The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 12, 1934, Page 7

DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK TONDAY, MARCH 12, 1934 Page Seven CHANGE — THE — WORLD! By SENDER GARLIN pe Sunnyside local.of the Socialist Party out in Long “:. Island went into action the other night and threw itself into real militant struggle. It organized a lecture entitled “The Middle Class and Revolutionary Change,” given by Kirby Page, editor of the Christian Socialist “The World Tomorrow.” It may be recalled that one of the post-graduates of the Sunnyside Socialist local—and a neighbor of Mr. Kirby Page, at that—is Mr. Paul Blanshard, Mayor LaGuardia’s $15,000-a-ayear Commissioner of Accounts. It was Paul Blanshard who, at a Conference of the League for Industrial Democracy, held in the Socialist Camp Tamiment, near Stroudsburg, Pa., several years ago, said that “discussions of Socialist theory have always been a dreadful bore to me.” In a mimeographed leaflet the Sunnyside Socialists called upon the masses in their community to rally to the Sunnyside Center to hark “to one of our own Sunnyside neighbors,” in the words of the leaflet. ‘The call of the Sunnyside Socialists—said to be the “creme de la creme” of the S. P. intellectuals, declared that: “Kirby Page is a forceful, analytical and provocative speaker. His subject, the Middle Class is one of the most pressing problems of the times. Where will the Middle Class land? In the ranks of the Fas- cists, or will they realize that they are destined to be crushed by the powerful organizations of capitalism. Sooner or later they will have to take their place in the ranks of the working class.” The Socialist elite of Sunnyside went on to say that they “look forward to having you with us, and we hope that you will participate in the discussion which will follow the lecture.” Fearful, apparently, that even this attractive and harmless event would not fetch the crowds,'the Socialists presented their social menu as additional bait. Says the leaflet: “The Center is open every night. Come in for lectures, ais- cussions, or sociability. “Game evening, every Wednesday, chess, ping-pong, etc. “Special social affairs on Saturdays, skits, dancing. “Drop in for tea and talk Sunday afternoons, 4 p. m. charge for tea.” An Answer toa Communist Prayer Ki Arsdig prayer on Thursday for a good Marxist re-writing of Sin- clair’s ‘Goose Step’ is about to be answered, in part at least, by an International pamphlet, soon to appear,” writes A. B. “Schools and the Crisis, by Rex David, is a brief analysis of the collapse of the capitalist system of education in America. The author, who is himself a teacher, presents a vivid picture of schools shut down, teachers. unpaid, classes overcrowded, as part of the general attack which rich taxpayers are making against the workers and poor farm- ers. The pamphlet contains also the story of the counter-attack by the progressive and militant teachers. David describes the ‘raid’ dur- ing which Chicago teachers forced ‘Hell-and-Maria’ Dawes and his pals to come across with their pay. “‘Schools and the Crisis’ is of particular interest at this time when La Gua: is trying to put over a payless furlough on New York's teachers. No Revealing Paragraphs No. 1 “I sometimes wonder if the apparent increase in juvenile delinquency isn't due to the fact that there are so many more children today.” “This astounding evidence of colossal mentality,” suggests Jack Stone, “is credited to the Most Rev. Stephen J. Donahue, recently ap- pointed auxiliary Bishop of New York, in an interview, on March 7, with the World-Telegram’s sycophant to the “Men Who Made Good”—Forrest Davis. “Inasmuch as the Catholic church does not believe in the dis- semination of birth control knowledge, there is obviously nothing what- ever that can be done about decreasing juvenile delinquency—at least as ‘ar as the Most Reverent is concerned. “How simple a solution, O simple father!” . Harold Edgar Replies Dear Sender: It is always a little embarrassing to debate with someone who agrees with you too much! Though Arnold Dekker seems to be taking issue with my review of John Wexley’s play, I am afraid his objection is merely a violent re-assertion of my argument, not a point of view op- posed to it. Of course the readers of the Daily Worker cannot “revitalize the Guild,” but they were never requested to undertake so futile a task. What I wrote was that they should see “They Shall Not Die,” and, by seeing it and cheering it, revitalize the dully correct audiences which \ generally attend Guild productions. . What Dekker says about the Guild's other plays this season is exactly in lme with my own reviews of them, but if all of us who are “students of the Worker's Theatre” wish to greet John Wexley’s play “with admiration for his courage, his enterprise and his skill,” I know no better way of doing it than by going to see it. Though this benefits the Guild, it will also benefit Wexley and the “cause” of American social dramaturgy. Perhaps I might have been regarded as more “logical” if I had written, “ ‘They Shall Not Die’ is a fine dramatization of the Scottsboro case, and one of the best plays of its kind ever produced, but since the Guild also put on ‘Days Without End,’ you should not see ‘They Shall Not Die.” But such “logic” doesn’t seem to me to be very useful. The second point raised by my critic is much more valid. To this I can only reply that tickets are available for “They Shall Not Die” at 81.10 and $1.65 and that possibly if these tickets were bought in blocks of 20 or more, the Guild might be persuaded to make a reduction even on these prices. But aside from this I’d like to point out that Arnold Dekker evidently did see and enjoy Wexley’s play, despite the expense, and that he is a reader of the “Daily’—even though he misquotes me. '(RANKLY I don’t believe Dekker has. completely thought out his ideas. Beneath his criticism of my column there is a more serious question than any he brings forth, Why did Wexley submit his play to the Theatre Guild? And if the Theatre Guild is a “commercial organiza- tion” how does its “commercialism” manifest itself in the production of Wexley’s play, aside from the price of tickets? These seem to me more vital problems than any raised in Mr. Dekker’s letter, and as I men- tioned in My review, I propose to devote a special column to them soon, In the meantime, I stand by my first statement: readers of the “Daily” should see “They Shall Not Die.” “The carriage trade” will never make a success of it; only people who share our (Dekker's, yours, and my) convictions can possibly do so. : —HAROLD EDGAR. “¢ : * * . TOMORROW —Angelo Herndon is Still in Prison Memorial Exhibition for Revolutionary Seulptor At New York John Reed Club NEW YORK.—The John Reed Club is holding a Jacob Dainoff Memorial Exhibition to honor the memory of an active revolutionary worker-artist. logue with illustrations and biog- raphy is being prepared. All work- ers, artists, organizations are urged to come to the opening r arrange A handsome cata-| to visit the hibition, \Seaman Describes | Conditions on | | Ellis Island By GEORGE FERRARI (As Toid to Phil Randolph) | am a marine worker who was \4 framed by the Roosevelt Line owners and the U.S.- government because I was explaining the rotten system we live and suffer under to |my fellow-workers on the S.8. | American Farmer. I spent three months in the Federal prison and another three months on Ellis Is- land, scheduled for deportation. | When the Daily Worker and the} | International Labor Defense learn- ed of my case, they forced the Im- Ee Ssiupcian Department to release me. | Those on Ellis Island awaiting | deportation are kept in Room 204.| It makes no difference what crime | @ man or woman has committed, | or of what he is accused—all are herded together like cattle. Work- | ers who are political prisoners are | treated as if they were criminals. Workers who have no means of support and are being sent away to | Starve in another country, are class- | ified as vagrants and kept in Room 222. Here you will find those whose health and strength has been drained by the capitalist system. | These workers know now that there | is no “chance” for a worker, as long as the bosses rule a country. | Some comrades who were held in this room put a sign reading, “In- ternational Section,” in one corner. Here they met, surrounded by pic- tures of Marx, Lenin and other leaders of the working class. A So- cial Service official saw the sign and pictures and stole into the room when no. one was there, and destroyed our International Section. aeoer tT food served here is terrible. | Two months ago, the prisoners | held a demonstration against it, in| the dining hall, throwing knives, forks, dishes and food at the guards. For a while the food was a little | | better but as soon as these militants | | were out of the way, the officials | | gave out rotten meals again. Everything goes here, including Strikesbreaking. Tricking workers, | awaiting deporattion into scabbing | on striking seamen was the lowest piece of dirty business that the Im- migration officials tried to put over. The captain and first officer of a Greek freighter, the S.S. Kalypsis | Vergotti, came to Ellis Island look- jing for another crew after their | men struck for back pay, improved conditions, and recognition of the | Marine Workers’ Industrial Union. |The captain had been told that there were any number of seamen on thé Island who would be only too glad to sign up with him. The United States government welcom- ed the chance of saving deportation expenses. The crew was then signed up on the ship’s articles at $15 a month without knowing that they were to scab but the story appeared in the Jan. 4th issue of the Daily Worker and was read by a worker on the Island. He promptly notified the men and every single one of them refused to sail the ship. It was after this that I let the “Daily” know of my own plight and Abraham Dranow of the I.L.D. was sent to help me. The Immigration Bureau told him that I was being | held because I had no_ passport. |Dranow proved that this was only an excuse to get rid of me because T had fought against the low wages and terrible conditions on the| American Farmer. The I.L.D. began to fight for my release, backed by the mass pressure of workers’ or- ganizations throughout the country. When the immigration officials learned that I was not alone, that the workers were fighting my battle with me and that their plan of quietly getting rid of me was ex- posed, they reluctantly discharged me. I want to thank the LL.D. and the Daily Worker for helping me and intend. to do everything pos- sible by my work in the movement to show my gratitude. Since my own case has shown me that only organization and mass action by the workers can overthrow the cap- italist system, I am, as the first step, joining the Communist Party. League of Workers’ Pheatres In Chicago In Midwest Festival CHICAGO. — The League of Workers Theatres is preparing its Midwest Festival on March 25 at Peoples’ Auditorium, 2457 W. Chi- cago Ave. when twelve workers’ theater groups will meet in com- petition, The audience will pick the winning groups to represent this section of the League of Workers Theaters at the National Festival, which will be held in Chicago on| April 13, 14, and 15. On_the afternoon of March 25, six English-speaking theaters of action, will compete, and in the evening, six foreign-language thea- ters will perform, including the Blue Blouses, Workers Laboratory Thea- ter, Nature Friends, I. W. 0. Youth Dram Group, Jewish Work- ers’ Clubs Youth Branch, and Ukranian Young Peoples’ Theater. In the evening, the Finnish Work- ers’ Theater, Jewish Workers Clubs, sian Dram Group, and Slovak Dram Group will compete. Re- quirements for participation are membership in the League of Work- ers’ Theaters, and presentation of a short play, iasting twenty-five minutes. All organizations wishing turther information about this con- test, get in touch with Elsie Segal, 1879 E. 57th St., Chicago. WORKERS BOOKSHOP LIBRARY NEW YORK.—The Workers Book Shop has now opened a new department —a Workers’ Circulating Library. Over books are now on its shelves ready for use by workers and students for » nominal fee. Books on economics, politios, science, history, war, fascism and other subjects interest to workers are being added . Workers and students are asked this growing library by joining Por further information call Alg. or visit -» New pm Yat ow, bemeren s WHAT’S ON Ha i s uf MAGS MEETING Protesting Japan’s im- Perialist designs in the Far Bast. Promi- nent speakers. Isadore Schneider, chair- man. Labor Temple, 14th St., cor. Second The Ivory Tower No Longer A Joke—It Is A Tragedy oted Novelist and Poet Tells Why American Writers Should Join the Communist Party By MAXWELL BODENHEIM The scarecrow of propaganda should not be permitted to divert the attention of American writers from the basic question. The sloga of “art supreme” and beauty un- defiled is now being employed to keep American writers passive and blindfolded. The “successful” ones know full well that the banquet-table changes to crumbs whenever the smallest, radical note creeps into their work. | The others must also be aware of the fact that their “failure,” in | many. cases, has been caused by a half-hearted attitude, in which their conscience refused to allow them to become panderers to slink- ing, moneyed interests veiled in the | guise of art-patrons and sorrow- E world is roaring with prepara- tions for armed conflict, with far-flung riots, fascist murder, and frightened, capitalistic intrigues, from China to Paris, from Vene- zuela to the Siberian frontiers of the U. 8. 8. R., and the U. S. A: has entered a period of open, strike-breaking fascism, of billion- dollar appropriations for war, of sporadic charities, pittances, and meager “improvements” advanced, in desperation, to still the growing anger in the hearts of the working class of this country. In the face of unprecedented chaos, deceit, and brutality, both in the world at large and in the United States, can American writers continue to jeer from the sidelines, or snore from & safe vantage-point? stricken publishers, while their Can they remain inactive as they | courage and insight remained partly read of the killing of workers in’ enslaved. New Mexico and California, the clubbing and slaughter of workers| no longer be ignored, not only in in France, the hunger marchers in| their writing, but every other England, the attack upon workers| hour of their activities, as well in Cuba? Can they stay in their | With the powers of reaction and The need for a positive stand can | Jade towers of philosophy, romance, | exploitation mounting, daily, Amer- and “laughter,” while the ruling| ican writers must realize that the minorities, in their country and|quiet of their study room is not others, are planning another | sufficient. They should and can Slaughter-fest and bribing them | enter the lecture-hall, take part in with fake promises, with lullabies | mass-mecting and protest-marches, and blood-stained rewards, with |throw themselves into the picket- fancies and layer-cake dished ad |lines, and—if they really want to nauseum at tea-party and soiree? | exert every sinew of their beings If they possess one atom of | against falsehood and venom in the conscience, one particle of genuine | ruling, capitalistic class — join the sympathy for the oppressed, and/only party honestly, rsistently; frequently hoodwinked, brothers|and militantly battling against and sisters everywhere, the answer | capitalism and all of its sly, or must be NO. The preesnt writer | deluded, artistic and liberal allies has no desire to indulge in melo-| and compromisers — the Commu- dramatics, but he knows that Amer- | nist Party of America. The middle- ican writers of today must face a|road has become mud-ridden and realistic situation and make a/futile. The left path of awakened realistic decision. The ivory’ tower | conscience and resolve alone re- is no longer a joke—it is a tragedy. | mains, ‘Peace on Earth’ 6 Close on March 17 After 16-Week Run Before Workers “Peace on Earth,” the anti-war has won the enthusiastic praise of Play presented by the Theatre| almost every-jeading intellectual in Union at the Civic Repertory The- | America. atre, 14th St. and Sixth! Ave., will] yt has also been supported by 158 close on March 17, it has been an- labor, stu ee ts udents, and cultural groupe, nounced by Charles R. Walker, of | some of which have v t the executive board. Only | ae heated two weeks houses for the next Theatre Union remain for seeing this first produc-/ play, sight unseen. By the end of its tion of America’s only professional | run approximately 135,000 eople workers’ theatre, | will have seen this stirring indict. Casting has already begun for the| ment of the makers of war for Theatre Union's second play, | Profit. Twelve thousand of these are “Stevedore,” which will open the | Unemployed. Tickets have been dis- middle of April. Dealing with a ‘Tibuted at the rate of 700 a week group of Negro longshoremen on the | ‘© the settlement houses, the unem- picturesque wharves of the Missis-| ployed organizations, clubs for work- sippi River at New Orleans, “Steve-|/™8 men and girls, the seamen’s dore” shows the use of lynching and | “lubs and unions. Workers’ cultural terror to break up any attempt Go| ues Teport that the play has black workers to organize against Proved a basis for spirited discus low wages and exploitation. The | 224 planning on methods for fig! play is the work of Paul Peters, who | M8 War. lived in New Orleans, and George| The Theatre Union has made an Sklar, youthful co-author of “Merry-| important contribution to the Go-Round” and “Peace on Earth.” panera drama by staging a work- * 2 | ing class play and organizing for it ame e eC 7 - audience almost wholly working HAGE Fede SH CE TE se Prsreqer composition. To sustain the This is considered remarkable Wy | foe 10,000" aianbere, soa eee professional producers who for years | conducted. Dollar membershi oad pave been scouting the idea that a/ title holders to tickets at recuted yeibeaget Varies isaac nad Ae and likewise to privileges in the suggestion that a show chargin; Iti iti spree raion Movie prices, as low as 30 ene : yep at Si. cee seat, could sustain itself. Within its nings by the Theaity Cnet ce 16 weeks, however, “Peace on Earth” | ers, etc, Stirring Account of Crimean Civil War in New Int'l Pamphlet TUNING IN| TONIGHT’S PROGRAM WEAF—660 Ke. Heroic exploits of rural and town poor who proved resourceful allies of Novelist Rejects Offer of Nazis to Publish His Books NEW YORK.—Edward Dahlberg American writer, author of “Bot- tom Dogs” and “From F' ‘ing to Calva: refused to give permission to a Berlin publisher to translate and publish his books in Germany until the “Nazis have freed all work- ers, intellectuals, all anti-fascists who are in Hitlerite dungeons and jails” and Hitlerism is destroyed, an article in the current issue of the New Masses, out yesterday revealed The Rowohlt Verlag of Berlin asked Dahlberg's publishers, Har- court, Brace and Co., for the Ger- man rights to the books. In answer, Dahlberg. according to a letter in the New Masses, wrote, in’ part: “To be published today in Ger- many is a dishonor which I do not want and shall not claim. The very thought of having my two novels appear under the imprint of the swastika murder-sign. fills me with such horror that I say to you @ thousand times and more, that as long as our fellow-writers, our brothers, are in your torture con- centration camps or in exile. that as long as the workers and the in- tellectuals of Germany are being maimed and killed, no honorable American writer will consent to the publication of his books in Hitler's Charnel-House. “Not until the forces in Germany and America which are waging a struggle to the end with the Nazis have freed all workers, intellectuals, all anti-fascists who are in your dungeons and jails and not until the enemies of fascism have torn down the boards with which you have sealed the windows of your Brown House, the Third Reich, let in the light and destroyed Hitlerism can any sincere and honest Amer- ican writer allow his books to be published in Germany, “I am, as ever, today, tomorrow, and the day after, anti-fascist.” Dahlberg at the same time de- manded the release of Ludwig Renn, Klaus Neukrantz, “and the hun- dreds of other writers and artists you have sent to your concentration | camps” before he would be willing to have his books appear in Ger- many. Fred Beal Describes Life of Workers in USSR Tractor Plant How do foreign workers and specialists enjoy building the new Ifie in the Workers and Peasants Republic? Fred Beal, |, || well-known Gastonia strike |) leader and now a political refugee in the Soviet Union, gives the answer in “Foreign Workers at the Kharkov Tractor Plant,” just released by International Pub- lishers. a Letters from foreign workers at\the world-famous plant and 74 illustrations supplement Beal’s narrative, which selis for 15 cents at Workers’ Bookshops or, in quantities, from Workers’ Library Publishers, Box 148 Station D, New York. ‘Writers of Britain Join the I.U.R.W. | A recent conference held in Con-| | Hall. London, resulted in steps | | a-“tan cf the formation of a British Union of Revolution- ety ‘\7riters,, similer to the John |Reed Clubs of the United States. The London “Daily Worker,” central organ of the Communist Party of Great Britain — in dis- ‘cussing the conference. id that “there have once or twice been ef- forts in this country to form a sec- | tion, but on too narrow a_ basis. | with the vote, |get around 30 cents 1:00 P. M.—Herse Sense Philosophy—An- drew Kelly. 7:15—Billy Batchelor—Sketch the Red Army during the Russian | The present conference has been civil war are related by Ivan Ovcha-| assured of support from a number tenko in his novel “In a Ring of |of writers who feel that the present, Artef, Ukrainian Dram Group, Rus- | 1! ‘Sop! "700 | 10:00—To Fire,” just issued by International Publishers. The auxiliaries, fighting victori- ously against tremendous odds of the White Guard interventionists, | Were known as Red Partisans. Oy- charenko. led such,a group in the Crimea. Wis story is not of military valour alone—the Communist groups operating in the Partisans taught the peasantry the aims of the rey- 11:30—Eacas Orch, olution, raising their morals in the 12:00—Olsen Orch. fight ecainst Kornilov and the rich 12:30 A. M.—Masters Orch. | Cossacks. WOR-~710 Ke. 7:00 P. M.—Sports Resume 7:15—Arthur Lang, Songs 7:30—Maverick Jim—Sketch 8:00—Selvin Orch.; Jones and Hare, Songs | 8:30—Sorey Orch. 9:00—Musical Revue :30—Novelty Musical ¥:45—Alfred Wallenstein's Mina Heger, Soprano’ 10:15 "Current Events—Harlan Bugené Rea 10:30—To Be Announced 10:45—Sports—Boake Carter :00—Moonbeams Trio 30—Whiteman Orch. 12:00—Lane Orch. WJZ—T760 Ke. 7:30—Amos ‘n’ Andy 7:15—Baby Rose Marie, Songs | ie ea Gershwin, Piano; Concert rch. 1:45—Kraueter String Quartet 8:00—Morin Sisters, Songs; King’s Jes- ters; Stokes Orch.; Cliff Soubier ‘30—Shirley Howard, Songs; Jesters Trio S—The Goldbergs—Sketch ‘00—Dramatic Sketch 8:30—Lawrence Tibbett, Metropolitan Opera Baritone; Concert Orch. 9:00—Gypsies Orch.; Frank Parker, Tenor 0—Ship. of Joy, With Captain Hugh epg! ta cid ne ‘00—Eastman Orch.; Lutlal y ‘oe aby Lady; Gene 10:30—New Federal Communications Com- mission—Senator Clarence ©. Dill of ii bear mf :00—John arty, Tenor 11:15—News; Lopes Orch, “In a Ring of Fire” sells for 15 cents at Workers’ Bookshops or di- rect from International Publishers, 381 Fourth Ave., New York. Sinfonietta; Biographical Series Of Red Army Chiefs To Begin Tomorrow A series on “Leaders of the Red Army” begins on this feature page tomorrow. It will include the thrilling de- tails of the lives of Clementi Vor- oshilov, the Russian metal worker and old Bolshevik who is now the Soviet Commissar of War; the popular Gen. Budenny; Gen. 8:30—Michael Bartlett, Tenor; Concert | Vassily Bluecher, and others. £65 ed Davis Motch, This significant series, which 9:00—Minstrel Show will be illustrated with photos of 9:30—Pasternack Orch.; Helen Oetheim,|| the Red Army leaders, will also 0; Williard Amison, Tenor Be Announced 10:30—Henri Deering, Piano 10:45—Ozark Mountaineers 11:00—Ramona, Songs 11:15—News Reports H 11:30—Denny Orch, 11:20—Anthony Frome, Tenor 12:00—Pollock | Orch. 12:30 A, P.—Stern Orch. WABC—860 Ke. 7:00 P. M.—MYrt_and Marge 7:15—Just Plain Bill—Sketch 7:30—armbruster Orch.; Jimmy Kemper, 7:45—News—Boaka Carter 8:00—Green Orch.; Men About Town Trio; Vivien Ruth, Songs 8:15—News—Edwin C. Hill 8:30—Bing Crosby, Songs; Lofner Orch.; contain the Oath of the Work- ors’ and Peasants’ Red Army. The biegraphy of Voroshilov will appear tomorrow. Watch for itt 9:15—Fray and Braggictti, Piano Duo 9:30—Gertrude Niesen, Songs; Jones Oreh.; Mady Christians, Actress; Emile Boreo, Comedian 10:00—Wayne King Orch. 10:30—Connie- Gates, Songs; Bton Boys, Songs 11:00—Rich Orch. 11:15—News; Davis Orch. 11:45—-Messner Orch. | State of the world makes it im- | possible for them to remain aloof | | from. politics, and feel also thet | they are also on the side of the | working class in its struggles. “Four novelists who spring | directly from working’ class life, and | ceal with it almost exclusively in| their work, are among those stip-| porting the formation of the British | Union of Revolutionary Writers. They are James Hanley, who writes of Liverpool slums and seamen; Harold Heslop, from the Tyneside | minefields; A. P. Roley, a railway | | man whose “Revolt” deals with the | | Working class movement in 1919-21, | j and Holt, of Todmorden, whose | jsecond novel has recently ap-| peared.” | Among the ‘writers who signed {the cali for the conference were Julian Bell, Alec Brown, Allen Hutt, | Hugh McDiarmid; Montague Slater }and John Strachey, author of “The | Coming Struggle for Power” and |The Menace of Fascism” and the correspondent of The New Masses | jin Great Britain. | Victory Looms in the | | N.Y. Dental Strike | NEW YORK.—The strike of the | Dental Laboratory Technicians is | Progressing. The eleven hundred) |members of this association, com- Posed of dental technicians, walked | out of the dental laboratory Tues- | day night in a strike for shorter hours, higher wages, and recogni- tion of their union. | In an interview with the “Daily Worker,” Posner of the Dental Lab- oratory Technicians Equity said: “I look for an early settlement of the strike. For the first time in the history “.. the dental technicians the workers will be able to work under humane conditions.” Send us names of those you | know who are not readers of the Daily Worker but who would be — interested in reading it. Address: 12:00—Belasca_ Orch. Mills Brothers, Songs 14:30 A. M.—Pancho Orch, Ave, 8 p.m. Adm. free 9:00—Philadelphia Studio Orch. 1:00—Light Orch, Daily Worker, 50 E, 13th St, New - York, N.Y. | 7 Years on For Stealing Chain Gang Bag of Flour By JOHN L. SPIVAK BROOKHAVEN, Miss Sheriff Applewhite, a long, rangy man with at least one wooden leg judging by the way he hurls it in front of him when he waiks, represents the law—and politics. Those in con- trol of the county put him in office so he has to represent them if he is to continue in office. He repre- sents the law because it is by the threat of the law private property that and storekeeper can keep the starv- ing from invad- . ing their sanc- tuaries and tak- ing. food. or money with which to buy food His thin, lined face wreathed in smiles when I asked him nor- m al questions about the county. He sat down beside me ready for a long? talk, but when I beean to ask questions about how many C. W. A workers were employed who had not paid their poll tax and how many Negroes were on government jobs paying 40 cents to $1 an hour, he be- came busy. The representative of the law was not keen about discus- sing these matters. There wes an air of resentment in him thet a Nort+-rner dared to probe conditions in the South, an air that I found in a number of places. “You have the same conditions up North,” they say indignantly. The Sheriff. revresenting those takes the view of the employing farmer. “The trouble with this county is that everybody's demoralized.” he said: “The C:W.A:, P.W.A., €.C.C.— all the government agencies have drawn our farmers from the land and brought them to the city. Here some can work for 40 cents to $1 an hour. They never made so much money before. Farmers can't com- pete with the government because a farmer can pay only about 20 cents or 25 cents an hour for field | labor.” (This estimate is greatly ex- aggerated. Day labor in the field earns from 50 cents to $1 a day at the most. Those that pick cotton a hundred pounds. Two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds is an excel- Jent day's work. In wages this means 90 cents a day picker—J. L. S.) “There are some loud mouths around: here. and they talk a lot of doing things that they'd be sorry| | for. The trouble with them is that) they’ve seen the government do it Now if the government ever stops giving relief they might just get to feelin’ bad and c&use some trouble.” HE custom of buying Negroes by advancing money to pay their fine in court has not disappeared as a result. of the surplus labor since the depression. This custom was quite common here before 1930, as throughout ‘the South, whenever a white lendowner needed workers in the field. It is not so generally | resorted to now, but it is still used by some landowners or individual | small business men when a par- ticularly fine specimen of black boy | is available. | The attitude of the white man toward the Negro is seen in his use of the word “bought” when he talks of peying a Negro prisoner's fine. | A farmer from Magnolia, Miss., told me a funny story about such a pur- chase. It must have been funny, for there was another white farmer present when it wes told and both laughed uproariously. “T bought me a nigger boy for $36.” for a first rate)” a sack o' flour an’ a Said mother Was a I kept him when he ra reckon he r again e he got pretty badly cut up around the head when I saw him in he had a white raz aid. Well, the judge give him five years for stealin’ tha! sack o’ flour an’ gallon o’ wine That nigger boy just stood there at the an’ the tha funny the wa he got them extra two years! 3 “It must have been very funny I agreed i its chain gi to and poor whites from aying out of hand, chain gangs with the same instru- ments of torture Georgia has, and one that Georgia legally abolished the lash. In Mississippi the broadj leather strap is still used to cut the shrieking victim's skin to pieces. So most of the Negroes do not ask for too much in these days when even whites are starving. They take what is given them, humbly and quietly. whatever their inners mos: emotions may be. They dare not do anything else, unorganized and helpless as they are. (To Be Continued) —————————— Stage and Screen “The Perfumed Lady” To- night; Lawson Play Coming Friday ry Wagstaff Gribble's new pley “Thi potumed Lady," will open this evening at the Ambassador Theatre under the aus- pices of Wee and Leventha rian Don~ levy, Marjorie Peterson, Helen Brooks and bland, head the ‘ Pelyrong Mumber:” by Eloise Keeler, wil open on Tuesday evening ‘@t the Province town Theatre, sponsored by the Intimate Theatre. Dorothy South heads the cast ‘The Leonard Sillman revue, “New Paces will be presented by ©. B. Dillingham on Thursday night at the Fulton Theatre with Nancy Hamilton, Imogene Coca. James Shelton, Roger Stearns and Mr Stillman in the principal roles. The Pure In Heart,” a new play by John Howard Lawson, wilt have its pre miere on Friday evening at the Longacr Theatre. Dorothy Hall. ‘Tom Powers, Are Gerard and James Bell are the principal Peace on Earth,” the anti-war play at the Civic Repertory Theatre, begins its final week this evening. The Theatre Union play closes on Saturday night af- ter a run of 15 weeks. “Lakme” To Be Given At Metropolitan Opera Tonight “Lakme” will be presented this ev at the Metropolitan Opere House with Lily Pons. Swarthout, and Martinelli Other operas of the week include “Rigo- letto,"” Wednesday night, with Miss Pons and Hackett; “Die Meistersinger,” Thurs- day afternoon, with Lehmann and Lorenz “Mme. Butterfly,” Thursday evening, with Rethberg and Martinelli; ‘Tristan and Isolde,” Friday evening, with Leider ned Althouse, and “Peter Ibbetson,” Saturday afternoon, with Bori and Johnson. ‘The closing concert of the New York Symphony Orchestra will be given tomor- row night in Carnegie Hal under the direction of Nikolai. Sokoloff, with Kara Rachlin, pianist, as soloist. The program Schubert's “Unfinished” Symphony; Con- certo No. 3, D minor, by Rachmaninoff, and Wagner's Prelude to Aet IIT, “Lohen— grin.” Prelude to ‘Act I, “Tristan and Isolde.” and Wotan’s Parewell, and Magic Pire Scene from “Die Walkure.” CORRECTION In Harry Raymond's review of Sherwood Eddy’s book, “Russia Today,” which appeared on this page Saturday, March 10, the words “which made his plans possible” in the third from the last para- graph should read “which make bis he said. “He was about to be sent to |,plans impessible,” thus conveying the farm (the chain-gang—J.LS.) an-entirely different meaning. AMUSE MENTS Positively Last 8 Performanees PEACE 0 ROBERT MINOR says “Let the ‘Timid Souls’ of the capitalist press hide under the bed. Let them shout that it changes life into a seap box. Earth’ is a magnificent work of art. It breaks down the dull tradi- tions of a theatre-afraid-of-itseif and lets in—yes, it lets creative art Its technique is too far aheed of anything on Broadway in, comparison... Its content so vital to see it.” THEATRE, 14th St Civic Repertory::-‘s #3," N EARTH But ‘Peace on for” that it almost cracks your bones and TH BI€ MONTH & Sat. Best seats’ tax. ae THE THEATRE GUILD presents— | JOHN WEXLEY’S New Play THEY SHALL NOT DIE ROYALE Tt, sth 8, w. Broadway. Eves. Mats. Thursday and Saturday, EUGENE O'NEILL's Comedy AH, WILDERNESS! with GEORGE M. COHAN Thea., 524 St. W. of Bway GUILD Paco eed erp MAXWELL ANDERSON’S New Play “MARY OF SCOTLAND” with HELEN PHILIP HELEN HAYES MERIVALE MENKEN ALV) Thea., 324 St., W. of Bway Ey.8,.20Mats,Thur.&Sat.2.20 “Her Master’s Voice” | MOROSCO The: O MORE LADIES A New Comedy by A H. Thomas with LVIN DOUGLAS, LUCILE WATSON . doth, W. of Bway. Evs. 8:50, Mats. Wed., Thurs. and Sat. at 2:45 Now | em Jefferson 18 St. & ard Ave. EDDIE CANTOR in “ROMAN SCANDALS” = also:—"TRE WOMEN IN HIS LIFA" | with OTTO KRUGER & UNA MERKEL iT ASITIS Palestine too: THE NATIVES —JEW AND ARAB— Sing: Dance; Demonstrate; Work in “The Dream Of My People” with Cantor Rosenblatt Roland YOUNG and Laura Hope CREWS in | adaed é ee x Thea., W. 45th St. Evs. 8.40 || 5 LOT in SODOM” Plymouth yents’Mon, Thurs. & Sat. | Pusure Latsabinee Extraordinary | wat Ue dre show thcestnetaon ] ACME THEATRE 3555 Opens 11:30 A, M. KATHARINE | HEPBURN in“ SPITFIRE” Second MUSIC HALL REVUE on stage i TEGFELD FOLLIES” with FANNIE BRICE 4 Willie & Eugene HOWARD, Bartlett ®IM- MONS. Jane FROMAN, Patrician ROWMFAN. WINTER GARDEN, Biway & 50th. Evs, 5.30 Matinees Thursday and Saturday 8:30