Bérmunkás, 1930. július-december (18. évfolyam, 593-617. szám)
1930-12-25 / 617. szám
December 25. BÉRMUNKÁS 3-ik oldal. JUNIOR COLUMN NO HELP WANTED Up and down the streets, they go. Some walking fast, others slow, All of them serious, none of them gay But I guess we all know what makes them that way. “No help wanted’’ Day by day they’re numbers grow And wherever that they go, It really is a shame, In factories, stores and everywhere The answer is the same. “No help wanted" At millions of people All over the world Who are looking for work The same answer is hurled. “No help wanted" Not one of them a shark, They’re all willinng to work, But will some one let them, nay Instead they say “No help wanted" This can’t go on, we all agree, Everyone is suggesting a remedy, But there is only one, that is good and true. And that is the Industrial Workers O. B. U. Mary Fecko. CHRISTMAS DAY Two slight figures hurried along the deserted side walk. Clarice, the oldest of the two, was skipping along tearfully, mind ful of the bitter cold sleet that stung her wind-blown cheeks ar.d tear-blinded eyes. Clare, the youngest, was bent double with the pangs of hunger that she was vanely trying to still. Despite the bravery of the two children, muffled sobs and moa- nings escaped their blue lips. Their eyes shown a little hopeful in- the twighlight when they saw light streaming through a kitchen doorway, and big buxon negro woman emerged, carrying a pail of food wastes. Clara clapped her hands in glee when she was given a loaf of stale bread, a decayed apple, and a few tea leaves tied up in a small cheese-cloth sack. Four little bare feet seemed to have developed wings as they sped in a bee-line across the railroad tracks, circled a number of shacks, drew back the curtains wich were used for a dpor in their own home, and badly frightened their mother. Gasping for breath, they related to their mother, (who was a bedridden invalid and who lay on a quilt spread on the floor which served as a spring, mattress and cover) the story of their find. At the sight of her girls. Mother Ann's dull eyes brightened and looked like two beautiful stars. Her voice, when she spoke, was brimful of mother love. ’’But my dears, "we mustn't eat today" for the children had set the kettle boiling for tea andwere slicing up the bread”, save it until tomorrow and we will have a Cristmas dinner and invite Mother Marie and her little son over tomorrow to share it." But the two girls, despite the fact that they realized the wisdom of their mother’s words, were reluctant to agree, because they had not eaten for two days and that had been two onions shared among the three of them. However they saved their food and had a meager dinneT, but satisfying in their estimation on Christmas Day. Mother Marie and her son, and Mother Ann’s two girls ate the small bounty very soberly on Christmas Day. They ate to satisfy the needs of their bodies, but their hearts were one and all saddened by the thought and sight of the still, pale, and already cold features of Mother Ann. Clarice and Clara’s mother had suffered much in this World and death had taken its toll; she had died when Christmas Morn’ dawned beautifully, and promised a wonderful day for those who sould enjoy it. NOTES OE THE SOAP BOXER By H. C. DUKE. The late Grover Cleveland once stated that hortesty is the best policy. As to his conception of honesty I can not say, but I.do know that one can not live as honestly and morally as he or she desires, so long as capitalist exists. Children in the American schools are thought about the honesty of George Washington. There is that cherry tree story, -—1 -t- — -litjran 9,a m-orerl to fob AZ OLVASÓK KÓRÉBÓL E rovatban minden oly közérdekű dolgot készséggel közlünk, mely a munkásosztály érdekét szolgálja. Kérjük a leveleket teljes név és cim aláirásával ellátni, amit azonban a levélíró kérelmére esetleg mellőzünk vagy csak kezdő betű jelzéssel látunk el. Szerk. Endre Olexo, 2345 Fairfield Ave. Bridgeport, Conn. “BÉRMUNKÁS” . szerkesztősége New York, N. Y. Mint a Bérmunkásnak egyik előfizetője, kérem az alantiak közlését. A Bérmunkás dec. 10. számában egy levél jelent meg Nagy József aláírással, melyhez volna néhány rövid megjegyzésem és kérdésem. A levél néhány fölényes kitételei úgy tüntetik fel az irót, mintha egy Marx vagy Leninnél forradalmibb géniusszal találkoznánk, aki a legnehezebb társadalmi problémákat egy kézsimitással eltudná intézni. Úgy tűnik fel, hogy azon társadalmi nehézségeket, melyeket a forradalmi munkásság nehéz harcok és küzdelmek árán tud csak legyőzni, kisujjának legyintésével letudná seperni e "sárgo- lyóról." Nagy munkástárs levelének azon része, melyben a kommunisták amerikai szervezettsége ellen köpköd, nem érdekel a jelenben. Itt csupán azon paragrafusának alapján akarok néhány kérdést, melyben azt áUitja, hogy Oroszországban bérrendszer van és ah hoz, melyben Marx tanainak elismerésére hivatkozik. Kérdéseim tehát : 1. Milyen bélrendszer van Oroszországban, átmeneti-e vagy maradó? 2. Hogyan lehet megszüntetni a pénzzel való fizetést a forradalom első fázisában egy olyan országban, ahol nincs kifejlődött ipar, nincs túltermelés és még csak norma sincs? úgy megszüntet ni,hogy a dolgozó osztály minden tagjának jusson abból, ami van? 3. Kik azok a kommunisták, akik az iró szerint ma ott uralkodnak, a régi kizsákmányoló- osztály tagjai, vagy a dolgozó osztály kommunista pártba tömörült tagjai? 4. Kik ismerték el a Marxizmust? а) Elismerte-e a tőkés osztály? ■b) Elismerte-e Oroszország mai rendje? 5. Emelkedést vagy esést mutat-e a magántulajdon Oroszországban? б) Ha az IWW szervezkedése alapján uralomra jut Amerikában a munkásság, megszünik-e rögtön a pénz mint csere és váltó eszköz? 7. Nem lesz-e Amerikában is egy átmeneti folyamat, melyben a munkásságnak tapasztalatok alapján kell a teóriáknak gyakorlati érvényt szerezni? A helytelenitőnek kell, hogy helyes irányt is tudjon mutatni s igy remélem, hogy Nagy munkástárs, mint IWW-ista, megválaszolja ezt a legelementárisabb kérdé(Folytatás az 5-ik oldalon.) But capitalists of this and all other countries do not practice truthfulness. They simply have it preached. For instance, how- long would a clothing store clerk hold his job if he replied to a costumer's inquiry concerning the material of a suit of clothes with the truth that although marked all wool, it was half cotton? Or a grocery clerk who told a costumer that the eggs anything but fresh? Suppose he said: “‘No, madam, we have had them in cold storage for over two years." Lying is part of capitalist business. Once a prisoner was up before a judge for dishonesty. Like all judges, this judge was an honest one. Personally I have not had the supreme pleasure of meeting up with one yet, any more than I Have njet any honest real estate si arks. Well, the judge looked downf rom his lofty perch and asked the prisoner if he had ever done an honest, upright thing in his whole life.-----The prisoner answered loud enough for all reformers present to hear: "Yes, youi honor, I earned one honest dollar in my life. The one which you passed out to me for voting for you." Honesty in politics? How could there could there be more than an anomalous few honest ones in a system where robbery of the working class is the normal way of doing business? industrial kings rule the country. According to Gerard, who was ambassador to Germany, there are 64 real rulers of the United Brown running for office. He promised the workers freedom. This year it is John Smith. He reminds the workers that Brown failed to do it and promises to do if it elected. For about a century and a half the voters of America have been trying to find an honest political Moses. Well, ’ if they keep on trying they will have another 1 50 years like the last in this search. When the workers as a class form a rank and file union from the bottom up and decline to delegate power of life and death to their officials carrying out the will of the rank and file, then honesty can be expected in the functioning of life’s relationships. It is folly to depend on politicians when We as workers* have the economic direct action power needed to secure whatever is desired by our class. On page 94 of the IWW Song Book are these four lines: We will sing one song of the po- politician sly, He’s talking of changing the laws Election day all the drinks and smokes he'll buy, While he’s living from the sweat of your brow.
