Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY
'EDITION
VOL. XXVI,
NUMBER 39
BRITISH LABOR DEFERS GENERAL STRIKE DECISION
MURDER FARM DEATHS FOLLOWED FEDERAL PROBE
TESTIMONY, SAID
Two Federal Agents Swear Peon
age Conditions Existed
TELLS OF DEATH RIDE
Negro Informer Describes Killing
Of Three Farm Hands
(By International News Service)
COVINGTON, April 6th.,—With a
warning from Judge Hutchinson to
the crowd to refrain from demonstra
tion of any kind, the second day of
murder trial of John Williams opened
at nine o’clock this morning.
The star witness today is expected
to be Clyde Man\ning, the negro who
is on alleged sensational confession
accused Williams of particing in the
deaths of eleven negroes employed on
William’s large plantation. G. W.
Brown, a federal department of jus
tice agent was the first witness.
Manning and fifteen other state wit
nesses were put under the rule of the
court and taken out of the courtroom
when Brown began his testimony. |
Brown told of a trip to William’s
plantation to investigate charges of
peonage. He had talked with Wil-‘
liams and his sons and saw the ne-‘
groes alone, with objections from
Williams. Brown described the stock-‘
ade on the farm as strongly built with
heavily shuttered and barréd wi\dows‘
with doors fastened with heavy c'hains‘
at night. A. J. Winer, another federal
agent who visited the plantation, cor
roborated Brown’s testimony. A vig
orous effor was made by the defense
to exclude the testimony of the federal
agents.
Clyde Manning was called to the
stand and a flutter of excitement ran
through the court room. Judge Hut
chinson told the negro he would not
have to answer questions that would
incriminate him. Manning named a
number f negroes workng on the farm
wth him, including Gus Chapman
among them. The eleven whose bod
ies were found on the plantation and
in the rivers, saying that most of them
came from the stockades in Atlanta
and Macon. The line of questioning
indicates tre prosecution desired to es
tablish the unusually keen memory of
the negro.
As Colonel William Schley How
ard, prosecuting attorney, named the
victims, the witnesses said, “He’s
dead.”
Willie Preston, Lindsey Peterson
and Harry Price were killed the same
night, Manning testified they were
thrown off Allen’s bridge over the
Yellow River one night about last
February with a heavy weight around
their necks.
Ma ning vividly related the death
trip frym the plantation to the river,
saying that besides the three victims,
Charlie Chisolm, who later was killed,
Williams and himself were in the
party. They stopped at a country
store where the trace chains were
fastened about the necks of the vic
tims with sacks tied to the chains.
were fastened about the necks of the
victims with sacks tied to the chains.
They then drove to the bridge in an
automobile and after a scuffle, the
two were thrown over the bannister
by William’s order.
Howard asked manning what be
came of Price and when the witness
replied he was taken to the South
River, Col. Greene Johnson, counsel
for th defense, objection was overrul
ed.
The dates given by Manning show
ed that the men were killed after the
federal investgation of peonage charg—l
es. »
Resuming the stand after recess for
lunch, Manning testimony testified
to further details. "We went to the
South river, he related, Mr. John Wil
liams drove the car with me and Char
lie Chisholm and Harry Price in it.]
Price had his hands tied. When we
got out, Price said, ‘don‘t throw me
over, I'll go.’ Then he said, ‘Lord have
mercy on me,” and sat on a rail.
“He jumped off into the river with
a chain around his neck and a weight
in sacks tied to the chain. Mr, John
Williams was there.” Chisholm Wil
liams and Manning drove back to the
place after the drowning Manning
said. Manning said Williams told his
victims they were being taken to a
train and would be allowed to go a
way. He declared when Williams
broached the subject of killings to hm
he didn’'t want to do it. “Well it's
your neck or theirs, I'll let you de
cide,” Manning testified Williams told
him.
THE FITZGERALD LEADER
WEATHER—CIou. dy tonight. Show
ers Thursday north.
m
7Z - V
. THE SAPIRO PLAN |
. And BIG BUSINESS |
‘ : 2
% Sieetuine oBN RIOMNE VIBIOR cea i é
(SIXTH ARTICLE)
There is no more vague expressions in American idiom than the
term “big business.” It is used in this article merely because there
is no other phrase available to cover so well what it is intenden here
to represent. It signifies all the great centralized “powers that be”
in the financial, industrial, and transportation world of this country.
11 comprises the great so called “combines” (actual or suspected) if
all sorts__the “big interests” in the money, railroad, manufacturing,
mining, mercantile, and what not in other fields__in short, that whole
group which is sometimes referred to as “organized capital” and
which, when swung together by common interests, wields a terrific
and sometimes sinister power in all schemes and affairs of the nation
and its people. >
Now, there are great plans and movements which have succeed
ed in the past with very little assistance and much vigorous opposi
tion from “big business”. The steady advance to power of organized
labor is one, though that advance itself has brought about a more
embattled attitude upon the part of capitalistic interests.
Nevertheless, “big business” is a mighty force to have on your
side, if you want to start an economic change of any sort, and a bitter
one to oppose. And these few notes are set down to show why there
is sound reason for thinking that “big business,” as a class, will be
inclined to assist, rather than oppose, such a farmer’s movement as
represented by the Sapiro plan for cotton, if sufficiently insisted upon
by the farmer. :
To begin with, let’s examine the position of the farmer in our
economic structure. Is he labor, or is he capital ?
The answer is that he can be classed as neither, because he hap
pens to be both. He is in a class absolutely by himself. He both
works and owns. He works his land and he owns his land ;he makes
his product and he owns it after it is made. In short, he is not only
| pure producer, but he is complete producer. He is a whole industry,
both the capital and the labor thereof, by himself.
Well, if you please, it has heretofore been the policy of “big bus
iness” to invite addition to its ranks. “Big business” has itself been
the leading agent in bringing about the organization of other com
plete production units, mines, factories, etc., in the closest union per
missible under the laws of the land—and sometimes closer! There
fore, why should big business fail to pursue the same policy toward
the farmer? !
Let us examine into this a little further. Under the Sapiro plan,
is the farmer organizing as a class which intends or is able to hold up
cvery other class of people; or is he organizing into a number of sep
erate business units, as the producer of a given commodity, with a
separate and absolutely independent unit for each commodity? The
vitally important answer is that it is the latter, and not the former,
*hat he is doing.
Get this straight, and, if you have an economic turn of mind,
thinking it over will bring a flood of understanding and revelation:
The Sapiro organization is a COMMODITY unit, and not a
iILASS unit. The same farmer may produce fourteen different crops,
and market them all co-operatively under the Sapiro plan; but to do it
he will have to join fourteen different and absolutely independent
organizations. Here is not the farmer standing forth and crying:
”Because lam a farmer, I want this and I want that!” Here is the
iarmer saying simply: “I produce this or that particular product to
sell. lam going to join what I make of that commodity to what a
number of my fellows make, to form a great unit thereof which can
be sold at less expense and fairer profit to me than I can obtain by
trying to market my share by myself.”
| To big business, and to the whole public, in fact, there is all the
difference in the world between the two attitudes. And that, it may
be remarked, is a big reason why the formation of gigantic co-opera
tive marketing units should be kept as independent as possible of the
control of existing general farm organizations. These should encour
age, but not dominate, the formation of such units, and should let
‘them alone when formed.
| So, it is into “big business” units of his own, organized like mod
ern “big business” understandable by “big business,” and to be dealt
with on even terms by “big business”_.and not into class associa
tions_-that your Sapiro plan farmer is going. :
Now, you may leap to the conclusion that because the farmer’s
going into “big business” himself will end his exploitation by many
interests big and little, the big interests of the country, as a class,
would oppose this entry into their midst. If you are thinking along
those lines, consider two things: :
(1) It is only a small percentage of the big business interests of
the country which thrive by the exploitation of the farmer. It must
not be forgotten that moneyed interests which now conservatively
finance speculators, but do not speculate themselves, could get the
same amount of profitable investment field of a much safer sort by
financing the farmer himself. Financing a new South alone, reju
venated by profitable instead of unprofitable agriculture, could give
half the capital in the country extraordinary rich returns. :
(2)The whole fabric of American business, big and little, is right
now staggering on the verge of ruin just because the American far
mer is in the same position, and “big business” knows it, and has said
so quite lately, with weeping and wailing,
Saving “big business means saving the farmer.
Doubtless certain elements of “big business” would like to dic
tate the whole Alpha and Omega of the methods of that salvation.
They would like to save the farmer a little tomorrow, and then
knock him in the head and exploit him again, and when he reached
the “passing out” stage once more, yank him up and “save” him
again, and so on ad infinitum.
Forming co-operative marketing associations in which others
besides the actual producers are allowed to become members, or
which are small or scattered or loosely tied together and unable to
exert any real influence on prices, is the ideal way of initiating the
farmer into this delghtful game, in which you make the crying baby
smile by showing him the beautiful moon and when he is quiet and
well behaved again take away his cake,
But the American farmer is indicating that he won’t submit to
any such treatment__he’ll quit first._or do things even more disas
trous, if that can be possible, to “big business.”
Do you know what he i doing in the Dakotas in Wisconsin, and
muttering about doing everywhere else? He is monkeying with a
barrel of potent al TNT peacefully labelled “Non-partisan League.”
Some of the ingredients consists of forms of Socialism plus a little
more._farmer control of the government, complete government fi
nancing of all farm interests, ?armer alliance, if necessary, with the
radical element in labor against capital, and other things equally
ominous in “big business.”
Some time ago, the most capitalistic big popular magazine in
America published a wonderful article bewailing the growing deser
(Continued on Page Two)
FITZGERALD, BEN HILL COUNTY, GEORGIA WEDNESDAY, April 6, 1921.
France Backs U.S.
In Yap Controversey
(By International News Service)
PARIS, April 6th,—France will
support the Amercan position on the
controversy ovr the Island of the Yap
according to the newspaper, Le
Temps which usually reflects the of
ficial view accurately.,
WASHINGTON, April 6th.—Con
firmation was obtained today from
~official quarters of the notes dispatch
ed by the United States to Japan,
Great Britain, France and Italy, sett
ing forth in a firm manner the Ameri-‘
can position on mandated territories,i
as carried in International News dis
patches yesterday.
Bt e
a 0 . °
British Air Captain
*°
Bring War Plane Here
B. H. Pearson, ex-captain in the
Royal Flying Corps of Great Britain
in which he served through cam
paigns in France, Italy and Egypt,
will fly to Fitzgerald either Friday
or Saturday in a British war plane,
accordng to a letter to the Leader
today.
~ Captain Pearson states that he is
driving a British plane of unusual
type whch was actually used in de
fending London from aerial attacks
during the world war. It carries two
passengers beside the pilot. He writes
that it is the only plane of its type in
America. |
Lynnwood To Vote
- School Tax Levy
County Board Authorizes Special
Election for Purpose at Meeting
The new school district, comprizing
Lynnwood, Luke and Paulk school
districts, was authorized to hold an
election for the purpose of levying an
extra school tax on the property in
the district, not to exceed 5 mills by
the County Board of Education this
morning.
The date for the election and the
place where it will be held, are to be
decided by Ordinary J. R. Horton,
who will shortly make his decision.
Ashton district, including the new
territories now taken in by the Dor
miney and Horton schools, are alsoi
to hold an election, but final action
was not taken by the County Board
today.
L] -
Savannah Unionists
o o
Will Hear Strikers
At the regular meeting of the strik
ing employees of the Atlanta, Bir
mingham and Atlantic railway this
morning, a committee was appointed
to go to Savannah to address a meet
ing of the federated railroad unions
and confer with Savannah union
leaders Friday.
The committee which was named
to go is W. M. Martin, chairman of
the joint co-operative committee of
‘the thirteen striking crafts; Marvin
iMeeks, of the train men, aad Cox of
‘the car men. They will motor thru
the country to Savannah, returning
probably on Sunday.
Municipal Ownegship Bill Beats
“Service g Cost” ]
(By International News Service)
DETROIT, April 5—A state bonus
for former soldiers providing fifteen
dollars per month for every Michi
gan soldier in the world war carried
three to one, the returns show today.
No soldier can receive over $250.
Indications are that the Municipal
Purchase Plan, providing for the pur
chase of the lines of the Detroit Unit
ed Railways by the city carried while
the city ‘‘service at cost” ordinances,
supported by the street car company,
was defeated.
Fitzgerald Leader WANT-ADS
are busy little Salesmen. Try one for
Quick Results, Phone 328,
FOUND—One hund dog. Owner can
have same by identifying dog and pay
ing for this ad. Call at Leader-Enter
prise. d 9
Dooly Farmers Refuse To Condemn
A.B. & A. Strikers at Vienna Meeting
Farmers Union President Writes
Of “Indignation Meeting”
Fiasco in Dooly
Vienna Attorney Makes Elo
quent Appeal for Cause of
Railroad Laboring Men
Information was received here yes
terday that an attempted “indigna
tion meeting” against the A. B. & A.
strikers flatly failed in its purpose
and brought out.a ringing endorse
ment of unionism from one of the
resolutions committee.
The following letter about the
meeting was received by J. T. Hen
dricks from his uncle, J. C. McCor
mick, president of the Farmers Un
ion of Dooly county:
Mr. J. T. Hendricks
Dear Sir:—
| About the Bth inst there were some
notices dropped in a few mail boxes,
asking the people of Dooly to meet
in a Mass Meeting at the courthouse
in Vienna, to pass Resolutions against
the action of the strikers and to give
our sympathies in favor of the rail
road owners (see trying to use one
class of laborers against another).
This meeting was a complete failure.
I was present and there were only
43 at the meeting, and only 6 that
lived out of Vienna. After the meet
was called to order, Paul Lenard was
elected as Chairman and Bennett
Ryner as Clerk. John R. Barfield
stated ‘the object of the meeting, and
stated that the Railroad owners want
ed to hear from the people along the
line as to their feelings and that he
(J. R. B)) was against the action of
the strikers; that they should have
had their wages cut and worked on
and kept the cars running. And then
Chairman Lenard was asked to ap
point a Committee of three to draft
Resolutions to be adopted. So Len
ard appointed John R. Barfield, Ben
nett Ryner and Wade H. Lasseter.
This committee retired and drew up
resolutions condemning the strikers
%in very bitter language, and when
‘the motion was made by the Chair
man to adopt the resolutions there
were only 4 voted for the adoption.
And when the motion was called for
Wade H. Lasseter called for objec
tions and he then made the finest
speech for the laborers I have ever
heard, as follows:
GENTLEMEN: I am opposed to
just a few men who are financially
interested passing such resolutions
against a class of honest laborers who
are contending for what they think
is right, and publishing them as the
citizens of Dooly County, when it is
not true. 98 per cent of the farmers
of Dooly did not know anything
about this meeting and 1 am opposed
to this being called a Mass Meeting.
I am in sympathy with the A. B. &
A'’s working people and I know they
are not the cause of the condition of
the Railroad.
The present condition of the rail
road was brought about, not by its
laborers, but by a few large Eastern
Stock-holders trying to put out all
of the smaller owners and gobble up
the road and then say that the high
wages of its laborers did it. Why
was President Bugg appointed as
Receiver. He is the manager who put
this road in a 2 mess. This and other
Judges appointing such Receivers has
brought such troubles, and not the
laborers.
Gentlemen, do any of you know
whether these strikers are over paid
for their labor or not. Do you know
that the railroad has asked for
higher freight rates and got it? Do
you know the railroad has asked for
higher passenger fare and got it? Do
you know how much the cost of liv
ing has been reduced to the R. R.
laborers? Gentlemen do you know
what it costs to carry a train over this
line night and day? Do you know
what is required to stand over the
furnace and mould and repair the
irons for the cars. Do you know
what it is worth to work this R. R.
track, stand all day in the blizzards
of December and ,the boiling rays
of the July sun. Do you know what
it costs these laborers to rent their
lives out to the railroad bond holders.
~ NO, NO, you do not know, and
until you do know I am opposed to
your calling this a Mass Meeting and
making and publishing such resolu
tions. They are not the wish of ouri
citizens of Dooly County.” |
There was but a few who voted for
the Resolutions at the close of Las
seter’s speech and the meeting broke
up very disorderly, The farmers in
COTTON—Good Middling _.._107%3
No Receipts No Sales
M
Conference Today
. °
On Baptist Reviv,)
To Decide Whether to Extend Meet
ings through Next Week
Whether the revival meetings be
ing held at the First Baptist church
shall be continued through next week
or closed Saturday night will be de
cided at a .conference at the church
this afternoon. The services are
meeting splendid success.
Dr. J. M. Haymore, pastor of the
First Baptist church of Waycross,
has conducted services for the last
week, gaining twentv-four additions
to the church. Should the revival be
closed Saturday, the new members
will be Baptised Sunday night, Rev.
J. F. Singleton, pastor, stated this
afternoon,
Dr. Haymore addressed the A. B.
& A. strikers this morning on “Dan
iel's Choice”. He ended a series of
sermons with a discourse on “Assur-‘
ance” this afternoon. “The Heroic
Choice of Moses” is his subject to
night.
Many local business houses are
closing from 3:30 to 4:30 each after
noon while Dr. Haymore preaches.
‘The church is being packed at every
‘meeting.
4 *
Registration Near ‘
1,000 Mark Today
Registration for the city primary,
April 18th was nearing the 1,000
mark today and at noom had passed
950, with about 250 women regis
tered. The total last night was 857.
It is confidently predicted that regis
tration will go near 1,500. About 800
at the last city primary was the for
mer record for Fitzgerald registra
tion. The newly enfranchised women
are not as active in registering as had
been anticipated.
Registration books close at 6 o’-
clock Friday evening April Bth.
Federal Probe Of
° 9 °
Builders’ Combine
(By ‘lnternational News Service)
WASHINGTON, April 6. At
torney General Daugherty today
named James Fowler, of Knoxvilld
special counrel in the conduct of a
sweeping probe into the alleged com
bine by manufacturers of building
materials, especially in regard to the
findings of the Lockwood commit
tee in New York.
this section are not taking any part
in the matter at all. - However, those
of us who have spoken are in sym
pathy with you all and are working.
And those who have joined Bugg and
Company are receiving their guano
and freights all okay.
Yours truly,
J. C. McCormick,
Pres. Farmer’s Union.
Dooly, County.
G . B l ?
eorgla Belong’
Did you know that King George granted the territory
that is now the State of Georgia to James Oglethorpe “in
trust for the poor?”
THE STORY OF OUR STATES
. Written by Jonathan Brace, famous American histor
ian, in forty-eight brief and quickly read installments has
been purchased by the Leader and will begin running in
its columns soon.
SEALS OF THE STATES—
The first complete collection of the official seals of the
states of the union will be published with the series of
short histories.
SHORT AND SNAPPY
NEWS OF THE WORLD .
BY TELEGRAPH
Official Organ ||
City of Fitzgerald |
AWAIT OUTCOME OF
CONFERENCE TODAY
Lloyd George Is Meeting With
“Triple Alliance Chiefs” \
CLASHES ARE REPORTED
Strikers And Non-Unionists Mix
In Several Encounters
(By International News Service)
LONDON, April 6th.,—The “Triple
Alliance”, after a meeting of the ex
ecutive committee of miners, railway
workers and transport workers this
afternoon decided to postpone action
on a general strike pending the out
come of a conference between Llyod
George and the miners’ executive
later in the afternoon. ;
DISCLOSE IRISH
REBELLION PLOT
(By International News Service)
LONDAN, April 6th..—Revelations
of an alleged plot for the revolt of
Ireland, originally meant to coincide
with the opening of the British coat
striké, were made by Scotland Yard,'
where it is announced that evidence
has ben gathered showing the Sinn\
Feiners expected an uprising on a
“grand scale” about April 15th. Three
big secret underground ammunition
dumps have been discovered in Dublin
according to the dispatch today. ManyA
‘ammunition boxes bear the markings
of Massachusetts firms. Clews indie
cating gun running operations from
Germany are also being investigated.
The British cabinet is in session in
London this afternoon, considering
the situation,
'®
’Jealous Atlanta Wife
~ Shoots Her Husbhand
(By International News Service)
ATANTA, April 6th.,—Max Dietch
restaurant proprietor was shot and
dangerously wounded early today by
his wife who is held without bail, It
is reportde that they had a quarrel
over another woman.
° oy
Fitzgerald Is Still
66 9
Home” To Atlantan
“I have been away from Fiézgerald
about fourteen years but I still call
it my home,” writes Mr. Homer A.
Tisdel, well known Atlanta hotel man,
in renewing his subscription to the
Leader today. “I have many fond
remembrances of the early days of
Fitzgerald. The people were wonder
ful in that brotherly spirit, and,” he
concludes, “I wish it were mine to
renew that friendship.”
Mr. Tisdel was one of the early
colonists of Fitzgerald and - is. well
known among the older residents. He
has kept in constant touch with his
old “home” town through the Leader
during his residence in Atlanta.