The state’s denial of incarcerating political prisoners is belied by the ‘special’ treatment given certain inmates. Building on a winning fight for prisoners at Sing Sing to receive the Labor Defender, a legal publication freely available at libraries and newsstands, James Egan makes the argument for political status. Includes an I.L.D. list of then current political prisoners, their charges, sentences, and a brief comment from many.

‘We Demand Recognition of Political Prisoners’ by James Egan from Labor Defender. Vol. 10 No. 5. May, 1934.

Following its recent victory at Sing Sing prison in New York where similar action forced Warden Lawes to allow the Labor Defender and other publications to be read by political prisoners, the National Committee for Defense of Political Prisoners, Pittsburgh Branch, sent a delegation to Warden Robert H. Brown at Allegheny County Workhouse at Blawnox, Pa., to protest the denial of the right of political prisoners to receive labor publications and to demand that their status as political prisoners be recognized and that they not be classified with common gangsters, murderers, gun men and grafters.

The Warden received the delegation at his palatial office in the prison and smiling cynically listened to the speakers of the delegation demanding the right of the entire delegation to interview the four political prisoners serving time at this institution. The warden refused. But the committee, finally won the demand that a sub-committee of four should have the right to interview the four prisoners jointly and that this visit should not count against the prisoners as a regular visit. This is the first time that the 40 year old prison regulations have been set aside, even to this limited extent. This partial victory is only the entering wedge to force the granting of the full demands of the delegation. The committee found that despite their forced isolation from any news of the class struggle thru working class literature, the prisoners were highly enthused about the news of the class battles already beginning, which they heard of thru the capitalist press, and questioned the committee about the recent developments in the coal fields and steel towns, and asked the committee to do their level best to get them literature. Eddie Sherwood, 20 year old coal mine organizer, now doing his third year, requested especially regular copies of the “Communist International” and the “Communist Monthly.”

The full delegation then went back into conference with the warden and launched fully into an attack to establish the rights and recognition of these workers as political prisoners and entitled to receive all publications of the labor movement without censor by any of the prison authorities. In answer to this the warden arrogantly answered: “My answer is no!” When asked who is the final censor of material that may be read by the prisoners he said: “I am the judge of what’s good for the prisoners to read.” When asked by Allan Taub, what did he consider was good for the prisoners to read, he said: “Only literature which is constructive”. He then launched denunciation of all radical literature as against the American principles and that he stood for “the principles of those forefathers who had hewed their way thru the forests to establish this fair land and made it possible for such people as you to come here in palatial ships and trains and reap the benefits”. Bill McMillan of National Students League said: “You forget Mr. Warden that my family settled in this country in 1680 and my ancestors fought in the revolutionary war under general Washington.” Mr. Gilbert Nowell, Sec’y Pittsburgh Branch National Committee for Defense of Political Prisoners who is a direct descendant of the American Indians and Scotch and Irish Colonial settlers, a Lieutenant in the Aviation Corps in the last world war, also took the wind out of the sails of this over-fed defender of American “freedom”. Allan Taub pointed out that “we are the real Americans who are following the traditions of early American rebels and the workers and farmers of the U.S. have always struggled for their rights and regardless of whether a worker descended from the time of the American revolution or whether he came here a year ago, and is working in the coal mines, his labor is creating the wealth of this country and he is entitled to equal rights with everyone else in the country.” The warden, true to his A.F. of L. training; immediately hedged and in true “friend of labor” fashion said: “Oh! I am for the coal miner too”. He boasted of his membership in the Painters’ Union and that he had received his training in the ranks of labor and he knew all about “this mass action business” and that is the reason, he does not want the Daily Worker in the prison, because the prisoners might get the idea of kicking against the authorities. “And you know what that would lead to”!

He told the committee how sympathetic he was to the workers and that he himself would steal before he’d go hungry. What he forgot to tell about is that when he was sheriff of Allegheny County during the coal strike, how he led the deputies (gun thugs) and against the miners’ picket lines brutally beat up many of the strikers. Surely this must cause the rank and file of the Painters’ Union throughout the country much indignation to think that such a man boasts of a membership in a labor organization, while at the same time leading deputies to smash up picket lines and now being the jailer of the working class leaders in Western Penna. This prison, known as Allegheny County Workhouse, in which many of the best fighters in the ranks of the miners and steel workers of Western Penna. have given the best years of their lives and in which Milan Resetar died of tuberculosis contracted in a dark dungeon, is a hell hole. Within the confines of this body-wrecking torture chamber of the steel and coal barons such militant leaders as Tom Meyerscough, Stella Rasefske, Leo Thompson, Adam Getto and innumerable others have done their bit for the monstrous crime of refusing to starve and daring to strike for better conditions.

In telling the delegation how he “lovingly” looks after the welfare of the prisoners, Warden Brown unwittingly paid a glowing tribute to Eddie Sherwood, serving his third year: “I have spoken to this boy on many occasions and tried to show him the error of his ways, but I find he is incorrigible, he will never give up his ideas of the labor movement as long as he lives”.

Given but 22 hours a week out in the yard for airing, the remainder of the week these prisoners slave in the rag sorting shops and furniture shops and then be filed away in the tiers of cold, dark cells of the prison, in solitary loneliness, deprived even of the literature of the labor movement which they love so well. Even in Czarist Russia in its darkest days the right of political prisoners in regards to literature was recognized, but not so in “civilized” and “free” America.

Workers, liberals, intellectuals, trade unionists, students, we must unite our voices in a mighty protest against the non-recognition of the political status of these prisoners and against the denial of their right to read and receive the publications of the labor movement. Too long have the trade unions been passive on this burning issue. The trade unions, regardless of affiliation, must unite with the International Labor Defense, the National Committee for Defense of Political Prisoners, on this issue. Join in this protest, organize delegations to visit local working class prisoners. Especially must the rank and file of the painters throughout the country protest against the man who claims to be a member, of their organization, and denying the rights of the political prisoners. We must broaden this fight and link it up with the fight to smash the frame up of Phil Frankfeld, leader of the unemployed movement of Allegheny County, now facing two to four years in Blawnox, and Jim Egan, facing one year for leading the mighty unemployed demonstration of last March 4th and every class war prisoner in the United States.

By JAMES EGAN (National Secretary Steel & Metal Workers Monthly”. Industrial Union)

Political Prisoners

JACK ALEXANDER
CHARLES ALEXANDER

Charge, murder. Sentence, life.

“But through such kindness as the I.L.D. has shown with so many as it has with me, certainly helps one to endure.” Jack Alexander.

DOYLE ASSAD

Charge manslaughter. Sentence 1 to 2 years.

“I spent the day reading letters which I have received from my son Doyle Assad who is in Frankfort and telling my little boy what he was there for and telling him what it meant to him that I wanted him to grow up a union man for his brother was in prison because he was holding up for his rights.” –From Ollie Assad, mother of Doyle

LAWRENCE ALLEN

Charge, Redman Act. Sentence, 10 years.

GANZIE BANKS

Charge, Manslaughter. Sentence 3 years.

“I am thankful that some one in the world is thinking about us”. –From Catherine Banks.

RAY BECKER

Charge, 2nd Degree Murder. Sentence, 40 years.

The last of the Centralia prisoners who received to accept a parole.

LEON BLUM

Charge, broke parole on old charge in laundry strike action. Sentence, 3 years.

“To my experience of the class struggle is now added more bitterness. I have now one more cause, one more crusade a new call to banish the crazy inhuman capitalist system from the world.”

CHARLES H. BOCK

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, life.

SAM BONITO

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, 12 years.

“I want to say to you all, who depend upon his own daily wages, that except we do help one another we never can make any headway to amount to any value.”

WILLIE BROWN

Charge, murder. Sentence, life.

“My heart only can go out to you in gratitude for the continued interest that you have shown in my welfare.”

WARREN K. BILLINGS

Charge, murder. Sentence, life.

“All books are censored and neither books nor periodicals of a liberal or radical nature are allowed to come in.”

STEVE CHUCK

Charge, assault with deadly weapon. Sentence, 2 years.

THOMAS BUNKER

Charge, placing explosive in vessel. Sentence, 62-25 years.

“The revolutionary unity of the workers against the frenzied savagery of the bourgeoisie must surely renew afresh the hope of every class war prisoner.”

CHESTER CLAUSE

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, 10 years.

“Without the help that I get from you, things surely would be blue here for me. My family are in such a need for the necessities of life that I cannot expect much help from them.”

NED COBB

Charge, 4 of assault. Sentence, 15 years.

NILES COCHRAN

Charge, 2nd degree manslaughter. Sentence, 3 years.

“It makes us bear the burden so much better to show there is so much sympathy shown us toward a husband or father being in prison.” From Mrs. Nile Cochran.

JOHN J. CORNELISON

Charge, murder. Sentence, life.

“We, the political prisoners, call for all workers to organize behind the banner of the Third International and the I.R.A. and bring about the emancipation of the working class and the destruction of nationalism and war.”

K.N. HENDRI

Charge, murder. Sentence, 5 to 7 years.

“I am not allowed to write any letters at all without the risk of extra punishment.”

ANGELO HERNDON

Charge, inciting to insurrection. Sentence, 18 to 20 years chain gang.

“Never was I so happy in my life (and that is no clap trap either) when I got the news that Dimitroff and the other comrades were released by the Fascist hounds. And all done by mass pressure of the workers.”

WILLIAM HUDSON

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, life.

“I sure have had hard time to get bread for my four children and house rent which is $5.00 a month and it is pay or move.” From Mrs. Sallie Hudson.

TEDDY JACKNOWSKI

Charge, assault with intent to kill. Sentence, 5-20 years.

“While I work for the state, my wife is sick and my four children are starving. This is capitalist justice.”

PETER KRAUSS

Charge, rioting and assault. Sentence, 2-3 years.

“For two months when we got in jail, we were receiving the Daily Worker, then the officials had it stopped. He said we were carrying on too much propaganda.” From Frank Carone who was just released on same charge.

ERNEST MCDUFFY

Charge, mistreating white girl. Sentence, 7 years.

Not permitted to receive Labor Defender.

J.B. MCNAMARA

Charge, dynamiting Los Angeles Times building, 1912. Sentence, life.

“…and it will be through struggles and sacrifices that the workers and farmers will find their way to economic security, by equal distribution of production and consumption of all the material necessities of life for all who toil.”

“My course is the right one, a life dedicated to the emancipation of all human kind and with undying confidence in the workers.”

RAYMOND MCSURLEY

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, 12 years.

WILLIAM MAKAROFF

Charge, carrying concealed weapons. Sentence, 1-3 years.

“Only thing we will be discouraged about is this, for not being out on May first demonstration. We hope you will have a big success.”

ALEX MARTIN

Charge, assault and battery. Sentence, 1 year.

Because of treatment he received, he became insane and is now in insane asylum.

TOM MOONEY

Charge, murder. Sentence, life.

CLINTON MOSS

Charge, attempt to kill. Sentence, 10- 101⁄2 years.

SAM MOSS

Charge, assault with attempt to kill. Sentence, 5-6 years.

ERNEST MULLINS

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, life.

ELZIE PHILLIPS

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, life.

“Oh, my heart run over with joy just to know that the good fellow workers is doing their whole duty towards my family.”

ALEX PIVOVAROFF

Charge, carrying concealed weapons. Sentence, 1-3 years.

JIM REYNOLDS

Charge, manslaughter. Sentence, life.

M. A. SCHMIDT

Charge, dynamiting Los Angeles Times bldg. 1912. Sentence, life.

TOM SCOTT

Charge, perjury with intent to conspire. Sentence, 2-3 years.

“I have received word from the officialdom of this institution pertaining to your sending the Labor Defender to me. I wish to inform you that the Board of Managers voted against it being read by me.”

CHARLES SHADRICK

Charge, voluntary manslaughter. Sentence, 2 years.

“Thankful to know that there’s workers and sympathizers who are ready and willing to help us in our great time of need.”

JUDSON SIMPSON

Charge, Assault with intent to kill. Sentence, 10-12 years.

JOHN SODERBERG

Charge, placing explosives with intent to kill. Sentence, 122-25 years.

“I would rather be out there with you in the struggle doing my little bit, but I would sooner die a million deaths in this steel-studded cage, rather than compromise on one single little principle of the class struggle.”

PLES THOMAS

Charge, (Conn. Kentucky strike). Sentence, 1-2 years.

From a memo on the Kentucky mine prisoners: Deputies took him (Thomas) to the prosecutor’s office. “We have nothing against you Ples. Sign an affidavit that Judge Jones is impartial and we will release you.” Ples answered: “I don’t think he’s fair. He’s agin the miners. Take me back to jail.”

WILLIAM TRAJER

Charge, placing explosive with intent to injury. Sentence, 612-25 yrs. “Anything and everything from the pens of that magnificent triumvirate, Marx, Engels, and Lenin, would indeed be welcomed.”

GRANVILLE VAUGHN

Charge, participation in Evarts battle. Sentence, 4 years.

“If there is anything I can do to help you in any way I am standing willing and anxious at anytime to help during my stay here and after my release from here.”

SAM WEINSTEIN

Charge, felonious assault. Sentence, 2-4 years.

“…it is the knowledge that there is an organization which has not forgotten those workers who thru no fault of their own outside of their political convictions are forced to spend part of their life in custody of the state.”

ALF WHITE

Charge, assault with intent to kill. Sentence, 10-10 years.

THEODORE JORDAN

Charge, murder. Sentence, case being appealed.

“I am now in the death cell as a result of the filthy doings of a giant corporation who wishes to terrorize the workers by putting me to death even tho I am innocent.”

THREE BRIGHTON BOYS (Colorado) Montoya, Saiz, and Virgil

Charge, murder. Sentence, death. Case being appealed.

DANNY BENNING

Charge, rioting and assault and battery. Sentence, 2 years.

E. F. BURMAN

UNTO IMMONEN

Charge, violation of Red Flag Law. Sentence, 2-6 years. Case being appealed.

“No matter what happens my convictions will not change, but be firmer than ever.”

JOE HAWKINS

Charge, assault and battery. Sentence, 6 years.

“They keep workers on the run as long as we do not organize.”

ED SHERWOOD

Charge, participation in Pa. mine strike. Sentence, 6 years.

THE NINE SCOTTSBORO BOYS

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 issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/labordefender/1934/v10n05-may-1934-orig-LD.pdf