Haymarket by Martin Duberman

Author:Martin Duberman [Duberman, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-58322-814-2
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Published: 2011-01-04T05:00:00+00:00

Two days later, Lucy burst in on Albert as he was cleaning out a nook in the small Alarm office. She was brandishing a newspaper over her head with one hand and holding on to Lulu with the other.

“I can’t believe it!” she shouted, “It’s an invitation to murder!”

“What is?” Albert asked, as he took Lulu in his arms.

“The Chicago Times. About the most villainous thing I’ve ever read!”

“Try and be calm, dear.” He motioned her to a chair. “Sit and read it to me.” Albert sat down opposite her and put Lulu on his lap.

“You’ve never heard anything like this: ‘The best meal that can be given a ragged tramp is a leaden one. When a tramp asks you for bread, put strychnine or arsenic on it and he will not trouble you any more, and others will keep out of the neighborhood.’ ” She looked up in triumphant fury.

“Good lord!” Albert said, “that’s monstrous. And they accuse us of fomenting violence.”

“And for once,” Lucy said, removing a piece of paper from her pocket with a flourish, “they’re going to be right.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ve written a response. I don’t expect you to publish it in the Alarm, but I’ll see if the Labor Standard will take it. Steel yourself,” she said, picking up the page. “Throughout the bitter winter of 1884, you, the homeless and unemployed, have had to keep bonfires lit all night long to avoid freezing to death. Many of you have died of exposure anyway. Others have drowned themselves in Lake Michigan. I beg of you: Stay your hand! If you decide to kill yourself, take with you a few of the rich. It’s their heartlessness that’s made you so desperate. Every hungry tramp who reads these lines should avail himself of those little methods of warfare which Science has placed in the hands of the poor … You must learn the use of explosives!”

Lucy put down the page and glared defiantly at Albert.

“Lucy,” he said, “I beg you to reconsider. This will confirm every stereotype our enemies have of us.”

“Predictable.”

“This isn’t you speaking,” Albert said, raising his voice. “It’s Johann Most. A part of you has always been secretly drawn to his views. I’ve long known that. But you must get it under control. Self-defense is one thing, individual terror, precipitating violence, is another. It’s wrong, Lucy, it’s plain and simply wrong!”

“Yes sir, Mr. White Man,” Lucy spat out. “Next time they lynch a nigger I’ll climb up the tree as the noose tightens, and whisper in his ear, ‘Congratulations, my man, for never having precipitated violence. It’s a bit late now for self-defense, but at least you go to heaven with clean hands!’ ” She hovered above Albert for a second, then like a tornado abruptly veering off, grabbed Lulu and swept from the room.

Lucy’s Manifesto ended up a month later on the front page of the Alarm, When Albert called in his two assistant editors to tell them his decision to feature it, his tone was matter-of-fact and the words he chose clearly designed to forestall discussion.

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