The CIO news., 1942-11-23
LOOKING AHEAD
By Len De Caux


conversation by saying:
"You must have seen some interesting things in
your years around hotels like this"
well :" and he paused as if to size up my
level of interest . there was one little blonde
some years ago I'll forget. Frail as wsp
she was, but -
We we're interrupted as half dozen men went
hurrying by.
There go of those young fellows that've
been meeting here the past week. Always in
hurry as if the whole war depended on them. And
maybe it does Who knows?"
But about that little blonde?" said
He ignored me. Funny thing about that crowd
Most people come to conventions to forget the war
and have good time. But not them. They talked
about the all the time-about the offensive in
Africa leading to second front in Europe-about
moblizing the whole counry-about what the gov
ernment should be doing to get more tanks and
airplanes madeAand all that sort of stuff"
"Wel, most of them come from war industries"
said They're -
whoever they are" he went on, II don't listen
in on what the guests are saying. Don't get me
wrong that. But with that bunch you Just
couldn't help hearing They acted like they wanted
to tell the world, anyhow. And maybe the worldd
be better off if it did listen to minded prac-
tca fellows like them, instead of TO pot-bellied old
sugar-daddies like ;"
Does that bring us back to the bonde?" said.
"Oh her." he replied. NO it was some young
fellows that were trying to make up to her. She
looked soft that of them-a good-looking
smart-alecky playboy kind-thought he could just
walk away with her."
He stopped short Understand, mister it's
none of my business what the guests do. But you
&c
gether at hotels Why just last week there a
southern fellow-no mistaking his accent-sitting
right there eating with Negro chap.
'I thought something was going to happen. But
nothing did They looked little self-conscious at
first but then they got their heads together
vention business and the war; and got along
famously.
"Come to think of it, there were quite few
Negroes here last week. That's something new
I understand the outfit meeting here just insisted
there mustn't be any discrimination against any of
its delegates. There were all kinds, but they were
the most harmonious crowd I've seen. Only guy
they really seemed to have it in for was Hitler"
"But still don't know what happened to that
little blonde and her payboy friend" complained.
"Oh, them He trying to cut in on her
steady, l could see. Not that it was any of my
business But evening they were sitting right
over in that corner there-the three of them. The
playboy fellow must have said something she didn't
like. But she just kept on smng-as soft and
pretty and sweet you like-and reached into her
handbag -
thought he was pausing for dramatic effect.
But he pointed to some newcomers. "See them?"
he said. They're Britishers, been meeting with
this crowd here. I've seen many conventions,
I don't keep much track Of them anymore. But
this bunch seemed to have one big idea.
"They looked to me like working people. And
their big idea seemed to be unity to win this
They were pretty united themselves, I've said.
But they were helbent to get together with all the
other working people, Brtishers well Ameri-
cans, and all the United Nations, for that matter.
I've always said that if the working people would
only get together and organize ..'
But these fellows are organized" interrupted,
land you've left that blonde reaching into her hand
hoe