The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-01-15
G A S! AN F Fp7SDRs War VA THE

the workers against bringing to
meetings such documents as are not
written in code. (The consequences
for the workers organizations
proved less severe than was ex-
pected, for employees, party mem
bers, eliminated from the govern
mental offices most of the incrimin-
ating papers before any action was
taken.)
IN the factories and plants the
number of the dead was enor-
nous. The factories were working
day and night for the war. There
was hum of machinery and noise
of work in the shops; the workers
were scattered in courtyards, ware
houses, on the upper stories OF tall
towers, in coal cellars, in repair
shops. Only in a small number Of
the factories were the workers
gathered several hundred strong in
one building. 1t was not easy to
call the workers from all these
places into one or two safety dug
outs. In view of this greater danger,
and in order to save lives that were
indispensable for the war industries,
every worker was provided with a
gas mask which he was supposed
to don upon hearing the signal. The
masks, however, were of an old make
manufactured in 1898; the new,
"model 194O," masks were worn at
the front only. This is why the
following took place in factories and
shops:
Not everywhere could the signal
be heard; according to the rules,
shrill bells were to begin shreiking
in every section of a factory. For
consideration of economy, however,
bells were installed only in the main
buildings of an enterprise. In the
outlying sections, the workers often
could not hear the signal for the
noise of the machines. And so it
happened that a large part persisted
because they had not heard the
warning. The others sought safety
in their masks and, thus protected
hurried to the safety chambers for
greater security. Only one out Of
three reached safety. The masks
were unable to protect them against
the new gases. Men and women
were not even aware of falling
There was a trail of dead bodies in
masks between every main building
and the safety chambers. Some fell
close to the entrance into the cham.
Der. All bodies lay with arms for.
ward pointing to the chambers. II
looked as if strange creatures with
inflated spheres instead Of heads
had tried to outrun each other, hao
tried to get hold of each other anc
fallen in the attempt.
THE factories were full of motion
less figures. In comparison with
them, the machinery that had re-
manned in motion, looked alive ant
animated. It appeared as if the ma
chimes had acquired will of theil
own and were following, in thu
dead of night, the play of theil
fancy. A dead stoker is seated il
front of huge boiler. The mar
had not managed to shut the dool
of the furnace. A sheaf Of sparks
had issued from the furnace, sprin
king with gold mountain Of Goa
nearby. The coal is burning. TIT
stoker's face is blue, but in the rec
fire it looks like highly polished
copper. 1t looks as if he wer,
laughing wildly.
In the weaving rooms women ant
young girls even forgot to fix the
severed threads. Women and young
girls are seated on the window-sill.
or are lying on the floors. Som,
of them have become entangled il
the belts and wheels. The belts run
the wheels turn. The fabrics rol