Montana labor news., 1936-11-12
Celebrate Arkansas
Centennial 80 End
peonage' Says Group
Rockwell Kent Draws Special
Stamp for Arkansas Campaign

!
A campaign to END Peonage IN
Arkansas" was launched today by
the Workers Defense League, Off
cial defense organization to the
southern Tenant farmers Union, III
an appeal for funds to defend share
troopers and agricultural workers
arrested on various charges In the
course of the recent cotton pickers
strike and other activities of the
Union.
Linking its campaign to End Peon-
age with the celebration of Arkan-
sass Centennial, the League has IS
sued a stamp drawn by the famous
American artist, Rockwell Kent,
which depicts white and Negro
workers with bound hands and car
ries the slogan CELEBRATE AR
KANSAS CENTENNIAL - END
PEONAGE."
Reinhold Niebuhr and Joseph
Schlossberg, members of the Ma
tional Committee of the Workers
Defense League, and Aaron S. Gil
martin, Executive Secretary, signed
the appeal, which read in part;
eThe hundredth year of Arkan-
sas' Statehood has been blackened
by a reign of terror directed against
sharecroppers and agricultural
workers on the cotton plantations.
In spite of overwhelming difficulties,
the workers have formed ard main
tanned their union, and have dared
to present their demands for justice
through it. A strike last Spring re-
suited in the arrests for one charge
or another-'vagrancy, interference
with labor assault with intent to
kill-of many members of the
union. In some of these cases we
have succeeded in gaining the free
dom of the workers; a large mum
Der still remain to be tried. In some
communities the law officer and the
planter are often the same person.
Under the Arkansas laws men found
guilty of 'vagrancy' may serve out
their sentences on local plantations
at the order of the court.
THERE is A CHANCE TODAY
TO END THIS PEONAGE ONCE
AND FOR ALL A Federal Grand
Jury has indicted Paul Peachers for
aiding and abetting in slavery
| Peacher, town marshall, arrested Is
sh%arecroppers, illegally charging
them with vagrancy; he secured
their conviction with sentences of 80
days. Peachers, land owner, had
/ them work out their sentences on
his property. The disposition of this
/ case against Peachers may be deci-
sive in the fight against peonage in
z Arkansas.
: Nationwide support must be OBJ
/, tanned for the prosecution of the case
: against Peachers. A vigorous and
t immediate campaign must be
launched. To defend the s%harecrop-
S pers framed on various charges,
S competent legal defense must be Sc
Z cured. To secure indictments Of the
shameless floggers of Willie Sue
Blagden and some members OF the
f union, Investigators must be backed
in their work. Peonage in Arkansas
t is a challenge to every freedom-lov-
ing American. Workers framed or
one trumped up charge or another
must be defended if they are to have
/, the chance to win economic free
dom.
"HELP END PEONAGE IN AR
KANSAS Send today as large
contribution as possible to this cam
l. paign. Collect money from you
friends for this cause. Write urging
a vigorous prosecution of the cast
: against Peachers to Homer Cum
# mings, Attorney General of thu
United States, Washington, D. G.
t. Fred Isgrig, Federal Attorney, Fed
eral Bldg, Little Rock, Ark, Cover
nor J. Marion Futrell, Little Rock
Ark. Use the stamps on the bacl
J. Of your letters. Please make check
payable to David L. Clendenin
Treasurer"