The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-30
In the Land of the Free

AMERICA, the land of the free and the home of
"A the brave The place where John D. made for
tune out of nothing and where any worker can get
Job at decent wages if he isn't Communist or a
natural-born oafer. Albert stood on the corner of
Washington Street and admitted - or rather his
stomach admitted for hlm-that he was hungry
But what to do about it? There were more men in
town than jobs. All the cellars were cleaned out all
the lawns moved, and all the garbage gathered nm
The "loafers' had been busy chopping wood. paint
ing fences, doing odd jobs, until now apparently,
there were odd jobs left to do The stout
women proprietor of the 35c eating house on Ninth
Street had fed him couple Of tmes-but the last
time she had told him not to come back But Albert
had gone back. He would wash dishes, mop floors
peel potatoes anythng-f she would give him a
meal. But the stout woman was adamant She
ndnt want any more loafers around. Let him earn
living like she had to. So Albert-aIong with hum
dreds of others-stood a street corner and found
himself IN position to appreciate what working
stnt OF Palestine once said "The birds of the air
nave nests, the foxes of the earth have holes but
the son of man hath not where to lay his head"
lie snfted the air hungrily. An appe4sing odor was
waited to his nostrils. The stout woman proprietor
was setting what looked to be steaming meat loaf
on ledge outside lower window He felt he
never would be able to take his eyes off that meat
loaf His knees felt wobbly under him; the saliva
Tlckled IN thin stream down the corner of his
mouth. Oh to be biting into that meat loaf, that
juicy meat Loaf To be savoring it. SWALLOWING IN
Hungry, kidd"
He turned and saw a man, evidently an unfor-
tunate like himself, who had been engaged canvass
ing work or food from door to door This person
was taller than himself, older and by the placid look
of his face better fed.'
Was he hungry? The nod was hardly needed for
answer. Almost as if the meat loaf were a magnet
with power to draw them, his eyes swung back to
1t, his nostrlls twtched like those of an animal
WELL If you eat, do as saw see? Go
n hp hqP uLo +bo
woman for hand-out."
But I've been there already and she turned me
down"
"Never mind that. I bet we get somethin' outa
her this time. You if we don't. If YOU wanna
eat go ahead"
The woman was angry to see him at the back-door
for the second time and told him so in no uncertain
language. When he regained the sidewalk and look
ed around for the tall man, that worthy was beck
onng him from street corner half block away
Joining him, he was grasped by the arm and led
around several blocks before the man stopped and
withdrew from under the sheterng folds of his
ragged coat the meat loaf! At his astonshment the
man laughed.
"Swiped it when the old hen was bawlin' YOU
out IN the back, he explained airily. He broke the
meat loaf in two and gave Albert the larger piece
The latter did not know whether he ought to accent
food thus stolen, but hunger made short work of
scrupes Selling his piece he devoured it ravenous-
ly to the last crumb, feeling renewed strength and
Ngor flowing back into his body with every mouth
full God it was goodl He could have eaten thrice
as much again His companion cIapped him on the
shoulder.
That's the way to hide the goods" he grinned.
It'd take stomach pump to find the evidence now
What's yuh NAME kid?"
ALBERT"
"Well, Albert, mines Jake Put Ter there"