The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-11-17

ceived an official answer to these
demands from Mayor Cermak. The
letter from Mayor Cermak shows to
what extent the bourgeoisie have
been panic stricken in the face OF
the masses of workers. In this let
ter from a mayor of the city of Chi
cago, the second largest city in the
United States and one of the most
important industrial centers Of the
country, Mayor Cermak declared:
81 agree with you that we are
engulfed in serious crisis; that
means ought to be found for
to prevent starvation; that red
tape and pure legalism ought not
to stand in the way of averting
starvation"
We want to emphasize from this
statement of Mayor Cermak that
he speaks against ''red tape and
pure legalism" as he would fully un-
derstand that through "legalism'
we cannot obtain any results, that
only through the pressure of the
masses, through its revolutionary
action, can anything be obtained.
"HUNGER WHICH HAS
NOT TOUCHED ME"
He further declared in his letter:
"Your spokesman may have felt the
pangs of hunger which has not
yet touched me-" This admission is
an important one and it is not only
the spokesman Of $4,000 hunger
marchers, and actually spokesman
for over 100000 unemployed of Chi
cago who know hunger, the mean
ing of which "has not yet touched"
Mayor Tony Cermak.
Mayor Cermak anso considered
the question Of unemployment in
surance. In his letter he declared:
"The question Of unemployment
and social insurance is now pend
ing before a committee of the
common council. Hearings will be
had on that, and / shall try to
formulate my own views from
such information as 1 may be able
to obtain by the time those hear
ings are concluded"
In speaking directly and answer
ing every demand of the unem-
ployed, Mayor Cermak cannot find
one single argument against the de-
mands of the unemployed. To the
contrary. He heartily endorsed all
these demands, but to everyone only
one answer he gives: Nothing can
be done. And why? We will quote
the answer of Mayor Cermak to the
concrete demands of the unem-
ployed:
"1.-I am heartily in accord with
your demands that there shall be
no cut in relief. In fact, I believe
that the relief now granted is in
adequate, but where the funds will
come from to meet the ever grow
ing demand, am at loss to know,
To the extent that 1 can help in
that respect, personally or officially,
I stand ready to do so.
"2.-The matter of evictions Of
tenants lies with the courts. I shall
urge the judges to be as humane
as possible, and not to Dust fam
lilies for the time being at least,
especially in view of the fact that
by doing so very few landlords are
helped. The dwellings remain I'M
occupied anyway, and the unem-
ployed families might at least be
permitted to remain there until
other tenants could be found.
81 wish with you that the I'M
employed should have free gas,
water, electricity and coal, if that
is obtainable. Any plan, not viola
tive of the law, which can bring
that about, will have my support.
4.-Th6 same answer will apply
to No. 4.
81 heartily approve the sug-
gestions that provision should be
made for carfare and hot lunches
for the school children of the I'M
employed and part-time workers. 1
shall confer with the Emergency
Relief Committee on this demand.
"6.-The same answer applies to
No. 6.
"7.-I am in favor of no fore
closures, exemption of taxes on the
homes of the unemployed and part
time workers. if they are destitute,
I shall confer with the legal depart
ment and ascertain whether they
can possibly be brought about under
the law.
"8.--Of course l am in accord
with you that there should be no
discrimination Of Say kind against