The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-04-21
By 1, ANITER

THE preparation of a Hunger March is not a
simple matter. Not only have full prepara-
tions to be made for the housing and feeding
- the marchers along the route, depending upon
donations. collections, etc, but organization OF
the men themselves is very important.
The men have to be carefully selected, for the
distance is not short, they have to march long
stretches, and, being unemployed workers, who
have not had good meal for some months it
is not simple thing for the workers to march,
The men have to be selected also from the stand
point Of stability. Hotheads, boisterous men are
not suitable for march. The men have to have
some discipline, though this is quickly incul-
Gated They have to understand something OF
organization, so that being given task, they
will know how to perform 1t without hesitation
The N Y nlarchers we're carefully selected.
Being composed of unemployed and employed
workers (mainly the former, they were organ
lied into companies of 20 with a captain and
reutenants Of squads Of 4. The captain was re-
sponsible for his men, while the eight captains
were subordinate to the three leaders selected
by the Trade Union Unity League.
Each man had a task. One for distribution
of literature, another for defense, etc The work
went with wonderful precision. When the men
stopped for meal, the captain, through the
lieutenants knew where his men were, whether
they got food, etc. When they stopped for the
night (tae march lasted six days. the captain,
through his lieutenants knew where his men we're
put up When in Albany, some of the men were
battered by the coSsacks and were given first
aid. The captain, through his lieutenants, knew
whether his missing men we're locked up by the
police or were in the first aid room, When
meetings were held along the road the defense
groups were prepared for any eventualty.
ing discipline on the way. The work was facili-
tated by the fact that quite number of the
n1archers were ex-servicenen, and this was only
another march under less trying circumstances
than those they had made during the world war.
There was a group of Communists in the
marches to Albany and Trenton and this lent
stability and discipline to the marches. But it
must be stated that the non-C Communists showed
equal discipline and promptness, thus demon
strating that there are multitudes of workers
willing and able to fight, good militants who
belong in the Communist Party, and only wait
ing for the Party members to bring them into
the Party ranks.
Provision was made for the political educa-
ton of the men along tie route. Short talks
and discussions on the role of the Trade Union
Unity League and the revolutionary unions we're
to be held 1t was almost impossible, however,
when they arrived at a stopping place, and
therefore the discussion was chiefly on the ex-
periepces on the road, which were interpreted
by the narchers selected for the educational
work.
Provision was made for meetings in the towns
on the road to Trenton and Albany, in the
squares and before factories, but not in all cases
was it possible to hold the meetings, for the
marchers frequently arrived late. Whenever the
meetings were held, they were large and enthu-
siastic. On the road back. it was arranged that
the marchers should report to the workers as to
their experiences in Albany and Trenton re-
spectively, but these did not materialize.
First aid nurses accompanied the marchers,
not only to assist in case of collisions with fas-
cists and state troopers, but to take of sick
men, sore feet, ETC. The only time that they had
considerable to do was in Albany. Doctors could
not be obtained to start out with the marchers,
but volunteers were found in all the cities
A few incidents will indicate the reception
that the workers gave the marchers. In one
town on the way to Albany some of the march
ers put up for the night at a Negro Community
Church. A Negro woman came to the marchers
with five loaves of bread. This was splendid
demonstration of solidarity, by poor Negro
woman. At another place, an Italian, at IL