The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-18
BETTER LET BOSS
RUN INDUSTRIES,
SAYS SOCIALIST
Maurer Poor Rebel But
Good Comedian

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 1.-THE
large capitalist newspapers in this
city, today, gave considerable space
to announcements concerning a mass
meeting to be held by the socialist
party in Arcade Hail. 1t was said that
Eugene v. Debs was coming all the
way from 'Terre Haute, Ind, to in
spire the audience to continue the
fight for the emancipation of the wage
slayes-via the route Of the Howell
Barley bill and other reform meas
ures. Deb's photograph was published
and Victor Berger, of Wisconsin, and
Morris Hillquit, Of New York, were
also listed as speakers. The result of
this publicity was filed hall, per.
haps 500 persons coming out for a
farewell" view of Gene.
The Unknown Chairman.
The chairman of the meeting was
unknown to Washingtonians. He told
the audience that he had been in
Washington but three weeks and that
he had come here for the purpose OF
rehabilitating the socialist party. He
proclaimed himself socialist-and
then periodically told us that the
United States in the greatest nation
in the world. Altho apparently still
in his teens the boy insisted upon fire.
quentIy repeating that he had been &C,
tive in the socialist movement for
twelve years. His next announcement
was to the effect that Berger and Hill
quit were compelled to attend meet
ing Of the conference for progressive
political action and Debs would not
arrive in Washington until Saturday
Following this disappointment the
crowd gradually began to leave the
hall.
The chief speaker Of the evening
turned out to be James H. Maurer,
Of the State Federation of Labor in
Pennsylvania. For an hour and half
Maurer entertained the audience witt
copious selection of funny stories
and from the standpoint of excellent
vaudeville the speech was well re
ceived. During this entertainment
Maurer seriously stated that the ma,
tives of Pennsylvania are good citi
zens-because they are law abiding
Why exploited miners should abide by
law manufactured by capitalists in
the most corrupt state in the unior
Maurer did not say.
Morris Did Not Apnear.
Finally Maurer stated that he had
not come to Washington prepared tc
make speech-that his repertoire OF
anecdotes was about exhausted and
that he wished Morris Hillquit would
hurry up and make his appearance
Apparently someone had tipped off
Maurer to the fact that several Com.
munists were in the hall. So he now
proceeded to give the Communists
some. grandfatherly advice. He be-
gan by saying that he knows the
Communists better than they know
themselves; that he has always beer
very close to the Communists. Az
one time he even met Communist
in Philadelphia who believed tina
there would be a geEeral strike in thi,
country. Maurer ridiculed the Com
munists because of the failure TO
bring about general strike In an
effort to release Tom Mooney from
his California prison. Maurer believes
that there is not only no revolutionary
spirit in this country but that ther
is not even any dissatisfaction
amongst Americans
Maurer quoted a prominent Pitts.
burgh manufacturer who had statef
that the Communists are the wors
enemies OF labor. And then Maurei
proceeded TO agree with the iabo'
exploiter! Maurer emphatically statef
that the Communists are away aheae
OF the rest Of the population: tina
the Communists are too far ahead
That they can't lead a parade IL they
are half mile in advance OF the res
OF the marchers. The Communists
must stay back with the common
people; seek lower level Maurer
said that he wanted to get everything
for the working people so long as he
and bis party, did not sacrifice their
principles. ~
Breaking II Gently.
What socialist principle appeared in
the LaFollette platform he failed e