The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-07-08
BY EMERY BALINT

He saw that the greater part of the
members were gabbing and loafng
in the street in front of union
headquarters, always Cabling, loaf
ing and Cabling, or that they we're
sitting in the Day Room quietly
smoking their pipes; there was no
revolt in them. Like old women,
they were content to be driven and
even glad to land a job here and
there.
was fond of Sam. Besides being
the same rank and filer," the fact
of having been soldiers meant an
added tie between us. We ex-
changed addresses, so that in case
one Of us got job the other should
stand chance of getting in on it.
On one of the Wednesday eve
ming meetings Sam told me happily
that he had his son signed up with
the army. A strong, twenty year
old, handsome boy. No profession
and hadn't had a job for years;
to prevent his loaf1ng, to make a
man Of him. But I know he says
this just as an excuse. Actually he
is very proud of his boy, his soldier
boy.
Il DID, L1cU go -. C;...oil a
big boy, / said TO Sam.
GOSH He's a man-sized kid all
right-but a big bum They'll make
man outa him in the army. Look
at yourself; you know that the man
who wasn't soldier was no good
and the bigger bum he was as a
civilian, the better soldier he made"
TOR long time, for over a year,
1 I didn't see Sam. He didn't
come to the Union meetings. I
was even a little angry with him.
He must have got a good job and
instead of getting me in on it, he
just kept away. In these bitter
times some workers behave like
hungry dogs; as soon as they find
bone, they run away from dog
society for fear the other hungry
dogs will take it away from them.
Then, one day;
"How's the soldier?" Sam greeted
me.
"How's the Corporate" I an.
swered.
(which one?" asked Sam. The
old corporal or the young one?"
That's how I learned that his son
was already corporal. Sam said
his son was serving in Washington,
swell soldier, the pride of the
U. S. Army, the best shot, the best
marcher, the best to call commands,
the best in everything. Sam had
gone to Washington last month to
visit him, and his son had intro
duced him to the lieutenant on
duty.
g. Veteran corporal. Wounded
on the French front. decorated for
heroism, honorably discharged
this is my father =.
The officer shook hands with
him. Sam spent an entire after
noon with the soldiers in the bar
racks. He described the French
front and showed them few tricks
with the gun.
Gee! The way I can still do
'em! Just as if I'd a. left off yes
terday!" Sans face beamed.
When I asked why he hadn't
shown himself for so long, his
beaming face became cloudy.
PROSPERITY"
tG HAD lotta trouble. There
4 was no work, my wife died and
my house was foreclosed. Well,
I'm like the rest of us. Prosperity.
I got furnished room, So a week;
but now I can't even pay that to
the woman. If We get the bonus
I'll be OK. After all, the U. S.
won't let its own veterans die on
the rubbish heap. The veterans
have marched to Washington. I'll
go after 'em, too, an oh, boyl Well
have a good time when Sam comes
home with his pockets full-with
bonus dollars.
81 wouldn't mind if us painters
would start doing things to better
our lot. I'm with you if we start
something. I'm always ready. But
if we painters go on sleeping, I'll
go for my bonus and that's how
I'll help myself Things can't go
on like this long. Everybody's duty
is to help himself as best he can"
That same week Sam got a job,
and on Saturday looked me up at
my place to tell me to go inon
Monday, maybe they'd need an
Other man at the shop. That's how
Sam and I got together again on
the same job.
Meanwhile the veterans marched
into Washington and Sam stayed
on the job. From day to day I saw
how he suffered for not having
been able to CO.
I'm full up with debts" he said
II ought to be glad to work. The
Legion Post don't let me go either;
they know I've got a job"
Sam bought three or four papers
every morning, and the first thing
he read was always the case of the
veterans in Washington. On the job
he told us what he read. He ac-
tually saw the tents and the shan
ties with his buddies in them. He
saw them cooking on the fire in
the open, he felt himself so strong
ly among them that he was I'M
able to think or talk of anything
else.
When the news came that the
veterans were to evacuate their
quarters by the fourth Of August,
Sam was beside himself. He struck
the ceiling with his brush with
such force, he painted so vehe-
mently that was hardly able to
keep pace with him
Hey, Sam! If you go on like
this we'll finish IS instead of 20
ceilings. Don't be sore, that only
benefits the boss"