"Yesterday I Saw An Old Man Cry"

...Guardian w h i c h Is p e c u l i a r l y a t t r a c t i v e U t h e people w e a r e t r y i n g to reach, t h e A m e r i c a n F r e e m a n , as cond u c t e d by F r e d W a r r e n ; a bcglrn l n g of w o r k In t h e colleges by in L e a g u e for I n d u s t r i a l D e m o i r a r y; a n d t h e popular * M t l U f * " " ' " - a r i s i n g out of the t e r r i b l e |g«4 times...

...T h e i r hone, o u r n o n e , of a orom• " " ^ H B S * ^ —«.-* ** S...

...I d a Crouch H a z l e t t , who form e r l y lived In T e x a s and worked i n t h e movement e i g h t e e n years a g o , h a s come b a c k and is s p e a k i n g and w o r k i n g for us w i t h succ e s s . These two o r g a n i z e r s find t e r r i b l e d i s t r e s s a m o n g t h e f a r m e rs a n d village people, t h e r e la no m o n e y and no work, and often a c t u a l s h o r t a g e of food...

...a s maimed hulks, shell-shock i d i o t s and c i v i l i a n s t h e y w e r e left on t h e commons t o die...

...Yesterday I Saw An Old Man Cry" A Street Incident Presses Home the...

...Surrounded by-curly h e a d e d N e g r o e s , welcome companions i n a hopelessly senile climax to a n a r r o g a n t y o u t h so subtly misguided, my old man f a w n e d in d i s g u s t i n g f a s h i o n for the favor of bread and c o f f e e , u n w e l c o m e , u n w i l l i n g c o n s c r i p t i n t h e r a g g e d ranks of America's a r m y of t h e u n e m p l o y e d . ' T h e y s t o rm the b r e a d l i n e s , the S a l v a t i o n A r m y q u a r t e r s, c h a r i t y ' s t o u t e d and l i c e - i n f e s t e d s h e l t e r s and our own L. I. D. over a wrinkled b r o w to an uns h a v e d chin p r e s s e d h a r d a g a i n st an e m a c i a t e d chest b a r e l y clothed w i t h filthy r a g s , m y a n c i e n t w h i te w o r k e r s a t w i t h e x a g g e r a t e d t e a rs c o u r s i n g h i s u n w a s h e d face while b i t t e r m e m o r i e s of b l a s t e d hopes and awful d e a t h r e t c h e d his quive r i n g vitals...

...Tragedy of Unemployment in the America of Today By Arthur C Parker YESTERDAY I saw a n old man cry...

...Ten y e a r s ago G. W. M. Taylor, a c o m r a d e since t h e P o p u l i s t days, c a m e t o Dallas, a n d be h a s a t t e n d e d t o t h e S t a te office u p t o t h e p r e s e n t t u n e . Now h e Is b e g i n n i n g t o s e e s o m e signs of life a f t e r t h e l o n g w i n t e r. I n s p i t e of s p o r a d i c efforts, until t h i s y e a r , t h e r e h a s b e e n f o r fifteen y e a r s a l m o s t n o c o n t i n u i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n except one local In Dallas a n d a r a t h e r small l i s t of m e m b e r r| s c a t t e r e d over t h e v a s t S t a t e . In D e c e m b e r l a s t we held a S t a te m a s s m e e t i n g a t W a c o , w h i c h was a v e r y good m e e t i n g t h o u g h t h e re w a s l i t t l e m a s s to it We revised t h e p a r t y constitution, discussed t h e next y e a r ' s election, selected officers and c o m m i t t e e s , a n d made a n e w s t a r t . N o r m a n T h o m a s , who s p o k e before the Waco Open F o r u m , of which A. f F . Von Blon Is a v e r y a c t i v e member, a t t e n d ed t h e m e e t i n g and g r e a t l y encoura g e d us...

...But first rid y o u r s e l f of t h e s e f a l s e l e a d e r s Who I n t e r p r e t your collective welfare t h r o u g h t h e selfish light of their own p e r s o n a l s e c u r i t y. Why do you s t r i v e to erect a b l a c k I m i t a t i o n of t h e w h i t e m a n 's f a l l i n g civilization ? Don't you k n ow that black m a s t e r s would p r o v e as h e a r t l e s s , selfish, ruthleas a n d s t u p i d as are w h i t e mast e r s n o w ? Why did black men, sons of former American slaves, when given a r b i t r a r y power in L i b e r i a , enslave their blood brothe r s ? Remember the h a r s h driving g r e e d of t h e few N e g r o comm e r c i a l m a s t e r s of today...

...Tell t h e m you have seen your w h i t e companions, h e r a l d e d mast e r s of the u n i v e r s e , sickened by a b u s e and s t a r v a t i o n , fall by the w a y s i d e to be mud-splashed or c r u s h e d by the flying wheels of t h e limousines of the men they feed...

...He Is a t e n a n t f a r m e r , w i t h a profound knowledge of the lives and exp e r i e n c e s of this class of Texas w o r k e r s , and h a s been a Socialist s i n c e t h e old hopeful days...

...Why do you grovel in such Ignoble m a n n e r of s u p p l i c a t i o n for a r e t u r n of o n l y a t h o u s a n d t h port i o n of your h e r i t a g e ? Build y o u r own i n s t i t u t i o n s and owe no m a n obligations...

...Divest y o u r s e l f of all f e e l i n g of Inferiori t y or s u p e r i o r i t y , but remember L ' O u v e r t u r e , Vissy, T u r n e r , Attacks and Douglass, and, inspired by t h e i r g l o r i o u s sacrifices, eagerl y t a k e your places in t h e forem o s t r a n k s of t h e w o r k e r s ' a r my of freedom...

...And your b a t t l e - c ry s h a l l be Equality, L i b e r t y anrl J u s t i c e ! The Socialist Movement in Texas Party Revival Follows in Wake of Depression and Poverty (This is the second article in the series on economic, social and political conditions in the states and the prospects for the Socialist Party...

...Among r a i l r o a d men t h e y find also g r e at t i m i d i t y a r i s i n g out of the fact t h a t t h e r e is t a l k of t h e r a i l r o a d s' p u t t i n g some t h o u s a n d s back to w o r k , a n d all t h e w o r k e r s a r e h o p i n g t o g e t on a n d f e a r i n g t h a t joini n g t h e p a r t y m a y g e t t h e m In b ad w i t h the people who control the j o b s . In the cities .like Dallas, t h e r e Is l a r g e u n e m p l o y m e n t , n e v er e q u a l l e d before and b r e a d l i n e s and s o u p k i t c h e n s t h a t a r e n o w n e a r ly o u t of funds...

...Race, color and creed are I n s i g n i f i c a n t p r o p e r t i e s in the main, yet t h e y play s u c h major roles in t h e d e s t i n i e s of men...

...K n o w you t h a t you a n d I arc e s s e n t i a l l y of the w o r k i n g class a n d t h a t t h e r e we belong...

...I pondered...

...As a l a w y e r I h a v e t r i e d a t timet to h e l p s o m e of t h em a n d h a v e so f a r got off w i t h o u t b e i n g publicly d e n o u n c e d b y The Dally W o r k er t h o u g h I do not k n o w w h a t thr t r u e C o m m u n i s t s h a v e s a i d about me p r i v a t e l y for b e i n g a Socialist We e x p e c t to hold a S t a t e conv e n t i o n In J u n e o r J u l y and to m a k e t h e b e s t c a m p a i g n we have m a d e s i n c e t h e G r e a t I n s a n i t y of 1914-1018...

...B u t we continued to go through t h e f o r m s of m a k i n g n o m i n a t i o ns a n d h a v e k e p t t h e p a r t y n a m e on t h e ballot...

...P o l i t i c a l l y T e x a s is d o m i n a t e d by t h e r e a c t i o n a r y D e m o c r a t i c p a r ty a s o v e r w h e l m i n g l y as la Pennsylv a n i a by the Republican...

...He h a s waked m a n y f a r m e r memb e r s a n d h a s e n r o l l e d s c o r e s of n ew S o c i a l i s t s . We p l a n t o keep h im a t w o r k p e r m a n e n t l y. P o v e r t y in t h e E x t r e me D u r i n g the p a s t month, also, Mrs...

...The u n e m p l o y e d a re v e r y hopeless a n d h a r d to rouse, b u t t t m u s t be s a i d t h a t t h e y a re w a k i n g more t h a n a t any t i m e r e v i o u s l y In t h i s period...

...men have experienced economic depressions bef o r e ; h a v e in m u l t i t u d e s t r a m p ed t h e s t r e e t s alone till h e a v y soles w e r e of t i s s u e t h i n n e s s and finally d i s c a r d e d in s h r e d s t o be replaced by the more e n d u r i n g calloused foot...

...Profit and Power," t h a t ugly b e a s t t h a t lays waste our c o u n t r y side1 a n d brazenly s t a l k s our c i t y s t r e e t s w i t h iron heel and r e n d i n g t a l o n s , catching u p the s t r u g g l i n g bodies of the h e l p l e s s to g o r g e its I n s a t i a te g r e e d , is r e s p e c t f u l l y tended by t h o s e l o v e - b r o t h e r s of plunder, R e p u b l i c a n and D e m o c r a t . False p r o p h e t and g r a s p i n g politician, t h e s e b r o t h e r s , who i n s t r u c t the w o r k e r s t o b r a v e t h e e l e m e n t s and r a i s e the food, w i t h s t a n d the s t u p e f y i n g s w e a t - s h o p s and produce the goods, then, like befuddled p a g a n idolators, lay the whole of i t , t i n g e d w i t h t h e i r own l i f e ' s blood, at the feet of this S a t a n i c god, Profit and Power, who i n b i s t u r n , d e v o u r s i t all s a ve a few bones d i s d a i n f u l l y t o s s e d to t h e r e s p e c t f u l t e n d e r s , Republican a n d D e m o c r a t The millions who labor, t h o s e w h o p r o d u c e d all this b o u n t e o u s f e a s t have b u t to s u b s i s t on t h e f ew m o r s e l s t h a t steal o u t f r om t h e c r a m m e d , c r u n c h i ng m a w to fall i n t o t h e m a n y pleadi n g hands...

...T h e r e a r e few Communists in T e x a s and these few are greatly h a n d i c a p p e d by t h e tone, policies a n d a c t i o n s e x h i b i t e d In t h e Dallj W o r k e r , which s e em much bettei s u i t e d for g e t t i n g C o m m u n i s t s at t a c k e d In p l a c e s w h e r e t h e y cannot defend t h e m s e l v e s t h a n t h e y do for e d u c a t i n g w o r k i n g people towarr t h e a b o l i t i o n of c a p i t a l i s m . What C o m m u n i s t s t h e r e a r e in Texas s o f a r as we know, h a v e ahowr l i t t l e of t h e u s u a l h o s t i l i t y to us...

...White, sixty, poor and homeless, heir to the creed of witless American youth, "white, twenty-one and free...

...While the sweet s t r a i n s of E s t r e l i t a p e n e t r a t ed t h r o u g h the enveloping cloud of u n w h o l e s o m e s t e n c h e s exuded so g e n e r o u s l y from the unbathed bodies of t h e men crowded in the s m a l l hall, a t r u t h was born: S o c i e t y Is g u i l t y of t h i s crime of w h o l e s a l e s t a r v a t i o n In t h e midst of p l e n t y , and we, t h e people, the h u s b a n d m e n , t h e c i t i z e n s , by God, of this glorious Republic, are g u i l t y of such a society...

...R i s e up, up, a g e d brother, and w a r m thy w r e t c h e d body by the S o c i a l i s t torch of knowledge...

...Stripped n a k e d by t h e elemental desire to survive, t h e f a l l a c i o u s d o c t r i n e s of superi o r i t y and inferiority, religious b i g o t r y and individualism were i m p a t i e n t l y shaken, unbemoaned, f r om t h e t a t t e r e d s h o u l d e r s of the unemployed, and a n g r y ejaculat i o n s a g a i n s t God, t h e g o v e r n m e nt a n d s o c i e t y leaped unbidden from t h e i r corded t h r o a t s. S i c k eyes, l a c x - l u s t r e with the d i s i l l u s i o n i n g t r u t h s of a w o r k e r s' w o r l d of l i v i n g death, w e r e t u r n ed a l t e r n a t e l y from the sob-wracked f r a m e of t h e old m a n t o t h e p l a t f o rm f r om which I s p o k e In the N e g r o s e c t i o n of N e w Y o r k ' s H a r lem...

...The b a r b a r o u s Ku Klux organization seems a b o u t dead, but T e x a s pont i c s r e m a i n s a m e r e s q u a b b l e for s p o i l s o f office...

...wicked passion, here brooded violent revolution, there f e s t e r e d hopeless despair...

...He Is a m a n of unselfish e n t h u s i a sm and t h o u g h he has had l i t t l e financial h e l p , he h a s devoted an astonishi n g amount of time to t h e work...

...It destroyed t h e p a p e r a n d our S t a t e office and s c a t t e r e d t h e m e m b e r s h i p. Y e a r a f t e r year, however, a few r e m a i n e d steady...

...Many t i m e s we were h a r d p u t t o It t o find p e r s o n s who would openly a l l ow t h e m s e l v e s to be k n o w n a s S o c i a l i s t s a n d a s cand i d a t e s . J u s t a f t e r the w a r there w a s some v i o l e n c e t o w a r d s Nonp a r t i s a n o r g a n i z e r s who h a d been S o c i a l i s t s , a n d d u r i n g t h e K u KIux c r a z e a t Its h e i g h t ten y e a r s ago t h e r e would h a v e b e e n m o r e mobb i n g e e x c e p t t h a t t h e p a r t y seemed a l m o s t n o n - e x i s t e n t. B u t t h e shell of a n o r g a n i z a t i on w a s k e p t . J. D. B a y e r s , w h o l a t er moved t o N e w York, w a s s e c r e t a ry f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s . M. A. Smith, o n e of o u r b e s t a n d m o s t faithful s p e a k e r s , served then until his h e a l t h failed him...

...Go foj-th and scoff no more a t your "brothers' color or religion, b u t l a y your enfeebled hand to t h e wheel too, apd p u s h till eyes s t a r t from the s o c k e t , to build a society where t h e r e s h a l l be no m a s t e r s and no s l a v e s , no millionaires and no p a u p e r s , no s l u m s , p o v e r t y or dise a s e , but work, r e w a r d and h a p p i n e s s for every s h a d e or c r e e d of w o r k e r In all o u r peaceful world...

...Gone t h e deceits, t h e color prejudices, t h e creed h a t e s a n d all the d e s t r o y i n g hypocrites of a predat o r y society...

...Ferguson Is a s h i f t y but clever d e m a g o g u e with a s t r o n g appeal to m a n y of the poor c o u n t r y people who t a k e hif r o u g h t a l k a s evidence of s i n c e r i ty N e i t h e r h a s a n y t h i n g b u t deception for t h e w o r k i n g class...

...Retribut i o n indeed...

...Now h e r e lived the s p a r k of intellig e n t t h o u g h t , c o n s t r u c t i v e scheme or q u i c k e n e d reason...

...1 i s l n g f u t u r e , is n e c e s s a r i l y pred i c a t e d on t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a c a s t l e s s , classless society...

...Goaded by the c a n k e r of these superficial differences, these c o u n t l e s s workers, b r o t h e r s In m i s e r y , s e e k t o d e s t r o y e a c h o t h er b y e v e r y m e d i e v a l t o r t u r e known...

...No u n i t e d rebellion a g a i n s t the r u t h less regime of the Power and Profit g o d ' la possible so long as w o r k i n g m e n l e a p a t each o t h e r 's t h r o a t s like famished wolves...

...W h a t a pathetic spec faciei Years of fruitless labor pressed relentless hands, against h i t weary head...

...i The Torch of S o c i a l i sm H o w oft, old man, you have scowled a t t h e endless c a n y o n s of t h e hostile city and g l i m p s e d in t h e t e a r - d i m m e d d i s t a n c e a cold, d e s o l a t e moon so symbolic of m a n ' s frigid Indifference to the m i s e r y of his b r o t h e r men...

...R e a l i z e t h a t the m i l l i o n a i r e ' s phila n t h r o p y can do you no l a s t i ng good...

...As for you, my black b r e t h r e n, g e t you up f r om y o u r k n e e s before t h e a l t a r of despotic benevolence...

...T h e y H a v e F o u g h t O t h e r s ' Wars T i m e and again men have w a g e d h e l l i s h w a r for t h e w e a l t hy o w n e r s of the land a n d r g o v e r n m e n t , a n d c o u n t l e s s n u m b e r s h a ve l e f t t h e i r arms, t h e i r legs, their h e a d s and their souls s w e l t e r i ng In a p u t r i d mess of s t i n k i n g gore w h i l e t h e kings, p r e s i d e n t s , gene r a l s , p r i e s t s and i n d u s t r i a l g i a n ts g r e w f a t and even more stupid f r om the w e a l t h produced by the life a n d d e a t h of t h e w i t l e s s fools called c i t i z e n s who kill e a c h o t h er for iron medals and p a t r i o t i s m. These men have often seen the b r u t a l h o r r o r of their misdeeds, have s w o r n before to n e v e r again a l l ow m e n to be m u t i l a t e d , degene r a t e d and killed by commercial war...

...T h e F e r o c i t y of Power Our r o m a n t i c h i s t o r i e s tell us we a r e m a n y y e a r s removed from t h e d a y s w h e n c l e a n l y mid-wives w e r e b u r n e d a s w i t c h e s a n d men crucified for p r a c t i c i n g medicine, y e t j u s t / y e s t e r d a y a worker In W a s h i n g t o n w a s unsexed, s h o t and d r o w n e d for d a r i n g to p u t his welf a r e and t h e I n t e r e s t s of bis fell ow w o r k i n g m e n before a p a t r i o t i c a l l e g i a n c e to an indifferent g o v e r n m e n t In California two w o r k e r s have been confined in p r i s o n m o r e t h a n fifteen years In s p i t e of o v e r w h e l m i n g evidence of t h e i r innocence of a n y crime exc e p t a voiced p r o t e s t a g a i n s t the I a r b i t r a r y r u l e of w e a l t h. I) Boston, renowned c u l t u r a l and H n t e l l e c t u a l center of America, r a i l r o a d e d a good shoe worker a n d a poor fish p e d d l e r t o t h e elect r i c chair b e c a u s e they let it be known t h a t t h e y d e s i r e d a s o c i e ty w h e r e w o r k and w o r t h m i g h t go h a n d in h a n d , w h e r e w o r k i n g men m a y enjoy the benefits of their t o l l . In W e s t Virginia, % sheriff who r e c o g n i z e d t h e r i g h t of even a h u n g r y a n d r a g g e d coal miner t o f a i r i m p a r t i a l t r i a l , died o n his own c o u r t h o u s e s t e p s from an a s s a s s i n ' s b u l l e t I n t h e back...

...T h e r e a r e t w o leadi n g f a c t i o n s : t h e " b u s i n e s s ' f a c t i on of t h e rich, w h o e l e c t e d t h e p r e s e nt g o v e r n o r , S t e r l i n g — a dull, heavy man whose wealth and wealthy c o n n e c t i o n s c o n s t i t u t e d h i s claims t o d i s t i n c t i o n ; and the F e r g u s on f a c t i o n led by " F a r m e r J i m " Ferguson, who w a s I m p e a c h e d for m i s conduct in office and himself cann o t r u n for governor, but who to r u n n i n g hla wife...

...Tell t h em how you have s e e n good D e m o c r a t s in endless b r e a d l i n e s d r o p from their privat i o n in front of luxurious Democ r a t i c h e a d q u a r t e r s . Tell them h o w you have seen Republican g u a r d s , hirelings of Republican bosses, beat to the very death R e p u b l i c a n w o r k e r s who clamored t o o loudly for a job w i t h o u t the closed f a c t o r y g a t e s . This is your d u t y and more...

...U n i t e d by Misery B l a c k men, brown men, yellow men a n d w h i t e men, all huddled t o g e t h e r in t h e i r common misery...

...E a c h m o n t h , s o m e w h e r e In this l a n d of t h e free, a b l a c k w o r k er Is m a d e a g r u e s o m e p e n d u l um of c h a r r e d , s m o k i n g flesh, m u t e test i m o n i a l of u n l e a s h e d color h a t r e d. The g a r g o y l i a n god, Profit and Power, alts a n d g r i n s In s a d i s t ic g l e e a t t h e h a v o c w r o u g h t among h i s s l a v e s b y b i s d o c t r i n e s of division...

...The S t a t e s e c r e t a r y has g a t h e r e d an i n c r e a s i n g list Of n a m e s Of p e r s o ns w h o m he r e g a r d s as s u r e to help o r g a n i z e other locals as soon as t h e o r g a n i z e r s can get around to t h e m . At Waco the most i m p o r t a n t decision w a s to elect a S t a t e organizer, E. M. Lane, of Sherman...

...though during t h e w a r t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n consisted of l i t t l e m o r e t h a n one local and one c h a r t e r , m a i n t a i n e d In the home of J. R. B a r r e t t , a t Dallas...

...By G e o r g e C l i f t o n E d w a r ds r»R the first time since the World W a r , t h e S o c i a l i s t P a r ty s e e m s clearly on t h e a d v a n c e in T e x a s . In 1914 we had a lively S t a t e paper, "The Rebel," with o v e r 10,000 c i r c u l a t i o n ; a party m e m b e r s h i p of s e v e r a l t h o u s a n d ; a p a i d s e c r e t a r y ; a n u m b e r of speake r s w o r k i n g a c t i v e l y ; and a g r ow i n g influence among the tenant f a r m e r s , a h u g e c l a s s in t h i s S t a t e. Twice we c a s t some 25,000 votes for o u r c a n d i d a t e f o r g o v e r n o r , and we were r e a l l y Influencing affairs In S t a t e and m u n i c i p a l i t i e s . The w a r ended all this...

...Yet these men have made no conscious effort to a b o l i s h pove r t y n o r m a d * a n y r e a l a t t e m pt t o abolish t h e c a u s e s of war...

...I stood there, held tightly b y t h e force of the spell c a s t by t h i s t h r o b Of u n r e s t r a i n e d emot i o n . Here Smouldered livid h a t e, t h e r e flamed...

...To aid us in this wr c a n name several encouraging f o r c e s . Among t h e s e a r e : t h e twr o r g a n i z e r s , so unselfllahly w o r k i n g. A m e r l n g e r ' a American...

...As h e r o i c sokuera t h i s side of t h e front, they were applauded, wined, dined and kissed by the b e a u t i f u l d a u g h t e r s of the rich...

...Men, w h i t e and b l a c k , have s e a r c h e d In v a i n before for honest w o r k a n d shuffled off a t d a y ' s end t o a f e a r - s t r i c k e n home of d e g r a d i n g p o v e r t y with Its w a l l i n g kids a n d s h a r p faced wife of hunger...

...Now we h a v e o r g a n i z a t i o n s t h a t give signs of being p e r m a n e n t a t Waco, Houston, F o rt Worth, Plalnvlew, Bonham, Denls o n and Dallas, and we have good h o p e s for m a n y o t h e r places...

...Hold close to t h y frail h e a r t this s a c r e d banner, dyed crimson by t h e h e a r t ' s blood of men who died t h a t this old world might know L i b e r t y , J u s t i c e and F r e e d o m ! Go f o r t h into your world of illusiona r y w h i t e s u p r e m a c y and let It be k n o w n by your dire need and a w a k e n e d reason t h a t white rule r s value and buy not race, nor color, nor creed, but c h e a p labor power f r om whomever offered...

...No, the t o r t u o u s r o u t e s of c a p i t a l i s t i c Imit a t i o n is not the way out...