The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-07

about three hundred came to assist
with the stands and with the distribu-
ton Of literature. One meeting start
ed. Nine O'Clock. #. three more
speakers showed up. That is all. Two
more meetings started. Again no
signs. Again the district is called. The
same old answer: signs are not
ready. Help yourselves" A comrade
again writes down on piece OF
paper: 1.-THE Workers (CommunisO
Party. Vote for Gitlow." The red
might" is over failure, OF
course.
1.-THE campaign is coming to an end.
l. It's a joke. Can we do anything
to improve It? Very little. report to
the section executive committee about
the situation and make motion that
we shall arrange another "red night"
in williamsburg on Saturday before
the election. Every comrade votes
enthusiastically for the motion. Very
good. a subcommittee of five is
elected to make preparations. l went
to the district and asked the campaign
manager to give us a few speakers.
He promised to do so. Some Of the
speakers l met personally and asked
them to come to our red night" They
also promised. have fifteen speakers
who told me that they will come by
all means. The signs are still not
ready.
Wednesday. A meeting of the sub
COMMITTEE. Only two members show
ed UP. Two comrades cannot do very
much. Let us wait for Saturday.
Tonight "wednesday 1 have to
speak in Brownsville, corner Pitkins
and Stone AYES. l must rush there.
Alright, l am there, on the corner. No
platform. 1 have to wait. g. 1t is al
most nine o'clock. B.. not single
comrade appears. run to the sub
section headquarters. :. The Inter
national Branch is having its meeting.
Don't you know that tonight there is
supposed to be an open air meeting?"
l ask them. Eyes," they explain, Eyes
terday we had a subsection member
ship meeting and elected fifteen COM
rades to take charge of the open air
meetings in Brownsville" "But where
are they?" 1--WE do not know"
Do you believe it-not single
comrade of these fifteen showed up
that night either at the subsection
headquarters nor on the street corner.
Well, we dispensed with the interna-
tional branch meeting, took the stand
and had an open air meeting, we'll at
tended.
Now let us move again to Williams
burgh. It's Saturday. "Red night"
We shall have at least ten good dem
constructions. But again the same old
story. Only four speakers showed up.
From about 300 members of the Sec
ton only five came to help with the
platforms and distribution of liter
allure. Once more we ourselves have
to make signs on scrap of paper in
pencil! Another failure. Another dis
appointment!
iILTHAT about the members of the
w section executive committee who
we're so enthusiastically in favor of
the "red night? With the exception
of the section organizer, all Of them
were present-somewhere, but not at
the "red night" Not one of them
showed up! That is all.
Do you still think that my question
do we believe in the parliamentary
action" is a foolish one?
Then, after the campaign was over
counted, one of our leading comrades
came to me and asked this question:
Don't you think that we would have
gained a hundred times more II we
had expended all the money and
energy on the trade union work in
stead of on the election campaign"
This completes the picture: we
failed because we did not work, and
then this failure destroyed even the
little belief that our comrades had
in the revolutionary parliamentary &C
: ton.
say that this is very serious
problem before our party. Our COM
rades in their hearts do not believe
, in the parliamentary action, they do
Z not understand its value for the re-
: volutionary propaganda and agitation.
Maybe l am mistaken on this ques-
! ton. wish | am. Still l cannot see
any other reason for such Indifference,
= such apathy toward our election cam
b paigns on the. part of our member
: ship. We must remedy this situation,
CT at least try to. An educational
! campaign must be started throughout
t the party on the subject of the revo
) lutionary parliamentary action.
y Dbl. sLI