The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-19
A Serbian Farmer

THE road turns and slips over the
hill like a sandworm in hurry
to get out of the sun. The Serbian
settlement is here. Sarah Milititch,
who works as housegirl on the same
farm where we're haying, shows us
the way. She sees her Cousin Violet
walking ahead. Violet jumps on the
footboard.
The girls chatter September is
near. What about SCHOOL, They
will do anything to get away from
these "backwoods" Last year Violet
worked for the manager Of 1000
acre farm. Got $3.50 for washing
all the clothes, floors, ETC., every day
in the week. That was the only
way she could stay in school. This
year they want her for 50. The
nerve Sarah worked in an inn,
was up at four o'clock every morn
ing to clean the place before school.
After school, cooking and serving
until midnight.
The road opens and hits clear
ing. Beyond the fence q cowbarn
and a low house. Mrs. Milititch, a
stout little woman, peeps out in
friendly fashion. She leads her Wis
itors to the best room. No wallpaper,
bare floors, two or three beds,
rough table and a dresser with knobs
like old eggs.
"Ya," says Mrs. Milititch, Lilly,
she cry and cry. She no want to go
back to city job. She go back. Wait
ress job, IT hours day and only s4,"
She turns half alphabetically and
bows. What can do? No money
and so much children"
Pete's gone off to try to borrow
reaper from neighbor. If he can't
get it, he'll have to cut and bind
by hand. He'd have plowed seven
more acres for rye, but didn't have
the money for seed. Went to the
town, to the bank, to borrow $50.
Interest u per cent. And they
wouldn't give 1t to him for more
than two months.
At the door the day is bright as
a young cock. She goes outside to
show us her garden, There the
beans she calls bobb, her sunflowers,
corn, cucumbers, potatoes, all with
cred It's been 50 dry. And when 1t
rains little the sandy earth zoops
it right up. And bugs and flies
everywhere.
A dog barks The Milititeh boys
come running up before Pete.
Pete is a husky, cleanshaven man
in patched overalls, A real peasant
to whom talking is tough meat. He
shakes hands and sits down on a
bench against the house.
He ran away from the old country
during the Balkan War. In Chicago
he got work as a carpenter. A rich
countryman in the real estate bust
ness induced him to buy the farm,
Heb, he was fooled. Things are so
bad here he's been thinking OF 60
ing back to the city when his cousin,
tinsmith in Detroit, came out there
to look for small farm. The cousin
told him how 1t is In the cities, how
the firemen turn water on the
hungry people in front of the Ford
factories during the winter, and the
shooting. It's bad, bad everywhere
He goes into the kitchen. Sarah
tells us he's devil OF worker, used
to be terribly strong. But he gets
double fuptures from oVerworking,
They operated on him twice, but 1t
came out. He can't rest six mr~' II
the way the doctor told him. { Re
goes around with Pains and kate7
the thing like a horsecollar around
his belly.
Pete comes out with q bottle and
glasses. Potato gin. He fills glasses.
Co-eperatives? Oh yes, they hadiI
one here a number Of years a.go
Every farmer paid $40 membership.
The head of the cooperative ran
away with $4,000
Pete shakes his head Sure, the |
little farmer and the worker must |
run together like a he and she dog
in the season to save themselves, to
save themselves.
He waves the flies off. He raises |
his glass If only all these flies were |
bees, He drinks to our health. He
considers for a time, He raises his
glass again. To the time when |
workers and farmers will take all fer |
themselves from the earth so rich q |
hive that no man from the begin
ming should ever have gone hungry |
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