The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-24
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Farmers
Robbed Of Their Homes, Wage Fight
And Learn the Value Of Organization
rs YIN p ath etic" Gov.
PinchOt Sends
Troopers

for us to know that. He repeated it
half a dozen times. It was the subj
stance Of his conversation. What
does the Governor propose to do?
The Governor will send kilograms
to the County Commission and to
ex-senator Grundy. why Grundy?)
That's all the Governor can do.
"You could call martial law and
stop the sales" somebody in the
back said.
mo, couldn't that" He smiled.
'You certainly have the author
ity."
The only time I ever called mar
tial law was to protect a group OF
strikers in Western PENNSYLVANIA"
Governor Pinchot said. Il can't
send the state troopers in there
except in case of violence"
Violence is likely if they try to
go through with the sales" I said.
Il have sworn an oath of office.
young man. would advise strongly
against violence" he said sharply.
The county will call in state
troopers anyway"
ooh no. 1 can guarantee you thev
won't. Now that is nv department. :"
He took down the sums for which
those present we're delinquent. Joe
TENN said he's paid up and the
Governor was surprised to see him
there. Joe said, This organization
has been accused of advising people
against paying their taxes. I want
you to know that those of us who
can, do. But those who can't should
not be made to lose their one means
of livelihood"
81 am in wholehearted sympathy
with them" Pinchot said.
Joe's phraseology must have i'm
pressed the Governor because on
our way to Doylstown next morning
we read the wire he had sent to
Grumpy in the Philadelphia Record.
Il urge you most earnestly to exert
your influence with the County
Commiss oners to save the farms
and homes of these Bucks County
people. The Governor has no power
in this matter, but the Attorney
General assures me there is full
legal authority to put off this sale.
1t is by no reason that American
citizens should lose their homes and
means of livelihood for such pitt
fully small sums. In the name of
humanity this sale should be
stopped, at least until an effort can
be made to secure Federal help
!
Troopers With Riot Sticks
did not expect the farmers to
make much of a showing in the
courthouse that morning. The 1892
adjournment had accomplished its
aim of splitting the ranks. For
most of them it was impossible TO
get to Doylestown. And although
they would have backed resistance
to sheriffing, physical eviction Of
the 1900 families was two years off.
At least Pinchot had promised
there would be no state troopers.
The first thing we saw in Doyles-
| town was q patrol of state troopers
on the main street. went into the
courtroom and strung along the
back aisles was line Of state
troopers. They had long lead-tipped
riot sticks. I went into the jury
rooms and both were filled with
plainclothesmen. The local cops
lolled in the corridors. Everybody
was worried.
Farmers filtered slowly into the
courtroom Some saw the sct-up
and went home. Five minutes be-
fore the sale was scheduled to
start there weren't more than $50
| farmers in the house IT would have
been suicide to start anything.
Someone popped rubber band or
something and every eve turned in
his direction One by one the dicks
emerged from the jury room and
seated themselves in the crowd
said to the side of beef who had
the earmarks Of q sergeant. I'm
from such and such a paper. DO
you expect any trouble?"
Maybe. If ANYTHING happens we
go to work on that guy. see? He's
the agitator' He pointed to Lem
Harris.
I walked outside and saw a tour
ing car pulled up. Several people
clustered around it end the driver
chased them Off. The car was full
of ammunition. I came back to the
courtroom.
No one uttered sound. The
farmers already knew nothing
could be done, but officials still ex-
pected trouble.
Tho Farmers Learn . Lesson
FINALLY the troopers tilted their
CO. sticks at more menacing angle.
and the county people filed in;
Lands. tho CRAWLING tree s,lrer the
recorder. the crier, the two stooge
commissioners and the mcstodon
Roberts. All around. lawyers. They
mumbled, clustered, made an apollo
Getic speech about misrepresenta-
tions and settled down to the bust
ness of the dav. The recorder would
read off mans name. the sum
he owed then say SOLD, County
Commissioners. Another man.
standing behind him. would sffix
stamp. 1900 farms sold at the rate
of ten minute Angelo Ashton.
Bennett, Boyer, Brsnnigan, Con-
wav
When tfev were through. we
scattered slowly and those of us
who had been on the delegations
met again on the lawn. They had
shown their teeth and the farmers
had seen their weakness. but they
had seen their strength, too. The
thousands whose hcmes had been
saved nv the odin,ir,,r,e,,t tror,