The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-10-28
Street Corner Meetings and the
Election Campaign

Germ them right now Our speakers many times
go out OF their way to talk about theories; about
the past and the future; about Canada and
Turkey, when the workers are wondering what
that has to do with New York City, unemploy-
ment the Democrats and the high cost of rent
and electricity.
In New York election speech what is the use
of wasting time to go all around the world, while
leaving the local issues untouched? What is
just as bad is that the speakers have way of
singing phrases and using a language that is
totally foreign to the average worker of New
York City or any other city. Don't say to the
workers, 1--WE must link up the special demands
of the workers with the election campaign"
Don't say 1.-The sharpening antagonisms alarm
ingly threaten" etc. Unfortunately this is often
the language of our Party press the speakers
not to be altogether blamed
What should we talk about in our street corner
speeches? We should speak first about those
things that affect the workers here, now in this
city. Unemployment, evictions, the raise in the
electric light rates We should explain why the
city government gives billion dollar corporations
like the Edison Co. the right to raise rates and
prices at time when the workers are starving.
Show the right of the workers, fathers and
mothers to demand warm free food and clothing
for all school children Bring in the fact that
the city has over 800 millions of dollars TO spend
for big salaries for government officials and for
all kinds of million dollar contracts for socalled
city improvements Mention some of the find
ings of the Seabury Committee.
Point out that all the above happens in the
city, state and federal government, both under
Republicans and under Democratic administra-
ton. Show the betrayals of the Socialist Party,
Of Thomas, Fillquit, Lee Pankin and Broun and
the rest of them Say something about Ramsay
Macdonald the Socialist and the Bruening
government, which is supported by the social
democrats of Germany
The betrayals of the American Federation of
Labor must not be ommtted Green Vol,
Lewis, Fagen, Holderman and other labor takers.
In the question Of the vote, our speakers
should themselves understand why we go into
the elections and what the value of Commu-
mist candidate in halls of government would be.
Explain that the vote is one of many weapons
and should be pushed with all energy Point
out the value of big vote enrolment for the revo-
lutionary program of the Party The enormous
preparations for the coming must be men,
toned and the latest developments in Man
churia. Show some of the contrasts between
Communist Russia and Capitalist U. s. But don't
forget that the entire speech should be based
around the local issues in the elections and then
leading up to the war preparations and the
u. S. S. r..
Remember that we are making election
speeches and have not got the time to mention
everything in the world. We are in New York
City. Tens of thousands of workers and their
children are suffering in this city right now If
you can make the workers see the reasons for all
this and prove to them logically what must be
done to better their conditions then the speaker
will have just about all that can be handled in
the given time.