The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-05

"And you gave an order to IRE
on them?"
yes"
A HERO"
Inspector Evanson has now been
recommended for a medal for
bravery" although all those muir
dered Chinese got bullets in ther
backs and their sides. Captain
Wright had to be satisfied with
honorable mention" because eau
tious Americans do not like to give
publicity to such affairs. Won
der whether Captain Wright is
now thinking about all this as he
stands at attention, and listens TO
the monotonous reading of the De-
claration Of independence?
We, therefore, the repre-
sentatives Of the United States Of
Amrica," the consul reads on, Gin
general Congress assembled, ap-
pealing to the Supreme Judge Of
the World for the rectitude OF our
institutions, do, in the Name and
by authority of the good People OF
these Colonies, solemnly publish
and declare that these United
Colonies, solemnly publish and de-
clare that these United Colonies
are, and of right ought to be free
and independent states; that they
are absolved from all allegiance
to the British Crown, and that all
political connection between them
and the State of Great Britain is
and ought to be totally dissolved. !"
A deafening outburst from the
brass band browns the last words
of the Declaration. Everyone
breathes sigh of relief, all elbow
their way to the veranda.
Standing near the marble balus-
trade, observe the wind from the
bay playing with the luxuriant
foliage OF the magnolia trees. Be-
yond those trees, against the
emerald waters of the bay. stands
the French consulate. The Tri-
color, once the enplem Of the Ma
tional Guard now the banner Of
the Republic Of stock brokers, re-
negades and secret royalists. waves
above the consulate. It futters in
the gay wind, flashing red and
blue. Above the flag staff, attracted
by the gay colors, kite is soaring.
On its spread pinions, the bird Of
prey circles round in decreasing
rings. Then it folds its wings and
drops almost vertically upon the
golden knob Of the flag staff. Tiers
it sits, immobile, majestic, proud.
COMEONE slaps me on the shout
~ der. 1t is Renault a young
French journalist. To Judge from
his face. he is moved; he looks en-,
raptured.
'The American Declaration" be
says, sis the mother Of our Decla-r
ration Of Rights. 1t says: People
are created and remain free and
equal in their rights. Social diff
ferences cannot be based on any
thing else than general welfare"
In honor Of the holiday he ap-
parently wants to be friendly and
say something pleasant to me. But
am not in the mood. I raise nv
hand and point to the building of
the French Consulate.
Look, Monsieur Renault," say
"look how that kite has settled on
your standard"
you are mistaken" Monsieur
retorts and offers me a cigar; "you
are not familiar with heraldry; this
emblem of France is Gallo cock
THANK you" I answer, taking
the Manila cigar, but France has
already outgrown the cock. France
was once indeed a cock which
reused humanity to creative labor
and to struggle, dispensing the
phantonE of night which haunted
our sleep. Now France has become
bird of prey with cruel claws and
sharp beak, which seizeS the
weak and tears them ,asunder.
MONSIEUR RENAULT suddenly
Il becomes serious.
Equality" he says, "is possible
only between equals. You labor
under an illusion when you Judge
great democracies by the behavior
of their sons in the colonies, where
they are surrounded by the hatred
of savages, and are forced to de-
fend themselves. If you were in /.
America and in France, you would
see.
Monsieur Renault," inter-
rupted, II have never been to
America but I have heard some
thing of the plundering of the
farmers, of poison gases used
against demonstrators, of bought
votes and the oil fraud. of lynch
ing and the electric chair, of the
Monkey Trial, the cornering Of
grain, the Ku Klux Khan and the
long lines Of unemployed standing
before the miserable night lodgings
in New York. I don't think the
road from the poverty stricken
tenement quarters to the luxurious
Fifth Avenue is shorter than that
from the foul cesspools Of Chapel
to the glittering Hotel Majestic.
For the nation which Expresses
cannot be free.
Monsieur Renault turns his back
to show that he considers further
conversation useless. I look up and
see the kite still sitting in rigid .
inmobility over the banner of the
French Republic; and recall Mem
tor who, by the sudden fight OF
the birds, prophesied to Telemactus
the fate of Odysseus, and the in
glorious death of the lordly suit.