The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-09-18


not his support.
Most comrades found it hard to
make the start. 1t was so different
from our usual line of meetings and
more meetings, where everybody
knew everybody else, and where one
could just about anticipate what
every speaker would say. Here was
virgin field with the unexpected be-
hind every door. The City Office
made it easier by giving instructions
in detail, just HOW the work was
to be done. If some of our other land
easier) tasks were as well organized
we would have more and better work
ers in them also. Our members want
to work but they think that they don't
know how. On new tasks especially
the old habits cling to them and hold
them back.
Here's an Example.
An illustration. This canvassing is
an individual job, perhaps for some,
two man job. You take your papers,
you go to your territory, and you go to
work. That's all. Last Sunday sew
eral branches. made last minute
drive for names. / arrived at head
quarters and found about twenty com
rades sitting on the stoop and wait
ing. Waiting for what? The material
was all there. A responsible comrade
had it ready for distribution They
explained that they were waiting for a
few more so they could have meet
ing" Why a 'meeting?" Nobody
knew And it was a good half-hour
pas the time set for the start of the
drive. Work was started at once and
with good results.
Comrades who had never ap-
preached strangers before did so with
much misgiying, only to be surprised
at how simple and interesting it was.
About fifty calls would yield half that
number of signers. The others were
not all refusals. Some men worked,
others had gone to church or else
where where the Communist canvas
ser cannot follow. One little girl
said: Father is policeman on night
beat, shall / wake him." Our can.
vassers temper valor with discretion
so the copper's dreams of pre-Vol-
stead days were not disturbed.
4 Out of so for Lafayette"
Tn fhn xrfcf
were found "for Lafayette" Two of
them signed our petitions, none had
been approached to sign by either
LaFollette or socialist canvassers.
LaFollette men were sore at us
for dividing up the vote" but this was
answered by a short expose of Bobs'
slaughter of the labor party, and an
explanation that the independent
candidacy merely was one more CAPT
talist camp in which to divide UP the
working class. One intense British
patriot was encountered, flags all over
house, his son had to work seven days
a week to support the family,-we did
not get to see the son, there might
have been a different story and an
other signature.
One old Irish lady signed but said:
81 wouldn't go upstairs if were you,
they're just Jews" Up we went and
found a w. P. sympathizer who told
us where we could get five more
names, right in the district.
At another place where four names
were picked up in two adjoining flats
was again asked not to go up to the
floors above, 1T won't do you any
good and we don't want them to see
our names on the petition" Our
.canvassers should be instructed to
make a special list Of actual sympa-
thizers encountered so that these
people could be cultivated for organ
ization purposes.
Homeward bound l met several
other canvassers from our branch and
all were elated over their expert.
ences and success. Those who went
out on the firing line. were just regu.
lar rank and file members, none OF
them had ever risen" as far as the
City Central Committee, and most of
them would never care to. This was
the first work they had ever been
given, outside of selling tickets and
collecting money for party, press, re-
lief, defense, etc, that they felt that
they could do it because they had
been told and shown HOW to do 1t
The experience is certain to have q
good effect upon the future party
work and attitude OF these members
Toledo Begins Campaign Meetings.
TOLEDO, Ohio. Sept. II. - The
Workers Party campaign open all
meetings were started here with the
first one held Sept. IA. on the corner
Of st. Clair and Jackson Avens. Com
rade Clarence Miller of Chicago, was
the main speaker Of the evening. He
spoke on the pending economic crisis
and the presidential campaign. Many