davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
white Woman, Former Decatur Resident, Tells of
Life in South, Backs Fight for the Scottsboro Boys
Finds Oppression is
Worse Than Ever on
Return to Birmingham

(By y Negro Worker Correspondent
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-Having been
born and raised in Birmingham,
which left on account 90 oppres-
sion, was surprised when returned
there recently to find the Negro more
oppressed than ever.
Establishments that have existed
for decades and during their exist
ence hired cheap Negro laborers, now
hoist bankrupt signs, go temporarily
out of business, and soon afterward
reopen with all white laborerS, simply
to displace the underpaid Negroes.
The N.R.A. demands that a living
wage be paid every man, regardless
of color. The officials Of these firms
swear they are damned if they will
pay living wage to Negro. They
would pay it to the man of their
color, who needs it more, they say,
because Of his higher standard Of liv-
ing. Now, unless some Moses Tin the
form of the Federal government
comes along and helps these modern
IsrealiteS, these oncoming winter
months, will be hard.
The revelation of the inefficiency
of the N.R.A. to cope with the hard
ships of the Negroes did not appear
as bad to me as the nightly doings
of a selected group of policemen.
Eleven o'clock Is the time limit for
Negroes to walk the streets, though
they are taxed Gin proportion) the
same as members of other races.
After eleven, If Negroes are caught
walking in the streets, the Slingshot
Squad shoots wire staples at their
legs and feet, the same as they would
birds. II a Negro should chance to
meet a friend on the street and stop
to talk after the time specified, they
are caught by another selected squad.
They are questioned as to where they
have been, where going, and why
out? And If slow in responding to
the questioning, they are whipped
with a five foot piece Of water hose
and sent on their way.
In the North we are treated more
like human beings. Never shall I
return to this damnable spot on earth
unless one of my loved ones passes
away and only respect will persuade
me to return then.
Editors Note:--This worker
draws vivid picture Of oppression
in the South, but his hope that
the Federal Government or the N.
r. A. may be induced to do some
thing about 1t only gives rise to an
illusion under which the ruling class
tries to weaken the mass struggles
Of Negro and white workers against
this oppression. The government in
Washington Is just as much a tool
of the capitalist ruling class as is
the state government Of Alabama
or the city government Of Birming-
ham, and only the united struggle
of Negro and white workers will
defeat the N. r. A. and government
program Of discrimination and op-
preston.
Also, while the oppression Of the
Negro In the North is not shown in
such open and brutal form as In
the South, discrimination on the job
and In the neighborhoods Is just
as widespread and is based on the
oppression in the South.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

one Of the main speakers. Second
this meeting was held one day before
the 10th anniversary of the Russian
Revolution and was supposed to mo.
bilize all the workers to come to the
celebration. Our section organizer wa.
to speak at this meeting and bring
out the achievements Of the ami
versary, and he never showed up a
the meeting.
Party Leadership and Cooperation
Necessary
Comrades, such cooperation by tn,
Party to the Y.CL. shows the fol
lowing: First, complete neglect of Thu
task Of building the League; under
estimation Of our election campaign
and a failure to bring before tht
masses the building of Socialism il
the Soviet Union and decaying CAPT
talism all over the world.
In the name Of our Unit 8, I thanl
the U. c. of Colinwood for their CO,
operation with our unit and for tn,
donation which helped carry out thi
mass meeting.
Editorial Note by Y. C. l.: The
incident referred to by Comrade
Cooper Of Cleveland Ii typical Of
many that occur regularly In the
relations OF the Party to ths
League. In the above case the
Y.C.L. comrades are completely
justified In their criticism Of the
Party. This meeting was a most inn
portant one, not alone from the
viewpoint of the Y.C.L., but espe-
cia1ly from the viewpoint Of the
Party. The Party should have mo-
bilized all its forces to support the
meeting.
Often we hear of complaints from
Party comrades that the Y.C.L. me-
chemically divides the youth from
the adult workers. However, where
such separation does exist, the
Party is mainly responsible for it
by its own attitude that "the youth
are the concern of the Y.C.L.
alone" The Party must realize that
it is the political leader Of the
whole working class, adult as well
as youth. 1t must give leadership
to the Y.C.L. in its work among the
youth and must further mobilize
its own members and the whole
revolutionary working class for
winning the young working class
generation for Communism Once
the Party understands its revolu-
tionary duty in this respect, such
incidents as the above will not
recur.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
~ Doctor
>LuHig,ge,z
udUtAe1;

better stick to strict vegetarian diet
and leave the cannibal sandwiches
to the cannibals.
Mineral Oil and Dry Skin
Mrs. X, Woodbridge, N. Mineral
Gil has no effect whatsoever on the
dryness Of the skin. The reason is
that mineral oil is not absorbed into
the body but acts as lubricant for
the intestinal canal. The same
amount of mineral oil that is taken
In by mouth leaves the body. Some-f
times it leaks out when we least ex-
pect it to. If you wish to influence
your dry skin you must use vegetable
oils such as olive oil which you can
eat as well as rub into the skin. sew
eral times day.
Where To Get Circumsized
A Worker-Any surgical clinic in
New York City will crcumsize you,
free of charge, if you apply for the
operation. Thanks for your contribu-
ton to the Daily Worker.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

thct dOO-yOu II SCb Vic oCO " AoO VI
your lives!"
I shall be there! There are so chill
+. dren, both white and Negro, playing
(. IN this.
: The Women's Councils
: Also, on the same day that recog-
. milton was given to the U.SS.R. by
/. the American government, the Wo-
{. mems Councils were given recogni-
ton by our In the Home Column Il
was present at the splendid celebra-
ton at Irving Plaza, of ten years of
activity by the councils) and the
analogy goes further because in both
cases it was the recognizer and not
1. the recognized that was honored. CMy
delay in making this contact with
the Women's Councils is really in
/. ezcusable)
Moreover, I had the satisfaction of
: being present at the Bronx Confer
. ence Against the High Cost Of Iiv-
: ing, called by the United Councils of
. Working Class Women; there fight
against high pricecs was mapped out.
4. Our column will do it's best to keep
+. in touch with the progress of this
struggle.
= Russian Blouses
I wish to tell the "comrade with
out Russian blouse" we shall locate
such patterns as she asks for-I do
not think the service We are using
. has them, but shall check on this.
= The two comrades in Syracuse have
not been forgotten,--we are working
on the budget. counting the calories,
and experimenting.
- And I wish to remind the comrades
In the home that it is time to begin
to prepare for the Annual Bazaar of
The New York District of the Inter-
national Labor Defense, taking place
the middle of next February. Those
who can do so will be of great help
II they will make neat and simple
dresses, blouses, pyjamas, aprons, and
: the like. for sale at the Bazaar. Best
: begin now so as not to have to rush
at the last minute. Out of town COM
rades could also send little things
. for this, II they like. OLD, 870
: Broadway
: What else2 Only one more thing:
: the letter from Comrade Enos and
the article by Alice w. l.. on anus
: ing the children have got me to
: thinking about the subject, and I am
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

Daily worker viii be spread all over
Alabama and especially in Decatur
where was raised. In reading the
Daily Worker see lots of names, in
fact know most of them, Mr.. Win
ton on Fifth Ave-, Elizabeth Morris
on Prospect Drive, she being second
door neighbor to my father.
Well guess all those that make
threats still have a few meals ahead
Of sowbelly, sorghum molasses and
corn bread. know that Is practically
their daily menu, for I was raised
there and raised on it, and existed
on it, while at the same time In 1928
was doing laundry work for our living
for a family Of seven, and because it
was So-called "nigger work" in the
South, in some mysterious way we
had to move, known only to Mr.. Otta
on Fifth Ave-, South. Yes, I know
all those crooks, and believe me, I'm
spreading the news to my father,
sending him Daily Workers, as he
is still in that good country, the
Democratic South. I only wish was
there for a while Just to tell them
all what they can do. They Just
don't know any different, they know
they are suffering. Here is q part
Of q letter got from my father q
few days ago, as follows:
you think you are having an aw-
full time in Flint, but hope you have
q bed to sleep on. We haven't a
bed to sleep on, or a chair to sit ON,
or table to eat ON, and nothing to
eat. Our clothes are Just rags
haven't had pair OF shoes In over
three years. We are sleeping on the
floor and our house is Just shack
worse than our barn was on Prospect
Drive In Decatur. I am almost blind
one eye is gone" This is the exact
copy Of the letter from my father)
Now my father is 70 years Of age.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

buS VIC 0Vn Ilhfu StIUuSn W 1dSb
hardly one week.
We get no more until the two
weeks come around. When we ask
for more here is what we get: "You
all sure eat lot. There's no need
wasting food as you do" There are
five in my family, and they call that
wasting.
1t is cold weather, and we need
clothes and coal, but we can get
neither clothes nor coal.
When we go to the welfare to ask
for relief, they tell just write and
order what you need and we will
send it to you, and that Is the last
Of it.
There are so many here in the
same shape. There Is a man and his
daughter right here close to me. They
are both sick, and the welfare won't
do anything for them. The mans
name is Davis Beard.
When I was at their home Nov
l6 not spark of fire could be seen
not bite to eat. They can't even
get a doctor. They sure are suffer
ing. They are not the only ones,
The welfare pays no rent for the
workers. When the rent man comes
he says, IF you can't pay, get out.
And where are we workers to go?
had to take my boys out Of school
because they did not have clothes Oh
shoes. And my wife and both need
shoes, clothes, and coal.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

convinced that the movement stands
desperately in need Of Red Paint
Book for the kids. I shall begin to
work on it.
What should be in it? On one page
should be paper dolls with Young
Pioneer costumes. There should be a
picture or two of a Kolkhoz. Per-
haps pictures Of the vegetables and
fruits the workers kids should have
(they would color nicely. What else?
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

bit In the library and play after
wards. And didn't you say at night
we could go parachute jumping?"
Mischa: Sure thing. Come on over
to the showers. I'll read you a let
ter on the way. Got 1t from my
cousin Mary, who's a Pioneer in
America. Gee! What she told me
about Thanksgiving in America
Well have to wait till next Satur-
day to find out what's so surprising to
Mischa about Thanksgiving In
America.
Dear Comrade Editor:
The pioneers Of the Clara zetkin
Troop are very thankful to the Daily
Worker for their Pioneer Column. We
feel that such columns will draw the
workers children into our Pioneer
movement and help us build bigger
and more militant troops. We ex-
pect all workers children to take part
in the struggles of their parents The
Young Pioneers always stand ready
to lead them in their fight for better
conditions.
We are sure that this column will
be q great help to us and we hope
you will continue it with the best re-
suits.
LYMAN Ruchelman,
Clara Zetkin Troop.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
CRITICIZING A CARTOON
milwaukee, Wis

Dear Comrades:
wish TO take objection to the car
toon that appeared on the editorial
page of the Daily Worker, on Mon
day, Oct. %. The cartoon, under the
caption: '"The old gentleman amt so
dumb" portrays Wall Street sitting
with the map OF the world in front
of him and holding the US.S.R. in
one hand ready to place the U.S.SR.
in a certain vacant space as if in a
jig-saw puzzle. have talked to a
number of workers and they seem
to have the same impression as I
have.
First, the cartoon conveys the i'm
preston that the U.S.SR. is just a
missing piece of the capitalist world
and that Wall Street has now de-
cided to take that piece, the U.S.SR.,
to do with it as he pleases and place
it in connection with the rest of the
world. suppose the gentleman is
not dumb, because he has an Interior
motive for doing what he does.
But, comrades, the matter is not
SO simple. First of all, the U.S.S.R.
is not a passive force that can be
picked up by any gentleman, dumb
or smart, and just allowed recogni-
ton. The Soviet Union has COM
PEELED the Wall Street Government
to recognize it. Though Wall Street
may profit for the time being through
economic gains, ETC., nevertheless, the
fact of the matter remains that after
Is years of stubborn opposition to
the workers republic. American i'm
perlalism is compelled, because of the
crigis and the general situation of
the CAPITALIST world, and the strength
Of the Soviet Union, to talk of dip
lomatic relations, etc.
The artist or the one who inspired
this cartoon may have wanted to
convey to the readers of the Daily
that even though there may be rec
ignition, still Wall Street has some
thing up its sleeve AS the thing
was placed, it conveys the opposite
impression
Another thing that lends itself to
criticism is the fact that Wall Street
seems to have the map of the world
in its lap, but If this were the case
| there would be no danger of an i'm
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
Why Oil Companies
Love the Blue Eagle
tBy a Worker Correspondent

BARNHART, Texas.-Oh, how the
big oil companies love the Blue Buzz
Yard, or the N. r. A!
7 have letter from the Depart
ment stating thus: 1.-THE N. r. A. does
not require you to put on extra help
if you do not need 1t to observe the
Presidents Agreement. 1t was written
in language intended to be flexible
enough to meet many varieties OF
conditions, and until code is ap-
proved 1t applies to your business. All
oil companies are under the code
approved by the President ON the 18th
ult., and effective Sept. 2 this year.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

llOb DeSIl HlOTe Oh q DHSlS OF the QlS-
cuSsion in this plenum.
My impression of the discussion is
that with the help Of the Open
Letter and the impact OF the ire
mendous mass struggles that are TAX
ing place in this country our Party
| is emerging, not rapidly enough. but
still emerging, from the bewilder-
n1ent with which it confronted the
new offensive against the working
class, represented by the change from
the crude methods Of the Hoover
regime to the combination Of the
demagogy and ruthless terror of the
Roosevelt administration.
What is the meaning Of the
tremendous strike movement that is
taking place in this country? I dis
regard, Of course. in this general
estimate, such exaggerated state
ments as that the terror in Ambridge
is the worst anybody has ever seen
I am willing to admit it is the worst
the comrades at Ambridge have ever
seen; but we cannot take these things
as the best expression OF the line
of the American ruling class and its
government. Some Comrade here
l think 1t was Coznrade tombstone
was absolutely correct when he said
that some Of our comrades in the
steel industry don't understand that
when you start out seriously to or
ganize steel workers, you are chal-
longing, not only these individual
companies in steel, but the steel trust
and the American government and
the basic industry of American capt.
talism. The steel trust will defend
its most outlying outpost with the
same vigor it defends it's center, If
it thinks the conquest Of this out
post means the invasion of the
center; that's what you must under
stand. We shouldn't be surprised by
these things. When we say Sur
prised," this Is confession OF in
eptness; we should be prepared; that
should be the situation.
The Strike Wave
This tremendous strike wave, with
its militancy, with its daily evidence
Of the great initiative right from the
ranks Of the American workers, has
demonstrated indisputably TIL a
whether these workers beling to the
T. U. U. L. unions, the A. F. of L.
unions, or Independent unions, there
is no perceptible dividing line be-
tween their sentiments, between their
whole approach to the question of
struggle and between the tactics that
they adopt in the struggle against
the bosses and the government. What
does this mean? This means, in the
most concrete terms, that our tao
tic OF the united front from below
land, to digress for a moment, !
think we have not utilized these ex-
periences sufficiently to shatter COM
pletely the ISLANDERS OF the Love-
stoneites and the Cannon Trotzkyites
about the united front tactics of the
Comintern)-the tactic of the united
front from below, especially in the
United States, with it's millions and
millions of unorganized workers in
the basic industries, is the weapon,
with which our Party is going to
defeat the A. F. of L. and S. P.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

caQeQ 10 nOlO SSFSIdl eSl4eA 1V'AA'
meetings in different parts Of the
city. The CollinWood unit Of the
.XCL. was assigned to hold one meet
ing in it's territory for the following
reasons: First, because the Murray
Ohio plant, our city concentration
point, Is in Collinwood. Second, be-
cause Collinwood is an industrial
center.
I informed the section organizer Of
the C. P, Section IA. about our plan
for q mass meeting. He said that the
Party will give us 81 for leaflets Lat
ar on he refused to give the dollar
promised for a certain reason (Which
III take up with the D. O..
Failure to Keep Promises
One week before the meeting l
talked to the section organizer and
told him that we have the leaflets
ready; we also rented hall. I asked
him to take this up with the Party
units and help us distribute 1000
leaflets at Eaton Axle plant, con-
eentration point of Section IA, and
house o-house canvass. Our League
comrades distributed leaflets at Muir
raw Ohio plant to the N.Y.C. R.R.
workers and pasted leaflets on poles.
.Corrade s. again agreed to help our
unit, but this was never carried out.
We asked the Unemployed Council
10 help us and several comrades
helped to distribute leaflets from
house to house.
In spite Of the fact that two big
rallies Of the Democratic and Re
publican candidates for Mayor were
held in the neighborhood the work
-ers came to hear our candidate for
Mayor, I. o. Ford, and John Little,
member of MEG, expose the NR.A.
We sold IS Young Workers" and 30
different pamphlets.
Important Meeting
This meeting was important for
two other points which our Party in
.Setcion IA completely underestimated
and neglected 20 carry out. First
spoint-The District Committee Of our
district right after the primary cleo
'tions decided to carry on the cleo
-tion campaign for the final election
Nov. 7, and place our candidates on
the ballot with stickers. This decision
remained on paper as far as Section
IA is concerned. No meetings. no leaf
lets, as though our campaign was over
and We were defeated. Such an atti-
tude must be sharply criticized by the
district. Our meeting was held one
day before elections, Nov. 6, and as
mentioned before, our Communist
candidate for Mayor, I. o. Ford, was
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
Carton Toy Go.
Firing Over 300
(By a Worker Correspondent

sHEBOYGAN, Wis., am working
for the Carton Toy Co. They are
laying Off men, some who have work.
ed for years. I understand there
will be about 800 men laid OF this
week.
Other shops here are the same.
The relief station here Is about the
same as all over.
The Sheboygan Press is a "red hot
blue eagle Sheet" but there are some
that are learning that 1t does not
take 8 labor mans side of the ques-
ton. Some are learning that the
A. F. Of L. is not what they thought
it was.
The Kohler Co. laid off about TOO
men at one time, and understand
there will be further layoffs there.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
Letters from
Our Readers
VETERAN DAILY WORKER

VETERAN DAILY WORKER
READER REGISTERS APPROVAL.
Comrade Editor: Spokane, Wash.
A number Of years ago I was a
reader and subscriber of the Truth"
of Duluth. When the subscription
list was taken over by our Party,
received the weekly Worker" and
helped to start the Daily Worker"
with a stock subscription. II reading
our fighting organ from its incep-
ton makes for efficiency, then my
critique should be correct.
I have no fault to find with our
paper, neither can offer advice for
improvements. In fact think the
Worker" has reached the point
where it can't be improved. The
editorials are unsurpassed. A column
of lively medical advice. Household
advice and sports, also film critique,
then the crisp and lively writing of
Comrade Gold.
I am getting from our paper all
information needed for keeping
abreast with our era and the class
struggle. 1t should have been eight
pages, but this rests with the men,
bers and sympathizers of our move
ment.
Enclosed is my check for $3.50 for
support Of our paper. If Comrades
Gold and Luttinger were running
even, then I wouldn't know whom to
credit with this remittance. DR.. Lut-
finger brings in the rear. wish
you would credit him in the contest
with this sum. III. T. Ahrens.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

Send FIFTEEN CENTS (15cl In
coins or stamps (coins preferred) for
this Anne Adams pattern. Write
plainly name, address and style num-
Der. BE SURE TO STATE SIZE.
Address orders to Daily Worker
Pattern Department. 243 West 18th
Street, New York City
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25

perialist war and the imperialist con-
traditions are of no Importance.
The question Of the Soviet Union
is Of such Importance, especially now,
when millions of American workers
and farmers are thinking about
American-Soviet relations, Therefore,
it is our task to picture The situation
as politically and clearly as possible
When we speak Of the defense of the
Soviet Union, 1t is not because the
Soviet Union is weak and defense
less. The Soviet Union has plenty
of resources and strength to defend
itself against the capitalist world. But
we raise that slogan, being fully
conscious Of the fact that the Soviet
Union is the base of the world revo-
lution--and for this reason it is nee
essary for all workers Of the world
to rally around.
You will excuse me if I am too
lengthy, or if take too much space
in dealing with Just cartoon, but
cartoons are very often as important
as an editorial.
M. CHILDS, District Organizer.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
The Significance of Recent
Strike Struggles in the US.
United Front From Below Will Defeat
A. F. of L. and S. P. Misleadership"
. By BILL DUNNE

the the 18th Meeting Of the
Committee Party, USAD
Comrades political situation the United States
have referred think political conclusions
meeting
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
$2.1O for Two Weeks Is Only
Relief for Negro Family Of 5
Nothing for Clothes or Coal or Rent Writes
Birmingham Worker
(By . Negro Worker {

(By Negr' Worker Correspondent
BIRMINGHAM AaThe Department Of Public Welfare of
County here three other
get 80 hour for which
hours But do not get cash. what
work which supposed
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-25
Detroit Pioneers

DETROIT, Mich.--A Pioneer pro-
gram will be given on Thursday, Nov.
80 Thanksgiving at the Finnish
Hall, 1869 14th st. Program will be-
gin at $50 p. m. -Four hundred