The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-06-20


and the basis for various outlets of
artistic activity: theatrical perform
ances, Rotations, etc. These circles
furnish the club with extensive posi-
bilities of organizing new forms of
MISS agitation by the aid of art, and
enable them to form centers of at
traction irresistible to even the most
backward and least developed strata
of the working class. The clubs
possess cinematograph apparatus. en-
ployed from time to time for showing
films of revolutionary import The
extensive scale upon which club work
is carried on is naturally proportional
to the extensive means furnished for
this purpose by the arrangements of
the state factories and works, by the
trade unions, and by the state itself
thru its education authorities)
Under the conditions imposed on our
communist sections in Western Eu-
rope the scope of club work is of
course much smaller.
WITH reference to the forms taken
W by mass agitation, two Of these may
be dealt with here in detail; propa-
gandist performances of a more or
less theatrical nature, and the so
called verbal newspaper Both of
these forms of agitation call for a
certain amount of artistic effort, and
both require considerable amount
of careful preparation. Our Russian
conn AIDES organize both of these
forms of work in closest cooperation
with the club circles. When the club
undertakes some special campaign of
agitation, it allots the various circles
the tasks falling to their share. The
circles decide who is to take part,
divide the roles, rehearse the whole.
and practically undertake the work.
THE simplest form Of performance.
4 and one invariably appealing to
the whole public, is the so-called agi-
tation or political trial. Any political
question of the day may be made the
subject Of the trial For instance, the
Ebert lawsuit lately formed center
Of public interest At the time when
the trial was proceeding in Magde-
burg. and the working class was great
ly interested in the issue, an effective
agitation could have been carried out
by mock trial at which the workers
themselves tried Ebert. Much larger
numbers could have been attracted to
witness such a performance than to
the ordinary meetings with Commun-
list speakers. A similar trial with
Macdonald as culprit could also be
arranged. Not only individual per-
sons, but whole corporations, may be
placed in the prisoners dock, for in
stance the social democratic party or
the bourgeois government, or cleft
social democracy" or fascism, ETC.; in
such cases living persons among the
leaders Of the organizations concerned
must take the place of the accused.
THESE agitation or political mock
= trials are formed on the model Of
the revolutionary tribunal; three
judges, chairman, public prosecu-
tor a barrister for the defense. The
whole procedure and wording of the
trial must however be exactly ar
ranged beforehand; the indictment,
the hearing of the witnesses, the evil
dence, the explanations offered by the
accused, the speeches for the prose-
cution and defense, the closing words
OF the accused. The roles must be
carefully allotted, and every role must
be learnt by heart. The verdict must
be very carefully thot out. It must be
remembered that when the perform
ance is well carried out the audience
follows with the intensest inner par
ucipation, and is reused to a high
pitch of excitement, so that the ever
dict can have very considerable ef-
feet.
A political agitatorial mock trial OF
this description can be easily develop
ed into real theatrical performance,
with suitable costumes and DISCUSSES.
HumOr and satire NAV ~ o~4o-ns..~r..