The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-02-13
Party Life
Gaining Recruits
A Party for Seamen
What the Seamen Said

A Party for Seamen
What the Seamen Said
BY E. C.
INIT 7, Section 7, operates
" in the Red Hook territory
of Brooklyn. During the sea-
mems strike the unit directed
its forces toward the strike,
with particular attention paid
towards the colonial seamen,
as our unit has the task Of building
the Filipino and Porto Rican Anti
Imperiahst League
During this period the unit also
took up the important Party cam
paigns, such as the Fifteenth Ami
versary, election campaign, Daily
Worker and recruiting. To link
these problems up, the unit decided
to hold house party to which some
of the seamen would be invited, at
which also we we're to raise money
for the Daily Worker. To make
sure that the party would be within
the reach of the seamen, we ar
ranged it in the house of a comrade
right near the seamen's headduar-
tiers. We decorated the house, hung
up appropriate pictures and slogans.
A committee of comrades active
among the strikers invited those
whom we wanted to approach on
joining the Party. About twenty
seamen came. The comrades made
them feel at home in no time. The
words of our revolutionary songs
were soon taught to them and soon
they were drawn into collective
singing, dancing and games. The
chairman, too, was not appointed,
but elected from the crowd and sure
enough seamen, who was favor
lite of the strikers. was elected.
The chairman called on people to
make impromptu talks. The strike
was brought forth. The role of the
Daily" in this and other strikes
was brought out. The Fifteenth An
niversary was linked with Joining
the Party, for which an appeal was
made. An appeal was also made
for Daily Worker funds. Fifteen
dollars was collected for the Daily"
Twelve seamen Joined the Party.
The meeting at which these new
members were introduced was full
of enthusiasm. 1t made the hearts
of all our comrades swell with 1oy.
The proceedings of this meeting
were all translated from English
into Spanish and vice versa. In
their acceptance talks the new com
rades expressed important ideas and
I would like to quote some of them.
A Spanish seaman talks; his black
eyes burning: I'm twenty-eight
years old. I'm an able-bodied sea-
man. Abuse and discrimination is
all I met on my job. I want to be
united with all fellow workers who
suffer just like me. Through the
Communist Party I can achieve it.
1 will be a member straight, and
always"
A Filipino: II came to help in
the strike and saw that the Com
munists are the most active, most
organizational and devoted people.
I'm glad to be admitted in the
Communist Party"
An Irish seaman: you guys are
pretty lucky So young and walking
right into the Party, just like this.
1 gave fifteen years to the I.W.W.
International Seamen's Union, never
was l explained the Importance of
a political party. In the last strike
led by the MW.I.U. I learned that
the workers need not only union
but also political party. I wanted
to join the political party of the
workers therefore I Joined the
Communist Party"
A young Filipino seaman: "I want
that the shipowners, bosses and no.
lice could not suppress us forever
and ever. On my trips I heard
talk that there, in Russia, all work
ing people of all races and nation
alities are treated equally. I want
to belong to the Communist Party.
SO that can learn about the move
ment, so that when 1 get back to
my country I can apply 1t to help
my people to get freedom and indie
pendence.'
The unit organizer, a young Porto
Rlcan fellow, greeted these new
members into the ranks of the
Party, and brought himself as an
example to whom the Party was
understanding that saved him
from degeneration and despair.
we linked" up our campaigns
and succeeded Now our big task
is to help these new members. to
work with them collectively, to edu-
cate them, to keep these splendid
new elements in the ranks of our
Party.