The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-02
A Night in Tammany Hall
By JOSEPH voGEL.

BY JOSEPH VOGEL
WY father always said I was dumb lad and a dis
M grace the family And guess he spoke the truth
because l just can't get on to the of things 1t
must be that something is wrong with my brain.
react to remark event by vacant stare-I
can't figure out how and are two, to save my
neck.
And so the day before left my home back in Mon
tana, my father gave long talk and lot of advice
The most important things wrote down paper, be-
my head just can't hold anything for two hours
"Son" my father said, "the first thing you land in
New York, want you to pay visit to Tammany Hail.
You'll reach there in time for the election campaign, and
keep your head about you cause you'll be right in the
center of things the roots of your and my government
Now write this down: Join the Democratic party. Ask
anybody around you how to do it and they'll advise you
straight"
1t took what seemed a couple of ages to get to New
FORK. never before realized what big country
United States is And when landed in the city, just
couldn't breathe Why only under the roof of the rail-
road station there people than in whole
county, back in Montana. 1t made kind of afraid
considering Id forgotten all the advice my father gave
me, except what wrote down paper
The first thing did, according to the slip of paper
No. 1, to ask directions to Tammany Hall. The
fellow spoke to laughed at because I pronounced
the with the accent the last syllable. Come to
think of it, my father always pronounced the with
the accent the middle syllable.
When I a half block away from the hall, l in
qured of a policeman where Tammany Hall was. For
moment thought he going to arrest me- He said
what we trying to do, kid me?" Of course when
explained that 1 had just landed in New York, he
warmed up, and patted me he shoulder. "I'd
make every foreigner visit Tammany Hail. first thing
they to this country, if had my way" he said.
It'd learn em respect for this country and give em
q chance to see how things So you want to
election campaign Ell? I'd like to have nickel
for every dollar spent in elections, and don't
maybe" Then he directed me to the place.
When entered the doorway, saw the largest stair
way ever in my life Kind of scared me
to start walking up the stairs. My father right
after ALL thought. This is pretty important place.
looked at slip of paper No. 6. 1t read "rammany
Hall is the roots of the government" Must be no or
binary place, to have such large stairway.
lot of men were standing around, talking and
smoking cigars. There didn't to be enough people
here for meeting the kind my father described;
asked of the where 1 could find the crowd
What crowd?" he blurted out at me.
He had there. had to walk away and think it
over. But after read few slips Of my advice paper,
saw the answer l went back to the fellow and said
''Tm looking for the Democratic crowd"
struck it right then. l guess Pm not so dumb after
all. I'll have to write home and tell pa about it.
The fellow told to keep going up the stairs Phewl
too quick in judging the Importance of this place
More stairs and when went up this flight there was
still another
But'I didn't have time to think of stairs much be-
when / went through the open doorway at the
top the grandest sight my eyes struck Such
of people, standing and sitting on the entire
main floor, in balconies and the stagei Flags and
pictures and streamers, and band playing some
where behind the scenes. l was just struck dumb
managed to squeeze into the crowd so could sat
better view of the stage. just when reached good
position Of the actors stood up besides table that
had pitcher Of water and couple of glasses on t.
and started to speak. Maybe he'll do tricks with the
pitcher and glasses thought. The people appiauded
before he began speak and also after every few of his
words. couldn't hear at all what he said from where
stood, but suppose the applause kind Of for
malty the audience went through. Since everyone
around me was clapping, joined in also, and gee
it was like being home in Montana again Once tried
clappng when everyone quiet-and bGod the
whole audience followed right after me and applauded
TO beat the band
Then another Of the actors got up to speak, and the
audience treated him to the noise began to get
somewhat puzzled. Pa, back home, always said nv
hearing keener n hell but that wasn't of no use
because wasn't able to make out anything / heard
Well here, in Tammany Hall, with my keen hearing
couldn't hear word out of ten that the actors spoke
and yet everybody around seemed to know what
was being said. Their faces lit up with interest
and sometimes they started roaring with laughter NV
poor head tried to figure out this phenomenon; but
guess pa right when he said my head good for
nothing at all except to do the chores. Anyhow be-
gan to notice that the speakers waved their arms around
and moved their fingers and cenched their fists so
kind Of figured that these movements have special
meaning, and those who can't hear can understand
what the actor is saying from and finger signs