The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-28
-Hand-PickedTOurOf
J S. p. Leaders Is Move
To Split C.W.A. Men

"A pleasant Jrlp Was enjoyed by all.
was elected by workers on my
project to take part in the demon
stration as their delegate. 1t was
not, however, a delegated body
which went to Washington. Any
one, who wished to buy a ticket at
the excursion rate of 81, was taken
along. From what I could gather
in conversation with fellow travel
ers, about third of those who went
were volunteers, a few others we're
delegates with their way paid by
collections among the workers on
their projects, while the rest con-
sisted of well-known Socialist,
Lovestoneite, Trotzkyite and free
lance labor leaders"
Hand Picked Committee.
A battery of eameramen and one
newsreel truck awaited the group as
it alighted in Washington, to take
pictures of Father Norman Thomas
leading his flock. A committee of
"a, not even elected by the small
picked group on the train, but
selected in a series of "huddles"
among the leaders, left the demon
stration as soon as the pictures
were taken, Travelled in taxis to Mr..
Hopkins Office, and then took in
the White House on the way back,
where they were received by one
Of President Roosevelt's secretaries.
Strict orders against singing the
"Internationale" were passed out be-
fore the demonstration started, and
even when some of the workers
spontaneously swung into the sing
ing of Solidarity Forever" a
"shushing committee" was speedily
sent to quiet them.
When the marchers passed within
few blocks of the Soviet Embassy,
several Trotzkyites unSuccessfully
attempted to organize booing.
The steering committee of the
demonstration politely co-operated
with the police when, in front of
Hopkins Office, the cops objected to
the people standing in the street
impeding traffic" by leading the
marchers around the neighboring
blocks, figured f-eight style.
Socialist Leaders Worried.
After winding around the block in
f1gures-of-e eight and loops, the
marchers finally assembled in snow
and rain under one of the fire es-
capes of nearby auditorium to
hear the report of their committee.
1t was here that the police told
Atkins, one of the top sergeants of
the column, that they would not be
permitted to march back to the sta
ton on the streets.
1.-THE police have just told us"
Atkins reported from the balcony,
'in a very reasonable, polite way,
that we will be blocking traffic if
we march back through the streets.
We can go back in one of two ways,
either in cabs, at a nickel throw,
or on the sidewalk. Which will it
be?"
Cabs" shouted back some of the
small-fry leaders and white-collar
demonstrators.
Sidewalks" shouted others.
What if you haven't got the
nickel?" queried a few of the work
ers in the demonstration, who really
came to Washington to protest
against present pauperism and
threatened starvation.
We'll, the police" Atkins went
on. He was met with storm of
booing from the worker-d delegates.
Sensing the spirit of the workers,
Atkins veered around into the wind.
of course, there's a third pos
sibility. We could, if our numbers
were large enough, and we wanted
badly enough to do it, march back
down Pennsylvania Avenue, police
or no police"
The cheers that met this sugges-
ton from the working class sections
of the march clearly disconnected
him.
Nov, just minute. We've got
plenty Of time to decide. Well do
whatever you say; but we've got
lots of time to think it over. I
wouldn't like to take the personal
responsibility of counselling such
action, but we've got to wait and
hear the reports of our delegates,
who are now in with Mr.. Hopkins"
Fifteen minutes later the group
marched off, behind the police,
down the sidewalks.
A few sidelights of the train
journey and the march
A worker in the front ranks
started to sing the "Internationale.
He was shushed by his Socialist
leader. Whats the matter with
singing it?" he asked. TITS a good
proletarian song" The leader re-
piled something about "provoca-
tion," and disruption"
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