The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-05-07
4.--MATES.

4-MATEs. ~
IN the factory ebudng in dimly-
Aghted corridor smelling of damp cement numbers of womn crowd
tobacco Amidst these fumes of dirt soed also with the
grey and the factory buildings They dull and
like the evening shadows There camor of
occasionally by believing laughter making the
food supplies paaf clothing
cards and goats and about the poor upon
office of the Factory Committee and
rancid smell and smoke and the sweat smell
of the crowd gathered there
recognized Geb he ebowed his through the crowd
They looked d. him sueR so h w @ Red 1 Fs ty
But they did not turn look after him as he passed them
there enough floating people,
with without portfolios, sroling about the office?
Before the youth arrayed in womans white bonnet
his wearing artificial mousahe
The dense crowd Oed him closely
tones with mincing affectation.
"Let introduce myself. All, me! Now citizens,
I'm respectable proletarian grill
And then broke into song:
"oh little apple you rolling?
office he goes sroling."
admrng laughter oath drowned his
"Hey you Mka-you DEVIL This conceina play
the nothing hmnether the devil
the priest nor the Soviet"
In the doorway stood infuated little haggard He had
Gb shocked to how ghtfu wasted he had become in the
past three
Don't braw Comrades You should gongson
We can't properly understand each other Mka cut him Short
Ah comrade commtteeman excuse me- beg Tie your nerves
lay the
braces as harness. equipage great
the demonstration Hurray!"
his he for himself with his
elbows through the crowd towards the door, The crowd followed him
as though entranced by the spectacle
CLEB by the wall behind the
wormen At the table sat the hunchback mechanic LohaI old
rusty and black as ever
head wearing shiny and oed by much handling rested upon
the table like block of anthracite Of his face could only
and boodsho He mooness stone
IDOL while Grenada agtated spat jumped again seated himself
gestcuang and shouting
broad hipped woman quivering jelly screaming
"You nohngs! Who backs rotten
their fat facesl My husband sticks home scratching the goat
while and jaw with this fatbelied lott"
of the women clappd her the back they almost
choking with laughter
Go on Curse away Mother Avdota! Swear for all you're
WORTH You've plenty of strength with elevation like that
Be quiet swivel What has Factory Committee been
put for taking bothe its head about us?
Are they doing anything for the workingman?"
She took backwards then kicked her leg high the air
letting her heavy boot strike the table with loud hud Her raised
skirt revealed her blue and swollen leg
Numbered laughter and applause
"Bravo, Mother Avdoa You've given performance.
Pull the curtain higher and let's see the main act!"
like bank-eyd idol of wrath Grenada
upraied-a wreck, gnawed by consumption.
"Cizeness! Comade! After all working The
Factory Committee is doing its duty Erin every possible
way. You must understand. :"
"Speak, Mother Avdota Answer for all of u.s."
the you, you by it.?
Here Ln the WALL and this slut makes her.
self half-naked!"
your tongues! the committee
m s an, n at % walked the the sg' v Tn ws
got grub that's only fit for pigs Look how the upp are sewn and
you eat them"
She the boot stamped it the floor;
gaping revvd drunkeny itself and fell by Loaks
But Losak sat still as block of anthracite Quietly he took
boot and placed it before him.
go on, woman have your say: you"
could stand He jumped waving his
wildly The last drops his blood fcered his v earthly cheeks
can't stand this Loshak! This ctzeness talks without
logicand and It's shameful on her part the
Factory of tieves We cannot tolerate
vocation like that"
patience Grenada bath does harm Well
this fixed rights Now little orphan child explain to
what kind of work did get those boots?"
"Dont damned hunchback! Whether
worked not, I've got them coming to me-"
Shut up! Use brain instead of your tongue am asking
what specific claim get confour and
milk all nicely spnked with sugar. Wel?Give the other boot
nothing by the State And requon
the with which to fill empty belly Explain
you'll them back speak ut!"
leaned back those behind causing the whole crowd
to shift step.
"Gently, devil you'll Look brothers. don't hurt her"
With the air of melancholy calm Lohak took the boot tits
sole hanging like cows tongue) and held out to her.
Here good take til Get husband to
repair then them And back another tm
laugh When the factory starts working we'll
you'll blow the rocks without dynamite
sitting the floor force
leg while continuing medley of NUT
teredcor nmept