The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-05-26
"For 4 Slices of Bread
and a Cup OF Cotfee.> ;"

who are going to the theatre are al
ready there and only sightseers are
left TO come and stare and get the
thrill Of seeing Chinatown bread
line.
So these men are kept hungry,
waiting until the sightseeing buses
from Times Square are ready to bring
their loads Of curious, for the buses.
bring people who make contributions
and the contributions are bigger
when they see the hungry being fed.
INSIDE the Rescue Society is sharply
L divided by speakers rostrum on
which huge bible rests. One side of
the place has long, hard wooden
benches. Back Of the rostrum are
wooden seats. The homeless are not
allowed to sit there even though there
is an overflow, for those seats are set
aside for Christian choir singers.
The gray haired usher explains with
a knowing smirk:
eff the buns sit there it might
become crummy, you know, and
then we couldn't get ministers and
choir singers to come down and
deliver sermons and sing hymns to
Them
So half of the place this night is
empty for there is only visiting
minister and two women who are to
sing for the homeless and the hun
CRY, two hatchet-faeed women with
speetacleS who look as though they
would force Jesus down your throat If
they had to tear your mouth apart to
do 1t. The homeless are crowded to-
gether with scarcely room to turn in.
The walls Of the Rescue Society are
plastered with signs, signs designed to
appeal to the tender emotions of
sightseers who might contribute.
How long since you wrote to
Mother?" Choose We this day whom
We will serve" and host of others
with special emphasis that the Re-
cue Society is supported by volun-
tary contributions.
The hungry sit on the wooden
benches. AT my left a middle-aged
man mods drowsily. To my right a
man In his early thirties sits with a
stub OF penccil and newspaper he
picked up somewhere. He pays no
attention to anyone but keeps draw
ing a wcman's head over and over
alternating after each drawing the
address Brooklyn, N. Y" Brook
Ign, N. Y" Until the paper is al
most covered with the drawings and
the addresses. I wonder who the
woman is and what this address
means that so absorbs his whole
mind, from whom hunger has torn
him. II is hard to tell.
The warmth of the place induces
drowsiness. All about me those in
their heavy overcoats to which they
cling lest they be stolen close their
eyes and nod sleepily
The llsherIs loud voice sounds as he
marches UP the aisle:
You fellows keep awake at this
meetin' tonight"
He leans over and shakes one old
man who is fast asleep.
Keep awake" he calls sharply.
At eight-thirty they march in or
derby fashion to the basement. One
by one each man is given four slices
Of bread and cup of coffee. Most
Of them cannot wait until they leave
the line before they bite into the
bread. Others soak it in the coffee
for their mouths are dry from long
hunger.
They turn their faces to the white
washed wall, eating ravenously and
gulping the coffee. Near me Is a
clean-cut, we'll dressed man with
slightly grazing hair. He is in his
forties and watch him bite into his
four slices at once. He is starving
1 offer him my bread. He takes it
without word and turns his face to
the wall. l place my cup of coffee on
a window sill and turn away.
AN old man takes it quickly, re-
n placing the cup with his empty
one for you cannot have a second
helping even If you are starving. The
old man looks about him furtively,
fearful that he would be caught
stealing the coffee and be elected.
When the men are fed they go up
stairs again to the seats they will
sleep in this night. The warmth Of
the place, the food, the WEAKNESS that
shows in everyones face makes them
drowsy and the usher parades UP and
down the aisle shouting to them to
keep awake.
When the visiting preacher arrives
the sleepy men are given hymn books.
Come on now, sing!" the usher