The New York herald., 1921-12-04
Methods % Propaganda by One Who Fell Victim to
10 Tnne-W Conmun
Would Substitute for the Constitution Work to That End

est hunger in the world) do you suppose
would let stupid bourgeois marriage cere-
mony stand in my way? Bahi MOI"
do you mean that you'll be his
his" I stammered over the word.
Mistress? Why yes, little Miss Question
Mark that's what do mean. Only should
be frank about it, for | should be his true
wife. What is there to be ashamed OF in
the honest desire of woman and a man
for each other? No underhand stuff for
mel" She settled back in the cushions
and lit cigarette.
Here at last was something like the book
heroines! I was full of admiration for
this magnificent honesty. And when Ben
-, the Russian Yiddish actor, on
visit to this country appeared in Sarah's
fiat to smoke cigarettes, pose and hold his
court there it soon became evident that
his wife at home was not to intefere with
any admiration which he felt for Sarah. l
watched the little drama with breathless
interest If, indeed, she did go to him as
her one great love, would it be done openly
as she had boasted and as Braun and
Graefsky would strongly approve? Had they
not often told me how noble woman was
who gave herself frankly and openly to
her lover, disregarding narrow convention
scorning any loss of caste? Even without
their preaching 1 could see certain noble
courage in such woman
Well, Sarah did go to Ben and alto
gether openly at that. l had just had the
ncws from her in little note which said
that | was the first person to be told, but
tomorrow every one would know, when
dashed off to an evening party at the
Harveys Here Braun had perfectly
new foreign lion in tow, and Graefsky was
looking after me- Presently some one
casually mentioned Sarah's name. AT the
moment happened to be looking at Braun
and saw him glance significantly and
sneeringly at my companion. Clearly they
also knew about Sarah. Graefsky frankly
Ieered Something seemed to be the matter
near the pit of my stomach But then
fared with indignation. They had been
pretending! For each expression said as
plain as spoken words, "She has lost caste"
So it was in a mere exchange of glances
that I found my poseurs out, and l am
afraid took it rather hard. We never
discussed Sarah's nobility or mentioned
her in any way. But from that moment l
lost faith in the personal sincerity of Braun
y,
After this I was fond of saying, II like
Socialism we'll enough, but l don't care for
the Socialists" This witticism usually
brought laugh, and / thought I had in
vented It. Since then I have often heard
il spoken by other fools.
~ NE day Braun confided to me- You
don't like any of us as much as you
used to. and some day I'll find out
why" I didn't have the courage to refer
to the mere interchange of smile and ven
tured, "Why, I've found out that you are
all lot of irresponsibles"
"Is that all? That's an old story" Braun
smiled. You'll have to get used to us. We
don't like to grow up. That's all"
But had now lost faith And / had a
legitimate excuse to stop seeing my radical
friends in some settlement work which
carried me into field which neither man
could as a Socialist approve. Sentimental
stuff" Grief Graefsky.
Mere patchwork" said Braun
Since, however, what they said no longer
influenced me, threw myself whole heart
next five years, during which time l saw
nothing whatever of either man. If at the
end of the period | came to agree partly
with both that settlement work is largely
futile, this was on very different grounds
from their own. In other words, if |, do
not believe in ignorant idealists trying to
Americanize the alien of to-day, this is be-
cause the average immigrant is a radical,
whose main interest is precisely to over
throw the Constitution Of the United
States Further, since the young settle
ment crusaders are often turned out of
college altogether tolerant of Socialism,
they often become converted entirely
through certain foreigners coming to the
house-as often as not shrewd and highly
educated Socialist propagandists. Accord
ingly, instead of the alien being American
lied, our social workers are often alienated
from Americanism.
This, however, is a depression, and |
must return to my story, which, after some
five years, brings me presently to the. last
lap of my activities along the lines of social
work--the spring OF 1917. In the mean
time the war had broken out in Europe and
though I saw very little Of my radical
friends. yet when did meet them found
myself less and less in sympathy with their
so-called modernity. For Braun, after
mockng at and reviling marriage, had
quietly married a girl he loved Graefsky