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Fourth International, November 1944

 

An Appeal for Aid to the 12 Class-War Prisoners and Their Families

 

From Fourth International, Vol.5 No.1, November 1944, p.352.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.

 

Dear Friends:

Twelve members of Minneapolis Truckdrivers Local 544 – CIO and of the Socialist Workers Party have been in prison now for over ten months, solely because of their labor activities and political opinions. Six others were released on October 20th.

The imprisonment of the 18 under the vicious Smith “Gag” law makes the Minneapolis Labor Case the most important civil liberties issue in the Second World War. Already over 350 unions and other progressive organizations representing more than 3,500,000 members have supported the work of the Civil Rights Defense Committee.

Ever since the 18 went to prison the CRDC has provided relief for their wives and children. Without this aid the families of these persecuted labor leaders would suffer great hardships and privations. Today, with the high cost of living, feeding and clothing their unfortunate ones becomes an ever-increasing problem for the Committee.

The Minneapolis Labor Case directly involves you and the democratic rights of your union. Our campaign to free the 18 and repeal the Smith “Gag” Act is a campaign to defend the hard-won rights of the American labor movement.

PLEASE SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENSE COMMITTEE, 160 FIFTH AVE., NEW YORK CITY 10, N.Y.

 

 

Fraternally yours
 

JOHN GREEN
President, Industrial Union
of Marine and Shipbuilding
Workers – CIO
 

JULIUS HOCHMAN
General Manager,
N.Y. Joint Board, Dress and
Waistmakers Union, ILGWU – AFL

GEORGE BALDANZ1
Executive Vice-President,
Textile Workers Union – CIO

 

WILLARD S. TOWNSEND
President, United Transport
Service Employees – CIO
 

ROGER BALDWIN
Director, American
Civil Liberties Union

 

JAMES T. FARRELL
Novelist

JOHN DEWEY
Philosopher and Educator

WARREN K. BILLINGS
Famous Labor Prisoner

 
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