Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-09-07

to smash the militaney OF Port
lands marine and dock workers.
The attempt appears to be
bearing little fruit. Swiftly and
effectively the rank and file OF
all local marine unions are be-
ing drawn together as the force
of events prove to them the ne
cessity OF labor solidarity. Over
the strenuous opposition OF GER
tain lila leaders and attorneys
strong unity of opinion is be-
ing formulated here between
the local sections of the lila and
the MWIU. This trend is due to
the ruthless campaign of the
government and the employers
against all militant marine
workers, regardless of their af-
filiations. Consequently dissem-
nation of the red scare has lost
its power over the minds of
Portland workers.
Attack MwIU
The first attack of the Offic-
ials here, it will be remembered,
was levelled against the Mar
inc Workers Industrial Union
in the early part of the strike.
After a raid by a group OF vigil
antes the MWIU hall was brok-
en- into twice by the police and
nine marine workers were az
rested. Charges of Criminal Syn
dicalism were placed against
them and these workers are still
in the county Jail awaiting a
hearing before the Grand Jury.
In binding them over to the
Grand Jury before whom they
appeared made the following
significant statement:
I'VE have to consider cOndi-
lions in Portland at this time.
They have gone beyond the stage
of academic theory.
Losses are running up into
millions of dollars and general
strike has been threatened.
Persons in authority have
stated that a general strike is
the equivalent of industrial re-
volution."
Comenting then on the dan
gers of Communism Herr Judge
began to warm up to his subject.
Judge Rants
The Communists were bad,
they were dangerOus-that he
knew! These men, however, these
marine workers were worse. At
ter all the Communists simply
laid out the lines of revolution
and philosophical on the final
outcome. But these marine
workers were actually out doing
something. They were on the
picket lines. They were on strike.
they were responsible for millions
of dollars in financial loss. And
to speak of civil rights so far as
they were concerned was to dab
BILE in vague meaningless rhet-
Oric.
This statement of fascist poll
cy had a powerful effect in open
ing the eyes of local rank and file
lOngshOremen and seamen who
had hitherto believed them
selves fighting the waterfront
employers alone. The Courts and
the municipal authorities, they
had believed, were impartial"
Now, however, they began to see
things in their true light. They
began to see that the crime of
crimes wasn't just in being a
red" that the greatest offense
was in being a militant worker.
Formerly only the MWIU had
suffered the lash OF the authOri-
ties whip. The Mayor, the local
press, the ALL leadership, hys-
terically to the MWIU, and
shouting Communism"
Company Union Man Killed
Suddenly, however, there was a
rapid shift of events. The lila
men, infuriated by the antics and
delays of the presidents media
ton board, were cOnstnatly be-
coming more militant.
A few weeks ago, during the
clash between LILA members and
company union scabs-the hos
tilities caused by breach of ag-
reement on the part of employ
ers in hiring non union men to
the exclusion of union workers,
member of the company union
was shot and killed. The scabs
had barricaded themselves in
their own hall and, Immediately
after the shooting, set up the