davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
HPGys to be Crazy

Our leading dailies that have of late been com
planning that their delicate esthetic senses are
being outraged by the Teapot and Wheeler dis
closures of corruption and rottenness in the gov
eminent are getting back to normalcy. For these
well-kept mouthpieces of the employers, normally
means but one thing in the code of newspaperdOm.
This is: feed the readers scandal stories, murder
tales, divorce mysteries, and lurid exposures Of
sex depravity. Thus, recent days have brought
the old Harry Thaw case on the front pages of
our metropolitan press in place of some Teapot
Dome testimony.
Napoleon once said that zone newspaper was
worth 100000 bayonets." He knew whereof he
spoke. Even in taking up the Thaw trash instead
of the Washington exposures, the capitalist press
has hidden certain facts which, if given adequate
currency amongst the masses, might harm the
existing order.
For instance, while the newspapers were filling
up acres of print refreshing the memories of the
informed and educating the uniformed, they sig
nifcantly omitted saying word about the huge
estate of Harry Thaw. But on taking pains to
scan carefully the financial press, not printed for
or read by the workers, one finds that "Harry
Thaw's share of the hundred million dollar estate
left by William Thaw is estimated to have quin-
tupled to $5,OOO,OOO in seven years since his in
generations as insane"
This is interesting as well as instructive. How
comes it that man who has been adiudged in
sane by the highest medical and judicial authori-
ties of capitalism can have his fortune quintupled
without doing a stroke of work? What magic
was employed by this wizard of lunacy that his
wealth increased five hundred per cent while he
was in the crazy house?
Ofhand it would seem that it pays to be crazy.
1t has never occurred that member of the work
ing class, a miner, steel worker, railroader,
should become millionaire by the most arduous
work Yet Thaw, doing nothing became multi
millionaire 1t surely must be a crazy system
when individuals who are incarcerated in insane
asylums and do no productive work at all can
become multimilliOnaires in less than a decade
merely because they own the means of production
and exchange socially used, while the overwhelm
ing mass of the workingmen and farmers are con-
demned to intolerable living conditions and bank
ruptcy tho they are engaged in industry and agri
culture from sunrise to sunset every day turnout
the year.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
MUSIC.
BY ALFRED v. FRANkENsTElN.
chiIdren's Concerts Close

Children's concerts of the Chicago
Symphony orchestra came to a close
for this season at Orchestra Hall on
April II. In order to test the quick
ness of ear which his audience had
developed during the season Stock
had the principal player of each wind
instrument stand behind a screen
and play a phrase or two. The tone
qualities of most of the instruments
were readily recognized, tho the
clarinet and oboe did not prompt as
quick and as lond response as the
others. This is good music educa-
ton, for many veteran concert goer
who has not had this sort of train
ing has not so quick an ear.
The program opened with the pre-
lude to the third act of Wagner's
"Lohengrin" followed by the worlds
second most popular tune, the bridal
chorus in the same opera.
Then followed the second and third
movements of the Beethoven eighth
symphony. AS customary Mr.. Stock
had the themes of these thrown on
a screen in notation and gave his
listeners beautifully foolish text to
sing them to. The text of the opened
theme Of the second movement has
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
Literature Music Drama

changed in four years. When this
work was played during the first sea-
son of children's concerts the text
was ooh Henry, Oh Henry, where did
you get that billygoat", while last
Thursday it was "Oh Lizzie, Oh Liz
zie, Where did put my monkey
wrench. Beautiful poetry, and of the
sort that sticks with the music, SO
that one does not easily forget words
or tune.
The Saint-Saens "Danse Macabre",
a symphonic poem describing the
dance of ghosts on their gravestones
at midnight, and the brilliant festival
march "Pomp and Circumstance" by
Edward Elgar closed the program.
The children's concerts of the Chi
cago Symphony orchestra are beyond
doubt the best means of music educa-
ton in the city. If music courses in
all the schools of Chicago were abol-
ished, and the pupils sent to these
concerts instead, they would know
and appreciate music better than any
long school courses in singing could
teach them.
The only regret is, as many Sym
phony devotees could tell you, that
there are no concerts of this kind for
adults.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
TIE VIEWS OF OUR READERS ON
LIFE, LABOR, INDUSTRY, POLITICS

To the DAILY WORKER: The
view expressed in Monday mornings
DAILY WORKER that the epilogue
to the play, "R. u. r." to be shown
at the C. S. p. S. Hall on Wednesday
night, supplies the play with a weak
ending, has many adherents.
However, I believe the ending to
r. u. r. is fully as strong as the rest
of the Robot play if properly inter-
preted. Those who consider the end
ing weak claim that the epilogue
does not carry out the revolutionary
philosophy of the other acts. Accord
ing to my Interpretation it does.
Primus and Helena are reformed
robots, that is, they represent work
ers just after the proletarian revolu-
ton. The robots. previous to the
uniting of the robots Of the world"
represented the average worker. The
robots mind was not perceptible. He
was the worker who was so busy
coming money for his masters and
fighting the wars of another class
that he had no time to think.
But after the revolution, the robot
or worker for the first time had leis-
ure for little introspection. He no
longer needed to spend all his time
for others. Among his first thoughts
were thoughts Of self. The revolu-
tionary robot said, "Lo. have soul.
/ have time for real education, for
romance, for the art Of living"
This revelation Of the spiritual self
is my Interpretation of the epilogue.
AS soon as the once lowly minded,
dulled and stolid worker came to the
realization OF the joy OF living the
future Of the race was secure.
*. r. G.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
Noted Musician Has
Composed Music For
New Motion Picture

Fully as great care has been ex-
ercised in the selection of the mu-
sic which will accompany the new
motion picture of the International
Workers Aid, Friends OF Soviet Rus
STA, as in the selection and titling
of the picture itself.
The Russian half OF the picture
shows the contrast between the old
production methods and the new So
cial order so II is comparatively sim
pie to carry the theme OF the former
in the beautiful old Russian folk
songs while the latter is served with
the gorgeously inspiring new music
OF the revolutionary movement. Many
Of these new selections will be play
ed in this country for the first time,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23

and the services of noted musician,
Franz Beidel, have been employed
to make orchestrations of these
tunes.
In the German half Of the picture
the task was much more difficult not
withstanding the reputed wealth Of
German folk music. The arrangers
found that practically all German
non-operative music consisted either
Of folk tune or nationalist patriotic
airs. The sweetly sentimental, con-
contentment loving folk music was
found to be expressive OF a Golden
Age" Germany that no longer exists
This labor film shows the actual
Germany of today, the Germany OF
reality, and the old folk tunes, with
very few exceptions, were actually
incongruous.
The nationalist tunes were obvious.
ly out of the question. For the &C.
compartment to the pathetic condi-
tions of the German worker, recourse
had to be taken to Tchaikovsky and
other Russians of the old school,
showing the reversal of conditions in
the two countries. For the labor re-.
volt sections of the film, special med
leys Of German labor songs dear to
the hearts of the ''Liedertafeln" were
arranged, topped of with the magnf-.
ficent new "Hundertschaften Marsch''
Of the Workers armed guards. Thus
Russian and Germany" becomes
musical as well as a pictorial treat. 2
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23

season at Orchestra Hall with John
Charles Thomas, baritone, as guest
soloist. The concert brought to per-
Torrance great deal of music, some
good, some not so good. The best of
the concert, in singing and in music,
was an old English ballet "Thru
Bushes and Thru Briars,' arranged
for part singing by R. Vaughan
Williams. 1t is a quiet, rustic bit,
and excellently sung.
An unusual arrangement Of sym
homie music was the second move
ment of Dvorak's New World" SYM
phony set to a Negro spiritual text.
In the symphony the music is a slow,
idyllic solo for English horn. The
text fitted the music well, but one
may question a bit the application of
a text to a composition intended as
pure music.
"The Farewell Of Hiawatha," set
from Longfellow by Arthur Foote, is
a trife long and bombastic. But the
pure delight of such composition as
the Negro spiritual "Wait Til All Put
On Nah Crown" by William Reddick,
and the comic song "But They Didn't"
by Rogers as performed by the Men
delsohn club amply makes up for it.
John Charles Thomas sings the
English language so that one can re-
cognize and understand it as such.
This alone is high art, but Thomas
has a great deal more. A big voice,
superb quality, interpretative ability
are some of them. The compositions
he sang were mainly Of the French
impressionist style of concert song,
but the one Russian work he sang
got his audience and this writer more
than the French compositions. That
was "The Evening Prayer" by Mu-
sorgski, which tells about a little
child, half asleep, forced to pray for
his parents and all his sisters and
his cousins and his aunts, whom he
reckoned up by dozens. If it were
not for the fact that it takes a most
wide awake singer to sing in a man
ner that gives one the impression
that he is all but doing, one might
have thought that Musorgskis' song
was written about John Charles
Thomas, saying his prayers in a
dress suit, standing before a piano on
the platform of Orchestra Hall, with
large audience and the Mendels,
sohn club looking on.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
A STRANGE ANIMAL.

l met a unique specimen of the
Furriers' Union today. l spoke in an
I. w. w. hall on boring from with
in and mass union idea VS.. dual union
idea. He took the floor and asked for
further advice. Joined him at end
of meeting and his philosophy was as
follows: II know all the ideas Of
the Communists and the Socialists.
don't care for their papers, as they
give a biased view. The capitalists
are biased the other way. So | take
the liberal-labor papers-the Dial, the
Nation, the New Republic and the
Manchester Guardian. They are Just
as much against capitalism as the
Communists, they fully understand
the labor movement and they give the
Absolute Truth without bias"
can understand bourgeois being
paciist and a liberal, but work
err! He says he has studied Commun-
ism--and he still believes in Abso-
lutte Truth divorced from any materi-
alist foundation The New Republic
recently wrote up John L. Lewis Of
the Miners. as an honest and pug
nacious fighter"l Hard. in the Ma
ton, said that Foster wants to con
vert the A. f. OF L. masses into leav-
ing their unions and forming perfect,
industrial unions" And none OF these
papers deigned to mention the recent
smuggling campaign OF the N. Y. For
ward crowd in the speakers own UNI
ion-the Furriersl
This is all true. would not have
believed yesterday such man could
exist.
(Signed) GEO. MCLAUGHLIN.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
Whom Shall We Organze--The Workers or The Bosses?

expense of the worker, but their union
leaders believe that with this sort Of
policy they accomplish great amount
of good for the worker.
Several weeks ago there was in
New York strike of fuckers, hem
stitchers and pleaters, and the union
organizers of the International worked
hard to organize the employers into
an association.
And now we hear that some Of the
leaders of the capmakers union also
have plan to organize. Whom p
the contractors. Why? Well, that is
the style, and it is impossible to con-
vince these leaders that this style is
not for the interests of the worker.
A Confused Strategy.
Only last summer have the cap
makers carried thru strike with the
end in view of cleaning out the
leeches and the sweatshops. The
workers gladly entered the struggle
when called by the union for this pur-
pose. According to the report of the
leaders the strike ended successfully.
And what have we now?
We confess that we cannot under
stand the depth and the wisdom of
the strategy Of our leadership, but
from the depths of the heart the cry
must needs come: to the devil with
such strategic wisdom! We still have,
our senses and have not yet lost con-
seriousness. We cannot find in the
afore mentioned strategy any wisdom
that works in the interest of the work
er. We understand that when it Is
necessary to organize the workers,
and root out the nests Of the sweat
shop bosses, we cannot work it back
wards. Don't bother us with your
maneuvers. We have had enough OF
your Grandmother" medicines. The
disease in our midst is already full
grown.
The workers-them we must organ
ize, but not the employers. They can
take care of their own affairs without
the aid of the working class leaders,,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23

Says Pinchot, the progressive: "Nobody ques-
tons that, l. as a loyal republican will support
him (Coolidge) in the campaign"
Will the labor leaders of Pennsylvania and the
liberals in and out of the state who have been
singing the praises of this "friend of labor"
rise and explain upon what their appraisal of the
attitude of Pinchot was based?
To be "loyal republican" after the nauseating
disclosures of Grass corruption and criminality in
the republican cabinet that have been made means
but one thing-that Pinchot is loyal to the reac-
tionary capitalist interests the republican party
represents
The Pinchot position is we believe, trying one
for the band Of progressves who were cheered by
the thought of the millennium that was close at
hand as the result of his election.
The smile of the dog returning to his vomit
seems particularly apt in this instance.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23

complish it.
But our leaders have lately been
mainly concerned with making their
work easier. We have become as ac-
customed to settle our difficulties by
artful means, that we have almost for
gotten that labor organizations must,
at all times, still carry on a fight for
better conditions. AS the old fashion
ed grandmothers we have become so
accustomed to look for a magic cure
for every illness, that we have already
forgotten that certain diseases must
be operated on at the roots.
Our leaders claim that it is difficult
to organize the unorganized workers.
To be sure, the workers are not as
yet class conscious. The bosses, and
even all sorts Of small contractors are
more class conscious than the unor-
ganized workers, so our leaders have
undertaken to organize the bosses
rather than the workers, and instead
of working to wipe out the nests of
the sweating contractors, they are
working to organize the sweating con-
tractors.
A short time ago, for instance, Fem
berg, the manager of the N. Y. Cloak
makers Joint Board, brought forth a
plan whereby the union might organ
ize the small contractors that supply
bundles of cloaks to all bedroom and
kitchen holes in different parts of
the city.
Organizing Contractors.
In the New York branch of the
Amalgamated the union leaders have
been quite chummy for some time
with all sorts of organizations of
small contractors. Lately their rela-
lions have become still more friendly.
Some testers say that even the lock-
outs made by the contractors against
the tailors were inspired by certain
union leaders. We have become ac-
customed to policy of concessions
you contractors give me something
and l will give you something, too.
1t is understood that neither gave up
anything of their own, except at the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23

the contracting shops are horrible,
etc.
1t may be that not every worker
whom you ask will answer you in this
manner, but it is, nevertheless, certain
that the average worker sees the
problem in this light, and that is
simply because there are no other fac
tors that can have caused the present
chaos and the present miserable CON
ditions. And one does not need to be
a specialist to understand whence
have come dur present sickness in the
needle trades.
What Is To Be Done?
Then what is to be done to cure the
disease? 1t seems to be quite clear
that among the most important tasks
before us, two main points stand out:
First, to exert all our energy to organ
ize the unorganized workers, and,
secondly, to carry on a strenuous cam
paign to uproot the newly planted
sweating system. Where there is a
will there is way.
In the year 1910 the New York
cloakmakers revolted against the
sweating system then existing, and as
a result of the revolt, we have built
up a powerful union. Many other
branches of our needle trade unions
have also been built up as a result
Of the revolt against the sweating cpl
demic. Certainly at the present time
we are not any weaker than in those
days when we had almost no union at
all! And is the sweating system any
less evil today than it formally was?
We have the strength to put up fight
against this evil. There are several
means open to us by which we can
start real fight against the sweating
holes and the sweat shop bosses. If we
wish to cure our disease we must
start by organizing the unorganized
workers, and destroy all the germs
causing the disease.
Difficult But Necessary.
OF course it is a difficult task, but
it is a necessary task and no matter
how difficult we must and we can &C
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
BY the Needle Trades international
Committee.

Committee.
Should you ask the average union
member of our needle trade the ques-
ton, wherein lies the present chaos
in the industry and what caused the
recent growth of the great distress of
the workers." he would certainly an
swer you in the following manner:
The chaos is the result of the fact
that the entire industry has been
transformed into network of con-
tracing shops. The sweat shop dis
ease has spread to all corners.
Cloaks, mems clothing, caps, embroid-
cry and many other products are be-
ing manufactured in all sorts Of hid
den dens. The union cannot have any
measure of control over these hidden
places. The union has even lost its
control over the so-called legitimate
shops, which they did control some
time ago.
Many Non-Unionists.
A large part of the workers in the
tlduCC 10 ne
union has seldom taken special meas
ures to organize the workers in those
factories which are found in small
places surrounding the larger needle
trade centers of the country. The
large numbers of unorganized are in
strumental in spreading still further
the sweat shop system. Because Of
crumbling politics Of the union, the
employers are in position to take
still more advantage of the disease.
Their hunger for ever increasing
profits has no bounds. They there
fore use to the utmost all possible
scab holes, with the result that the
disease affects the workers to an even
greater degree. The employers profit
by this epidemic, while the workers
suffer. Their misery is constantly in
.creasing because Of it. Unemploy-
ment is large, the season short, wages
miserably low, tho speeding up in the
shops is unbearable. The sanitary
conditions in the greater number of
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
Strauss of Alfalfa
BY JOEL SHOEMAKER
Ye oIde Hay Editor

WHAT, o WHAT
SHALL THE HARVEST BET 3
WAS TALKING
TO A STORE MAN, s
WITH RUBBER tire goggles
ASTRADDLE HIS long nose,
AND HE told me
HIS PLAN to settle
THE FARM question,
WAS TO PAY the farmers
FIXED PRICES for all crops y
AND LET the old hayseeds :
ROOT HOG or die.
JUST LIKE union workers
WITH WAGES by the scales.
A CHEWING GUM fellow
WITH MONEY to burn
AND HIS lunch tablets
IN ONE CORNER of =
SMALL VEST pocket n
BROKE IN on our talk.
HE WANTED to see
ALL FARMERS move to cities,
SO LABOR would be cheap IL
THAT MAN would have ~N 4
GAME PRESERVES instead Of farms
TOURIST PARKS in place Of daIries
AND FARM products ruled off
THE PUBLIC markets
AS UNFIT for human food
! WAS just thinking
WHAT FUNNY old birds
THE MEN and the women
OF THIS NATION will be
WHEN FARMS and gardens
ARE MEMORIES Of the past
AND ALL PEOPLE wear nose bags,
TO CATCH food oalorles
DRIFTING IN the air
AND EVERY one will dress
IN FIG LEAF robes
BUT We OLD politicians
WITH WEAK KNEES and sore gums
WHY DON'T you do something
TO HELP the farmers
OWN THE LAND and be
FREE AMERICAN citizensf
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-23
MendeIssohn Club Farewell

The Chicago Mendelsohn club, a
mems chorus directed by Harrison
Wild, gave its final concert of the
New Britain herald., 1924-12-24
BOWERY CREW CAPTURE
 FAST OPENING CONTEST
Crescent Reserves of south Man chester Lose Out in Final
 Minutes of Play.

The newly organized BoWery Five of this city got away 10 d fast start last night when they invaded south -dQnchestor aud defeated the Crcs- cents Ecs"rycs, 34 10 3l. 1t was a good game throughout and the score at the end of the first quarter Was even at l@ all.
 In the second quarter there was much more action. Captain Huck stink a shot which was followed up with another by Rice. Rice scored again together with Knapp before the Manchester lads added to their score. But Bramhall threw neat one from the sidc court which made the audience gasp. The Manchester beys scored lWIce in succession Th'y scurcI again through long shooting and Il GccIiIvd for time that the EoWcry fellows were lost The whistle blew for the first half ;t s"cond after the Crcareuts scored again and tue score read; Crcscenls --. BoWcry l..
 The rest of the game Was real basketball. Huch obtained the Jump and Rice received it with d sdIh, lie tossed the ball to Knapp who in turn passed 1t to Huck. iluch pN ot"d and dropped nifty push-up shot. Iue next play Knapp threw a peach Of shot from the center ol Inc floor. Bramhal fum- bird the Lail soon after in his at up | ho ball and scored. Sauds,rom ZNIcH of the Silk City boys picked up inc hall and scored, s4ndstrom : vas given free throw and made it good On the next play inc Silk City five staged d comeback with two baskets in a TOW. The game ] balanced evenly for few minutes. Rick and IIuck sunk dandy shots from tho side. The New Britain hoya were leading. 3n 10 @r, with , brr four minutes 70 20. Kerr Of the Croscents landed q push-up shot. Knapp missed free throw. In the last few socouds 10 eo Rice crashed down thc court and dropped tbo pill nratIy through thr hoop. He scored again in like fashion when the vIieNc b',N. F'un score, New . Britain A, south Manchester 3l. { Summary: