A valuable month-by-month summary of 1934’s events, including the killing of 57 strikers, the lynching of 27 Black workers, as well as victories in campaigns.

‘It Happened in 1934: Terror, Action, and Victory’ from Labor Defender. Vol. 11 No. 1. January, 1935.

This is not a complete summary. It mentions only the high-lights, the outstanding examples of terror, action and victory.

TERROR

57 Killed in economic struggles 24 Lynched Over 5,000 arrested for strike activity

Against Strikers

MINNESOTA: Two killed. 4,000 National Guards mobilized to break strike of 40,000 truck drivers and building trades workers. Hundreds injured, including 15 women. Troops raid union hall, arrest dozens of pickets. Send them to stockade.

OHIO: Two killed. Over 3,000 arrests in Toledo. Additional troops poured into city to augment 4,000 militia. Poison gases used. Pickets, numbering as high as 40,000 at times, defended themselves heroically. Hundreds wounded by bayonets and tear gas.

ALABAMA: Nine KILLED during ore mine strikes. Many wounded and arrested. National Guard called out supplemented by cavalry and airplanes.

CALIFORNIA: Five KILLED. 350 arrested, 150 beaten in San Pedro during long shore strike. Headquarters of strike committee and union raided five times. Total number arrested during first six months of year 1500. 459 arrested in San Francisco during marine and general strike. 62 homes smashed, 112 families driven from their homes. 14 ordered deported. Vigilantes raid, smash all workers’ headquarters.

GEORGIA: Three KILLED. Hundreds wounded during textile strike. More than 200 arrested; 150, including 20 women, held in first American concentration camp. Two girls in Atlanta arrested for distributing leaflets on picket line, charged and held in jail under same slave law used against Herndon. strike leaders in Shannon, rounded up by vigilantes, run out of town and threatened with death on return. 500 militia men take over Rome during foundry strike. Entire National Guard mobilized in textile strike.

TEXAS: Two KILLED during longshore strike. 20 Mexican sheep shearers held in jail. Charge “unlawful assembly” for trying to organize.

PENNSYLVANIA: Three KILLED. Hundreds arrested during textile strike and knit goods strike. Machine guns trained from roof of Campbell Soup Factory on 2,000 strikers. 20 scabs deputized and armed.

NORTH CAROLINA: One KILLED, many wounded, mass arrests during textile strike totaling over 200. 15 companies of infantry and cavalry under orders. Armed deputies rove through state. 2 strikers now serving chain-gang sentences for resisting attack when they returned to work after strike was broken. Seven pickets arrested at Spindale for halting freight train carrying scab goods.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Seven KILLED, dozens wounded during textile strike. Entire National Guard on duty. 21 companies of infantry and cavalry under orders. Martial law declared.

RHODE ISLAND: Three KILLED, hundreds arrested, entire National Guard out, martial law declared, all Communists in state ordered arrested by governor during textile strike.

WISCONSIN: Three KILLED, mass arrests during Kohler and Milwaukee street car strikes. Four beaten and arrested during Seaman Auto Body strikes.

LOUISIANA: Two KILLED during longshore strike. Scores wounded. 300 arrested in one week during police attack on picket lines in New Orleans and Houston. 14 seamen held under New Orleans “dangerous and suspicious persons” ordinance for strike against Seaman’s Institute.

NEW YORK: Police and deputy sheriffs open fire on Buffalo picket line of 9,000 before Curtis Aeronautical company. One woman, one child and two men shot. Over 100 arrested during New York City taxi strike.

Against the Unemployed

COLORADO: Two shot, 16 arrested in Denver during police attack on FERA relief strikers.

ILLINOIS: 36 arrested before Chicago relief stations. Six Negro and white workers sentenced to 1-5 years in penitentiary, plus $750 fines for participating in demonstration at Oakwood. Charged with “attempt at murder and conspiracy.”

OHIO: Two killed, one a Negro woman picketing Cleveland relief station. Cleveland police attack demonstration of 2500 demanding relief. Women and children slugged. Four members of Wauseon Unemployment Council arrested on assault charges. “It would be dangerous,” said the judge, “for these organizers of the workers to go free during the coming winter.”

NEW YORK: 13 arrested, 20 injured when police charged demonstration before Department of Welfare. One cop fired into crowd. 13 arrested charged with “inciting to riot.” Three others arrested on same charge for protesting arrest of the 13. 100 arrested in Albany during Hunger March. 60 injured.

MINNESOTA: 37, including duly elected committee of 23, arrested in Minneapolis during protest demonstration of 20,000 demanding relief and reopening of CWA projects. Sentences running to 90 days in the work-house handed down.

PENNSYLVANIA: 12 sentenced to one year and heavy fines in Rankin. Charge: “Inciting to riot, assault and battery.” Eight arrested at East Liberty for leading demonstration of 500 to demand relief. Five arrested at relief station, three at police station demanding release of other five. Phil Frankfeld, unemployed leader, sentenced to 2-4 years in Blawnox for organizing resistance of unemployed against evictions and foreclosures.

Against Farmers and Agricultural Workers

CALIFORNIA: Mass arrests totaling over 400 in Imperial Valley alone during strike of lettuce and pea pickers. I.L.D. attorneys, newspaper men, other prominent individuals sent in to investigate the terror kidnapped, and beaten by vigilantes and thrown into jail. Vigilantes break into homes of workers, torture prisoners on chain gang and in jail. Vigilantes open fire on Filipino agricultural strikers at Salinas. Rain of bullets continued for 15 minutes. Picket line of 25 attacked by deputies. One woman killed when vigilantes set fire to Filipino camp. Three who defended themselves arrested and put in county jail. 30 workers living in one camp house ordered, at point of gun, to leave region for good. 350 armed vigilantes attack camp of 1,000 striking pea pickers at El Centro. Beat women and children. San Diego and Mexican authorities join hands in mass deportation of Mexican ag workers and leaders of strike. Anti-picketing ordinance passed in Sacramento carrying penalties as high as $500 fine and 6 months’ imprisonment. $500-$1,000 rewards posted for surrender of strike leaders throughout Imperial Valley. Emma Cutler, I.L.D. organizer, gets six months for vagrancy, 2 hours after she arrives in valley.

INDIANA: Alfred Tiala, secretary U.F.L., arrested, held in $5,000 bond for leading farmers against foreclosure. Sentenced to six months.

SOUTH DAKOTA: 17 farmers jailed for “rioting” at Sisseton, two weeks after putting evicted farmer back on his land. Civil injunction against 92 others prohibiting any protest movement, collection of funds for defense of 17, or distributing any defense literature.

NEBRASKA: Mother Bloor and five other farm leaders sentenced to 30 days and $100 fine for assisting creamery strikers.

NEW JERSEY: Attacks by vigilante Minute Men and deputies against strikers on Seabrook Farms. Dozens arrested, clubbed, beaten. Women and children attacked with tear gas and nausea gas. Summary sentences handed out in the office of Mr. Seabrook, owner of the farm, turned into courtroom by justice of the peace.

ARKANSAS: Member Share Croppers Union killed by landlord. Sheriff complimented murderer on “good job.”

Against Anti-fascists

MASSACHUSETTS: 21 arrested and given sentences totaling 93 months and $210 fines for activity in demonstration against Nazi cruiser Karlsruhe in Boston Harbor, and official welcome to its crew.

PENNSYLVANIA: Two in Philadelphia receive one year sentences, four others six months each for picketing others six months each for picketing German consulate, demanding freedom of Ernst Thaelmann. 13 held for grand jury in Philadelphia. Charge: “Breach of peace and inciting to riot,” for carrying a sign in demonstration reading, “NRA Breeds War and Fascism.”

WISCONSIN: John Piasecki died as result of injuries received at hands of Milwaukee police during protest demonstration aiming to prevent Hans Luther from speaking.

Against the Negro People

ALABAMA: White Legion proposes bill to protect the courts “and the laws of the state against a repetition of that which happened in the Scottsboro case at Huntsville and Decatur and what happened in Tuscaloosa in the Harden Pippen cases. In other words a bill which would make it impossible for an out of the state lawyer to practise in the state of Alabama to the extent of embarrassing our courts and juries.” Police and vigilantes break up I.L.D. picnic in Birmingham with machine guns and hand grenades and threats to shoot all on grounds. Two arrested.

Night riders pin notices on homes of Share Croppers Union members; “Take notice. If you want to do well and have a healthy life you better leave the Share Croppers Union.”

TEXAS: “You’ll talk or we’ll knock your head in.” With this threat two deputies secured frame-up evidence against Henry Teal, Negro, sentenced to 50 years, charged with “killing white CWA foreman.” Frank Frisby, 27 years old, Negro, murdered in courtroom before 1500 spectators. Murdered by nephew of man alleged to have died from buck shot charge fired from doorway of Frisby’s home when he went there to collect $3.00 debt.

MISSISSIPPI: O.G. Brown, Negro boy, sentenced to die for alleged theft of $1.85. Bill introduced into state senate to make every Negro hanging a public holiday under threat of rope and faggot lynchings instead. Senator Collins, author of bill, relative of a girl supposed to have been attacked by three Negroes indicted, tried and sentenced to death in less than 24 hours, stated: “I believe if the legislature passes this bill, my family will sign a statement agreeing to let the law take its course.” All three Negroes executed.

GEORGIA: Three Negroes killed, two reported murdered, two held in jail, six beaten severely and homes of 14 burned to the ground, in reign of landlord terror around Bartow. Men of Justice, “a white man’s organization for the white men of America” formed in Atlanta. Its program states “We believe that there are very serious problems now facing our white race and that these problems are being intensified by Communism…There is a place for every race. Let every race stay in its place.”

ACTION

JANUARY

I.L.D. calls on all members and branches to intensify fight to free Mooney and Billings and organize support of Mooney-Molders Defense Committee petition move for habeas corpus writ from U.S. Supreme Court.

I.L.D. mobilizes nation wide protest movement demanding immediate release of Dimitrov, Torgler, Taneff and Popoff acquitted by Nazi courts in Reichstag fire frame-up.

FEBRUARY

Western Regional Anti-Lynch conference held in San Jose, Cal. 136 delegates, representing 78,000 from 11 states present.

Leo Gallagher, immediately upon his return to this country from the Reichstag Fire Trial goes to Canada to act as advisory council in the defense of A. E. Smith, Secretary C.L.D.L.

MARCH

I.L.D. cables greetings to Dimitrov and his comrades in Moscow “AMERICAN WORKERS GREET YOU AND PLEDGE INTENSIFIED STRUGGLE FOR THE RELEASE OF THAELMANN TORGLER AND ALL CLASS WAR PRISONERS.”

Bernard Ades, I.L.D. attorney, and D. C. Morgan, testify before House of Representatives Committee of Immigration and Naturalization bringing forward C.P.F.B. bill for the right of asylum of foreign born.

Milwaukee I.L.D. appeals revocation of Emil Gardos’ citizenship as attempt to dictate political convictions and activities of all foreign born.

Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia I.L.D. organize city wide mass demonstrations demanding freedom of Ernst Thaelmann. I.L.D. mobilizes nation wide Thaelmann protest actions demanding right of foreign doctors to examine him, foreign lawyers to interview him and to participate in trial as defense council.

I.L.D. issues 150,000 stamps to raise funds for Austrian anti-fascists. Several districts organize tag days to raise additional funds.

New York I.L.D. initiates campaign for removal of Judge Corrigan who sentenced Michael Hagopa, beaten during Needles Trades demonstration and arrested for 1st degree assault. 3 year sentence given by Corrigan, “to make an example of him and put an end to protest telegrams.”

Philadelphia I.L.D. organizes joint defense committee with 4,000 knit goods strikers, each shop electing defense captain.

New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Jersey City, hold Scottsboro-Thaelmann protest meetings as part of Mrs. Wright- Leo Gallagher tour.

Mass march from every part of Oregon to Salem to demand release of Jordon from the Supreme Court and governor organized by I.L.D.

APRIL

Delegation representing 8 organizations call on Polish Embassy in Washington demanding release of 57 Lutsk prisoners.

Pittsburgh I.L.D. organizes wide campaign demanding release of James Egan, steel workers leader, and Phil Frankfeld, leader of unemployed.

I.L.D. demonstration before New York Cuban consulate demands release of 5,000 Cuban political prisoners.

Chicago I.L.D. announces defense of 325 workers from Sept. 1933 to March 1934. All freed except 2 whose cases are on appeal.

I.L.D. issues 150,000 protest postcards demanding release of Angelo Herndon. Cards addressed to President Roosevelt and Georgia State Supreme Court.

MAY

Wm. L. Patterson, National Secretary I.L.D. defies immigration authorities and appears in Canada to address thousands in Toronto May Day mass meeting.

Five Scottsboro mothers lead May Day parade of 100,000 in New York City.

Buffalo I.L.D. organizes protest meeting of over 7,000 protesting shooting of aeronautical strikers on picket lines.

JUNE

I.L.D. celebrates 9th anniversary by series of mass meetings, delegations to visit prisoners and prison wardens.

Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Detroit I.L.D. participate in picketing of Nazi consulates demanding freedom of Ernst Thaelmann.

Wm. L. Patterson addresses National Convention of Cuban I.L.D.

Bill of Civil Rights for Negro people and the Suppression of Lynching drawn up by the L.S.N.R. and endorsed by the I.L.D.

Mother of Julio Mella joins in protest for Scottsboro boys, “I call on all, in memory of my son, to join this fight.”

JULY

Nation-wide I.L.D. demonstrations, picket-lines, delegations before German consulates, demanding release of Ernst Thaelmann.

Scottsboro Mothers send appeal to International Women’s Congress Against War and Fascism in Paris.

I.L.D. joins with A.C.L.U. and other defense organizations in setting up joint committee for workers’ rights to organize protest and defense of west coast strikers.

AUGUST

California: 30 prisoners including two women organize hunger strike pro- testing against exorbitant bail and resulting continued imprisonment without trial. I.L.D. organizes nation-wide protest and support of arrested.

Triumphant demonstrations greet Angelo Herndon in all cities along route of train bringing him to New York.

SEPTEMBER

Haywood Patterson sends condolences to Tom Mooney on death of his mother.

80 prominent intellectuals and trade union leaders endorse protest of I.L.D. on terror against textile strike.

I.L.D. leads trade union delegation to Department of Labor in Washington demanding end of black-listing, discrimination against militant textile strikers and immediate release of all arrested.

OCTOBER

I.L.D. calls for nation-wide solidarity campaign with the thousands of victims of Spanish fascism.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 27th set as Scottsboro protest day in Cuba by Cuban I.L.D.

United Front Scottsboro Conference held in New Orleans. Secretary of local S.P. and many prominent Negro ministers and professionals endorse call. Similar conferences initiated by I.L.D. held in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, New York.

Delegation of prominent Negro and white liberals go to Washington demanding President Roosevelt’s intervention in Scottsboro case.

I.L.D. pushes nation-wide intensification of fight to win complete freedom for Tom Mooney as U.S. Supreme Court issues order on California State officials for writ of habeas corpus.

Nov. 26th to Dec. 2nd declared National Scottsboro week.

I.L.D. mobilizes 17 national and local organizations in a drive to secure intensive protest action against reign of terror in Spain.

I.L.D. files Norris brief with U.S. Supreme Court.

DECEMBER

Dec. 10th to 16th set aside as national week of collections for the victims of white terror in Spain.

I.L.D. files Patterson brief with U. S. Supreme Court.

VICTORY

BUFFALO: 11 Aero-Works strikers free by I.L.D.

TOLEDO: Mass defense in jail courtyard frees anti-fascist arrested at Free Thaelmann demonstration.

NEW YORK: I.L.D. obtains stay of execution for Haywood Patterson and Clarence Norris, for Feb. 8, 1935 as appeals to U. S. Supreme Court proceed.

KENTUCKY: Full pardon for Wm. Burnett, Harlan County miner, framed on murder charges in 1931, won by the I.L.D. I.L.D. branch in Pineville traveled thousands of miles over state gathering signatures for pardon petition.

NEW YORK: David Marcus, first deputy commissioner, department of correction forced to grant the right of political prisoners on Welfare Island, Raymond Street and other city jails, to receive LABOR DEFENDER, DAILY WORKER, and other working class literature.

OREGON: Governor Meier forced to appoint commission to investigate Jordon case. Continued mass actions wins commutation to life sentence for Jordon.

NEW YORK: Walter H. Pollak, brilliant constitutional authority who won first Scottsboro legal appeal to Supreme Court, agrees to take case before Supreme Court a second time.

CONNECTICUT: I.L.D. campaign forces release of Clifford Horton, 28 year old Negro worker, framed on rape charge. Simultaneously I.L.D. wins re- lease of Russell Danielson, Donald Wiley, U.F.L. organizer, and Joe West, I.L.D. Secretary on charges of sedition and breach of the peace.

CALIFORNIA: 373 of those arrested during Frisco general strike unconditionally released without trial.

ALABAMA: I.L.D. forces release of Fred Bedel, Negro worker, charged with criminal anarchy and forced judge to declare that the Southern Worker and its contents are not illegal. NEW YORK: Angelo Herndon released on bail. Bail fund of $15,000 raised by I.L.D. oversubscribed by $3,000.

CALIFORNIA: Working class organizations break through the terror in San Francisco. Hold meetings despite vigilante threats. Issue special editions of the Western Worker. Pack the courtrooms during trials of those arrested.

ALABAMA: Re-hearing of Scottsboro case granted by Alabama Supreme Court. And stay of execution from Aug. 31st won pending decision on motion for re-hearing.

MICHIGAN: James Victory acquitted after splendid I.L.D. campaign to smash Jim Crow drive in Detroit with Victory as the first victim.

NEW YORK: Committee for Protection of Foreign halts deportation of 3 militant workers to Finland and Sweden.

ALBANY: All 100 arrested hunger marchers unconditionally released and given permit to parade to Capitol steps.

NEW YORK: I.L.D. sends $1,000 raised by Spanish section in N.J. to Spain to aid victims.

PHILADELPHIA: Hundreds crowding Philadelphia court room forced complete release of 46 knit goods strikers arrested in police attack on picket line.

OREGON: Farrar and Berglund, unemployed leaders of Portland, released and saved from heavy fines and long sentences for leading demonstration of unemployed, by I.L.D. mass defense.

PENNSYLVANIA: Sam Jessop, organizer Turtle Creek Unemployed Councils, released from Blawnox after serving 5 weeks of a one year sentence as a result of mass protest organized by the I.L.D. He was sentenced in connection with a farm sale of 23 cows and other farm implements which were sold for $1.10.

S. DAKOTA: Two judges forced to withdraw from hearings on the injunctions against the defense of 18 farmers arrested for resisting foreclosures, by bills showing prejudice.

NEW YORK: Clarence Roth and Mary Smith, beaten and arrested, in court for protesting against mistreatment of 9 workers arrested for demonstrating before Home Relief Bureau released before packed courtroom. James and Rose Lechay, arrested on similar charges, released.

OHIO: Cleveland I.L.D. forces LeRoy Bundy, Negro City councilman to agree to bring up resolutions directed against Jim-Crow segregation in the Cleveland city council.

CONNECTICUT: 6 charged with dis- orderly conduct for distributing leaflets in Bridegport calling for mass defense of three others arrested for demanding pay for unemployed snowshovelers from Socialist city administration, freed.

CANADA: A.E. Smith, National Secretary C.L.D.L. acquitted on sedition charges.

MASSACHUETTS: Release of 5 anti-fascists sentenced to 3 months in a house of correction forced by flood of protest post cards issued and circulated by the I.L.D.

ILLINOIS: 34 arrested during Free Thaelmann demonstration unconditionally freed. Ryan, head of Chicago Red Squad, unable to confuse defendants who persisted in demand for jury trial despite his threats to “get American Legion boys down here to help me.”

CALIFORNIA: 6 leaders of Imperial Valley strike released. 4 acquitted and 2 on bail, provided by the I.L.D.

NEW YORK: LABOR DEFENDER and NEW MASSES hitherto banned in Sing Sing and Alleghany Workhouse ad- mitted to all political prisoners after protest action and visit of delegation.

PENNSYLVANIA: Frank Borich, National Secretary N.M.U., freed on deportation charges after two year battle waged by the I.L.D.

MOSCOW: George Dimitroff and his comrades, acquitted of Reichstag fire frame-up, and freed by world protest, arrive in Soviet Union as Soviet citizens. Also, several hundred Austrian Shutz- bundler and their children receive political asylum in the U.S.S.R.

CANADA: Wm. L. Patterson, national secretary I.L.D., deported from Canada for attempting to address protest meeting in defense of A. E. Smith, head of Canadian I.L.D. indicted for sedition.

CALIFORNIA: Tom Mooney refused permission to attend the funeral of his mother.

PENNSYLVANIA: Pittsburgh police try to prevent Herndon meeting. “I will not stand for any race riots or anything like that in my district,” police chief.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Pres. Roosevelt refuses to see three Scottsboro delegations, including four mothers, on Mothers Day, demanding his intervention in the case.

CALIFORNIA: Elaine Black, I.L.D. secretary, repeatedly arrested on vagrancy charges. Attempt to prove I.L.D. illegal organization during her trial. At one vagrancy trial for attending trial of waterfront worker, judge stated, “Put her bail at $1,000. She said I’m a fascist.”

Labor Defender was published monthly from 1926 until 1937 by the International Labor Defense (ILD), a Workers Party of America, and later Communist Party-led, non-partisan defense organization founded by James Cannon and William Haywood while in Moscow, 1925 to support prisoners of the class war, victims of racism and imperialism, and the struggle against fascism. It included, poetry, letters from prisoners, and was heavily illustrated with photos, images, and cartoons. Labor Defender was the central organ of the Scottsboro and Sacco and Vanzetti defense campaigns. Editors included T. J. O’ Flaherty, Max Shactman, Karl Reeve, J. Louis Engdahl, William L. Patterson, Sasha Small, and Sender Garlin.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/labordefender/1935/v11n01-jan-1935-orig-LD.pdf