The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-06-03

ment, only two took five Appeal cards
each, and several more took two
cards each. Kirkpatrick was exas-
perated-quite wild, we would add.
And his closing remark was-"Sit
there and do nothing and Wen get
nothing and get nowhere" But the
audience could not help it. That's
the kind Of party it is.
Leo Harkins next tried his hand
at collection. Tho many in the au-
dience could have given $500 easily,
when he asked for this sum, none
gave. Nor did any of the many mid
die class participants give even 500,
or $50, or $25 or even $40. When
donations Of $5 weer asked for two
hands went up.
Diagnosis Of Disease.
Joseph STARTS. as chairman, was
also not a bowling success. Why
should a chairman of party that is
trying to stage a comeback say, con-
fess rather, that if anything could
kill us we would have certainly
killed ourselves because we chased
rainbows, were misled by emotional
ism, followed false leaders up blind
alleys. Then he referred to the au-
dience as the international union Of
grave diggers with Debs as its bust
ness agent.
The grave they were digging try
ing to dig capitaIism's and it was q
big one-and so the thot arose that
the social democrats were not even
good grave diggers, for in all in.
stances where they had been given
an opportunity to bury capitalism,
they had failed to cover the corpse.
Debs-A Relic of Past.
When Debs came in all arose. But
there was no cheering. A solemn
manifestation Of good will towards
the veteran. Debs made his usual
speech. STARTS had referred to the
Debs' Canton speech for which Debs
was indicted and imprisoned, men
tioning the persecution of Ruthen-
berg, Wagenknecht, and Baker in the
Canton workhouse as the incident
which made Debs' speech at Canton
particularly bitter. Debs talked long
about his trial, Imprisonment, and in
his usual characteristic way, stated
and restated that he felt no resent
ment nor bitterness towards anyone
who had caused his Incarceration.
Not at all an attitude to develop
struggle and militancy among the
workers, we would say. His speech
dealt with no concrete situation Of
the day, no exposition of the battle
of the workers upon dozens of fronts,
from the colonies in the East to the
workers under the heel Of imperialism
in the West. Just generalities, some
moraIizing plenty of platitudes, play
of words.
Socialists and Police Unite Against
Daily Worker.
The local socialists had entered
into united front with the Cleve-
land police department, and arriving
upon the scene with immense bundles
of the DAILY WORKER, we were
prohibited from disposing of them.
The lieutenant of police frankly in
formed us that the socialists had re-
quested protection against us, not
only at the hall entrance, but for
blocks either way from the hall. The
first order issued was not to allow
any literature or periodical to be
sold or given away. This order pro-
hibited the disposal of not only the
DAILY WORKER, but STARTS weekly
also was made to suffer.
The next order that came forth
after we had demonstrated our oppo-
sition and the police officer had called
: up headquarters, was that we could
give away the papers but could not
sell them. The gareement the police
made with the socialists undoubtedly
was that nothing should be sold near
the hall. When we arrived with a
daily, this agreement would hardly
hold water. And so as not to violate
the agreement made with the social.
lists and to save their faces, the police
allowed everyone TO give away their
: wares.
Bankrupt Needs AuctIoneer.
This first regional convention is in
teresting as an indicator of socialist
party methods. The aim is, to build
party. The socialist way to do this
is, not to talk much class struggle
for this may drive some away; not tc
take concrete stand upon anything
because all may not agree; not to say
: anything about Soviet Russia because
, altho some may welcome a few words
in its favor, others will object
Eschew principles, policies and actor
bring them all into the fold-what
we want is a crowd and mailing list
for the weekly, that's all. These are
the slogans Of the socialist party, al
one time big business, now bankrupt
and flying the red flag Of the auction
eer, not OF revolt.