The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-06-26
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

4 7 is no secret among the initiated that our
vast relief appropriations are in part designed
as buffer against discomfort and possible
revolution. It is the hope that the unfortunates
Of society may thus be kept more contented
with their lot
BY and large, this aim has been very salts
factOrily realized Radicalism has made little
Roadway among unemployed Americans The
overwhelming majority are primarily interested
in the return of prosperity to this country. They
have little interest in the progress of the Com
nunist experiment in Russia and even less in
having a comparable experiment worked out
here. They have shown a surprising resistance
to radical propaganda.
1t is a well-knoWn fact, indeed that not
few prominent persons engaged in raising
relief funds have deplored the surprising do
cility of the unemployed. They have privately
admitted that little rioting might help greatly
in raising more adequate funds for relief agen-
cies.
In spite of the general conservatism and re-
straint Of the vast army of the unemployed
in this country, there has been an appalling
amount Of repression and brutality visited upon
them. The public authorities seem determined
that if they feed the unemployed in order to
keep them quiet and good-natured there is
to be no manifestation of independence or crit
icism.
THIS raises the important question Of
i whether or not an American citizen shall
forfeit his fundamental rights and liberties just
because he happens to be temporarily poor and
unfortunate Are our constitutional guarantees
only for the relatively well-to-do and those for
tunate enough to hold job. Do they serve hu-
mainly as well as business?
These issues are set forth in clear and force
full fashion in publication of the American Civil
Liberties Union, entitled What Rights for the
Unemployed" The Civil Liberties Union thus
summarizes the abuses and evasions to which
the unemployed are being subjected in the
United States today:
In dozens of cities police are constantly
stationed at relief stations to prevent demOnstra
lions The record shows violent police attacks
on scores Of their protest meetings, hunger
marches and parades.
In resisting attacks by police on assem-
blageS Of the unemployed, some few instances
of desperate violence have taken place A few
! assaults on relief workers mark the record. But
/ these few cases of violence by the unemployed
stand out in sharp contrast to the violence
against them. Under great provocation they
have been on the whole restrained In clashes
between police and joblesS at least IA persons
are known to have been killed many wounded
Hundreds of arrests and prosecutions for dis
orderly conduct, rioting and disturbing the peace
| have been made from one end Of the country
/ to the other.
such severity also extends to the prosecu-
I tons to which persons arrested in demonstra-
| tons have been subjected. Not only are maxi
orderly conduct. disturbing the peace, unlawful
assembly, resisting arrest, felonious assault, as
saulting officer, rioting, melting to riot. etc.
but the courts often display an animus wholly
unrelated to the legal question at issue.
"DAST depreSsions have seen sporadic rioting
! L by hungry men, always drastically re-
! pressed. During the present long depression,
| however, the unemployed have developed organ
lied activity with tactics familiar in industrial
! disputes. And as in American industrial con-
flict, repression has been the answer Of the
authorities to the exercise of fundamental rights.
Bans against assembly, refusals OF permits
/ to speak, the Stationing of squads Of police at
relief stations, attacks by the police on peace
full meetings, clubbings. arrests, abuse of pris-
oners, infliction Of maximum sentences, prose-
cutions for criminal syndicalism or conspiracy
these have become, in relation to the activities
/ of the unemployed, nonotonously familiar"
AS relief from these assaults upon the rights
/ of Americans, the Civil Liberties Union recon-
mends the following program, which seems fail
4 and reasonable:
l. Removal Of all police from relief stations
,. Establishment Of regular complaint bureaus
at all relief stations.
3. Unrestricted right Of unemployed TO or
! ganize. meet and demonstrate.
| 4. Unrestricted right Of relief workers to or
ganze and bargain collectively.
5. No discrimination in relief against strikers
6. No denial of right to vote to recipients Of
relief.