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half the people these days。 But a pig'
'Hold on！' said Doctor Copeland。 'You are getting off on a
tangent。 And besides； you are giving no attention to the very
separate question of the Negro。 I cannot get a256
word in edgeways。 We have been over all this before； bat it is
impossible to see the full situation without including us
Negroes。'
'Back to our mill village；' Jake said。 'A young linthead begins
working at the fine wage of eight or ten dollars a weeks at
such times as he can get himself employed。 He marries。 After
the first child the woman must work in the mill also。 Their
combined wages come to say eighteen dollars a week when
they both got work。 Huh！ They pay a fourth of this for the
shack the mill provides them。 They buy food and clothes at a
company…owned or dominated store。 The store overcharges on
every item。 With three or four younguns they are held down
the same as if they had on chains。 That is the whole principle
of serfdom。 Yet here in America we call ourselves free。 And
the funny thing is that this has been drilled into the heads of
sharecroppers and lintheads and all the rest so hard that they
really believe it。 But it's taken a hell of a lot of lies to keep
them from knowing。'
'There is only one way out' said Doctor Cbpeland。
'Two ways。 And only two ways。 Once there was a time when
this country was expanding。 Every man thought he had a
chance。 Huh！ But that period has gone—and gone for good。
Less than a hundred corporations have swallowed all but a
few leavings。 These industries have already sucked the blood
and softened the bones of the people。 The old days of
expansion are gone。 The whole system of capitalistic
democracy is—rotten and corrupt。 There remains only two
roads ahead。 One： Fascism。 Two： reform of the most
revolutionary and permanent kind。'
'And the Negro。 Do not forget the Negro。 So far as I and my
people are concerned the South is Fascist now and always has
been。'
'Yeah。'
〃The Nazis rob the Jews of their legal； economic； and cultural
life。 Here the Negro has always been deprived of these。 And if
wholesale and dramatic robbery of money and goods has not
taken place here as in Germany； it is simply because the Negro
has never been allowed to accrue wealth in the first place。'
'That's the system；' Jake said。
'The Jew and the Negro；' said Doctor Copeland bitter
257
ry。 The history of my people will be commensurate with the
interminable history of the Jew—only bloodier and more
violent。 Like a certain species of sea gull。 If you capture one
of the birds and tie a red string of twine around his leg the rest
of the flock will peck him to death。'
Doctor Copeland took off his spectacles and rebound a wire
around a broken hinge。 Then he polished the lenses on his
nightshirt。 His hand shook with agitation。 'Mr。 Singer is a
Jew。'
'No； you're wrong there。'
'But I am positive that he is。 The name； Singer。 I recognized
his race the first time I saw him。 From his eyes。 Besides； he
told me so。'
'Why； he couldn't have；' Jake insisted。 〃He's pure Anglo…Saxon
if I ever saw it。 Irish and Anglo…Saxon。'
。But
'
'I'm certain。 Absolutely。
'
'Very well；' said Doctor Copeland。 'We will not quarrel。
'
Outside the dark air had cooled so that there was a chill in the
room。 It was almost dawn。 The early morning sky was deep；
silky blue and the moon had turned from silver to white。 All
was still。 The only sound was the clear； lonely song of
a
spring bird in the darkness outside。 Though a faint breeze
blew in from the window the air in the room was sour and
close。 There was a feeling both of tenseness and exhaustion。
Doctor Copeland leaned forward from the pillow。 His eyes
were bloodshot and his hands clutched the counterpane。 The
neck of his nightshirt had slipped down over his bony
shoulder。 Jake's heels were balanced on the rungs of his chair
and his giant hands folded between his knees in a waiting and
childlike attitude。 Deep black circles were beneath his eyes；
his hair was unkempt。 They looked at each other and waited。
As the silence grew longer the tenseness between them
became more strained。
At last Doctor Copeland cleared his throat and said： 'I am
certain you did not come here for nothing。 I am sure we have
not discussed these subjects all through the night to no
purpose。 We have talked of everything now except the most
vital subject of all—the way out。 What must be done。'
They still watched each other and waited。 In the face of258
259
each there was expectation。 Doctor Copeland sat bolt upright
against the pillows。 Jake rested his chin in his hand and leaned
forward。 The pause continued。 And then hesitantly they began
to speak at the same time。
'Excuse me；' Jake said。 'Go ahead。
'
'No； you。 You started first。
'
'Go on。
'
'Pshaw！' said Doctor Copeland。 'Continue。
'
Jake stared at him with clouded； mystical eyes。 It's this way。
This is how I see it。 The only solution is for the people to
know。 Once they know the truth they can be oppressed no
longer。 Once just half of them know the whole fight is won。
'
'Yes； once they understand the workings of this society。 But
how do you propose to tell them？
'
'Listen；' Jake said。 'Think about chain letters。 If one person
sends a letter to ten people and then each of the ten people
sends letters to ten more—you get it？' He faltered。 'Not that
I
write letters； but the idea is the same。 I just go around telling。
And if in one town I can show the truth to just ten of the don'tknows； then I feel like some good has been done。 See？
'
Doctor Copeland looked at Jake in surprise。 Then he snorted。
'Do not be childish！ You cannot just go about talking。 Chain
letters indeed！ Knows and don't…knows！
'
Jake's lips trembled and his brow lowered with quick anger。
'O。K。 What have you got to offer？
'
'I will say first that I used to feel somewhat as you do on this
question。 But I have learned what a mistake that attitude is。
For half a century I thought it wise to be patient。
'
'I didn't say be patient。
'
'In the face of brutality I was prudent。 Before injustice I held
my peace。 I sacrificed the things in hand for the good of the
hypothetical whole。 I believed in the tongue instead of the fist。
As an armor against oppression I taught patience and faith in
the human soul。 I know now how wrong I was。 I have been
a
traitor to myself and to my people。 All that is rot。 Now is the
time to act and to act quickly。 Fight cunning with cunning and
might with might'
'But how？' Jake asked。 'How？
'
'Why； by getting out and doing things。 By calling
crowds of people together and getting them to demonstrate。
'
'Huh！ That last phrase gives you away— 〃getting them to
demonstrate。〃 What good will it do if you get them to
demonstrate against a thing if they don't know。 You're trying
to stuff the hog by way of his ass。
'
'Such vulgar expressions annoy me；' Doctor Copeland said
prudishly。
'For Christ' sake！ I don't care if they annoy you or not'
Doctor Copeland held up his hand。 'Let us not get so
overheated；' he said。 'Let us attempt to see eye to eye with
each