The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-05

enQOrISr EUraSSe. 1ney were kSp6
Systematically busy in the more dis
tant streets by the workers, and were
thus kept away from the alley for q
time
The workers realized that the alley
which had no side streets and only
limited possibilities of escape through
backwards, was a dangerous mouse
trap for them. They were driven
there, to find themselves exposed,
without protection from the revolvers
of the police, who had cut of the
street at both ends. The Wiesen-
strasse lay across the Koslinerstrasse
like the stroke of the letter T, and
made blind alley Moreover the
houses were no longer a sufficient
means of protection, since the police
had begun to storm them and to
follow the workers into the tene-
ments. On the one side of the alley
one could at best reach the Wedding
or Observation-Disclosures by way Of
the baokyards, and these streets were
easily kept in check by the police. On
the other side the backyarls were
cut of by the Panke. And even II
the fugitives waded through the water
they would only reach Panke - or
Wiesen Strasse.
It was easy to see that the sur
rounding of the whole block Of houses
was no dificult task for the police,
and sooner or later it would surely
come to that. What then?
CHILDREN HURT
In numerous rooms in the alley
traces of bullets were to be seen on
walls and furniture. Several children
had already been hurt by flying pieces
OF mortar. Immediately above the
bed in which twelve-y ear-old child
was lying. four bullets had crashed
through the wall and covered the
child With fallen plaster. 1t was
sheer luck that more people had not
been wounded or killed.
To remove the children now from
the alley would mean carrying them
through the firing zone. On the
stairs crying desperate mothers were
standing cursing "the blue devils"
below
Are you menu they shouted to
the workers.
You're white livered, cowardly
bans, who let the women and chill
dren be shot! Throw stones like little
boys and run awayl'
'1ouve muck in your bones instead
of blood. you sotsl Because these
lousy swine hold cannon in their
hands, you rather dung your trousers
than take the things away from them
-you communism
You don't understand" the
men could only reply. we can't
simply start a revolution on our own
todayl"
"rfo--but you can make Grand
speeches all right"
WHAT SHALL WE Dor
Then the men went out into the
street again and thought TO them
selves: Right they are, those women
but cowards2 No, we aren't towards.
The Red Alley isn't cowardly, not
that-but--what shall we dor What
on earth shall we dos Damned COS
sacks They were asking 1t on the
stairs, in the yards, in the street, in
the pubs-in the Red Nightingale"
The narrow passage Of the Red
Nightingale" was thronged with ex-
cited faces. The crowd was drawn
towards the light OF the electric lamp
over the corner table. Thomas was
carrying his bandsged hand in q
leather strap hanging from his neck.
Next to him sat Paul, whose cap was
lying somewhere in the Eettelbeck-
platz.
Comrades" Kurt was saving
calmly, in a few hours it will be
dark. If the police remain in the
alley by then, you know what will
happen We won't have two dead in
our houses tomorrow, but twenty per-
haps."
He paused for moment and looked
into the faces of the workers around
him as if 10 read their thoughts, then
he continued: TT seems to me, COM
rades, that the police must not be
allowed to enter the alley again"
You're right, Kurt"
Comrades, that is sheer madness"
Paul shouted, and jumped up excited
ly, DO you want to start civil war
on your own? protest"
Thomas pressed him back in his
chair: Just be quiet for moment,
Paul, we'll see what Kurt has 10
say"
Kurt looked ut Paul with stern
brows. He was thinking Of the work
ers standing around the table who
knew that Paul was the deputy lead
or Of the Communist street-cell for
Today.
WE MUST BLOCK THE STREETS
Comrades" / said, "the police
must not be allowed TO enter the
alley any more. We--not the police
must block the street. Particularly
We must prevent cars from entering"
yes. that's the chief thing, those
tanned police tanks"
There's building material ut the
,orner. We must build a barricade
lcross the street at once, like this"
lie pressed the large forefinser Of
his broad builders hand on the wood
T.. ~. l. -. A.