers