The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-09-28
WORKERS IN
HARLEM Are
STARVING
HillQuit and IS. P"
Platform Ignore
Their Misery
HILLQUIT IN LUXURY
Admit Would Change
Little If Elected

SON., of Harlem, Communist cand1-
date for Mayor of New York City,
Yesterday issued a challenge to Nor
ris Hillquit, Socialist Mayoralty NOM
inee. to debate him on the question
Of unemployment relief and specifi-
callv on the Negro question. In his
challenge, Patterson charges that Hill
quit supports the policy Of discrinli-
netion of jim Growing of Negroes.
Patterson revealed that the New
Leader, a New York Socialist weekly,
published in its issue Of June 81, 1890
an article in which Socialists in tbs
South were advised to adjust ther
tactics to conforms to the Southern
policy of segregating the Negro, in
order to build up strong Socialist
movement in the South. Negroes are
not allowed to become members Of
socialist locals in the South but are
forced to form separate Negro locals,
Patterson states.
Patterson also charges that while
thousands OF workers go hungry, Hill
quit lives in luxury ON money derived
directly and indirectly from the
working class.
The Challenge.
Patterson's challenge is as follows:
Mr.. Morris Hillquit,
40 East seth St.,
New. York City.
Dear Sir:
GAS Communist candidate for May
CT Of New York City, I challenge you
who have been nominated for the
same office by the Socialist Party
To debate with me on date previous
To the November 9th election on the
issues of unemployment relief and
specifically on the Negro question.
INV fellow-Negro workers are I'M
dergoing extreme suffering in this
crisis. Sixty per cent Of the workers
in Harlem are unemployed. TIE rate
of infant morto ltty in Harlem is four
tires greater than in any other dis
trct In the matter of relief, the
heroes in New York City as else
where are viciously Disseminated
against.
Rillauit Ignores Negroes
yet. since your nomination by the
Socialist Party as its candidate Tor
Mayor of New York City you have
failed to make any protest against
such shameful conditions. Among
the ten blanks adopted by the Social
ist Party of New York City in its
municipal convention on September
is. at which you we're nominated,
nothing whatsoever is said OF the
conditions of the Negro workers IN
New York City Nor have you deem
ed it necessary to state what you
would do. in event of being elected,
to- arneliorate the suffering of the
Nero or white workers
THAT YOU yourself lack confidence
in the Socialist Party being able to
change present conditions in New
York City is attested by your state
ment published in a New York morn
ing daily on September IT, 1882
shortly after your nomination, in
which. you stated: "A Socialist regime
In New York would not mean any
great outward change in the gov
ernment'
Together with other socialist lead
ers you are in favor of segragating
and iim-crowing Negro workers. In
the New Leader, a weekly controlled
by your group, published in New York
City. the following appeared on June
d. 1880:
"'AImost all Soutberners believe
In segragating the Negro and de-
prive him of the social and political
rights that whites enjoy. The
Southern Socialists must ADJUST
their tactics to this STATE OF AT
FAIRS. 1t is certain that there
never will be thriving Socialist
movement in the South. unless it
is conducted in SOUTHERN
STYLE Emphasis mine).
by your failure to OBJECT to this
statement in the New Leader, you are
openly on the side of those who sup
port JIM crowisn, lynch terror, brutal
exploitation and oppression of the
Negro people.
Lives in Luxury
"The interview published in a New
York morning daily on September II,
1882, describes you as living in lux
ury. Yet thousands of workers for
whose rights you claim to be fighting
are dying of hunger. Your million
sire mode of life, Mr.. Hillquit makes
you the logical champion of the bosses
who also live in luxury, but not of the
workers from whom you are separated
by barriers of wealth, and whose suf-
ferings in the present crisis you can
no more understand than can Her
bert Hoover and other capitalist poll
ticiaus.
The same interview quoted you as
stated that if the Socialist Party
gained favor it would degenerate.
"Mr Hillquit, the Socialist Party
has already degenerated and is rotten
to the core with opportunism and
greed for power at the expense of
the workers.
Your failure to accept my chal-
lenge will mean only the following:
A confession on your part that you
are hostile to the workers and espe-
cially to the Negro workers; that in
cffice. you would use your power to
break down the workers struggles
against the capitalist class, and chat
you favor a perretuation of jim
crowisn, lynching, and brutal exploit
alton of the Negro people
VERY truly yours