The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-02
Understanding
A Sh Ort Story
BY MAXWELL B0DENHEIM =

eyed the cop from the corners Of
his eyes. What did those COPS ever
do Tor people, who hadn't done any
crime2 Nothing except hit them, or
Jolly them along. Well, the cops were
the law and a man ccSldnJ butt
against the Law. after all. Fritz
shifted his gaze to the opposite side
Of the street. A small platform had
been erected over the curb I'M
painted wood nailed in a hurry, with
httle, American flag hanging from
the railing-and men were talking to
growing cluster of people and
shouting to make t'aeir voices carry
above the rear Of he trafhc. Fritz
had several cold h'EUs to kill, 50 he
lodged through tke stHeeJ-Cars ana
machines and gained the other side
walk He stood And listened to one
of the workers Oh the platform. The
worker was Young and roughly
dressed, and his. widb-Ipped face was
scowling. Sometimes he swung
around and waved bis fist at Hei-
mann's.
Eighteen Of us workers went on
strike at Hetnann's two weeks ago.
We only get ten left now, but we
ten are going to stick together till
we win this strike. The other eight
have disappeared, but We don't give
damn. Were going TO stick TO-
gether and win. Heimann has done
every rotten trick to defeat us, but
he can't do it. He hired some rat
to throw brick through his window
SO he could blame it on Us, and then
he cohld break up our strike. He
only paid us nine dollars a week
nine, lousy dollars-and some Of us
are married men, tco. How can q
married man and his family live on
nine dollars a week? lie can afford
to pay a rat fifty dollars to smash
his window because then he thinks
he can break up our strike and keen
IN squeezing the money from our
flesh and blood
The worker matted and another one
! elambered on the platform At that
| moment, a youth appeared from
Eeimann's and hastened across the
! street. The boy was nineteen and
he had a gawl1y body and fat
narrow-eyed face. Re wore a dark
suit, well oppressed, and his shoes were
as shiny as pocket mirrors. After he
had reached the curb, he faltered for
a time, and then pushed his way
with an over confident nlien, into
one knot Of the audience pressed
against the left SIDE OF the platform
His voice was fiat and strained.
They're lying TO you people-dont
listen to them. They're all a bunch
of dirty reds and we fred them be-
cause they were lazy, and they were
| trying to ruin our place. We were
| paying them twelve and fifteen dol
lars o week, and we gave them 5000
food, but they didn't want to work
I'm telling you, they're just q small
bunch of rotten"
4. The voice ended, washed off by E
roar from the hearts. the -bared
mouths of the rushing strikers
Three workers drove into the knot
of people and surrounded the boy
fiaying him with words, glaIing at
him, scarcely able to restrain their
fists. - syy.e
WE know hinl-don't let him fool
you! He's HeimanniS sqll and he's
been sent over here to tell YOU lies
and break up cur mgeting. SO his
father can keep his hands en- our
threats! We know who he is alright!
lFhats his father, Jake lehman,
standing right ever there in the door-
way! Look at him. there he stands!p
Fritz locked acQcss the street. with
the rest OF the crowd, and saw a
tall, stout man Shifting On the door
sill The man. had a big nose ana
hanging cheeks. The COD was edg-
ing forward. The man in the door
way wheeled and vanished into the
restaurant. The workers were still
milling ground the scared boy. and
some Of the men in the crowd were
joining them. In a fash, the sight
Of the cqckroach came back to FRITZ.
He pressed against the rim Of the
crowd, and though he was still half
puzzled, one iof his fists slowly
clenclled, raised itself, slightly. above
his hlp.