Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-07-27
BY Kenneth Fitzgerald

over to the grand jury the state
of Oregon. is moving rapidly
forward in its attempt to smash
the militancy OF those courage.
Gus enough to fight the battle
of the working elias here. The ar,
rested workers are to be prose
cuted through the channels of
the states criminal syndicalism
law.
Wholesale arrests and wide.
spread raids have featured the
past weeks activity of the Port
land police department in a des-
perate attempt to smash the
lOngshore strike which has tied
up this city tight" for the past
10 weeks.
The first raid was on the Mar
inc workers Industrial Union
which had been loud in its de-
mand for Il general walkOut. Lit
craturc was seized and a few ar
rests made by the raiders.
Poliece Confiscate Literature
\ few hours later a squad of
police descended upon the Com
munist Party headquarters in
the Mulkcy building where ~
persons were arrested and guam
titles of literature cOnfiscated.
Following. in rapid fire order,
the police SwOOpCd down upon
the Unemployed Unity Center,
confiscating typewriter and
literature in the office of the
Civic Emergency Federation and
searching the offices of all other
unemployed groups in the build
ing, ransacked the office of the
LID, and COnfiscated several ar
ticlcs of value in the local head
quarters of the National Lumber
Workers Union office.
All groups raided were label
ed by the police and by the local
press as Subsidiary units" of the
Communist party which was
held responsible for the mill
fancy of the striking lOngshore-
men here, The mayor and the
chief of police made no bones
about the strike crisis being the
cause of the raids on the head.
quarters OF all militant organ
i2ations in the city. They openly
admitted it.
Judge Uses Hitler Gag
In his statement biding the
militant workers to the grand
jury Judge Henrickson said:
I'VE have to consider condi.
lions in Portland at this time.
They have gone beyond the
stage al academic theory. Losses
are running up into millions of
dollars and a general strike has
been threatened.
persons in authority have
stated that a general strike is
the equivalent of industrial re-
"Thc court feels it is unjust to
put all the blame on the COM
but communism is an
melting and aggravating force
which has engendered bitterness
and extended the duration of
the strike"
One of the 3 LID defense at
torneys, appearing on behalf of
the defendants, replied, That,
your honor, is exactly what Hit
Ter said in Germany when he
came to power"
A significant element in the
IerrOristic campaign of the DO
ice is that not only communists
but all militant workers who
have been active in Portland
we're subjected to arrest.
workers Flood Town with
Leaflets
The reign of terror" however.
although striking viciOusly. did
lot demOralize the ranks of the
PORTLAND workers. Rapidly and
Systematically, mimeOgraph ma
'hines, typewriters, office euuip-
nent. etc, had been moved Out !
If all the offices and hidden Just |
)rlOr to the raids. Consequently,
Chief of Police Lawson
)oasted that no more leaflets
would appear on the city streets
he entire town was plastered
With protest leaflets before
Among this deluge of leaflets
vas an official statement from
he Portland Section of the Com.
Party.
New Quarters for LID
The LID, however, has been
'Vlcted from its former quarters
~ the management of the build.
n gin which it has maintained
headquarters. Consequently, ac-
Ording to Mary GOold, section
organizer here, the defense Or
'anizatiOn will establish tempo
airy headquarters at the In
Unity Center, 6S West
Alder street.
Plans are going forward rap
dly for a tremendous united
rOnt defense of the workers now
leld for the grand jury.
At the preliminary hearing in
ienricksOn's court the room was
lacked to such an, extent by
workers and sympathizers that