English
Themanhadgonebacktoaseatupontheplatform,andJurgisrealizedthathisspeechwasover.
Theapplausecontinuedforseveralminutes;andthensomeonestartedasong,andthecrowdtookitup,andtheplaceshookwithit.
Jurgishadneverheardit,andhecouldnotmakeoutthewords,butthewildandwonderfulspiritofitseizeduponhim—itwasthe“Marseillaise!”
Asstanzaafterstanzaofitthunderedforth,hesatwithhishandsclasped,tremblingineverynerve.
Hehadneverbeensostirredinhislife—itwasamiraclethathadbeenwroughtinhim.
Hecouldnotthinkatall,hewasstunned;yetheknewthatinthemightyupheavalthathadtakenplaceinhissoul,anewmanhadbeenborn.
Hehadbeentornoutofthejawsofdestruction,hehadbeendeliveredfromthethraldomofdespair;thewholeworldhadbeenchangedforhim—hewasfree,hewasfree!
Evenifheweretosufferashehadbefore,evenifheweretobegandstarve,nothingwouldbethesametohim;hewouldunderstandit,andbearit.
Hewouldnolongerbethesportofcircumstances,hewouldbeaman,withawillandapurpose;hewouldhavesomethingtofightfor,somethingtodiefor,ifneedbe!
Hereweremenwhowouldshowhimandhelphim;andhewouldhavefriendsandallies,hewoulddwellinthesightofjustice,andwalkarminarmwithpower.
Theaudiencesubsidedagain,andJurgissatback.
Thechairmanofthemeetingcameforwardandbegantospeak.
Hisvoicesoundedthinandfutileaftertheother’s,andtoJurgisitseemedaprofanation.
Whyshouldanyoneelsespeak,afterthatmiraculousman—whyshouldtheynotallsitinsilence?
Thechairmanwasexplainingthatacollectionwouldnowbetakenuptodefraytheexpensesofthemeeting,andforthebenefitofthecampaignfundoftheparty.
Jurgisheard;buthehadnotapennytogive,andsohisthoughtswentelsewhereagain.
Hekepthiseyesfixedontheorator,whosatinanarmchair,hisheadleaningonhishandandhisattitudeindicatingexhaustion.
Butsuddenlyhestoodupagain,andJurgisheardthechairmanofthemeetingsayingthatthespeakerwouldnowansweranyquestionswhichtheaudiencemightcaretoputtohim.
Themancameforward,andsomeone—awoman—aroseandaskedaboutsomeopinionthespeakerhadexpressedconcerningTolstoy.
JurgishadneverheardofTolstoy,anddidnotcareanythingabouthim.
Whyshouldanyonewanttoasksuchquestions,afteranaddresslikethat?
Thethingwasnottotalk,buttodo;thethingwastogetboldofothersandrousethem,toorganizethemandprepareforthefight!
Butstillthediscussionwenton,inordinaryconversationaltones,anditbroughtJurgisbacktotheeverydayworld.
Afewminutesagohehadfeltlikeseizingthehandofthebeautifulladybyhisside,andkissingit;hehadfeltlikeflinginghisarmsabouttheneckofthemanontheothersideofhim.
Andnowhebegantorealizeagainthathewasa“hobo,”thathewasraggedanddirty,andsmelledbad,andhadnoplacetosleepthatnight!
Andso,atlast,whenthemeetingbrokeup,andtheaudiencestartedtoleave,poorJurgiswasinanagonyofuncertainty.
Hehadnotthoughtofleaving—hehadthoughtthatthevisionmustlastforever,thathehadfoundcomradesandbrothers.
Butnowhewouldgoout,andthethingwouldfadeaway,andhewouldneverbeabletofinditagain!
Hesatinhisseat,frightenedandwondering;butothersinthesamerowwantedtogetout,andsohehadtostandupandmovealong.
Ashewassweptdowntheaislehelookedfromonepersontoanother,wistfully;theywereallexcitedlydiscussingtheaddress—buttherewasnobodywhoofferedtodiscussitwithhim.
Hewasnearenoughtothedoortofeelthenightair,whendesperationseizedhim.
Heknewnothingatallaboutthatspeechhehadheard,noteventhenameoftheorator;andhewastogoaway—no,no,itwaspreposterous,hemustspeaktosomeone;hemustfindthatmanhimselfandtellhim.
Hewouldnotdespisehim,trampashewas!
Sohesteppedintoanemptyrowofseatsandwatched,andwhenthecrowdhadthinnedout,hestartedtowardtheplatform.
Thespeakerwasgone;buttherewasastagedoorthatstoodopen,withpeoplepassinginandout,andnooneonguard.
Jurgissummoneduphiscourageandwentin,anddownahallway,andtothedoorofaroomwheremanypeoplewerecrowded.
Noonepaidanyattentiontohim,andhepushedin,andinacornerhesawthemanhesought.
Theoratorsatinachair,withhisshoulderssunktogetherandhiseyeshalfclosed;hisfacewasghastlypale,almostgreenishinhue,andonearmlaylimpathisside.
Abigmanwithspectaclesonstoodnearhim,andkeptpushingbackthecrowd,saying,“Standawayalittle,please;can’tyouseethecomradeiswornout?”
SoJurgisstoodwatching,whilefiveortenminutespassed.
Nowandthenthemanwouldlookup,andaddressawordortwotothosewhowerenearhim;and,atlast,ononeoftheseoccasions,hisglancerestedonJurgis.
Thereseemedtobeaslighthintofinquiryaboutit,andasuddenimpulseseizedtheother.Hesteppedforward.
“Iwantedtothankyou,sir!”hebegan,inbreathlesshaste.“Icouldnotgoawaywithouttellingyouhowmuch—howgladIamIheardyou.I—Ididn’tknowanythingaboutitall—”
Thebigmanwiththespectacles,whohadmovedaway,camebackatthismoment.“Thecomradeistootiredtotalktoanyone—”hebegan;buttheotherhelduphishand.
“Wait,”hesaid.“Hehassomethingtosaytome.”AndthenhelookedintoJurgis’sface.“YouwanttoknowmoreaboutSocialism?”heasked.
Jurgisstarted.“I—I—”hestammered.“IsitSocialism?Ididn’tknow.Iwanttoknowaboutwhatyouspokeof—Iwanttohelp.Ihavebeenthroughallthat.”
“Wheredoyoulive?”askedtheother.
“Ihavenohome,”saidJurgis,“Iamoutofwork.”
“Youareaforeigner,areyounot?”
“Lithuanian,sir.”
Themanthoughtforamoment,andthenturnedtohisfriend.“Whoisthere,Walters?”heasked.“ThereisOstrinski—butheisaPole—”
“OstrinskispeaksLithuanian,”saidtheother.“Allright,then;wouldyoumindseeingifhehasgoneyet?”
Theotherstartedaway,andthespeakerlookedatJurgisagain.
Hehaddeep,blackeyes,andafacefullofgentlenessandpain.“Youmustexcuseme,comrade,”hesaid.
“Iamjusttiredout—Ihavespokeneverydayforthelastmonth.
IwillintroduceyoutosomeonewhowillbeabletohelpyouaswellasIcould—”
Themessengerhadhadtogonofurtherthanthedoor,hecameback,followedbyamanwhomheintroducedtoJurgisas“ComradeOstrinski.”
ComradeOstrinskiwasalittleman,scarcelyuptoJurgis’sshoulder,wizenedandwrinkled,veryugly,andslightlylame.
Hehadonalong-tailedblackcoat,worngreenattheseamsandthebuttonholes;hiseyesmusthavebeenweak,forheworegreenspectaclesthatgavehimagrotesqueappearance.
Buthishandclaspwashearty,andhespokeinLithuanian,whichwarmedJurgistohim.
“YouwanttoknowaboutSocialism?”hesaid.“Surely.Letusgooutandtakeastroll,wherewecanbequietandtalksome.”
AndsoJurgisbadefarewelltothemasterwizard,andwentout.
Ostrinskiaskedwherehelived,offeringtowalkinthatdirection;andsohehadtoexplainoncemorethathewaswithoutahome.
Attheother’srequesthetoldhisstory;howhehadcometoAmerica,andwhathadhappenedtohiminthestockyards,andhowhisfamilyhadbeenbrokenup,andhowhehadbecomeawanderer.
Somuchthelittlemanheard,andthenhepressedJurgis’sarmtightly.
“Youhavebeenthroughthemill,comrade!”hesaid.“Wewillmakeafighteroutofyou!”
ThenOstrinskiinturnexplainedhiscircumstances.
HewouldhaveaskedJurgistohishome—buthehadonlytworooms,andhadnobedtooffer.
Hewouldhavegivenuphisownbed,buthiswifewasill.
Lateron,whenheunderstoodthatotherwiseJurgiswouldhavetosleepinahallway,heofferedhimhiskitchenfloor,achancewhichtheotherwasonlytoogladtoaccept.
“Perhapstomorrowwecandobetter,”saidOstrinski.“Wetrynottoletacomradestarve.”
Ostrinski’shomewasintheGhettodistrict,wherehehadtworoomsinthebasementofatenement.
Therewasababycryingastheyentered,andheclosedthedoorleadingintothebedroom.
Hehadthreeyoungchildren,heexplained,andababyhadjustcome.
Hedrewuptwochairsnearthekitchenstove,addingthatJurgismustexcusethedisorderoftheplace,sinceatsuchatimeone’sdomesticarrangementswereupset.
Halfofthekitchenwasgivenuptoaworkbench,whichwaspiledwithclothing,andOstrinskiexplainedthathewasa“pantsfinisher.”
Hebroughtgreatbundlesofclothingheretohishome,whereheandhiswifeworkedonthem.
Hemadealivingatit,butitwasgettingharderallthetime,becausehiseyeswerefailing.
Whatwouldcomewhentheygaveouthecouldnottell;therehadbeennosavinganything—amancouldbarelykeepalivebytwelveorfourteenhours’workaday.
Thefinishingofpantsdidnottakemuchskill,andanybodycouldlearnit,andsothepaywasforevergettingless.
Thatwasthecompetitivewagesystem;andifJurgiswantedtounderstandwhatSocialismwas,itwastherehehadbestbegin.
Theworkersweredependentuponajobtoexistfromdaytoday,andsotheybidagainsteachother,andnomancouldgetmorethanthelowestmanwouldconsenttoworkfor.
Andthusthemassofthepeoplewerealwaysinalife-and-deathstrugglewithpoverty.
Thatwas“competition,”sofarasitconcernedthewage-earner,themanwhohadonlyhislabortosell;tothoseontop,theexploiters,itappearedverydifferently,ofcourse—therewerefewofthem,andtheycouldcombineanddominate,andtheirpowerwouldbeunbreakable.
Andsoallovertheworldtwoclasseswereforming,withanunbridgedchasmbetweenthem—thecapitalistclass,withitsenormousfortunes,andtheproletariat,boundintoslaverybyunseenchains.
Thelatterwereathousandtooneinnumbers,buttheywereignorantandhelpless,andtheywouldremainatthemercyoftheirexploitersuntiltheywereorganized—untiltheyhadbecome“class-conscious.”
Itwasaslowandwearyprocess,butitwouldgoon—itwaslikethemovementofaglacier,onceitwasstarteditcouldneverbestopped.
EverySocialistdidhisshare,andliveduponthevisionofthe“goodtimecoming,”—whentheworkingclassshouldgotothepollsandseizethepowersofgovernment,andputanendtoprivatepropertyinthemeansofproduction.
Nomatterhowpooramanwas,orhowmuchhesuffered,hecouldneverbereallyunhappywhileheknewofthatfuture;evenifhedidnotlivetoseeithimself,hischildrenwould,and,toaSocialist,thevictoryofhisclasswashisvictory.
Alsohehadalwaystheprogresstoencouragehim;hereinChicago,forinstance,themovementwasgrowingbyleapsandbounds.
Chicagowastheindustrialcenterofthecountry,andnowhereelseweretheunionssostrong;buttheirorganizationsdidtheworkerslittlegood,fortheemployerswereorganized,also;andsothestrikesgenerallyfailed,andasfastastheunionswerebrokenupthemenwerecomingovertotheSocialists.
Ostrinskiexplainedtheorganizationoftheparty,themachinerybywhichtheproletariatwaseducatingitself.
Therewere“locals”ineverybigcityandtown,andtheywerebeingorganizedrapidlyinthesmallerplaces;alocalhadanywherefromsixtoathousandmembers,andtherewerefourteenhundredoftheminall,withatotalofabouttwenty-fivethousandmembers,whopaidduestosupporttheorganization.
“LocalCookCounty,”asthecityorganizationwascalled,hadeightybranchlocals,anditalonewasspendingseveralthousanddollarsinthecampaign.
ItpublishedaweeklyinEnglish,andoneeachinBohemianandGerman;alsotherewasamonthlypublishedinChicago,andacooperativepublishinghouse,thatissuedamillionandahalfofSocialistbooksandpamphletseveryyear.
Allthiswasthegrowthofthelastfewyears—therehadbeenalmostnothingofitwhenOstrinskifirstcametoChicago.
OstrinskiwasaPole,aboutfiftyyearsofage.
HehadlivedinSilesia,amemberofadespisedandpersecutedrace,andhadtakenpartintheproletarianmovementintheearlyseventies,whenBismarck,havingconqueredFrance,hadturnedhispolicyofbloodandironuponthe“International.”
Ostrinskihimselfhadtwicebeeninjail,buthehadbeenyoungthen,andhadnotcared.
Hehadhadmoreofhisshareofthefight,though,forjustwhenSocialismhadbrokenallitsbarriersandbecomethegreatpoliticalforceoftheempire,hehadcometoAmerica,andbegunalloveragain.
InAmericaeveryonehadlaughedatthemereideaofSocialismthen—inAmericaallmenwerefree.
Asifpoliticallibertymadewageslaveryanythemoretolerable!saidOstrinski.
Thelittletailorsattiltedbackinhisstiffkitchenchair,withhisfeetstretchedoutupontheemptystove,andspeakinginlowwhispers,soasnottowakenthoseinthenextroom.
ToJurgisheseemedascarcelylesswonderfulpersonthanthespeakeratthemeeting;hewaspoor,thelowestofthelow,hunger-drivenandmiserable—andyethowmuchheknew,howmuchhehaddaredandachieved,whataherohehadbeen!
Therewereotherslikehim,too—thousandslikehim,andallofthemworkingmen!
Thatallthiswonderfulmachineryofprogresshadbeencreatedbyhisfellows—Jurgiscouldnotbelieveit,itseemedtoogoodtobetrue.
Thatwasalwaystheway,saidOstrinski;whenamanwasfirstconvertedtoSocialismhewaslikeacrazyperson—hecouldnot’understandhowotherscouldfailtoseeit,andheexpectedtoconvertalltheworldthefirstweek.
Afterawhilehewouldrealizehowhardataskitwas;andthenitwouldbefortunatethatothernewhandskeptcoming,tosavehimfromsettlingdownintoarut.
JustnowJurgiswouldhaveplentyofchancetoventhisexcitement,forapresidentialcampaignwason,andeverybodywastalkingpolitics.
Ostrinskiwouldtakehimtothenextmeetingofthebranchlocal,andintroducehim,andhemightjointheparty.
Thedueswerefivecentsaweek,butanyonewhocouldnotaffordthismightbeexcusedfrompaying.
TheSocialistpartywasareallydemocraticpoliticalorganization—itwascontrolledabsolutelybyitsownmembership,andhadnobosses.
AllofthesethingsOstrinskiexplained,asalsotheprinciplesoftheparty.
YoumightsaythattherewasreallybutoneSocialistprinciple—thatof“nocompromise,”whichwastheessenceoftheproletarianmovementallovertheworld.
WhenaSocialistwaselectedtoofficehevotedwitholdpartylegislatorsforanymeasurethatwaslikelytobeofhelptotheworkingclass,butheneverforgotthattheseconcessions,whatevertheymightbe,weretriflescomparedwiththegreatpurpose—theorganizingoftheworkingclassfortherevolution.
Sofar,theruleinAmericahadbeenthatoneSocialistmadeanotherSocialistonceeverytwoyears;andiftheyshouldmaintainthesameratetheywouldcarrythecountryin1912—thoughnotallofthemexpectedtosucceedasquicklyasthat.
TheSocialistswereorganizedineverycivilizednation;itwasaninternationalpoliticalparty,saidOstrinski,thegreatesttheworldhadeverknown.
Itnumberedthirtymillionofadherents,anditcasteightmillionvotes.
IthadstarteditsfirstnewspaperinJapan,andelecteditsfirstdeputyinArgentina;inFranceitnamedmembersofcabinets,andinItalyandAustraliaitheldthebalanceofpowerandturnedoutministries.
InGermany,whereitsvotewasmorethanathirdofthetotalvoteoftheempire,allotherpartiesandpowershadunitedtofightit.
Itwouldnotdo,Ostrinskiexplained,fortheproletariatofonenationtoachievethevictory,forthatnationwouldbecrushedbythemilitarypoweroftheothers;andsotheSocialistmovementwasaworldmovement,anorganizationofallmankindtoestablishlibertyandfraternity.
Itwasthenewreligionofhumanity—oryoumightsayitwasthefulfillmentoftheoldreligion,sinceitimpliedbuttheliteralapplicationofalltheteachingsofChrist.
UntillongaftermidnightJurgissatlostintheconversationofhisnewacquaintance.
Itwasamostwonderfulexperiencetohim—analmostsupernaturalexperience.
Itwaslikeencounteringaninhabitantofthefourthdimensionofspace,abeingwhowasfreefromallone’sownlimitations.
Forfouryears,now,Jurgishadbeenwonderingandblunderinginthedepthsofawilderness;andhere,suddenly,ahandreacheddownandseizedhim,andliftedhimoutofit,andsethimuponamountain-top,fromwhichhecouldsurveyitall—couldseethepathsfromwhichhehadwandered,themorassesintowhichhehadstumbled,thehidingplacesofthebeastsofpreythathadfallenuponhim.
TherewerehisPackingtownexperiences,forinstance—whatwasthereaboutPackingtownthatOstrinskicouldnotexplain!
ToJurgisthepackershadbeenequivalenttofate;OstrinskishowedhimthattheyweretheBeefTrust.
Theywereagiganticcombinationofcapital,whichhadcrushedallopposition,andoverthrownthelawsoftheland,andwaspreyinguponthepeople.
Jurgisrecollectedhow,whenhehadfirstcometoPackingtown,hehadstoodandwatchedthehog-killing,andthoughthowcruelandsavageitwas,andcomeawaycongratulatinghimselfthathewasnotahog;nowhisnewacquaintanceshowedhimthatahogwasjustwhathehadbeen—oneofthepackers’hogs.
Whattheywantedfromahogwasalltheprofitsthatcouldbegotoutofhim;andthatwaswhattheywantedfromtheworkingman,andalsothatwaswhattheywantedfromthepublic.
Whatthehogthoughtofit,andwhathesuffered,werenotconsidered;andnomorewasitwithlabor,andnomorewiththepurchaserofmeat.
Thatwastrueeverywhereintheworld,butitwasespeciallytrueinPackingtown;thereseemedtobesomethingabouttheworkofslaughteringthattendedtoruthlessnessandferocity—itwasliterallythefactthatinthemethodsofthepackersahundredhumanlivesdidnotbalanceapennyofprofit.
WhenJurgishadmadehimselffamiliarwiththeSocialistliterature,ashewouldveryquickly,hewouldgetglimpsesoftheBeefTrustfromallsortsofaspects,andhewouldfinditeverywherethesame;itwastheincarnationofblindandinsensateGreed.
Itwasamonsterdevouringwithathousandmouths,tramplingwithathousandhoofs;itwastheGreatButcher—itwasthespiritofCapitalismmadeflesh.
Upontheoceanofcommerceitsailedasapirateship;ithadhoistedtheblackflaganddeclaredwaruponcivilization.
Briberyandcorruptionwereitseverydaymethods.
InChicagothecitygovernmentwassimplyoneofitsbranchoffices;itstolebillionsofgallonsofcitywateropenly,itdictatedtothecourtsthesentencesofdisorderlystrikers,itforbadethemayortoenforcethebuildinglawsagainstit.
Inthenationalcapitalithadpowertopreventinspectionofitsproduct,andtofalsifygovernmentreports;itviolatedtherebatelaws,andwhenaninvestigationwasthreateneditburneditsbooksandsentitscriminalagentsoutofthecountry.
InthecommercialworlditwasaJuggernautcar;itwipedoutthousandsofbusinesseseveryyear,itdrovementomadnessandsuicide.
Ithadforcedthepriceofcattlesolowastodestroythestock-raisingindustry,anoccupationuponwhichwholestatesexisted;ithadruinedthousandsofbutcherswhohadrefusedtohandleitsproducts.
Itdividedthecountryintodistricts,andfixedthepriceofmeatinallofthem;anditownedalltherefrigeratorcars,andleviedanenormoustributeuponallpoultryandeggsandfruitandvegetables.
Withthemillionsofdollarsaweekthatpouredinuponit,itwasreachingoutforthecontrolofotherinterests,railroadsandtrolleylines,gasandelectriclightfranchises—italreadyownedtheleatherandthegrainbusinessofthecountry.
Thepeopleweretremendouslystirredupoveritsencroachments,butnobodyhadanyremedytosuggest;itwasthetaskofSocialiststoteachandorganizethem,andpreparethemforthetimewhentheyweretoseizethehugemachinecalledtheBeefTrust,anduseittoproducefoodforhumanbeingsandnottoheapupfortunesforabandofpirates.
ItwaslongaftermidnightwhenJurgislaydownuponthefloorofOstrinski’skitchen;andyetitwasanhourbeforehecouldgettosleep,forthegloryofthatjoyfulvisionofthepeopleofPackingtownmarchinginandtakingpossessionoftheUnionStockyards!
Share this article to
FINISH