Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Sociallk BY GARY WEST "I became a socialist back in the 30s by helping organize the Socialist Party. I became a Democrat when Roosevelt and the New Deal came into existence. I called myself socialist back then and didn't make any bones about it and I still call myself a socialist," said H. L. Mitch ell. Mitchell, 66, with flowing gray locks and co-founder of the South ern Tenant Farmers Union (STFU), spoke about the STFU, his Soci'ist ideas and the present status of this country in a private interview at his motel room in Columbia. Mitchell, termed by the New York Times as "one of the most respected labor militants of the South" became connected with the STFU in 1934. The STFU, a union of sharecrop pers, tenant farmers, and small landowners, came into existence in the cotton plantation country of the Arkansas delta. The original roll call had 11 whites and seven blacks. The STFU's base of operation remained in Arkansas until 1945, although locals soon sprang up in force in Missouri and Oklahoma, with locals organized in other states. A succession of the STFU strikes, planter violence, and national newspaper headlines stung the conscience of the country and turned the "forgotten" farmers of Arkansas into a major issue for the Consum being p BY NICK PARHAM A chapter of the Consumer Edu cation Protection Association is being established on campus by stu dent government. CEPA started as a consumer action organization in Philadelphia several years ago when a group of citizens realized they had no real means of defense against consumer frauds, has now grown into a national organization with chapters in many of the larger cities. On the USC campus, CEPA will be indirectly connected to student government in that the student body president appoints its head and may provide some funds. Beyond this, it will be an independent agency gov erned by the national organization. Using investigation, negotiation and demonstration, CEPA will aid any student with a consumer com plaint. The student is not charged for the services but agrees before hand to help the chapter on at least two other cases. When a student brings a com plaint to the chapter, the first step is to thoroughly investigate the problem to determine if he has a valid complaint. If the individual has signed a legally binding con tract, there is little that can be done. Once the complaint is validated', the next step is to send a chapter representative to negotiate a settle ment with the merchant. If the merchant refuses to cooperate, more research and another attempt is made at negotiation. The next move, if the merchant still refuses a settlement, is to pic ket the merchant's business with five to ten people. The police are notified beforehand and the picket ing is carried on in a legally and orderly manner. The purpose of the picketting is to inform the public of the problem and the merchant's un-cooperative attitude. CEPA rationalizes that if the busi ness is picketed, between five and ten per cent of the merchant's busi ness will fall off and this is enough to seriously hurt most businesses. CEPA has reportedly won some type of restitution for it's clients in everyone of the more than 250 cases it has worked on. Although CEPA will not be offi cially chartered for about three weeks, its organizes re curroeantly t:U.S.neE Mitchell Roosevelt administration. Mitchell, who became a socialist through reading and the influence of men such as Eugene Debs, early labor organizer and founder of the Social Democrat Party, and Norman Thomas, probably the nation's best known socialist, related some of his ideas on socialism. "Socialism is the ownership or control of those productive instu tions that are in the public sector, such as transportation facilities business conglomerates, etc. The consumer, worker and the public er group lanned active in the petition drive to close Green Street and maintain Pickens in its present state. The Campus Shop and a book exchange are other projects under consideration plus any individual complaint a student might have. Union Plans trivia contest The first of three "Trivia Contest' sponsored by the University Union will be held Tuesday with the fol lowing two on Oct. 18 and Nov. 9. The contests will be open to any one interested in participating and the questions for the contest will come from television, movies, com ics, sports and volunteers. "The format for the trivia contest consists of a single elimination lad der. All entrants will be placed in groups of four, whereupon each group will compete in two, 10 minute periods with the winner being the person who answers the most questions," according to the Union rules. After all the contestants have par -ticipated, the winner from each group will compete in the run-off. Prizes are $10 for first place and five dollars for second place. If you want to increase your knowledge of trivia and improve your ability to impress your profes sor, come and watch the contests being held. Who knows, you too may find out that Steve McQueen starred in "The Blob." Call the union for the time of the contest. Inquiry Send your questions about anything to Inquiry, Drawe A. .ds to retui should have a hand in this process, arc operated as an independent agency cai as a form of collectivication." "The basic difference between Mc socialism today and in the 30s is that of the Communist hadn't taken over. anc Communists are actually more an( capitalistic than socialistic, they are sta more like a state capitalist and the ma people don't have anything to say in about it." Mitchell said. ' Mitchell who worked as a sharec- me ropper for S0c a day in the 30s clas- Au sifies himself as an agrarian out reformer. "Actually I'm an agrarian far reformer. If you look at history the jec revolutions that took place in Rus- rui sia, China and Cuba were all jot agrarian reform movements, but l they went Communist because of the wars and promises that were der unkept," said Mitchell. net The native of Halls, Tenn., said yea he fears the re-election of Nixon. ovc "If re-elected Nixon will return to Co) the old Nixon in the early part of res his administration. The war will dar drag on and the Vietnam is the root rot of all of our problems. Our only pos- tha sibility is to turn around to the New ha Deal days. We must stop the war, cou stop the bombs. We've spent more money in bombs than the whole ar country of North Vietnam is worth," Mc said Mitchell. Foi Now a representative of the 1on Amalgamated Meat Cutters and yea Butcher Workmen of North ' America (AFL-CIO), Mitchell is an pre THE I WE CHALLENGE Ar\ THE BEST RC IN -n to 'Nei lent supporter of presidential I ididate George McGovern. 'The election of George I Govern will mean the beginning I a redevelopment of the human i natural resources of the urban 1 I rural South. McGovern under- 1 nds the rural life more than any ; n who has run for the President A the last 30 years, said Mitchell. 'he election of McGovern will an more Tennessee Valley t thorities, a new farm security for I - small farm owners and landless m workers as well as new pro ts, retraining and placement of al and urban youth in productive s, he said. ot since Franklin Roosevelt has re been a candidate for Presi it who so well understands the ds of all of our people. In four irs Richard Nixon has turned r to conglomerates like Coca a, I. T. T. and Tenneco the ources of the country. More nage has been done by our first ot president to the rural South n millions of tons of bombs, he s dropped in the Vietnam intry-side, Mitchell said. Its indeed time to turn America )und to its real heritage. Govern offers a new chance. ir months of Richard Nixon is too g to endure, let alone four more irs." 'he Department of History will sent Mitchell, Thursday night in ONLY_mL0 IN SOUTH 4 YVONE TO HAND SPIN A BI HW 40 Open (Later Sui )AST BEEF SAN THE WORLD N Deal -urrell 107 at 8:00. In addition to Mitchell's informal resentation, the March of Time ilm, "The Land of Cotton", will be hown. This film, photographed by Walker Evans, helped awaken the Jnited States to the plight of the harecropper and the poor farmer. klong with James Agee, Evans pro luced the now famous photo essay, 'Let Us Now Praise Famous Men," he story of three tenant farmer amilies. Smokey Says: TREES GIVE US MO FOR FUEL. AND PAPER FOR 1OOKS 10 READ Forest wild fres destroy these benefts! PIZZA AROLINA GGER PIZZA COME BY f'. 215 CAYCE 794-9844 11 P.M. (Tues.-Sat.) |ATION NOW OPE B BELTLINE E 782-9268 11 A.M. -11 P.M. n baligame nights) i. 5 - 11 P.M. IDWICH