Skip to main content

A STRIKE IS CRIMINAL SYNDICALISM IN CALIFORNIA - 1931 ACLU Pamphlet


"The case was concluded on June 13th. After deliberating two hours the jury returned a verdict of guilty against all defendants on all 3 counts.

The nine men were sentenced on June 16th. They are:

Frank Spector, Los Angeles organizer for the International Labor Defense; record does not show that he was ever in Imperial Valley.

Carl Sklar, Los Angeles organizer for the Communist Party; in Valley only a few times.

Oscar Erickson, national secretary of the Agricultural Workers Industrial League; spent about two months in the Valley.

Tsuji Horiuchi, Japanese citizen, secretary of the Imperial Valley Trade Union Unity League;

Lawrence Emery of the Marine Workers Industrial Union; spent about two months in Valley.

Danny Roxas, a Filipino, secretary of the local Agricultural Workers Industrial League;

Eduardo Herrera, cement worker, Braulio Oroszco, carpenter, and Emilio Alonzo, agricultural workers; Mexican citizens.

The first six men above were sentenced on three counts to one to 14 years each, the sentences to run consecutively, making a total of 3 to 42 years. Four were sentenced to San Quentin Prison, but two, Sklar and Horiuchi, to Folsom Prison, used commonly for repeated offenders. Neither Sklar or Horiuchi was ever in prison before and no explanation was made for the discrimination against them.

Herrera and Orozco were sentenced to San Quentin for terms of 2 to 28 years. Alonzo's sentence was suspended in order to deport him to Mexico."



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

International Longshoremen's & Warehousemen's Union - C.I.O. Local Union list

This is a working list that is continually being expanded and cross referenced as I work through archival material. You will notice I pose questions next to some of the locals or include various notes. If you use this list as a reference please know it may not be 100% accurate. This is a continuation of my project to map the Congress of Industrial Organizations. You will notice several different charters with the same local number. The International reused local numbers as they amalgamated or ceased to exist. Making this research a tad bit more difficult. ILWU Local 1 - RAYMOND, WA (longshore) *** chartered ’37  ILWU Local 2 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA (shipscalers) *** chartered ’37 ILWU Local 3 - STOCKTON, CA, (Barge / Power Boat)  *** chartered ’37 in 1950 Local 3 becomes catch all for the International Fisherman & Allied Workers after they are expelled from the CIO. Below is a list of locals that became Local 3 in 1950. I believe these numbers correspond w...
Post a Comment
Read more

United Cannery, Agricultural, Packing & Allied Workers of America C.I.O. - 1938 Membership Book

"Being fully aware that the conflict between capital and labor grows with intensity from time to time and tends to work disastrous results on the working millions unless we combine for mutual protection and benefit, and realizing fully that the struggle to better our working and living conditions is in vain unless we are united to protect ourselves against the organized forces of the employers and exploiters of labor, and Knowing full well that the old craft and isolated local forms of trade union organizations are unable to defend effectively the interests and improve the conditions of the workers, THEREFORE, WE, THE WORKERS ENGAGED IN THE CANNING, AGRICULTURAL, PACKING AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES form an organization which unites all workers in our industry on an industrial and democratic basis, regardless of age, sex, nationality, race, creed, color or political and religious beliefs, and pursues at all times a policy of aggressive activity to improve our social and economic c...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Point Gorda Strike - Marine Workers Industrial Union Pamphlet

This pamphlet is fascinating, but perhaps the real gems here are the preamble to the MWIU and the list of headquarters on the back page. MWIU were a militant communist organization. They were the marine section of the Trade Union Unity League who were directly affiliated with the Red International of Labor Unions (RILU). In the early 1920's the communist international's strategy was to form "red" communist run unions instead of trying to enter and radicalize existing AFL unions.  In the United States, MWIU set to work building a militant industrial union for waterfront workers. Most of their activity was in New York. They advocated industrial unionism exclusively and laid the foundation for the major surge in organizing in the mid 1930's with the formation of the Committee for Industrial Organizations. Most of the TUUL sections would transition into CIO unions. The MWIU helped establish the National Maritime Union (CIO), Likewise, the Cannery & Agricultur...
Post a Comment
Read more