es CPUSA national drive for victims of reaction The National Committee of the Communist Party of the United States has initiated a nation-wide effort for expand- ing the defense of victims of reaction. Action was taken through the adoption of a report by Char- lene Mitchell, secretary of the black liberation commission. Pointing out that “the number of victims grows daily,” Miss Mitchell said that while the par- ty must participate in the “de- fense of all those who are victims,” the “national focus” should be “the defense of the Black Panther Party and _ its leadership. If reaction succeeds in destroying the Panthers, the whole anti-imperialist and pro- democratic movement will be in jeopardy.” : She made special reference to the “vindictive, conspiratorial kidnapping and re-arrest of Pan- ther chairman, Bobby Seale. “One of the reasons for the attack on the Panthers,” she said, “has been their drawing closer to Marxism-Leninism, which represents the most direct challenge to the status quo. The Communist Party remains tops on J. Edgar Hoover’s list be- ‘cause of its persistent adherence to Marxism-Leninism.” Miss Mitchell called also for a strengthened fight for Ahmed Evans, sentenced to death by a racist Cleveland judge. Although there have been not- able exceptions, Miss Mitchell - By NELSON CLARKE The arrest of Shirley Douglas '. Sutherland in Los Angeles, and » the dramatic flight of her father to her side has served to focus Canadian attention on the work of the Black Panthers, and the grim struggle in which they and their white friends are engaged. It is typical of U.S. police tac- tics that Mrs. Sutherland should have been arrested in her home at 5 o’clock in the morning by ten policemen with revolvers drawn who stood her and her ten year old son against the wall while they searched the prem- ises, The daughter of NDP leader T. C. Douglas is charged as a member of the Friends of the Black Panthers with having raised money to buy hand gren- ades. Mrs. Sutherland insists that the fund raising activities in which she was engaged was for the free breakfasts and clin- ics the Panthers have set up under which. 17,000 black and Mexican children across the United States are being supplied with breakfasts every morning. Charles Hightower ‘Daily World gives a heart-warm- ing account of what these break- fasts ‘are like: “In the basement sausage is frying on the grill. A young wo- man mixes a great bowl of eggs to be scrambled with melted cheese. “A small group of five year olds seated at one table emit the . laughter and cries which can in the described the fight back against reaction as being “uneven, often sporadic and apathetic.” She pointed out that “many of the left,” while correctly reject- ing the erroneous concept that fascism is the present form of State rule in the U.S., do not at the same time see the fascist- like character of the state” which is especially evident in the “racist, terroristic attacks upon the radical and militant organizations .. . : “The success or failure of the struggle to prevent fascism will in large measure be determined by the degree of unity achieved. in fighting these encroachments on the rights of some of the most active and outspoken mili- tant leaders of the black libera- tion movement.” CHARLENE MITCHELL come only from joyful children - , , . the predominant mood in this Harlem church basement remains one of a pleasant oasis within the raging storm of the ghetto... “Before the meal is served, a team of Panthers. circulate . through the rows of tables, greet- ing the children and spreading the Panther program. “Power to the People—’ the Panther shouts. “*Power to the People—’ the children’s chorus responds. “Teresa Paterson is nine and her step-father Ali Bey Hassan was jailed by police in the Pan- ther 21 case (the current perse- cution in New York City.) “The reporter asked Teresa what she thought of the Black Panthers. ‘They’re good for black people,’ she beamed. oe ‘Why?’ “‘Because they’re nice to children . . ” she paused. “Do you know why the po- lice are after the Panthers?’ ““Yes,’ she answered quietly. ‘Because the Panthers are chang- ers’.” It is because the winds of change are sweeping through the ghettos of the United States, and because the Panthers have proven themselves to be militant fighters for change, that they have been singled out as the tar- get for furious attacks by the Nixon Administration, and by that Chief Cop who has served the U.S. ruling class under every President since 1924—J. Edgar PACIFIC TRIBUNE—OCTOBER 17, 1969—Page 6 Hubert Humphrey might be President of the United States today if he had had the guts last summer in Chicago to denounce the brutal assaults of Mayor Daley and his cops upon those who were demonstrating for peace at the Democratic Nation- al Convention. é Now over a year later there is a trial in Chicago—not of Mayor Daley and his uniformed goons, but of eight Americans who were active in the organiza- tion of the demonstrations. for peace. They are Bobby Seale, chair- man of the Black Panther Party; David Dellinger and Rennard C. Davis of the National Mobiliza- tion Committee to End the War in Vietnam; John Fronines, as- sistant professor of Chemistry at the University of Oregon; Lee Weiner, teaching assistant in sociology at Northwestern Uni- versity; Thomas Hayden, a foun- der of Students for a Democratic Society; and Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, self styled “yip- pies.” Hoover of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Department of Jus- tice which embraces the FBI has set up a “special task force” who are operating across the coun- try to harass and frame-up the Panthers. David Hiliiard, chief of staff of the Panthers charges that the national operation against the party has been stepped up re- cently, and now involves the planned destruction of the na- The trial represents the first attempt of the federal govern- ment to use the 1968 Civil Rights Act’s so-called anti-riot provisions. These were added to the act on the initiative of the notorious racist Strom Thur- mond of South Carolina, who is now under a cloud for profiting from a land deal with the state. The law boils down to pro- secuting people for crossing a state line with “intent” to create a riot. (In the United States criminal law is theoretically un- der the jurisdiction of the states. But’ when an alleged crime has been committed which involves persons crossing state bounda- ries, the federal government can assert its authority.) Each of the eight charged faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The opening days of the trial have been marked by extraor- dinary moves by U.S. District Judge Julius J. Hoffman to sum- mon into his court defense law- yers who had only been engag- ed in preparations of the case. tional office and staff. At a press conference in Ber- keley, Calif., Hilliard produced copies of what he said were plans issued by the Berkeley police department for a massive raid on the party’s headquarters. Hilliard says:: ‘They have or-. _-ders from ‘the President of the ‘United States urging them to put an end to the activities of the Black Panther Party.” Bobby Seale, chairman of the party, is now under tria] in Chicago on charges arising out of last year’s demonstrations at the Democratic National Con- vention. For good measure, he is also being held without bail in connection with a murder in New Haven, a charge which the Panthers unequivocally describe as a frame-up. Asked by the Guardian as to the political reasons behind his arrest, Seale replied: “The reasons are pretty clear. When the announcement went out at the United Front Against Fascism conference. last month that the National Committees to Combat Fascism would be set up, we wound up with over 100 cities where white people would be working along with the Black Panther party to combat fascism. In other words, you'd have these committees—political organizing bureaus of the Black Panther party —all across the country, in 100 cities, with all kinds. of people, black and white, working in them... “The Nixon administration knows that when the Black Pan- One of the jurors, Krist King, was required to reads a threatening letter allegedly ceived from the Black Patt she Miss King told the C0 il had never seen the lettet ar 0 / Judge Hoffman gave it ton he read. She was thrown 06 — ury. , : Defendant Thomas E. an said: “We accuse the be Wo ernment of tampering Wi ing 0. jurors as part of the com ira frame-up of the ConsPi Eight.” ans Outside Judge Hof a) court, the real consP” against democratic rights agai tinues.. The. police once sind raided the office of the I, chapter of the Black Pal, arty. t: : They entered the office ates ing, then arrested and be members of the party. the - Panther spokesmen 4 sgt police had been drinking apd they ransacked the office dice! stole $4,000 raised for ™ supplies for the Fre Centre. a, ther party speaks, black pene listen and many FOB? igs white people and organiZ® listen also... the “They have seen that oi first community control 0 | 40: petition drive which We 7 gether withthe Peace 4 dom party last years days ip 10,000 signatures in s!* és att the black community In phat using only 85 people - « cnatBe why they trumped UP nets on me and on other Pant leadership positions.” pat Today there are 30 Black ite ther chapters across thé States. ; rf’ There has been an unin t ted series of police raidS "ine outs between the Black nat and cops, the arresh ng 0 ment, beating and Kilt © the Panthers by policeme? big cities of America. tio" Party secretary Bobby rice ip was shot to death by paride Oakland last year. “i, th Cleaver was wounded on if ip same attack. Huey Newt e ist _prison. Since that timé oF : go! - ,of Panther fatalities from ave bullets has been steadilY : mented. geri’ There has also bee? © nthe! of violent assaults 0M ©, th headquarters, as for exarnicae” raid last summer 11 ~ n tha There the Panthers la! are 01 police deliberately set d yt their facilities, smash@’ ¢ af writers and other equip™ pet! stole $500 and food stor im fof for their breakfast prob! school children.