The daily worker., 1933-06-03
By EDITH MARCO
From Left Front" organ of CHICAGO
John Reed Club
InstalIment 1.

John Reed Club
InstalIment l.
IN the open space among the trees
L thousands Of people are gathered
Around them the park is dark and
cool. but here flood lights bleach the
brown and black faces to a greenish
white, while the close packed bodies
swelter in the heat.
On the ground, facing the platform,
hundreds of men and women sit on
coats and newspapers. Around them
wide circle of benches is occupied
by plump matrons and strangely quiet
children while behind the benches
men stand ten deep. They are plainly
dressed. serious, hard working people.
Some of the men wear overalls, while
others are actually in rags.
Over at the white Bug Club in the
south end Of the park speakers are
haranguing about religion, tariffs and
patriotism. But here, at the Negro
Forum in the northwest corner of
Washington Park, in the summer of
1882, speakers are concerned with the
A Negro Speaks
A black man is talking He says
he is sixty-eight years old. He tells
the crowd that they have listened
too long to preachers. They applaud,
looking at each other somewhat
sheepishly, chuckling over their old
stupidities: "Thais Right, thas
ri-ight!" The speaker explains how
they are worse off today than when
they we're slaves because the master
who had paid five hundred dollars
for a "nigger" could not afford to
let him starve, while the masters Of
today, having no investment in hu-
man flesh, are not interested in their
condition
we gotta start things going our
selves" he shouts. "A revolution is
what we need. A revolution against
white bosses and black bossesl" At the
mention Of the word revolution. -
there is murnur among the crowd.
murmur that grows to the hoarse
rumble OF deep-throated cannon.
Then thousands of clenched black
fists are thrust upward, in the salute
that today speaks its message
throughout the world.
THE next speaker is breezy young
white man. He has no hope
for the revolution. ''It would take a
hundred years to organize the Am
erican workers" He patronizingly ad-
Fises them to wait until the middle
class is aroused. He says that their
only hope is to help the liberals cor
rect the worst evils Of capitalism.
Hell, MOI" cries Negro girl on the
outskirts of the crowd. Her voice
snarls like a whip. The audience is
frantic with ioy-clapping, yelling,
throwing hats in the air, stamping
IN rhythm. Amid boos and cat-calls
the white man retires.
The chairman jumps TO his feet
and lectures the crowd on their dis
courtesy to the last speaker. He tells
them that they must give a hearing
to all points OF view. Now other Negro
speakers come forward-some with
tho blurring voice Of Alabama, others
with the clipped tones of Northern
colleges. They talk about charity
beans, about evictions, about families
living in damp Easements. They tell
how the Republicans have misled
their race. They expose the muddle-
medicines Of the Garveyites with
their Utopian scheme to take the Ne
Sroes back TO Africa. They explain
Why Negroes will not be free until
ne workers own the factories.
One speaker describes the wretched
hanties for which workers are forced
pay high rents. Another exposes