The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-06-11
A MAY DAY
IMPRESSION
By AN OBSERVER.

May Day, the Holiday of the
Workers of the World. The day on
which they show their solidarity.
In Milwaukee a big meeting had
been arranged by the Socialist Party |
in one Of the biggest halls, The
Auditorium.
Arriving early ! entered the hall
where already some comrades had
gathered, when noticed little
commotion and heard City Organizer
Edmund Melnls Of the Socialist Par
ty say to lady, "These cannot be
distributed here1 ] naturally thought
the bourgeoisie was at work spread
ing literature containing lies about
Soviet Russia or comrades of other
countries. There was a great call on
all sides and the lady quickly dis
tributed the balance of her papers. ]
eagerly examined them, imagine
my surprise! She b2dI I"Toilers''. Then
saw some More people herded to-
gether and driven out of the hall
and called into a side room by the
Executive Board Of the Socialist
Party of Milwaukee. Some hesitated
on the threshold Of the room as
though they feared the inmates.
These people carried leaflets
examined the leaflets. They announc-
ed a Mass Meeting by Robert Mi
nor. For moment / imagined ]
was sleeping-or had come to meet
| ing of the bourgeoisie. The people
were told they could not distribute
J, these leaflets in the hall. Evidently
there was one redlbooded Comrade
on the Executive Board, who sug-
gested their distributing them in the
lobby. My interest was aroused SC
l, kept watch.
They had just arrived in the lob
by when I saw the Executive Boart
giving instructions to the ushers
S The ushers Immediately walked vi
to the comrades and said-"You can
not distribute these books or leaflet
r here" "But what is wrong abou
them?" one conrade ventured to ask
d The usher took him by the arm
"You must leave these premises wit
o that stuff-and don't dare bring an,
i more in" They left the hall but a
o they were dauntless fighters the,
S distributed on the outside. Her
!. policemen appeared. stopping ther
again. "If you cannot distribute o
: the inside you cannot distribute o
o the outside, or I will arrest you all!
e I went back to the hall stunned
d I looked to see whether people ha
e been annoyed, by the Toiler or tn
: leaflets, but found them CAREFUL
e studing same, and placing them !
h their pockets. The band played tn
IS "Marsellaise" which was followed b
d the "Star Spangled Banner. Th
= speakers Of the evening Mayor Hoal
IS kirkpatrick, Chandler Owen, expires
n sed their sympathy with Soviet Ru'
sia, urged greater solidarity anon
IS the workers, showed the sufferin
o which exists under the capitalist sy'
ID tenn, and favored the overthrow {
e same, but my mind was with I'll
,r dauntless fighters who had bee
At driven out into the night into Il
Y hands Of the police. by the same o
ne ganization these men represented.
n A vision Of Ksr1 Lisbknecht az
y Rosa Luxembourg rose before me-
- saw the guards administering Il
70 death blow-beyond them saw Il
0' Executive Boad Of the Social
\ Party, giving iuptructions-- ---bcyoi
" them saw sincero comrades, son
% following leaders blIndly, ignorantl
&c 8, others who realized the true fac
III but had not enough courage 10 breI
or away-and the miu|1or was accom-
lished-Who Is r,Yllcv 0f the Crime