The daily worker., 1926-06-12

For five months / now trod the side
walks of New York, unable to get
work at my trade, or even as a dish
washer. Finally / fell into an agency
on Mulberry street, which looked for
men TO work with pick and shovel.
offered myself and was accepted.
was conducted. together with herd
of other ragged men, to a barracks
in the woods near Springfield, Massaz
chusetts, where a railroad was in con-
struction. Here l worked until had
repaid the debt OF one hundred dol
lars / had contracted during idle
months, and had saved a little bit be-
sides. Then with comrade / went to
other barracks near Worcester. In
this vicinity l stayed more than a
year, working in several of the fac.
tories. Here l made many friends
whom l remember with the strongest
emotion, with a love unaltered and
unalterable A few American workers
we're among these.
From Worcester I transferred to
Plymouth (that was about seven years
ago), which remained my home until
the time l was arrested. l learned
to look upon the place with real
affection, because as time went on it
held more and more of the people
dear to my heart, the folks boarded
with, the men who worked by my
side, the women who later bought the
wares had to offer as a peddler.
TN passing, let me say how gratifying
l. it is to realize that my compatTiots
in Plymouth reciprocate the love feel
for them. Not only have they sup
ported my defense-money is a slight
thing after all-but they have ex-
pressed to me directly and indirectly
their faith in my innocence. Those
who rallied around my good friends of
the defense committee we're not only
workers, but businessmen who knew
me; not only Italians, but Jews, Poles,
Greeks and Americans.
Well, | worked in the Stone estab-
lishment for more than a year, and
then for the Cordage Company for
about eighteen months. My active
participation in the Plymouth cordage
strike made 1t certain that l could
never get a job there. AS a
matter of fact, because Of my more
frequent appearance on the speakers
platform. in working class groups Of
every kind, it became increasingly diff
ficult to get. work anywhere. So far
as certain factories were concerned
was definitely ''blacklisted." Yet.
every one Of my many employers could
testify that was an industrious, de-
pendable workman, that my chief fault
was in trying so hard to bring little
light of understanding into the dark
lives of my fellow-workers. For some
time l did manual work Of the hard
est kind in the construction under
takfngs of Sampson G. Douland, for
/ the city. l can almost say that ! have
participated in all the principal public
works in Plymouth. Almost any Ital-
ian in the town or any of my foremen
of my various jobs can attest to my
industry and modesty of life during
this period. ! was deeply interested
by this time In the things Of the in
teIIeet, in the great hope that ami
mates me even here in the dark cell
of prison while await death for a
crime l did not commit.
My health was not good. The years
of toll and the more terrible periods
of unemployment had robbed me of
much of my original vitality. I was
casting about for some salutary means
of eking out my livelihood. About
eight months before my arrest
friend Of mine who was planning to
return to the home country said to