The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-07-24
It Is Clear to the Miners!

you too will know the immense strategic i'm
portance of relief-the immense necessity that
relief from the fellow-workers of the miners,
be poured by the truck-loads and train-loads in
to the strike fields. What answer can you fell
low workers give?
In the little room, the lamp was lit. Twilight
And seven, the pick of the strike and relief
leadership were waiting. They had militantly
fought on the picket lines They had tirelessly
grappled with the problems Of relief. These
seven, miners and their wives, were becoming
working-class leaders through the necessity of
the time. Two sat on the wooden bench. The
others sprawled on the floor, waiting. The lamp
flung strong grotesque shadows, of two women
and five men,
One of the well-known strike leaders enters
and all look at him. wondering why this special
meeting had been called for SO small a group.
He greets them with the word "conrade" that
they use to each other now in the strike field.
Comrades, he says, I'VE are going 20 talk
tonight about some things that you already know.
Then about some things that are new to you.
Then we will discuss, and you will give me your
ideas"
The organizer seats himself on the bench, and
begins 1--WE have called you seven here tonight,
because you are the leaders of this strike in
this section. The best fighters, the most trust
worthy. The most class conscious-the most fit
to be entrusted with the additional tasks that
face workers, who know their interests are not
and never be, the same interests of the
Bosses"
The seven look at him curiously, and listen
keenly. The organizer begins to tell of condi-
TONS and one girl whispers to the other Lets
go to the dance at the Corners when the meeting
is over, then she too, cannot hep but listen
The conditions are those they know, ( old wildly
The Hungarian in the corner mods his head in
affirmation. The young American stops twirling
his cap. The whole picture is painted-of starv-
alton, rebellion against starvation-of fight, and
strike. But the organizer does not merely tell
of conditions. He tells of the cause of those
conditions. He speaks very simply. Comrades
you must know that there are two classes.
He speaks Of class interests, of the anarchy of
capitalism, of the slavery of the worker who
sells his laboring power, Of the exploitation of
the boss, who owns the means of production, of
the agencies that the boss uses to keep the
worker in slavery. The organizer speaks of the
struggle of the proletariat for power. He speaks
of the Soviet Union of six hours a day for min
ers, of rest periods of bosses palaces turned
into rest homes, of socialzed production. He
speaks of the Russian Communist Party-of the
life that will be under a working-class society.
1t is dark outside now. More than an hour and
half has passed. The seven are motionless.
listening. Hungarian, Slovak Russian, the four
young Americans listen. They nod when a
special point seems peculiarly and personally
clear.
And here, after the strike" the organizer says
there will sim be coal operators, whether or
not we win our 55c ton. There will still be
special deputies, judges and their injunctions.
There will be capitalist newspapers, and bosses
schools. There will be very rich men, and those
who are starving. After our c.rilse this system
of slavery will enable the bosses to exploit us and
our fellow workers yet to cut our wages, and
use all the agencies of state and federal govern
ment to keep us il slavery"
The organizer speaks of the republican and
democrat, the socialist party, and makes them
laugh at his pointed illusions. Then the or
ganizer explains that there is Communist
Party in the United States, leading the workers.
He tells of the Daily Worker, the only paper
that has supported the miners strike He tells
them that most of the strike leaders are Com
munsts. Why? Because the Communist is al
ways the leader In the working-class fight. The
organizer tells again of the historical duty Of
the working class to overthrow this dying system.
He explains how the Communist Party leads
this historical fight of the working class for
power.
Here in---do you think there must be
Communist Party, to expose the BOSSES and their
the best possible leadership to all strike &C
tivities? Do you think that you must become
the basis Of powerful Communist unit In this