Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-05
Out of the Night

den stripping OF an unsuSpcct-
ing newcomer. mutual douslng
with cold water. vodka drink
ing tournaments. and nation
alization of women" "a juicy
satire on bourgeois propa-
ganda were popular games.
Men appeared in w0men's
clothes, girls dresse as
peasants or StevedoreS, and
with lights turned each
participant was obliged TO re-
gain his original outer gar
ments before the master of
ceremonies decided 10 switch
on the lights. Mock pro
letarian courts" then melted
out punis hment TO those
caught in diverse stages of
dishabillement.
Our frolicS usually ter
minated al midnight; no Com
munist wished 10 risk being
caught catching up on his
sleep during the next days
duties. The older Bolsheviks
knew no pity in this respect.
On the last day of the con-
ference Albert Walter showed
me a letter from Wollweber.
written in Berlin. The Little
Lcnin" was Jealous OF the at
tcntion Walter was receiving
IN Moscow. He complained 10
the Comintern that the most
promising young elements
were being stolen from the
German Party for inter-
national assignments
He is a peasant" Walter
burst out. Don't let him
dupe you"
But why all this con
. founded sneaking?" i cried.
Human nature Is the most
stubborn connection imag-
.nable," Walter replied grimly
THEN TO ANTWERP
The next day l was com
miSSioned 10 90 10 Antwerp
10 take charge OF the activities
OF the Communist waterfront
units and the International
clubs i'm Rotterdam. Antwerp.
Ghent and Dunkerque My
monthly salary was 500; my
monthly organizational budget
$3.50. ! was glad 10 return
10 the firing lines. / detested
the life Of a politician.
News OF the rising strife in
Germany burst like a warn
ing squall into the sleepy
atmosphere of my compart-
ment as | passed through
Berlin. The news hawkerS
hoWled on the platforms:
Bloody Riots in Berlin and
Hamburg, Nazi Sturmfuehrer
Murdered"
The Party had led the I'M
employed masses into battle
against the police. There had
been barricade fighting in in
dustrial districts Hamburg
reported dead and wounded.
ON February %, in Berlin. the
Storm Troop leader Horst
Vessel had died from bullets
fired by Communist aSSasSins.
Doctor Goe b b s news
paper the AnGriff, clamored
for revenge. The struggle for
the conquest of Berlin. OF
Germany. of the world, was
thrown into "A Swifter pace.
From an adjoining railway
car. packed with Brownshirts,
singing came.
II was the Horst Vessel
song, written by the murdered
Nazi student. the battle-Song
which was destined 10 rank
equal with Deutschland ueber
Allies in later years.
My train pulled out Of Ber-
lin. Westward il rolled.
toward the Rhine. The first
smell of Spring was in the air.
In Antwerp ! met Firelei.
! saw her for the first time
in the Museum of Art, where
l occasionally went TO enjoy
a quiet hour away from stri-
dent reality. Among the full
bodied austerity of the Dutch
masters she sat. a splash Of
living beauty and color. the
daughter of an impudent and
fearless age.
She had an open sketchbook
on her knees, and the crayon
right hard fAieu- ever
the paper. She had small. but
able hands. She peered in
tently at the somber portrait
of woman on the wall in
front of her. Her glance
leaped TO the paper on her
knees and her right hand drew
swift contours. And then her
eyes swung back again 10 the
likeness of the older, sturdier
woman on the wall.
| halted and looked over her
shoulder. She was so alb
Sorbed in her work that she
was unaware Of my intrusion.
Some powerful and intangible
influence took hold Of me. II
was. beyond explanation. and
utterly new. There was an
inimitable harmony between
her attitude OF concentration
and the easy grace Of her pos
ture and motions. / came as
close 10 her as ! dared.
A blue Basque cap chung
smoothly 10 her dark blond