The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-14

Georgian road-the link between the Caucasus and
Georga-where revolution and counter-revoluton had
ragged for ten terrible years-the prize had been Baku
and oil The sand swrled in front of the decrept car
which stopped every mile so for drink, which the
chauffeurs assistant fed to it from a watering can
made of a one-time inner tube. We ran our hands
over gritty faces, wiped inches Of it from around our
eyes and ducked into coat collars, prepared to
emerge at discreet intervals to view the peaks
we mounting with their snow crowns glistening
in the sun. Here and there the road a struggling
carta few peasants with cattle driving to pasture
deserted forresses buttressed in the mountain side
and wind blown sands swrlng up from the road.
The sky cloudess, the shone the wind died
down and the mountains fell away from each side of
the winding ribbon of road in golden grandeur. Then
soft rolling red brown hills and herds of browsing
buffalo, and turreted towns, and church bells and
swiftly sinking
The stars came out in velvet sky. A soft mellow
breeze, crystal moon Sounds of guitar along the
road, lights of a city the river-Tifls!
A queer city-half old, half new. Armenians and
Georgians and Mussulmen. Native wares in intriguing
baconied side streets, yelled women in many TERED
fuled skirts the power house, hospitals dispen-
sares, the meteorological institute where serums
were made to fight malaria and typhus-al since the
revolution. Mud baths with vaulted tiled entrances,
where 10000 people come each to be cured of
rheumatism free Of charge for workers and public
servants). visit to trade union headquarters repre-
senting 10000 organized workers of Georgia, gain
of 100000 trade unioniss since the revolution visit
to government headquarters, where the premier of
Georgia, former printer who had spent years of exile
in Finland greeted in the former palace of the Gar
There too many impressions and the air was too
seductive
After few hours rest we met our hosts in little
restaurant where caviar and wine and native fish and
fruits spread a snowy board. This Geor
gian hospitality In front of four native musicians
strummed their inaid Instruments The commandante,
tall 1.-The in blue close belted uniform and shining
leather boots directed the program. He had been
prince, but now he the Red Commander. The talk
shifted from economics and health research, and
malaria, to lighter things. After much urging and clap
ping of hands, the commandane swung to his feet and
caught in the rhythm of the Les Gnka. The
swarthy musicians strummed their lazy instruments
eyes alert to his every movement beneath dropping lids
With jerk of his shoulders signal the music stopped
Armenian and Georgian and Mussulman-at peace
and building socialism after ten years of revolution and
oil the prize, going at last to
the revolution victor-and the Red Commandante
erstwhe prince dancing the Les Ginka to the drawing
guitars of swarthy musicians.
The next day was a round of visits There had been
an earthquake, had been unable to meet the head
Of the Public Health Administration He called to
the earthquake had been away for three days and
had just returned make his report the executive
thousand apologies. We would meet him on the train
to Baku.
We boarded the train and invited the private
car, which served sanitary headquarters and was
switched off stations where Dr. K stopped inspect
the district instruct the doctors and arrange for
sary reports and supplies. Three nights ago he had
received a telegram at a. m. In two hours seven
emergency cars had been their way to the earth
quake One held the necessary fire fighting
apparatus; the other equipped with red
supplies stretchers medicines, bandages and manned
by DOCTORS sanitarans and nurses. There had been
three seepess nights for the director of public health
and his staff. The dead had been buried fires had
been put out first aid had been organized and the dis
trict put in charge of sanitary corps. He had
turned, made his report and was his rounds of
sanitary inspection His would be switched off two
stations ahead-twelve oclock-and he would get a I
few hours sleep before going duty in the morning
He heavy set about sixty, this sanitary
director of Tiflis, who had worked his way through
medical school in Moscow waiter. Imprisoned for
his revolutionary activities he had been eed to Siberia
"reminiscences brought back the picture of those far off
daysand the Georgian in him, in spite of three Sleep
less nights and deaths of earthquake victims and the
round of inspection for the following day, thrilled to
the old rhythms. His two assistants supplied the ac-
compartment for the old revolutionary songs-The
Prisoners Song of Siberian Dungeons Soldier;
Unloose Those Chains, and l VIII Show You What
Liberty Means" "At Home Wife and Children Wait
For Me- Soldier, Unloose those Chains and will Show
Yon How To Love Liberty The eyes, puffy with three
days and nights of suffering and work. half closed in
Renaissance The deep full voice. and fell the
chant of the song-years of exile imprisonment-and
then the revolution and the Workers Republic Enough
Of Sadness" he said. ITO guests, the American
comrades, "Bruderschaft" Arms locked and glasses
clicked in the toast.
The mood had changed The Georgian had gotten the
better of the doctor and the evoluonst The cadences
Of the Lies Ginka" and fell to the clapping of
many hands. "The Les Gnka," we urged The old
doctor arose "For our American comrades" he said,
and light ripple, his body in its dark blue peasant
smock swirled and swayed to the voices of his COM
rades The train slowed down. The engineer slipped
into the car, whispered hurried question: received his
from one of the assistants. The train went
The dance finished The last toast was drunk
From Of the many brief piled in a cor
ner Of the photographs were found This was
sanatorium for railroad workers children. This was