The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-12-05
III.
In the House of Worship.

A FTER the pogrom the revolution
airy movement in the city slowed
down. Before the pogrom there was
no trouble between the christian and
Jewish population, there were no bad
feelings. After the pogrom the trouble
began. The different nationalities
looked upon each other as enemies
II was quite big job to bring some
understanding and more unity be-
tween them for the sake of fighting
the real enemy of both OF them--the
czaristic government. The revolution
lists undertook that job.
The government, on the other hand.
continued its work of bringing more
hatred between the different nation
alities. 1t began a systematic cam
paign to organize it's forces for per-
manent work along these lines. Thus,
for instance, the first patriotic organ
izations among the masses, made
their appearance. Their main purpose
was to defend the car and country
from the reds and the Jews"
The hooligans, (hoodlums) as they
were properly called, began their ac-
tivities in the streets by beating up
Jews. students and all those who
looked like revolutionists to them.
The police conveniently did not notice
these beatings. The revolutionists
were forced to organize in self de-
tense. Thus the Boyevoy Otriad (mil-
itary squad of the revolutionary or
ganization came to life in our city.
1t was under the strict and direct
control Of the city central committee.
THE most dangerous and difficult
i jobs were usually assigned to the
B. o., as it was called. Such jobs
were plentiful. The everyday task of
the B. o.. was to organize meetings.
Under the laws of the cars, this was
quite a job. There was no possibility
of any kind to meet under the disguise
OF some legal organization for the
simple reason that there were no le-
gal organizations among the masses.
benefit societies or mutual aid socie-
ties, clubs or anything of the sort
could not exist.
The only way workers could meet
was illegally, in defiance of the law,
taking thereby a chance of going to
Jail for three months or being exiled,
if caught. 1t was the job of the B. o.
to organize the meetings so as not
to endanger the workers and the party
leaders Usually nobody, except the
members of the B. o. knew where the
meeting is to be held. They would
find the room, usually by comrade
or sympathizer, and then would lead
the workers from the shop or the
"birja" to the place of the meeting.
A member of the B. o. would take
along with him one or two workers,
two other workers would follow at a
distance so as not to loose sight Of
them until they would come to the
meeting place. Not more than two or
three would enter house at one
and the same time. Other members of
the B. o. would do the same, If it
was necessary the trip would be re-
peated many times. Coming every time
from a different direction so as not
to become conspicuous on the street.
After the meeting was already under
way it was the business of the B. o.
to watch the police and warn against
a raid, and sometimes to hold off the
police in order to give the comrades
time to dispense.
T,HE "birja" was mentioned and a
l. little explanation is necessary for
Foreigners" those who were not for
tunate enough to participate in the
movement at that time.
After work the workers would usu-
ally go home or to the "chaynaya"
(tea ROOM, and after supper every
party member and sympathizer would
60 to the "birja" (exchange). But