The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-09
CNrY9ntEUent5
By T. ]. o'FLAHERTY.

DISQUALIFICATION IdCheu IutlI AOA
devices that would bring some of the
wandering sheep back into the fold.
Professions of loyalty to American
ism in contrast to the unpatriotic atti-
tude of the Communists failed to
make an impression on the deserters.
They simply would not return no
matter how many fatted calves were
killed in their honor. The fact was
that they found something more to
their liking, an organization that was
imbued with the missionary spirit
they once thot permeated the politi-
cal soul of the socialist party. 1t
was the X. X. X.
NOTING the successful methods en-
~ ployed by the K K. K. organizers,
methods that brought in shekels as
we'll as souls, a socialist lawyer of
Dayton, Ohio, conceived the idea that
it would not be officially wrong to
follow the methods of the K. X. X.
since the end justifies the means. He
proposed that socialist organizers be
turned loose on the population, work
up a snappy sales talk and bring in
the applicants sub quent to extract
ing from each ind yidual who passed
the pearly gates fee not less than
ten dollars.
A good percentage of this fee would
"A go to the hustling organizer. The
lawyer did not say where a subsidiary
organization to manufacture robes,
pillow cases, tar and feathers should
be established to cater to the needs
of the revitalized party. However,
the recruits did not come. They paid
their tens to the X. X. K. kleagles. !
The socialist lawyer lost heart and
the paper he was editing drew a long
breath, rolled its eyes, turned up its
toes and started on the long journey.
IT is said that the coming of spring
1 is responsible for many budding
fancies in youthful breasts but it is
only a season of melancholy reflec-
ton for the aged. But there are ex-
ceptions. One would think that the |
socialists might be excused if they |
sloughed the responsibility of freeing
the working class from their should |
crs and passed their declining years (
smoking the pipe Of peace by the ire (
side and entertaining their great
grandchildren with stories of heroic |
deeds performed in the dim and dis
tant past. But the socialist party |
would rather die than admit its i'm
potence.
ET is no longer fashionable to appeal |
to workers to join what is left of
the socialist party with the induce
ment that organization in class par
ty would strengthen the workers arm
and help him better his conditions in
addition to furnishing him with an
organization that would fight to en-
ancipate him and his class from the |
capitalist yoke. This would be often
sive to the A. F. of L. bureaucracy |
and to the employing classes that
would be disappointed if they dis
covered that the socialists had not
completely reformed, that they were
like drunkard who only remained |
sober as long as liquor was unayail- |
able. Then Oscar Wilde and Will
Durant came to the rescue.
EFT it be distinctly understood that
Oscar Wilde's Ballad of Reading
Jail' is one of the worlds literary
masterpieces, and Wildes plays are
extremely entertaining. Will Durant's
Story of Philosophy" is popular
summer reading but the sex angle |
connected with Wilde, is what gets
the lovers of rare literature. So the |
socialists of New York now offer a
set of Oscar Wilde's complete works
and Will Duran-'s crime against phil
osophy as an inducement to voters
not necessarily workers-to come and /
hear the message. We suppose Bac-
caccio's "Decameron" is passe but
4 Frank Harris's ''My Life and Loves"
is reported to be saucy reading. With
the aid of the bookleggers and Frank
Harris's autobiography the socialists
should be able to capture Tammany
Hall.
{ New York Times editorial writer
- succeeded in being exceedingly
funny in q recent editorial on "Irish
Unity" He rummaged the editorial
morgue for hoary burlesque wise
cracks on the alleged prediction of
the Irish for a desire to commit mu-
tual humiliation. Mr.. Och's bovine
scribbler may be forgiven for filling
space with this kind of nonsense but
Continued on Page rsoo)