The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-11
AS WE SEE 1T
Ry 7. }. o'FLAHERTY


When the Chicago Rapid Transit
Company was fighting to retain the
lten-cent fare it made a noise like a
man about to crave admission to the
poorhouse. It's poverty smelled higher
to heaven than the odor from the
filthy lavatories that stink along the
rambling eyesores of steel But for
its marriage to public service the
company would Immediately divorce
itself from the altruistic task of lug
ging thankless patrons back and forth.
So it walled. But now that it is sell
ing stock, the tune is very different.
Instead of poor mouth the company
throws out its chest and boasts Of it's
enormous profits.
The Chicago Rapid Transit Com.
pany is selling stock to its employees.
It considers the workers the easiest
marks Anyhow it has way of en-
forcing its wishes upon them Better
purchase share of stock than incur
the displeasure Of the boss and per-
haps get on the waiting list Of some
unemployment agency. The elevated
lines earned over $1S,OOO,00O last
year. OF this sum over one million
was set aside for dividends. Along
with wringing these enormous divi-
blends out of the hides of its employees
the Rapid Transit Company will also
suck the few dollars they manage to
save out of their meagre wages. But
they will have the satisfaction of be-
ling part owners in Samuel Insults
company!
Some people are funny and some
fare born funny. Victor Berger belongs
lin the latter category. Normally,
sleepy individual who does not look
as if he knew the war was over,
Victor of late has grown as obnoxious
lily lively in political sense as dope
lfiend after getting a shot in the arm.
Berger looks with horror and fear on
the st. Paul convention. Horror be-
cause the Communists are included
and fear lest it hurt the political for
tunes of this new-found leader, LaFol-
Ilette. Victor has even taken slam
at Gen Debs, simply because the old
rebel used the word revolutionary"
lin an article on the Socialist party.
OF course Gene had no right to do
it. because it didn't fit. But not for
that reason did Berger lambaste him.
The article was published in Berger's
paper but it was considered neces-
sary to publish an editorial in the
same issue explaining that Gene did
mot mean anything by the word. 1t
was merely a sacred word handed
down from father to son and is as safe
in the mouth of socialist as graft
er in the ranks of the G. o. P But
lstill Gene is liable to be misunder-
stood.
Berger said of the sacred word,
VIZ disregard it long ago" AS he
understood it, and as he hoped Debs
understood the word, it meant a
change from capitalism to socialism,
but to the Communists it means blood
shed, gore, buckets of it. Therefore
the explanation is essential. 1t is just
like Berger He is funny. When he
was indicted for opposing the war,
he ventured to prove that he was in
strumental in getting sundry relatives
to offer themselves as sacrifices to
keep him out of jail. He was very
disappointed because one of his edi-
torial writer's did not join the army
and he told it to the judge. But the
funniest thing Berger said is that the
Socialist party will furnish most OF
the spirit and the brains to any poll
tical working class party that may be
formed. That is the limit.
William H. Green, secretary Of the
Progressive party of Nebraska said
a mouthfuI to John Appleton Haven
Putnam of the three remaining mem
beers of the Committee of AS in a siz-
cling letter setting forth the views OF
THE aforesaid William Green on such
political cattle as the cognominal
monstrosity. Green is member Of
the arrangements committee of the st.
Paul convention and feels as uncom-
Portable in the presence of faker as
an ear of sweet corn in barrel Of
rubbish. He writes as follows: III
all the discordant elements who havet
forced themselves into gatherings of
the workers and farmers with de-
sign to sabotage the movement will
follow your advice, two days will be-
saved to our convention and we will
not have to employ an espionage
brigade to watch our own member
ship" This was the reply to Hopkins
statement announcing his withdrawal
from the June II convention and in
viting others to do likewise.
General Ludendorff. recently ac-
lknowledged head of the German ma
tional socialists is urged by his fol-
lowers to make another attempt to
loverfhrow the government and eRfab-