davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
BLACKJACKED!
A Short Short Story
by JOHN GREGORY .

DOB, if you join join that picket
- line I'll never speak to you again!"
But Ruth, look at the strike from
my side, our side" Bob blurted the
words hopelesSly. 1t was week old
argument. "Old Blake has filled you
with a lot of hot air. But lust the
same he only pays you fifteen a week
for being his stenographer. And I
get darn little more for Shaving nv
life out working in the mill. Why,
Blake lays awake nights thinking out
ways of speeding us up some more,
And all the rest of the superinten-
dents in the plant are as bad. How're
we ever going to get married unless T
light with the rest of the fellows for
enough wages to keep us decently?"
They walked as they talked. And
now the Sperry Steel mill was only
a block away. In the gloom of SCOT
shrouded morning, grey groups of
workers were clustered for mass pic
keting. A banner of the Steel and
Metal Workers Union was held aloft.
Squad cars and groups Of police
Toved restlessly before the gates.
They're going to try running in
scabs this morning." Bob resumed
bitterly. Your sweet boss, and tn
N.R.A. board, and tn A. F. of l.. Of
f1cias-all trying their damndest to
break our strike"
Because you're Reds. You're try
ing to wreck our governmental insti-
tutions." Ruth had heard that some
where and it sounded devastating.
A BLUE sedan pulled to the curb.
IA Three bluecoated police EN- e n
jumped out
Hey Where in hell d'youse think
yer goin'." The one with the reddest
face growled. Bob caught the odor of
cheap whiskey on his breath. "Frisk
EN-, Ryan, they're a couple goddam
Communists"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
A Story of Dzerzhinsky Commune, Where
Wild Children of Russia Transform Selves
Into Happy Young Men and Women

heads up, stepping briskly, to the
tune OF their own band. Above the
high boots and dark trousers of the
boys and the girls black pleated
skirts, shone light blue wool Jerseys
Jerseys won as premiums for first
class records in school and Commune
life.
Who are they?" I asked nv COM
panions. Former bezpriizorni" (home-
less wanderers) they answered. Chill
dren from the Commune in the name
OF Dzerzhinsky." Behind TIL m
marched another contingent Of re.
claimed youth, from the Commune
named after Gorky.
Building a Commune
Later, I visited Boris and his COM
rades in their Commune. It's two
story, grey-stone dormitories, with
their large windows looking out over
rolling, cultivated fields, had been
built in 1927. Kharkov workers In
the G. P. q. Estate Inteliigence
Service), on the death of their lead
er. Dzerzhinsky, decided to construct
their Commune in his memory.
Through their contributions and ef-
forts, waste land was cleared, and
the Commune built up. The best
machinery was imported from Ger
many and the first group of bezpri-
zorni decided to give life here a try
out.
1t is not about the Commune's
rum, theatre and gym, its library
and living arrangements about which
| want to write. Far more important
Is the life that goes on within its
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11

walls, opening new perspective for
Boris and his companions. Today
there are $50 Communards, as they
call themselves, ranging from twelve
70 eighteen years, one-fourth of them
girls. Organizing themselves into
groups Of twenty-five, each with their
chosen commander. they allocate
their various activities among them
selves. The Commanders make up
the Commune Council, or Soviet.
They are responsible to their electors,
reporting to them regularly, and get
Ting a rousing check-up when thines
go slow. Every evening the Com
mune has half-hour meeting, where
questions are thrashed out. II meals
are not to the youths liking, If some
teacher teaches poorly, then the
Communards expect the committees
on living conditions or curriculum to
get busy. There are committees On
sports, on shop work, dramatics and
several others.
Self Government
ANY cases of poor discipline among
Commune members also are handled
by the Commune itself. Teachers
and directors are heipmates, COM
rades-never dictators. The Com
mune. II 1t is to enable It's members
to become self-reliant. self-respecting
citizens must be based on genuine
self-government.
-Four hours day are spent in
classroom study, four hours in the
machine shop. For the latter, each
Communard Is paid, according to his
skill and output. Beginning with Is
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
Stage and Screen
New Soviet Film, "Laughter
Through Tears" Opens To-
day At Acme

Laughter Through Tears" e new
Yiddish talkie from the Soviet Union,
opens today at the Acme Theatre for
its first American showing. The pic
ture is based on Sholom Aleichem's
famous story, Mote Payse Dem
Chazan5s" and is released here
through Amkino by the Worldkino.
Laughter Through Tears" tells
the story of Ellis unhappy love for
Bruche, the tailor's daughter and ELS
adventures in his hunt for enough
money TO marry. But it is not in
the recounting Of the episodes Of these
adventures that the rich comedy and
pathos resides. The film has wildly
created coloring subtly and delicately
the heartbreaking comedy Of Jewish
life under the old regime.
The cast includes some of the well
known artists of the Moscow Art
Theatre headed by Kovenberg, Sill
herman, Cantor, Goritcheva, Sem
Elnikova and Vubnick. The film
was directed by G. Gritcher and
has a special music score by Sholom
Secunda. The picture, which was
produced in the u. S. s. r. by Vufku
has English titles.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
Demand Death to
Lynchers, Negroes
Right to Arm

NEW YoRK.-The omicron Chap
ter Of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fra
ternity, an organization Of Negro stu
dents, at its last meeting adopted a
vigorous resolution protesting against
the bestial lynching Of George Arm
wood on the Eastern Shore of Mary
land, on Oct. Is.
In a telegram to Gov. Richie, the
fraternity supports the demands
raised by the League Of Struggle for
Negro Rights and the International
Labor Defense for the punishment
OF the mob leaders, whose names
have been published by the Daily
Worker, and for the right OF Negroes
to bear arms in self-defense against
the lynchers.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11

you let me go!" almost screamed
Ruth, outraged. I'm a free American.
You've no right to do this"
"Haw! They're tn pair tn boss told
US to be on the lookout for, sure.
Lets Civ EN- tn works, sargeant!"
Ruth, thoroughly angry, tried to
jerk away from the hand that crushed
her arm.
"Resistin' an officer of tn law, eh?''
The bluecoat shook her, she slipped,
and fell down on the sidewalk.
Bob did not remember clearly what
happened after that. His fist smashed
the mouth Of the cop with the whis-
key breadth. Then a Crack" a
binding light, and darkness.
us first awareness, thirty, or sixty
IA seconds later, was Of a clatter Of
feet. He was prone on the sidewalk.
He raised his head. The striking
workers, hundreds strong, were COM
ing, running. Silent and grim.
Then Bob saw Ruth kicking and
writhing in the hands of the three
ourly officers. And their faces had
bloodied burrows from her finger nails.
The seargeant's collar was torn half
of and his beefy face bore a look
OF bewildered desperation. Painting
half hystericaI, Ruth was using words
Bob had thought she didn't know.
Jesus. Look at TIL mob comm
wei! be torn up. Beat It'll" With the
words the cops let loose Of Ruth and
ran Tor their sedan.
And as Bob staggered I'D on wob-
bly, legs, he whistled slowly and
grinned.
Ruth, with dress torn and hat
awry, and one eye swelling. was
screaming def1antly at the retreatina
police;
Come on back and get me! I'm 8
Red. I'm Communist. And damned
proud Of til"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
lat Happened to Boris, Russian Vagabond Bow

roubleS a month for newcomers
within two to four months, a boys OF
girls earnings have reached SC
roubles, steadily climbing to 100 and
even to 200 for the older members
who have the satisfaction of know
ing themselves among the most hon
ored and favored members of Soviet
society-the workers.
A Communard pays so roubles q
month for living expenses. Until his
earnings reach that amount, the
Commune pays this out of its surplus
and the youth is allowed 20 or 80
roubleS month for pocket money
besides. The majority, who earn
much more, have one-half of what is
left above living expenses, to spend
as they want. The other half goes
into the savings banks, to be given
them in total when they graduate
from the Ccmmune-usually at the
end of six years.
Boris, fast becoming skilled
electrician, knows that when he
finishes here. he will have a Job
waiting for him in a Kharkov plant
and the chance to attend the Work
ers' University, In the evenings. After
a year or two, he can enter full time
on an engineering course. For the
girls, 1t is the same as the boys; they
can become skilled laborers and en-
gineers as well.
This is how the Soviet Union is
re-making former homeless vagabond
youth. There are Communes, such
as Dzershinsky, scattered through the
country-Daily Worker readers will
remember descriptions given earlier
OF ones in Moscow and Odessa. True,
there are still some "bezprizorni" who
have not been broken away from
their old life. Also the developing
socialist society has not yet reached
the place where all those factors
which may give rise to a lad going
on the road, have completely disap-
peared. The country's industrializa-
ton and the development Of the COL
lective farm movement brings this
time close at hand, just as the num-
Der Of as-yet unreclaimed youth
constantly diminiShes, until even the
capitalist press finds it silly to con-
coct more scare-stores about Rus
sia's homeless children"
Many Of those holding responsible
posts in Soviet life, some ten years
ago, or even less, were "bezprizorni.
One discovers this fact quite by &C
cident. At Gorlovka in the Donbas
coal basin, the assistant director of
the mine proved to have been an
Armenian refugee and former vaga-
bond. The doctor in the Dzerzhinsky
Commune first came there as
young hobo. Jack Nekampkin, whose
story appeared recently in the Daily"
once an Ukrainian "bezprizorni," is
now secretary Of the Komsomol or
ganization of Podolsk's sewing ma
chine plant.
To return to Boris; Last spring he
made his first visit home. Was his
village curious, and his mother |
happy! 1t was hard to recognize In |
this self-confident, studious youth, |
the dirty little urchin who had run
away, half-a-doZen seasons before. |
Frequently Boris makes trips with |
his Communards to the Kharkov
station. This is when vacancies &C.
cur in the Commune, due to older
members graduating. Now 1t is Boris
who bursts in on the sleeping beg
prizorni, declaring. Nov fellows,
don't be alarmed. We've PROPOSE
lion to make to you. Listen to us.
You can take it or leave 1t, as you
please"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
Helping the Daily Worker through Michael Gold
"Stage Mother" With Alice Brady At Jefferson

Alice Brady plays the leading role
in "Stage Mother" the new screen
feature at the Jefferson Theatre.
Others in the cast include Maureen
O'Sullivan, Franchot Tone and Phil
lips Holmes. The same program in
cludes Might Flight" with John and
Lionel Barrymore, Helen Hayes, Clark
Gable and Robert MONTGOMERY.
Starting Wednesday the program
will have Beauty For Sale" with
Madge Evans, Alice Brady and Otto
Kruger. Also Headline Shooter" with
William Gargan, Frances Dee and
Ralph Bellany.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
By MYRA PAGE

| Having just returned to America
after two years of life and work in
the Soviet Union, T have been for
chilly struck among other things by
the hard situation Of American youth,
and In particular the plight of close
to half a million homeless youth In
tn United States. This has served
to remind me Of another homeless
youth whom I knew in the land of
the Soviets. And let the reader de-
eide whether Boris story could have
its sequence in present day America.
Begging, stealing, riding the rails
from Kharkov to Moscow, back to
Odessa, on to Sukhum, a dirtier,
| tougher urchin 1t would have been
hard to find In all Ukraine. Boris
father had died during the famine
years. Life in the village with his
mother and smaller brothers had
proved dull, drudging SO one night
the freight carried a snub-nosed,
dark-skinned creature whose black
eyes already were keeping sharp
watch-out; and this was the last his
village saw Of Boris. That Is, until
but this Is getting ahead of our story
Snoring comfortably, huddled In
the corner Of a Kharkov station some
months later, Boris was reused by
rough shove from his comrades.
Cheese it!" Too late. Here he was,
eornered, with dozen others. No
cops swinging billies, or pulling guns,
cursing, "You heoligans!" but a
couple Of rnilitiamen standing near
the entrance, and a group Of fellows
and two girls, all near the age of
Boris.
An Unusual Invitation
Their leader stepped forward. Nov
comrades, don't be alarmed. A short
time ago we were on the road, the
same as you. We've come to tell you
about our Commune, and put you
proposition. Listen to us. Afterwards.
you're free to go or do as you please"
True enough, after their talk, they
made off, saying, "At eight in the
morning, we'll be back. Those of YOU
who want, be ready to 60 along with
U.s."
Boris never knew what 1t was that
decided him: Take 1t or leave it:
take 1t or leave it," Maybe he was
tired Of beating his way, during the
cold winter; maybe 1t was the glitter
OF those machines they told about,
and the promise that he could run
one. Maybe 1t was the news that a
pal OF his, Paul German, was living
there. He'd give it the once-oyer,
and If he didn't like 1t, as soon as
spring came, he'd make off. Once
more hit the road.
The Commune Greets Boris
He would never forget the solemn
greeting his little troupe received at
the Commune. The band, speeches,
his first dash under shower, and
the haircut and fresh clothes they
gave him, right off. After breakfast,
the trip through the school machine
shop. Electric lathes and drill
presses! Rows Of handsome, power
full monsters twice the size Of Boris.
Something deep stirred in him, his
fingers fairly ached to turn and
pull their levers.
That was two years two years |
and Q month, to be exact, before last |
November Seventh, when I first saw
Boris. Past the reviewing stand in
Kharkovs Red Square marched the |
locomotives workers $4,000, cheering,
banners flying, celebrating the 18th |
anniversary OF their freedom. Truck
loads Of tractorists. Then, some 800
boys and girls, in their middle teens, |
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
TONIGHT'S PROGRAMS
WEAF---66O Kc

700 p. M.--Mountaineers Music
T:i5-Footbali Scores
7:20-Davis Orch.
7:30--Circus Days-Sketch
I;45--Jack and Loretta Clemens, Songs
8:oo-Radio City Dedicatory Program;
Symphony Orch; Maria Jeritza,
Soprano; John Mccormack, Tenor;
Jane Cowl and others
s:0o-Jack Pearl, Comedian; Goodman
Orch Demarco Sisters, Songs.
Robert Simmons, Tenor; Leaders Trio
s:So-Yacht Club Boys; Vivian Ruth, Songs
Reismann Orch
1o:0o-Rolfe Orch; Men About Town Trio:
Lew White, Organ
ll:0o-Broadce st to Byrd South Pole Elk
petition
12:0o-Wilson Orch; Doric Quartet: Mary
Wood. Soprano; Tommy Harris,
Songs; Cynthia. Blues Singer; Ryan
and Roulette, Comedy; Senator Fish
face, Comedian: Hillbilly Group.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11

"Tillie and Gus" a new Para
mount film is now playing at the
Rialto Theatre. W. Fields, Alison
Skipworth, JacqueIine Wells and
Baby Leroy play leading roles In
the pictures.
Robert Keith will play the leading
role in Peace on Earth" which the
Theatre Union will present on Nov.
rs. He is best known for his roles In
ONeill's Great God Brown" and
Beyond the Horizon" He was seen
here briefly this season in Under
Glass"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
United Front Group
Arranges Dance for
Support of Daily

NEW YORK-T'he United Front
supporters, q group of professionals
ana intellectuals, will hold an en-
tertainment and dance to raise funds
for the Daily Worker $4,000 Drive
at Webster Manor, 1875 E. 18th St,
on Friday, Nov. 18th.
Tickets at the door will be rs cents,
but can be secured in advance for
90 cents at the Pen and Hammer.
ia w. 2ist st.; Workers Book Shop,
80 e. 18th ST.: John Reed Club, 43O
Sixth Ave; National Student League,
58a Sixth Ave; Harlem Workers
School, 200 w. 1s5th St., and at the
Harlem Liberator, 2162 Seventh Ave.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
Sunday

DANCE and Entertainment at Progressive
workers Culture Club 1853 Sumner Avenue.
Brooklyn.
TRINA KRAFT, we'll known lecturer, will
SPEAK on Russia's Startling Drama" at the
Young American Institute. steinwav Han
ll3 w. 57th st. at $50 pm.
MAX BEDACHT will lecture at the Bronx
Workers Club, 1910 Boston Road on "The
German Situation and the Leipzig Trial.
at $50 pm.
LECTURE on Recognition Of the Soviet
Union and the DANGER of war" At the
Cooperative Auditorium, 27oo Bronx Park
east. Speaker, Allan Johnson Auspices.
Unit 20 Sect. Is, at 800 pm
OPEN FORUM at Harlem Workers School
on Are the American Negroes a Nation7"
James Allen, speaker at 200 w. l35th st.
Room 214-A at $3.50 pm. Adm. free
OPEN FORUM on THE Jewish Situation
IN Palestine" by B. Friedman at Mount
Eden Workers Center, 2ss z. 174th st. at
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
WOR-71O Kc

700 r. M.--Sports--Ford Frick
7:l5-Veterans Of Foreign Wars Armistics
Day Program
7:45--Inspirational Talk
800-Little symphony Orch, Philip James
Conductor; John Erskine, Plano
9:00-Robert McGimsey, Whistler
9:15--To be announced
9:30-Bronx Marriage Bureau-Sketch
9:45--The Lowland Singers
1000-Helene Daniels, Songs
l0:l5--Kane and Hammer, Songs
l0:30--Organ Recital
ll0o--Weather Report
11:02-Trini Orch.
1l.30-Bestor Orch.
l200-Robbins Orch.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
Lecture and Exhibit
On Marxism Sunday
at Workers School

NEW YORK-The Workers School
is arranging combined exhibit and
lecture on THE Historical Develop
ment of Marxisn" for Sunday, Nov.
IL, at IS E. 18th st, End floor. The
Karl Marx exhibit will be shown
Sunday afternoon from to 5 and
the lecture will be given at pm.
by H. M. Wicks on the same floor.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
(Br0OkIyn)

CHOW MEM Dinner and Dance, Negro
Jazz Band at American Youth Club 4o7
Rockawav Ave. Dinner at 10 pm. Dancing
till pm
ANT1-WAR PARTY gtven by the Harry
Simms Br. LID. at IVA Center 1s7s
43rd Street. Entertainment and refresh
mentS.
HOUSE PARTY at Napoleon Workers Club.
zoos roth st. Adm free
RUSSIAN VETCHERINKA given by
Brownsville Br. LID. at 1870 East New
YORK ave. Good Food, Fine Entertain
ment ADM 15c.
LID. Chorus meets at Al Chester Ave
(3sth st. near 18th Ave-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11

The bosses dent support The Daily
Worker. Its support comes from
he WORKING cless. Have You done
your share to helm the 'Daiiy?'
Rush your contribution TO the
Daily" so e. 18th St., N. Z. City.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
7 UN ING I'm
WJZ-76O Kc

200 p. M.-John Herrick, Songs
T15-Three Musketeers-Sketeh
7:so-Trio Romantique
T:45-FootbalI Scores
1:So--OLeary's Irish Minstrels
s:oo-Same as wEAF
s'oo-Duchin Orch: Ray Perkins, Come
dian; Shirley Howard, Songs
e:3o-Descriptive Tour OF Radio City
lo:oe-Seven Years Of Broadcastins-Drsma
J. B. Kennedy, Narrator
t1:00-Barn Dance
12:00--Childs Orch.
1880 A. M.-Scotti Orch.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
WABC--860 Kc

7:o0 p. m.-Politicai Situation In Wash.
ington-Frederic william VILE
T:l6--Jeannie Lang. Songs; Paul Small,
Tenor; Denny Orch.
7:S0--Jane Froman and Charles Garlic,
Songs; Berrens Orch.
600-Elmer Everett Yess-Sketch
s:iS-Fray and Braggiotti, Piano Duo
S:So-Fffteen Years After-Dr. Nicholas
Murray Butler, President Columbia
University; q. 8. Navy Band
9:0o-Elder Michaux Congregation
9:i5-To be announced
s:so-5and Concert: Edward D'Anna, Con-
ductor
1o:oo--Public Affairs Institute
Io:l5--Ann Leaf, Organ
io:3o-Armistice Day Message from presi-
dent Roosevelt Read by Postmaster
General James A. Farley
1l:01--Jones Orch.
11:l6--News Bulletin
il:3o-Gray Orch.
I7:0o-Rapp Orch.
1880 A. M.--FloritA Orch.
1:00-Haymes Orch.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11

Has your unit, club, union, Two.
Branch, your organization held a
collection for the Daily Worker?
Help save our DAILY"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
(BrOnx)

PROSPECT Workers Club, 1i5T So. Boule-
yard, is having Concert and Dance. Good
Program.
JACKSON Workers Club, 785 Westchester
ave. is holding Banquet and Grand Con-
vance sac AT door
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
w = 4 T
= a
Won RID!
By Michael Gold

Maxwell Bodenhe written interesting letter
Newhouse the matter of Ring Lardner other writer's Since
Newhoses column devoted matters such
and checkers turning this space him.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11

rONIRADE NEWHOUSE:
Il have read Sports columns
particularly the concerning the joke Of the wrestling
between pugsc
Madison regarding
incidentally Sinclair Sherwood
with write that these uprooted
be the fertilizer in the growth of and healthy plant
The truth that writer's question
founesn Lewis probably million doarsfrom reala-
ton that the American mddecass likes be smashed the
slapped the which enables the
participants Well Of imperfectons
down at the bottom pretty all the time
Comrad iddecas best sellers of
which slight foster the growth and healthy plant
you mention Ring satrcal filings
the social of bridge indferences pckets
argassed before between these sate Ring
Journalistic hack-stuff
author the of the have bias these
statements hate the system much than dislike
its deuded supporters have dcened tendency the
of radicals big literature and handle them
with kid the smallest liberalism
and deeply that seemingly Joined their
"CtheWi8e think and still to
that boxing the benefit The Worker let's
together with willing to
be knocked any day year.
nCuutn
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-11
MAXWELL BODENHEIN4."

THESE the paragraphs under discussion:
Lardner STEPPED in the peudices
preclded achieving negative
his problems his unhappne
pressing had idea there solution He
be admired his Skill his influence the Westbrook Pegers
useful il similar and his remarkable honesty.
limitations Lardners
Sherwood inevitable requisite develop
revolutionary attitude literature and They have
faith institutions Lardner
didn't have (Snckerng definite
nkering haphazard
nothing fundamental atudeJ
that which will be
the fertilizer growth OF a healthy