The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-11-30
Striker Approaches
Negro Problem with
Intelligent Outlook
BY RACHEL WEINSTElN.
(Worker correspondent)

ANGfN L Vim QhCobACh Va bhO
Negro as strikebreaker had become
an imminent one. The ranks Of the
paper box makers were unbroken save
for stray boy or girl who wandered
from the line, wavered, but surely
came back. Our eolored sisters and
brothers, however, presented a greater
problem.
A solution was sought and, as we
thought, found. A committee, COM
posed of two colored girls and two
white ones, of which was one, was
selected to visit Harlem and, thru the
medium of churches, theaters, dance
halls and cabarets, convey the mes
sage that was of vital significance in
the fight we are waging.
Our success was negative. The
churches and similar places. of worship
were all difficult of access. We were
sent away with promises and assur-
ances of further interest in our sub
jects, ETC., but we were not permitted
to make our appeals there and then.
One church, indeed, accepted us and
even went so far as to read the mes
sage to the congregation.
See Thru Dark Shadows.
However. so far as was concerned,
the days experiences were of totally
different significance. For the first
time in my life l came in actual con-
tact with the Negro people, l talked
walked and laughed with them, and
was delighted with them. l seemed
to have been re-awakened. The people
were alive. moving, breathing, not
dark shadows on the horizon Of my
life. We visited one home with view
to obtaining speaker for an evening
performance at theater | talked :
with the lady of the house for a few
all-too-short minutes and went away
a slave to her charms. her vivid per
sonality. l succumbed completely.
Her color. her race, everything was
forgotten in the pleasure of her con,
versation, her presence.
The barrier that formerly doomed so
large in my eyes has dwindled awaJ
to nothing. 1t no longer exists.
Harlem is a vast, comparatively I'M
explored area. The boys and girls.
ostracized for no other reason but that
of difference in color, are unorganized.
untaught in the matter of workers
solidarity. Employed by INSCRIPTIONS
manufacturers to break the ranks OF
their white sisters and brothers, they
are fed on poisonous propaganda which
eats their minds and hearts and an
tagonizes them to the point of slash
ing blindly, at the smallest provoca-
ton. at those who attempt to stop
them on their way out of the shops
simply to talk to them. These, our
sisters and brothers, are the innocent
victims of social system so unspeak-
ably vile, so contemplate, that one
stands amazed at the realization of
its existence.
Sowing to- Wind.
A party of friends, far superior in
tellectually to many white people
were once forced to leave a we'll
known restaurant because of their
color. "These tables are all reserved"
was the reply they met with on re-
questing accommodations. Similar i'm
cidents, occurring daily, hourly in the
lives Of these people, tend toward
uniting them still more strongly in
their hatred for the color which took
il upon itself to lord it over them and
which so cruelty manifests the differ
ence which they presume exists.
Is 1t any wonder that those lower
in the social order and OF lesser intel
ligence are only too eager to take adj
vantage of strike to come back at
US? Is it to be wondered at that our
strike Is . tool for revenge eagerly
sought and unhesitatingly reeked pnor
those of our boys and girls unfortu-
nate enough to be the victims?
Our organization, far from recogniz-
ing color barriers, accepts into its
ranks everyone. regardless of race or
creed. Our colored boxmakers are as
active as the white, as tireless in their
efforts to finish this bitter struggle
Our union plans to or
ganize all boxmakers, regardless OF
color or creed.