Tammany Boss Rules t h e MILITANT PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE Ballot Ban Vol. XX - No. 42 267 NEW YORK, N. Y., MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1956 Price 10 Cents By Daniel Roberts On Oct. 5, the boss o f Tammany H all, Carmine De- Sapio, who is also the New York Secretary of State, ruled the Socialist Workers Party off the ballot. DeSapio acted through Barnett J. Nova, his E x -^ ecutive Deputy. Nova had pre­ SWP Candidate for Governor of sided over an administrative Michigan, in this issue.) Earlier Dobbs Appeals for AFL-CIO hearing (reported in last week’s this year, the liberal Democratic Militant) of challenges to the Administration arbitrarily ruled BWiP nominating petitions and the SWP off the Michigan ballot to similar petitions of the Social­ c(n a technicality. ist Labor Party. Nova upheld the •Once before, in 1946, the Dem­ challenges, although attorneys ocratic Party illegally knocked fo r both parties proved them to the SWP o ff the ballot in New be permeated with fraud. , York. The SWP fought its way Aid to Negro Bus-Boycotters The Socialist Workers Party back in 1948, 1950, 1952 and i$ now investigating possibilities 1964. of legal action against the high­ Once before, in 1952, the etate Women Farrñers Protest Gov’t Farm Policy handed decision of the New York Administration in Michigan, party chief. In fighting for the high-handedly ruled tie SWP off Tallahassee Officials democratic right of a minority the ballot. The iSWP fought back party to be represented on the there and then, too. I t won its ballot, the SWP is struggling for rights again during the very the American people’s rig h t to same year. It had taken the ban Harass Leaders of free elections. to court and challenged the no­ “ The presence on the ballot of torious witch-hunting Trucks law minor partV candidates would under whose provisions the ban afford voters the chance to cast had been imposed. Anti-Jim Crow Fight a protest vote,” said Arp Sharon, The iSWP will keep on fighting SVi(P campaign manager in a with all the resources at its com­ By Art Sharon OCT. 8 — F a rre ll Dobbs, Socialist Workers P arty statement to the press following mand fo r its right, and that of SWP Campaign Manager candidate for President today released the text of a letter the ruling. “ DeSapio’s method of every other political party, to a < dealing with this is simply to place on the ballot. Continuing response to the TV urging the National Union Civil Rights Committee to give deprive voters of such a chance. and radio appearances of Far­ immediate financial aid to the^“" In his secret dreams, the Demo­ rell Dobbs and Myra Tanner leaders of the Tallahassee bus Weiss, our candidates for Presi­ cratic Secretary of (State possi­ boycott movement arrested by dent and Vice-President, under­ bly envisions the perfect election racist authorities Oct. 5. The Ne­ in which the Republicans, too, scores the fact that there is a have been thrown o ff the ballot.” real audience in this country for gro community in Tallahassee “ This, of course, is not possi­ a m ilitant socialist program. As through its organization, the In­ ble now; but the unconstitutional, of this w riting, we have receiv­ ter-Civic Council, has been con­ ed 1,210 responses to these broad­ dishonest manner in which he ducting a boycott of the Jim has thrown the SWP and SLP casts. They come from every sec­ Crow bus system since May 26. o ff the ballot is a step along the tion of the country. (See page path because of its damaging two.) The National Union Civil Rights precedents for the right of a A ll of those w riting in for in­ Committee was established 'by a free ballot and free elections. For formation are being mailed plat­ number of major unions last forms and sample copies of the this reason, all those who believe May to support the struggle for in defending the right to vote Militant elaborating the SWP Negro equality. Do'bb’s letter is should aid the minority parties stand. Already 34 subscriptions Fed up with promises, and hard pressed by a lowering of potato prices, 200 women farmers in the fight to regain their hard- have been received from those arc placing their demands before the Agricultu-o Department in Washington. addressed to AFL-CIO President earned place on the N.Y. ballot.” receiving such copies. The 1956 Socialist Workers Party platform calls for "a federal farm program to guarantee George Meany, chairman of the Meanwhile, we have a report the cost of production on all farm commodities to working farmers. No lim itation on crops In Michigan, too, the SWP is committee arrd Garment Workers from our Twin Cities campaign so long as a single person remains hungry. .Low cost, long term government credits to small waging a fight over the right to Union President David Dubinsky, vote freely. It will test in the committee describing t'he excel­ farmers for modernization. ” For a free co y of the platform write to: SWP, 116 Univer­ courts the legality of a recent lent response to the campaigning sity Place, New York 3, N. Y. the committee’s treasurer. The ruling by the Michigan Secretary of Dabbs in that area, Oct. 2-6. full text of the Dobbs letter fo l­ of State banning write-in votes Well-attended public meetings lows. fo r President and Vice-President. were arranged for .him in Min­ (See statement of Rita Shaw, JOYCE COWLEY neapolis, St. Paul and1 Wilmar, HIGH COURT OPENS HEARINGS Dear Sirs and Brothers, At a meeting on the University I am writing tojirge that your of Minnesota campus ■ FARRELL DOBBS group of students remained ON CIVIL LIBERTIES CASES committee extend immediate aid throughout an extended question to the Inter-Civic Council of Tal­ laws have been used as a lethal and discussion pcrio-d where many OCT. 8 — The Supreme Court House committee. He had testi­ his successful use of the witch- lahassee, Fla. Twenty-one lead­ club agains organized labor. today began hearings on a num­ fied to cooperating for a period hunting Smith Act against the Ballot Rights Attack friendly questions were directed ers of that organization, includ­ I sat in- the courtroom in Mont­ to the SWP candidate. ber of cases whose outcome can with the Communist party but Communist Party. He disclosed gomery, Ala. last spring when ing all of the members of its Throughout, the press, radio have an important, effect on the refused to reveal names of party that 108 leaders of the party the leaders of the bus protest executive council were arrested. | and TV gave good coverage to state of civil liberties. A key members. had been convicted under the movement there were also con­ ■j-ct. 5, on charges oi operating his campaign activities, both in issue again before the high court Act with 22 more currently victed under an anti-boycott SWEEZY CASE an illegal transportation system. Scored by Cowley announcing meetings and in re­ is the constitutionality of the awaiting trial. statute—one that had been orig­ •The council itself has also been porting them afterward. In re­ Smith Act under which the ad­ The court w ill also consider ( Meanwhile the American Civil inally designed to break a 1921 charged by city authorities on the (Text of a statement presented Oct. 10, over Radio porting his arrival in Minneap­ vocacy of ideas has been made the New Hampshire contempt Liberties Union urged the court 6trike of coal miners. Coming same count. 1 Station WNEW, New York, on belhalf of Joyce Cowley, olis, the locally prominent TV a crime. conviction of Paul Sweezy, co- ] to rule the membership clause on the heels of that action, the The court w ill hear an appeal editor of Monthly Review. ] of the Smith Act unconstitution­ candidate fo r U.S. Senator.) news commentator, Paul Sev- WANT LEGAL WEAPON present moves of the Tallahassee ereid, showed a picture of the op. the Pennsylvania Smith Act Sweezy had refused 'to answer al on the ground that it violates racists assumes added signifi­ Previous to the present arrests, SWIP leader and said, “ Some of conviction of Communist Party questions about his political be­ freedom of speech and associa­ cance. You may have read in the papers that, upon invita­ liefs and associations directed to participants in the boycott move­ you may remember Dobbs; .he leader -Steve Nelson and three tion. I t was also announced Oct. Shortly after the formation of tion of the State Department, observers from foreign him by the ‘New Hampshire A t­ ment’s car pool were jailed on was one of the leaders of the co-defendants. The Court refused 4 by Rev. A. J. Muste of the your committee, the press on torney General on the basis of a trumped-up charges of violating countries, including the Soviet Union, w ill soon be arriv­ Mineappolis truck drivers strike to act on a government motion! Fellowship of Reconciliation that May 15 quoted Mr. Dribin-sky's state “ subversive control” sta­ a state “ vehicle fo r hire” licens­ ing in the U.S. to see how free elections are held. The in 1934.” to remand the case to a lower] some 200 prominent figures statement that the committee’s tute. The Supreme Court has al­ ing statute. These charges were question arises — how much will they be shown? For On Sat., Oct.