davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15
Snap Shots of
South Street
BY the "BOSUN"


This monument to capitalism and
religion is supposed to be "a home
away from home" for the various
members of that tribe that exc out
precarious existence by following
the sea for a living That is, when
ever we are lucky enough Cor I'M
lucky to find one of those floating
bug infested collins that O'Connor,
of the Shipping Board, would call a
ship.
1t is home, but a home to stay
away from as far as the saltwater
seaman is concerned. This joint is
supposed to be Church Institute for
Seamen. 1t is, but of the comercial-
lied variety. You may get almost
anything there from needle to an
anchor if you have the dough. 1t
maintains half dozen special police
men on duty in the lobby in order to
impress the erring seaman of the
need of religion and the Importance
of saving his soul, meanwhile the
Institute will take care of his money.
Last Sunday evening during relig-
ious service one of these erring she'll
backs had just paid his dollar for
what passes as a room and was in
the act of putting away his receipt
when one of these burly special cops
came up and merely showed him over
across the lobby with brusk, get
out of the way you god damn bum"
(this probably to impress more re-
ligion). The seaman naturally pro-
tested this kind of treatment and
pointed out that he had just paid his
room and had a perfect right to be
in the lobby. The cop then called
two more specials and one of these
drew his billy" and hit the seaman
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

twelve hour shift under the most
abnominable conditions, and every
two weeks, when the shifts were
changed, the workers who were to go
on the new shift worked full "a
hours at their back breaking labor.
Partner Convicted But Freed.
The nearest Morgan ever went to
Jail for his crimes was when his part
ner, Perkins, was convicted of grand
larceny in the notorious insurance
frauds discovered at the beginning of
the century. Although Perkins was
convicted, Morgan prevented prison
term. The case suddenly died when
it was decided that Perkins commit
ted the grand larceny without Grim
inal intent"
Winkler's style is as soft and sticky
as his characterization of Morgan,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

WORKING WOMAN raising her
smallest child high and facing the
city, Not yet two years old, and
always hungry! And soon as it grows
up, the gold-patriots and flag-wavers
will force it into a uniform to defend
their pelf against an imaginary foe.
(She exclaims) War against war!"
(All jobless applaud herr.
COP: "Heh"
WORKING MAN drops down ex-
hausted by her and the children on
the bench. Jobless surround him.
He raises threatening fists. God
dam them! A man strong and will
ing to work should be able to find
work! To earn enough for himself
and family"
WORKING WOMAN: "Who are
you danling?"
WORKING MAN: 1.-THE whole
swinish world"
WORKING WOMAN (patting her
children: you don't have to. The
world is beautiful but Cher eyes
burn), it will have to be cleansed OF
all the swine that pollute it!'
ALL JOBLESS (applaudeO:
Bravo! Hurrah! 'Tis the truth!
WORKING MAN: The whole fire
hot day I secured the city for work
Waited in long lines until nearly
dropped with exhaustion. But every
where the same sneer of him securely
behind the bars of the employment
window. Out of each line numbering
hundreds, one or two are hired at a
starving wage. nearly went insane
Work. Just some work to sustain
life! God damn it, will soon kill
for my family!
CHILDREN (cry): We are hungry!
ONE OF THE JOBLESS (who
stood under a tree cuts his way
through the throng and mounts a
bench): There's a way out!" I'm
the distance shouts of newspaper
vendors are heard: Reds Riot"
Reds Riot!"). There are so many
Of us who are starving. Let us pool
our forces and the city will begin to
tremble. The city is not lacking any
thing. We have produced so much.
What has become of it? Bread is
dumped into the ocean while we
starve! Palatial homes are idle while
we are forcefully evicted from our
homes into the street! (cops appear.
Again shouts of Reds Riot!", Reds
Riot" Church tolls discretionary
"6.") Why then do we starve? Why
are we roofless?
ONE OF THE JOBLESS: Because
we don't yet realize our powerl
(stormy "Hurrah!O On distant
corner of the square group Of
youthful workers appears with spon-
taneous revolutionary songs. Particu-
larry 1.-THE Red Flag is heard. A
red banner is raised above them.
Songs continued
SOCIAL WORKER: appears and
is protected by cops) All those who
are hungry and homeless will please
register for a free meal and bed.
(She remains unnoticed)
JOBLESS ONE: CTo social worker,
jestingly) And tomorrow. my dear
lady, out on the streets to starve like
homeless dogs again! No! Thank
you! This will be the final act Of
the whole damned farce between the
oppressors and the oppressed Take
this message back to your Molochs!
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

time and again. Cops attack the rear
lines just leaving the square. In the
distance shouts of newspaper vendors
are heard Reds Riot!', Reds Riot.")
WORKING WOMAN (standing in
center of square on stone platform
with emaciated child raised high,
shouts: Not yet two years old and
always hungry! Her father is car
penter! I'm the distance loud
"hurrahs" are heard and the songs
of the youthful workers, shot Of a
revolver, sirens of speeding police
wagons and shouts OF newspaper
vendors Reds Riot!" Reds Riot!"
Slowly the sun rises while singing
and shouts are heard in the distance
Work or Wagesl Work or Wages!
Solidarity
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

press, the stage, and it owns the gov
eminent! We starve and they live in
luxuries! Ironically Therefore, my
dear sir, we have nothing in common
with capitalism. Our interests are
fundamentally opposed. We are enc
mics, and it will be fight to the fin
nish between the two classes!
LIBERAL: War is destructive and
not civilized :. loops surround him
Closely. In our civilized epoch other
means, more humanitarian, could be
found, to settle economic problems.
Force is barbarious and destructive De-.
JOBLESS ONE dnterrupts): Oh
yes! When the working class begins
to stir and use it against his oppres-
scrsl Read your own history! What
is capitalism based upon but constant
war and invasion of weaker peoples
territories. Has not your apostle OF
freedom, your greatest paciflst of to-
day, slaughtered thousands of our
Russian comrades at the most crucial
moment Of their history? Who sane
tons all wars between one capital
istic group and another in their con-
slant mad race for new markets?
Your press, your pulpit. and your
lying law makers Your pacifism is
deception! (All: "Hurrah!D But
your peace-poisoned sermons are no
longer swallowed by the revolutionary
working class! We have long ago
classified you as the most dangerous
creatures that pollute the atmosphere
in our great struggle with capitalism!
Look! Pointing to cops) These are
your peaceful means by which you
rule the world! Liars! CThunderous
"Hurrah" Youthful workers burst
out in spontaneous song).
LIBERAL Smoothing his rufled
hair, attempts to speak,: Well 1t
is not bit nice -.
JOBLESS ONE dronically): Ger
taialy. For centuries you have en-
shaved and brutalized us. Under
stand. from now on, we will accord
you like treatment. Besides, we are
not gentlemen" Through the
square walks hastily a rich over
dressed dame leading white poodle
Terrified at the last words of the job
less one she seizes her dog into her
arms, kisses it, feeds it bon bons. and
hurries away
CHILDREN (cry family: We are
hungry.
JOBLESS ONE: We are hungry
and oppressed. Now when life around
us is shattered into fragments, you
are making desperate attempts to
mend 1t again, so that you should be
able to ride on our backs againl You
will not succeed! The ground under
us is heaving higher and higher every
day. We have passed the period Of
compromises with you, our enemy!
Now it will be war for bread-and
new world!
(Brief interlude while jobless one
speaks to throng and youthful work
ers in background unfurl a red flag
singing the "Internationale. The
afternoon sky darkens. Liberal struts
of. All jobless, under the accom-
paniment Of the red songs OF the
youthful workers, form lines in
marching order and start towards the
city. Red flag and placards are car
RED at the head Of the marchers.
They burst out In spontaneous song
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

CHILDREN (cry faintly): We are
hungry!
SOCIAL WORKER Certified And
who are your leaders?
JOBLESS ONE: Grim starvation
and poverty. (To the jobless sur
rounding him): Who will make the
beginning to free us? No one but
ourselves, the working class.
COP: Don't you want to pay your
rent?
JOBLESS ONE: We are tired of
it. And besides, we have no work,
and we refuse to leave the houses
that we built! am carpenter We
refuse to starve amidst plenty! Work
or Wages! (Social worker disap-
pears. The square is surrounded by
cops. In the distance the shouts of:
Reds Riot" "Reds Riot!" is heard)
CHILDREN CRY: We are hungry!
WORKING WOMAN amounted on
bench with her smallest child
raised): Not quite two years old and
always hungryl And soon the gold
patriots of the land will call it to
war against an imaginary enemy.
COPS dn loud unison): Hey!
JOBLESS ONE: War against war!
(All in laundering, "HurrahpD Qn
the background the group of youth
full workers sings revolutionary
songs.)
JOBLESS ONE: War against i'm
perialism! War against those who
prepare a secret war against. our only
fatherland. the Soviet Union War
against a decaying capitalistic world!
War against those who starve us!
(Thundering, "Hurrah!" Church bells
toll alarmingly. Liberal appears. A
neatly dressed fellow OF fifty. He
edges in among the jobless and
mounts a stone platform in the GEN.
ter Of the square. A squall Of fallen
leaves from nearby trees shower him.
The sun disappears. The square
turns dark suddenly. The cops en-
circle him.
LIBERAL (surveys the throng, OBJ
serves the group of youthful work.
ers that still sings, his voice trem-
bles): Fellow citizens. The economic
situation in our land today is
ALL JOBLESS general excitement,
cops bristle in readiness: We know
It'll youthful workers burst out,
1.-THE Red Flag!" One youth climbs
up lamp post near a government
building and puts up over its en-
trance a placard bearing the follow
ing slogan: Work or Wages! We
Will Not Starve!" Square thunders
with shouts: "Hurrah!")
LIBERAL (attempts to speak
again: The underlying cause Of our
present misery, gentlemen. is because
of the lack of cooperation between
labor and capital >.
JOBLESS ONE: dnterrupts): This
is not the truth! There are other
causes. The chief cause Of which
is your rotten system Of selfish cap
italisna, your worshipping of private
property, and the destructive wasteful
nature of the whole fabric Of indi-
vidualism! Your capitalistic system
is now headed towards a precipice!
1t is true, we do not cooperate with
capitalism because 1t is our enemy.
Capitalism would squeeze the life
blood out Of us. 1t has all the means
to do SO. It rules the church. the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

The following is not only the Sec
ond scene in series of three, but
is also complete in itself, suitable,
singly or in combination, for pres
entation at mass meetings or other
revolutionary ADMINISTRATION.
By MEYER DwoRKIN.
CHARACTERS:
Working man
Working woman
Cop
Social Worker
Liberal
Prostitute
A throng of jobless, and
A squad of cops
SCENE-A public square Of
late afternoon. Surrounding the
square are rich shopwindows dis
playing various luxuries. A jobless
worker is lying on bench under
a tree. Working woman and four
children are sitting across the
square on a bench. Nearby sits
Negro, a giant of a man. Scat
tered on the grass are numbers of
jobIess. On a bench by herself sits
a prostitute-over-dressed, fatigued,
but cocky and self-assured, with an
air that challenges the whole world.
A nearby church bell tolls languidly
two-three-four." In the
distance the humdurm of the city
is heard and the foreboding thump-
thump of drum.
PROSTITUTE Ito jobless youth or
the grass: Am I a social COM
modify or amt I? That's what
would like to know" (sneers indig-
nantly).
YOUTH: Eyes. you are, like thu
rash. Go on, you cheap night hawk
and ply your trade. Socially you art
not of our kind Z. :"
PROSTITUTE: 81 amt, huh
Amt I! And remember, young man
I amt no cheap night hawk, and
don't ply my trade. The biggest mer
in the city and prominent churchmer
are my customers. But hell, I'm tiree
OF those parasites. am of the work
ing class myself, and am prole
tartan, whether you like it or not"
YOUTH: "Yeh, but your kind vii
never understand the meaning o
socialism. You are sort Of parasite
yourself. Listen, cutie, amt you de
generated after time associatinl
with your big fat men. Rotten 10
what they are!
PROSTITUTE: "No amt, and
think I could still be useful to tn
working class"
YOUTH: 81 am afraid your kint
will have to wait until after the socia
revolution. . Only that flame tina
will abolish capitalism will scourg
the world of all its associated evils
including prostitution.
COP Ito prostitute) "Hey, Mar
tha."
PROSTITUTE: ITO hell with you
I have protection, I amt afraid o
nobody. Why, almost rule tn
town (Walks off the square
Church bell tolls languidly).
JOBLESS Sitting on bench shake
first in direction of the church,: "Of
turn dumb. It's enough to starv
without them everlasting bells"
COP: "Hey!"
CHILDREN (cry): I'VE ar,
hungry"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15
NEGRO MOTHER TO
HER CHILD
BY v. JEROME


Quit yo' wailin' honey boy
faint no use to cry
Rubber nipple, mammy's breast
Both have gone bone dry.
Daddy is a bolshevik
Daddy's in de pen
Didn't rob nor didn't steal
Led de workin' men.
What's de, use my tellin' you
Silly lii lamb
Gonna git it straight some day
When you is man.
Wish I had a sea O. milk
Make you strong an SCUM
Daddy's waitin' till you come
Break dat prison down.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15
Gold Fish For Hoover

A pair of goggle-eyed fan-tail
Japanese gold fish, will be sent
President and Mrs. Hoover for a
Christmas gift, so the United
Press wires from Toxic. These two
fish are said to be able to live
without being fed, and are guar
anteed not to turn red.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

play which the Theatre Guild has
committed. However, the faults of
the Guild production of the play are
too fundamental, to allow of salts
factory corrections. The deliberate
changes from the original text of the
play as produced in the Soviet Union
are too drastic. Later, we will return
to this point.
The action of the play, which is
based on an incident which occurred
while the author, S. NJ. Tretyakov
was in China, takes place on a wharf
in the harbor of Wan Hsien, a small
city 300 miles up the river from
Shanghai. and ou the deck of His
Majesty's ship, the Europa" anchor
ed in the harbor during the summer
of 1926.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15
ROAR CHINA"-A STIRRING
ANTI-IMPERIALIST PLAY
BY MYRA PAGE.


Roar China" is more than play.
It is an experience, gripping, ines
capable. For a few hours you are
one of the Chinese coolies, Stayed I'M
der the lash of British and American
imperialism, with hatred and revolt
seething in your breast. When, fol-
lowing the public hanging of two
Chinese boatmen by the imperialists
as an act of showing the yellow
swine" their place, the Chinese mas
ses rise up to drive out their OPP
pressors, are moved down, rise again,
again are moved down, and once
more rise, battling desperately for
freedom, urged ON by their leaders
cries, Rise China, Roar! Roar!'-
the thing is so real that you catch
yourself on the point of getting to
your feet and joining in the battle.
TO the seventy Chinese actors in the
cast, the play is also more than
a play. To them it is evidently a
living embodiment of the wrongs and
struggles of the four hundred mil
lions of Chinese toilers who are to-
day fighting on to victory. The sin
certify and intense earnestness which
characterizes their acting helps to
offset some of the bungling of the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15
| BoATMAN, under threat. agree,

4 BOATMAN, under threat, agrees
to take Hall to shore. Halfway
in. he demands his ten cents from
Hall, for he knows, once ashore, Hall
will give him nothing. A quarrel fol-
lows. Hall tries to seize the boat
mans oar, and in the struggle he
falls into the sea and is drowned. At
the advice of his fellow coolies, whose
past experiences have led them to
fear trouble from this, the boatman
goes into hiding.
The Chinese we're rightfully appre-
hensive. All Anglo-Saxon elements
in Wan Hsien unite for vengeance.
Imperialists. tourists, missionaries,
and newspapermen, all rush aboard
the battleship and join in the chorus.
They insist that Halls death was
murder and but the beginning of a
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-15

THE main story is as follows. Hall,
an American fur trader who is
making a fortune by sweating Chin
csc labor at twenty cents a day, and
who purchases Chinese girls for his
pleasure at six dollars per girl, cheats
a boatmen's guild out of half of their
miserable pay. When they protest
that they and their families are al
ready starving, he fires them and
has them beaten by native police
Woo. Chinese worker whose power
full figure and ringing voice is SYM
bolic of the rising Chinese prole-
tariat, tells them that they must re-
volt and throw out their oppressors.
That is the only way to end their
misery.
But how Can we? With bamboo
sticks against their cannons?" ut can
be done, it has been DONE" Woo re-
plies, and he tells them of a land
where the toilers have won freedom
(Here is one place the Guild has
made changes. All definite mention
of the Soviet Union is eliminated, and
the whole matter is slurred over so
that the audience loses the political
ST. "ence of this speech.
Hall goes aboard the Europa" to
drive a bargain with Mr.. Smith, an
English in'Gerialist and competitor.
Whe" ready to return to shore, Hall
can"ot get native boatman to take
him. 1--WE no longer work for you,
unless you pay us twenty cents"
Besides, you cheat U.S." the boatmen
reply. An English naval officer on
boat aims to shoot the boatmen for
hi" Golence to a white man" A
Chinese lad who is used as a lackey
for the officers on board dashes
against the officer and ruins his aim.
The lad is hurled into the sea, res
cued by the boatmen and returned
to the ship. Then he is made to ap-
ologize to the ships officer for "de-
fiance of superior" Mrs. Tourist,
a typical western idler doing the
Orient" makes him repeat the Lords
Prayer which she has taught him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-11
1OCENT CAB FARE
PLANS POSTPONED
Diamond Co. Delays Action
Pending Decision on Use
of 81" Tags.

Any action Of the Diamond Cab Co.
looking to setting up a "jitney" service,
Offering rides in taxicabS during rush
hours for a dime, has been indefinitely
postponed. The action was taken at a
business meeting of the organization
yesterday afternoon while awaiting a
decision by Police Judge John p. Nc
Mahon on a pending case involving the
use of L tags, according to Harry G.
Davis, manager of the concern.
Mr.. Davis said that the independent
drivers, among whom the Diamond
feet is numbered, will be satisfied If
other cab concerns are strictly limited
in their Use of L tag machines to livery
service. There is a large quantity OF
business being done by the L cabs which
should be done by H cabs, however,
according to Davis. This consists Of
picking UP fares on the street when
returning from jobs. This cuts into
the revenue of the independents so
heavily that II the practice is not stop
ped it will be necessary for them to
take some steps, such as the institu-
ton of jitney services, to recoup.
The action of the Public Utilities
Commission yesterday in approving the
rate schedule as nled by the Diamond
Cab Co. last January 80, does not mean
that the company may not institute
iitney sirvice, Commissioner Harleigh
H. Hartman said today. He explained
that according to the taxicab code
recently promulgated, all taxi concerns
are required to file schedules of their
rates for approval by the commission.
The rates are always approved so long
as they do not exceed maximum rate,
he said, and there is no minimum rate
in effect The introduction of a mini
mum rate never has been discussed by
the commission, Mr.. Hartman said.
He said that most of the large cab
concerns in town have filed their rates
and that ,they have been approved.
The commission is still in correspond
ence with some of the cab companies,
particularly the new 35-cent FIAT rate"
cabs, seeking to have them file their
rates and comply with the order.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-11

Of thick, black smoke, gray smoke
gases and cinders from somkestacks
and chimneys of private dwellings
business houses, Government buildings
and railroad engines polluting air In
sleeping rooms, school rooms and work
rooms Of business and Government In
situations.
A resolution presented by him on the
subject for his committee reference
reads: 1.-THE enactment by Congress
Of legislation to prohibit the emission
in the District of Columbia Of OBJ
noxious smoke, gases and cinders from
any chimney or SmokeStack of any
private dwelling or any other building
OF whatever sort, or from any move
able engine or boiler"
Copies of the resolution are to be sent
to the House and Senate District COM
mitteeS, health officer, Citizens Adj
visory Council and the Federation Of
Citizens Association.
Plan Cleanup Drive.
The association also went on record
favoring the immediate cleaning UP of
Takoma Park, and all property owners
will be urged to clean up their lawns,
the front yards for its Identification
to the public and the envy of neighbors
and the back yards from the standpoint
of health and sanitation.
The association Endorsed Mai. Gen,
Herbert Crosby, u. S. A., for the posi-
ton of District Commissioner upon his
retirement from active service. A reso-
luton adopted stated, From all sources
it has been proven that President Hoo
ver's appointment fulfllls every re-
quirement for that Office, and that we
congratulate the President upon secur-
ing so splendid man and offer to Gen.
Crosby our fullest support"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-11
CAB STAND ruling
ASKED BY CITIZENS
Northeast Group Seeks De-
ciSion on Right to Park
Near Homes.

An effort to learn citizens rights to
restrain taxicab operators from estab-
fishing a taxi stand in front Of private
dwelling will be made by the Northeast
Washington Citizens Association, whose
secretary was authorized in a motion
last night to ask Trafic Director Har-
land for a ruling on the subject.
The association, which admitted SO
new members at its meeting last night,
passed a resolution asking that stop
signs be placed at Massachusetts avenue
and Eleventh street northeast, and ap-
proved the Senate bill providing that
taxicab operators satisfy the Public
Utilities Commission as to financial re-
SponSibility.
Property owners in the Northeast
section who feel that assessments have
been fixed at too high rate were told
by Evan H. Tucker, association presi-
dent. that now is the time to file
appeals.