The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 2, 1924, Page 11

THE REDS’ PICNIC smile that very seldow leaves her face, bustles about where three paper covered tables stand beneath a tree. Behind her, a little fellow in gray striped trousers and a straw hat a trifle too large, hops obsequiously about, anxious to be of some help. At the end table, another fellow, tall and dignified, sits waiting with a bottle opener in his hand. The arrangements committee is on the job and its lead- ing light, a slender youth with an over serious face, flits first here and there, to see that everything is alright. Now the crowd begins to filter in. A Ford drives up and parks in the dusty road alongside the grove. From it clambers a bunch of youngsters, two women who brush the wrinkles from their skirts as soon as they reach the ground, and its driver, who locks the steering wheel, edges over in his seat and then on to solid earth. They make their Way to the picnic grounds. Other Fords drive up, discharging their passengers in almost the same spot. From the car line comes a straggling group of the more unfortu- nates, The ever increasing crowd reaches the refreshment stands. “Get your refreshment tickets here.” A Jewish youth folds up little green tickets, surrounded by a group of prospective buyers. “What’ll you have Gertie?” “Want. some pop or a_ sandwich Marcia?” A clamor arises. “Now Morris look oudt. da sody pop!” A couple separates from the crowd, going a little ways off to- themselves. He bends over her solicitiously. “What’ll you have dear?” The pleasant woman’s arms flash industriously back and forth in the sun as she cuts off thick slices of bread, between which she puts liberal Portions of ham: At the pop stand a constant clicking is heard as the tall, dignified fellow opens bottles in re sponse to the words—grape, lemon cream, strawberry, root beer. The little figure in gray striped trousers still hops about, very much in the way. The leading light of the ar- rangements committee stands off a little to one side, seeing that every- thing goes off in the right manner. Members of the crowd recognize fa- | Iniliar faces and it begins to separate | into little groups. Plump, Jewish women, Clad in loose-fitting garments, with a bunch of youngsters about their heels, sit fanning themselves in two or three small groups beneath tall trees. Their spouses, with sol- emn looks on their faces, bring them soda pop and sandwiches or else, stand in small knots, gesticulating wildly. Two or three groups of younger Jewish boys and girls frolic about in the open, their brightly clad, Don’ spill lithe bodies creating little pictures of jattain new persuasiveness. PLEASANT woman, clad in a/an blue gingham apron and with a|older folks with sleepiness. About and filling the youths and inexpressible restlessness; speaker—from out of town, known—a small knot presses eagerly,} shaking his.hands and asking ques- tions Concerning the radical move- ment in different-sections of the coun- try. The venders -get busy. They wander about the grounds, punch- boards in one hand, prizes in the other. “Take a chance on a box of candy.” “Get a camera. Two chances for a quarter. You'll want to photograph some of the prominent Republican candidates when they come to town.” ‘girls with ing pop and looking calmly about at the/the milling crowd. the}slender youth wearing a limp brown but well|cap bustles about, A straight, but getting things ready for the speaking—principal event of the day. Finally two old boxes are secured and he mounts them, calling forth in stentorian tones. “Now -comrades, everybody crowd right up close here and it won’t be any harder on the speaker's voice.” The crowd looks at him, rather dumbly perhaps. Then it begins to move slowly forward. Newspapers are brought into play. An obliging | comrade secures a whole armload of | “Isn't this a lovely scarf? One of the Croatian boys made it. Won’t you take a chance?” Over in one corner, a small, pleas-! anti-faced little fellow, -whom every-| one calls “Shorty” presides over a game of skill. “Here you are. Step right up, pitch two balls in the little barrels and win a box of candy. Three balls for a dime and you can play as long as you've got dimes.” A young Croatian steps up. “Ah, here comes a ballplayer. watch him.” Plunk, plunk, plunk. The balls hit the barrels and roll ground. Others press forward, anx- ious to display their skill.- Some are lucky; others . The lucky ones move about the grove, passing the candy around, just as long as it lasts. About the refresh- ment stands a small group still re- mains, munching sandwiches, drink- oe. eee (Continued from page 6) in Europe, so also in America. “The long struggle Over the leaders’ ac- ceptance of the automatic machine in industry, with its inroads upon the workers’ skill and trade union prac- tices; the gradual revulsion against an unquestioning pro-war attitude; the résentment against leaders’ in- actions on trade union amalgama- tion; and the conflicting attitude to- wards Bolshevik Russia, all helped to create a true rank and file move- ment.” “In America, moreover, the disap- pearance (statistically in 1890) of the | frontiers, has slowly changed the character of ‘our éctonomic life until by 1920 we were a’ completely indus- trialized nation, ° whose ‘ifdustrial workers outnumbered the farm work- ers and whose urban population ex- ceeded the rural. Our economic en- vironment has at last set. In the face Now jof such changed economic conditions, the old trade union machinery is bound to be recognized as antiquated. For bread and butter reasons, the most powerful in the minds of the unionists, arguments for change mus Simul’ grace and beauty not soon to be for-|taneously the problem of democracy gotten. Russians and Croatians stand about drinking pop and munching sandwiches. Americans sit about in _the shade conversing with much “laughter or else wander in small bunches about the grove. From one group to another roam the older men and women, exchanging: greetings and stopping for a moment’s chat. ~ “Say I see where the Democrats are going to run W. Z. Foster for presi- MOG “England’s in a hell of a fix. Why, during the war. . . “Tl tell you the revolution’s right et. Rand... 4 “The last time I was in Chicago, I saw a funny sight. I ras going down State Street. . 5 .” From underneath one of the trees there comes a shrill scream. : “Abie, Abie, vy you not leave Dor- othy alone?” ‘eh, shake e the head, “vat a boy, vat a boy.” — It is . peculiar day—half rainy, half pleasant. Some small gray clouds | united front graynées.’ A apeciper Rtg | cc dy desultorily. ‘Then the Se are eee eee in a pleasant shower, bathing the butter demands ek SS SEE, NER agpronctan ME ee Pee ee et tch,”. with a/f in the unions must attain a new sharp- ness. For the need and possibility of some change in the structure and functioning of the union at once brings to the fore the old question of union leadership which possesses a vested: interest in things as they are, and the machinery of power with which to maintain it. How in the face of this_condition will a change come to pass?” Today opposition to the bureau- cratic machinery of the American Federation of Labor and its respective units is consciously and militantly or- ganized and is expressed mainly in I)the program and_tactics of the Trade Union Educational League. This boring from within, perfectly constitutional‘ methods being em- ployed, meets with the same opposi- fore, the rank settlements impossible, meet with off onto the} such from somewhere and goes thru! the crowd, passing them out. Most/ of the comrades sit down in a circle | | about the improvised rostrum. A few! The speaker, a handsome, youthful | fellow with an air about him which impresses one with his earnestness | }and knowledge, mounts the rostrum. As he moves his hand about it is evi- ldent that one thumb is gone—an un- willing contribution to modern indus- try, no doubt. . He speaks earnestly and to the point. He does not indulge in oratory—he delivers a message. He tells them of things in foreign | countries, analyzes the political situa- tions there and then compares the analysis with things in America. He tells them of a convention held in St. Paul and of the formation of a Farm- er-Labor Party, a political party of the workers, earnestly and tells of the Workers’ Party, his party, its aims and aspira- on in Labor labor unions, as also among the rest of the workers, begins to be broad- ened and is directed not only for im- mediate bread and butter solutions, but against fake labor leaders, the employing class -and the capitalist government. Gradually it becomes a strugglé against the capitalist class for rank and file control, ‘workers’ ownership of the means of produc- tion and distribution, and for a work- ers’ government. The struggle is long, but militant workers have-learned much in ‘past years. The militants and revolution- ists no longer flock by themselves, separated from the rank-and file in their love-nest and purity unions. Be- cause of the systematic campaign of the Red International of Labor Unions and in America the Trade Union Edu- cational League, the militants and revolutionists stay in the unions in order to win the rank and file to their program, whether it be amalgamation, a Labor Party or the Soviet revolu- tion. If expelled, they fight their way back into the unions. Regardless of consequences, regardless of methods employed against them, militants now have as their slogans, “‘Win the membership to the militant program. Conquer the unions for the revolu- tion,” This book by Miss Koffald is of ns BY FREDERICK F. SIMMONS ee nreenneeetisens® tions. Overhead the sun comes from behind a bank of small, gray clouds and the speaker winds up his talk with an earnest peroration. m so that the working class of America will move forward to something more than mere political expression as a class; so that it will move steadily, unerringly forward to eu pe ithe dictatorship of the proletariat,” The crowd applauds. The speaker steps from the rostrum saying, “Shorty’s got a skin game over there in the corner that will now hold the center of the stage.” He speaks clearly and} WORKING CLASS REPORTER The youth with the stentorian voice |steps up on the platform and makes a few remarks about local work and }@ plea for a large collection. Around go hats—dollars, half dollars and | quarters, plunk into their insides. The crowd separates; the venders again go the rounds. Shorty’s game | &8 usual attracts a number of the com- rades. Straggling groups begin to leave the grove and then more. A few hours later only a few are left and soon, all are gone, A truck filled with tubs, tables and empty soda pop |cases rattles out upon the dusty road. The sun shines lonesomely, weakly, down upon the trampled grass and lit- tered grove. An inquisitive breeze | seeks energetically amongst the scat- tered papers, throwing them hither ) and thither. A lone bird flies thru the grove. The breeze tires of its search; the sun slips stealthily from (sight. In the city, the picnicers go alone, one by one, to sleep, perhaps to dream of the coming of tomorrow's Red Dawn, Unions distinctly high value to every worker, It is a source book of fine historical need. Its facts are, however, also marshalled for excellent everyday use. It is a fighting document for all mili- tant workers; it is damning agaifist the labor officialdom. With their own words is the labor bureaucracy nailed to the wall. Kopald deals with simple causes of the origin of the insurgent strikes, with bread and butter causes and brilliantly indicates their development into broader and, if you pléase, a revolutionary struggle. A truly valu- able book which should be widely circulated and read. It is not neces- sary here to picture the struggle and detail the facts given. They will speak for themselves when you read the book. The author, of course, writes from the typical “impartial” intellectual- istic point of view, and while it should be clearly understood that the book is not written by a Communist or from the Communist viewpoint, it cer- tainly is a welcome addition to the sparse literature on such a vitally im- portant subject as left wing unionism in America, Send in that Subscription Today. a ee eeee