January, 1939, 1939

[Note: Monthly reports from local secretaries are filed in the main chronological series throughout 1939. In all other years, these items will be found in the "Miscellaneous Union Business" section.] On Jan. 1, 1700 sharecroppers evicted from their homes encamped on a US highway near Sikeston, Mo. Many of the refugees were STFU members and the demonstration was led by STFU Second Vice-President O.H. Whitfield. . The reader may follow the progress of the demonstration in a flood of telegrams sent and received by union headquarters throughout the month, in two STFU press releases (14,23), in reports from F.R. Betton (24) and Kester (27), and in letters from a few of the evicted sharecroppers (24,26). See also copies of letters from Albert Jackson (alias "Al Murphy"), a Communist organizer in St. Louis, concerning the demonstration (9, 18), an exchange of telegrams between the STFU and the CIO, requesting the latter to help prevent Jackson from taking over (17), and a 4-page report to the NEC on the situation from the STFU field staff in Mo. (21). A 3-page letter from Donald Henderson, requesting that all dues be paid directly to UCAPAWA (28) elicited a stern letter to all STFU locals ordering them to continue to send dues payments to Memphis (31)