The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 13, 1924, Page 14

66 W HERE you from, Shorty?” Big Bell looked down at the little man who moved into a seat beside him-at the red and white checkered table, while his elbows stood out as though to mark his per- sonal boundary lines. Matty Hirko glanced at him, an odd little dignity in his manner, and disregarding the query reached for a piece of bread. It happened that Big Bell reacheq at the same time and his grimy fingers snatched it from beneath the delicate, smaller ones. Matty looked at him again and said softly as though to reassure someene, “You countryman of see mine? “Ho-ho-ho,” roared Bell so that all the table heard and the rapidly moving forks stopped while the eyes rolled toward him. His brute strength caught all the. men unwill- ingly, for this big giant could be a devil without warning; he therefore received the suspicious attention one gives a dog barking and snapping at his heels. “‘Ho-ho-ho,” he roared. “Ho-ho- ho— countryman he says. Country- man—- little runt. Ho-ho-ho— little pollywog—toad hopper. Hump.” No another word did he say until he finished the meal when he arose grating his chair, leisurely put a toothpick between his teeth, and then leaned over Matty to remark as he thumped him a whack across the shoulders, Countryman eh? Polly- wog,.” - And Matty Hirko grinned, only half knowing whether to laugh or take offense. Later in the evening he sauntered down to the poo! hall for a drink, and a little gossip with any one who spoke his language; for jhe had just come to work in the smelter and he knew only casual acquaintances. When he entered the hall he saw Big Bell emerge from the rear door, a door Matty learned led to a shack where moonshine was sold by the drink or the bottle. But Matty didn’t care for moonshine; it was bitter and when he couldn’t find good whiskey { or wine he took soft drinks. Not so with Bell who e2me up to tim, pulled | a flask from his pocket and offering | it grinned, “Drink, countryman.” At first Matty would have refused, for it was white liquor, but some- thing in Bell’s eyes-compelied-him-to ) drink. ‘Phen Bell drained out a por- | tion and offered it again, but this time Matty waved him off quietly. “So,” Bell peered into his face. “So— you not drink. Gog damn, I make you drink,” and he tripped up the little man, sprawled over him on the floor, ground the bottle between his teeth and poured half the con- tents down Matty’s throat. leave him alone—he make you fun. “So,” he roared when he straigh- tened up. and looked at the bottie. “Sie polloywog—-you get one damn good drink, eh?” And Matty did not fight; i-ste-d his puny strength or the conse- quences. _ But the tussle ended in a moment; Bell caught him about the | waist, lifted him bodily, flung him across the poel table and spanked him while the men gathered about to roar with delight. Finished, Bell leaned back against the bar and waited while Matty scrambled from the table. He would have seized a chair, but a friend pulled him away toward the rear saying, “You bet You no fight hem—she strong like ; debil.” and Matty did not fight; instead he remembereq that night and the next day, and every day after that when he met Big Bell at the boarding house, at the pool room, or on the street. but sometimes the giant caught him and taughed in his face, or twisted his ear or his nose. Once he landed a kick which turned Matty’s face white with pain, but he said nothing, hoping that the initiation and perse- cution would scon be over. But it wasn’t; something in the small man, something about his fine delicate. mustache, his large sparkling eyes, the tilt of his black felt hat always baited Big Bell and induced some re- {mark, a pinch, a squeeze, or a slap. Hunger J. J. Lankes Generally he dedged away, | | / twice. COUNTRYMEN - - - @SsYoNEYWrAN Matty remembered all these insults; ‘he made few friends for his pride wag hurt and instead of being gay ‘and happy as was his custom, he wor- ried. : ‘Then he bought a dog, a little frisky pup to which he brought bones from the butcher shop or -tid-bits he | vook away from the table. He kept it at home for two weeks, but one | night he took it along to the board- ing house; he walked very erect and proud, for now he had a friend, a jcompanion, a sympathizer. Just a pup, but it was enough. Big Bell was waiting at the porch when Matty ‘rounded the corner, the pup frisking at his heels. “Ho-ho-ho,” roared Big Bell, “Look —my countryman. Look—+two little dumplings—yallow dogs.” Matty stopped before him. He didn’t exactly understand what “yal- low dogs” meant but he knew it im- plied scorn, “You take back what you say of my dog,” he cried. “You take hem back.” Big Bell only grabbed his collar, turned him about and gave him a |kick. Then he caught the pup an- other blow in the ribs which sent him yelping up the strect. Matty watched the little pup a short way, ang then went inside to sit at the red and white checkered table. He drank two cups of coffee, and went home with- out stopping at the pool room ag he usually did. He walked with his head bent forward as he had seen the litt e dog do. Next morning Big Bell was pour- ing milk on his breakfast food and slopping it over the dish onto the ble cloth when Matty came in. In- steaq of walking to his regular place at another table, he stopped opposite Big Bell rose grating his chair. | coat pocket, pointed it at the giant and ordered with short burning little words, “You take back what you say —my dog—you ’pologize what you do—you take hem back.” Big Bell was astonished, surprised for the first time in his life, but once more he laughed. “Ho-ho-ho, coun- tryman—two yallow pups—two.” He seized a knife and rising to get ‘at this little man, this little runt who |dared challenge him, him, Big Bell, boss of the pool hall, boss .of the boarding house, boss of the smelter. Big Bell rose grating his chair. 5 Matty stood still, watching, wait- ing. é Then he pulled the trigger—once. And Big Bell sat down heavi-’ ly against the chair, for the first bul- let cut his heart. An haur after they found Mettv Hirko in his room with his little frisky pup. When they took him he said simply but proudly, “He keek mx dog once—he no keek hem two time.” THE COMING MINERS’ CONVENTION - - - a7 wi-z roster On Jan. 22nd the United Mine Workers will hold their Convention in Indianapolis. Once again the or- ganized coal diggers of the United States and Canada will meet to legis- late on the labor problems of their industry. It will be one of the most important conventions in recent years. Its outcome will be of the greitest consejuence to the whole labor movement. The eyes of or- gani ed workes everywhere are turned toward it. For many years the United Mine Workers were one of the most progresive organizations in the labor movement. They long led the revolt against the Gompers machine. Every progressive cause could depend upon them for support. This was in the hey-day of the strength of the So- cialist Party. But in recent years the miners’ organization has lost much of its militancy. Especially is this the case amongst the leadership which, for general incompetency, autocracy, and corruption, will now compare with any of the most reac- tionary unions in the A. F. of L. The real condition of the organization is that the rank and file are’ genuinely progressive, while the officialdom are reactionary to the last degree. It is an anomalous situation. Practieelly all the unions in the American Fed- eration of Labor show a somewhat similar division of opinion between the officieltom and the rank and file, but in no cace is this so marked as in that of the United Mine Workers of America. As the years go by the collisions between the progressive rank and file and the reactionary officialdom grow heavier and more intense. At the coming convention many of these fights will come to a head. One of the most important is the Howat case. That is a cancer in the heart of the Miners’ Union. Howat was brutally anq illlegally expelled. All the intelligent rank and file mem- bers realize this and they are de- manding a square deal for him. Throughout the whole organization Howat hag been given a rousing re- ception by the rank and file wherever he has gone to make known his case. At the convention this sentiment in favor of him will surely register it- self despite all that Lewis can do to prevent it. Another collision be- tween the rank and file and the of- ficialdom was had in District 26. The manouvres there of John L, Lewis in smashing the strike of the coal and s'eel workers at the behest of the British Empire Steel Corporation ‘were among the worst exhibitions of treachery known in the history of the Miners’ Union. Desperate efforts will be made to purge the organiza- tion of the disgrace and to rid it of the men guilty of such a crime, Many other grievances will be aired by the rank and file. They see the organization falling to pieces ‘and nothing being done by the of- ficials to prevent it. They will de- mand a reckoning of the crooked leadership. In the past couple of years the wave of discontent in the thousands of locals has begun to de- velop the first rudiments of organiza- tion. These are to be found in the Progressive International Committee of the United Mine Workers of America, This is more than an or- ganization; it is a cause. It is the one hope of the rank and file to have some say in the organization, the one means by which they will be able to turn it to their advantage and away raising corrupt officials to power. The fight will be intensified by the fact that the bituminous agreement expires this spring and the fate of the miners’ standards of living is in the balance, with the prospect of a great strike to defend them looming up. The factors are present for a great rank and file revolt in the Miners’ Union, Discontent is rife in every district. And upheavel is long over- due. The only way it has been pre- vented up till now is by the use of the iron fist by Lewis. The wave of discontent that is sweeping many unions manifests itself even more strongly in the United Mine Workers of America. In the Molders’ Union the membership in the last conven- tion, demanded a general revision of the policies of the organization. In the Mantenance of Way conven- tion they went much further and swept out of office the whole reac- tionary gang of officials led by the unspeakable Grable. In the Min- ers’ Union the discontent mounts still higher and Lewis will have the job of hig life trying to choke it back at the coming convention. There will be a bitter struggle between the forces of progress and of reaction. What ha s at the Miners’ Convention be of the utmost im- portance to the whole labor move- ment. The workers are demoralized and helplses everywhere in the enn, unions. Craft unionism is dis- credited. A great renaissance is needed. This can come only through a great shattering blow dealt at the old bureaucratic machine. If the from being merely an instrument for| miners will take the lead-in this movement at the next conventiofi, workers in the other industries will be encouraged to follow. When the big revolt took place at the Maintenance of Way Workers’ Con- vention a. year ago, a quiver ran through the whole labor movement. But this organization was on its last legs and the revolt dissipated itself. If the miners take the bit in their teeth, as well they may at the Indian- apolis Convention, the story will be a different one. The olq reactionaries in the labor bureaucracy will find themselves confronted with a real struggle. On the other hand, if the Miners’ Convention is a reactionary one, it will throw still more dis- couruagement into the ranks of an already dangerously depressed labor movement. The coming Miners’ Con- vention marks a turning point in the labor movement .