The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-04-22

S P A r K S

No one staryes in New York State,
said Roosevelt when he was running
for his present job. A survey of the
files Of the New York Times for 1882
brings to light the following facts
80 men and women died in N. Y. City
streets Of hunger; 81 workers were
brought to the city hospitals suffer-
irg from starvation, according to the
diagnosis of the city doctors, who
avoid making such diagnoses when
ever possible.
The truth of ROoSeYelt'S statement
about conditions in New York when
he was governor are about on the
same level of truth with most other
statements that he makes.
A piece Of news has just come to
light which, no doubt, will throw II
million unemployed workers and the
millions of workers who are having
their wages slashed, into paroxysms
of joy.
One Of the swankiest society 'gos-
sip columns in New York carries in
its headlines as the main tidbit for
the day the stunning announcement
that the Norman Thomases An
nounce Daughters Troth" Writes
the coiumnist, Billy Benedick:
I've always understood that the
laws and bylaws of socialism did not
recognize society with a capital IS"
hence 1 was pleasantly surprised to
receive the following announcement
in my mornings mail with the re-
quest that publish it in this column:
Mr.. and Mrs. Norman Thomas $50
Cialist candidate for PreSident) an
nounce the engagement of their
daughter, Mary Cecil to Herbert C.
Miller, Of Columbus, o.
Miss Thomas is attending VaSsar
College. Mr.. Miller is in his last year
at Yale Medical School"
Billy Benedick is pleasantly sur
prised." Why be surprised? Has it
not been obvious for a long time that
this socialist leader has long been
yearning for the approval of the best
society?"
We can Just see the picture; Nor
man and his wife sitting down to
send announcements to all the best
Society editors" Wont it be Won
derful," says Mrs. Thomas, Our
names will be among the real 400"
Don't worry" says Norman, patting
his helpmate on the head, wen he
in the White House yet. Look at our
charming Scotch friend, Ramsay
Macdonald. He drinks whiskey now
with the Countess of Warwick, does
MT he? Why can't we rise as high
as he did?"
What do the Socialist workers in
the factories and on the breadlines
think of this latest social success"
of their Party's leader2 We would
like to hear.
Immediately after the meeting of
the Board of Directors of the United
States Steel Corporation, at which
doleful speeches were made about the
losses Of the company, William A.
Irwin, President of the U. S. Steel
Corp. rushed out to Westchester and
bought himself a new house. There
are IA rooms" says the World Tele-
gram. 1T is one of the most beauti-
full homes in WestchesGer. There is
a three-car garage and spacious
rathskeller in the basement"
In the Soviet Union. Mr.. Irwin
would never get away with this. The
steel workers there would take Mr..
Irwin very gently by the collar and
convert his 14-room mansion into a
Cooperative home for the steel work
ers or q nursery for the children of
the steel workers. Take good care
Of that house, Mr.. Irwin, we will need
it soon. The workers are planning
to occupy it in the not distant future.
Bergdorf- Goodman, exclusive New
York wonen's speciality store, has an
nOunced a sale of afternoon dresses"
at the 'scandalously low price of S125
a dress" The New York Consumers
League reports the following wages
paid in the leading dressmaking es-
adjustments Of this city Twelve
and one-half cents for making
dress, three cents for the finisher.
The average wage Tor a 5O-hour week
is less than $40"
Some of the Daughters of the Am
erican Revolution are shocked at the
immortality" in the Soviet Union. A
recently issued report based on sur
Vey of the conditions of unemployed
girls IN New York City reveals that
scores of homeless girls are spending
their nights sleeping in subways be-
cause they have no money to pay
room rent.
Up to the present moment, we have
not heard that the OAR. is in any
way troubled about this.
A neWSreel being shown all over
the country shows American army
practicing long-range
shooting on skis. Certain regiments
are being put through special training
for fighting in heavy SHOWS.
The only part of the world where it
is necessary to know how to operate
a machine gun in heavy SHOWS is on
the borders of the Soviet Union! Need
more be said?