The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-31
By SAM KRIEGEE
(Organizer Column 4, National
Hunger March)


Hunger March)
"TNHERE are we going, fellow
W workers." sings out the coll
umn leader, ION TO WASHING
TON" is roared by the high spir-
tied hunger marchers who have
pushed through the barriers Of dep
utized thugs that are blocking the
entrance to the police-f flooded cities
on the line of march. In many
cases the marchers are forced to
spend the night in cold, open
field near ~ city where recep-
ton for them had been arranged
by the local workers. The elected
delegates on the hunger march had
left it up to the workers in the
cities they were approaching wheth-
er or not the march would fight
for the right of the delegates to
enter. If the local workers were
strong enough to meet the march
ers at the city limits and escort
them to the center of town, then
the marchers were willing to fight
shoulder to shoulder with them for
local immediate cash relief as well
as for federal unemployment insur-
ance. This was the message brought
by the Hunger March and left with
the workers in the cities through
which it passed.
MARCHES
Triumphant marches through the
main streets and big meetings at
the city halls of some cities were
followed by a show of extreme po-
lice terror in other cities which
the local workers and hunger
marchsrs could not overcome. Con-
sequently, the Hunger March re-
corded many local successes and
reverses and finally wound up in
the victorious entry Of the columns
into Washington, our objective.
Then followed the significant Ma
tional Unemployment Conference
on the wind-swept open prison pen
of New York Avenue, and the next
day the march on the Capitol itself.
The delegates though very tired
and many of them suffering from
colds and sore threats, were ready
to do it all over again. Our aim
was achieved; we pushed through
to Washington in spite of every
thing and placed our demands be-
fore Congress. We made our ma
tion-Wide protest against the STAR
walton of men, women and children,
the most important question on the
agenda of the United States Sen
ate for that day and also caused
a number of Congressman to visit
our Hunger Camp to get first hand
information from our own delegates
as to the plight of the unemployed
and the need of immediate win
ter cash relief and unemployment
insurance. Also, the very capitalist
newspapers not only in Washing
ton but all over the country in their
very efforts to hurt the Hunger
March helped only to dramatize our
struggles for relief in spite of The
poisonous darts which they kept
shooting at us throughout.
OUR Western delegates turned
" homeward bound, light in spirit
though tired in body. The return
trip was to be an occasion for con-
centrated organizational activity.
Every marcher was enrolled as an
organizer for the Unemployed
Council and was pledged to bring
recruits into our ranks for the
struggle ahead. The delegates were
to return home in the same march,
ing order as they came to Wash
ington. Mass meetings were being
arranged in the chief cities on the
line Of march to hear the reports
Of the returning delegates and to
learn what immediate steps had to
be taken to broaden our unemploy-
ment struggles.
Here was our chance TO follow
up on the gains we already had
made. Here was our opportunity
for active recruitment and concrete
organizational results. But a cog
slipped. We forgot to give even
greater care to the return of the
delegations in an organized and
disciplined manner, than they had
arrived. The authorities were quick
to take advantage of this.
DIZZINESS FROM
SUCCESS"
We were prodded to leave Wash