The member is urged to read Soviet literature and see the “glorious” communist “hero” working his heart out for the regime. This “hero”—usually just an ordinary, plain fellow (like the member)—can repair a blast furnace in one day instead of the usual six to eight weeks. Why? For the glory of communism. Another “hero” is sad and disheartened. He has bungled his factory job. He wasn’t doing his share. But a strong arm is around his shoulders, the arm of an experienced worker. He’ll show the worker “hero” how to break production records, for communism—when in real life he might be headed for a slave labor camp. Day after day this propaganda is dinned into the member. Children are included. The Party feels that the basic responsibility of indoctrinating the child lies with the communist parents. A member in Buffalo announced, for instance, that a class for children, aged five to seven, would be held in the basement of her home. Ironically, it was called “Sunday school” because it was held on Sunday. But, the member added, this school was not to teach “the word of God or in any way teach religion.” The instruction obviously would be directed to the fundamentals of Marxism. Books are published for children. One, _Our Lenin_, is a story of Lenin’s life, translated and adapted “for American children.” In this an American worker is quoted: “‘It [the Soviet Union] will last forever, and we here will follow its example.’” It’s a steady diet of propaganda. Suppose the member wants to write, paint, or compose music? He, too, must follow the Party line. His work must promote communism. Some of the writings are very crude, but they get across the Party line. Here’s a poem that appeared in the _Daily Worker_ shortly after Stalin’s death, eulogizing the Soviet dictator: He was melted in the open hearth of feudal czarist oppression He was forged in the fire of revolution His chemistry was the chemistry of struggle And left him as pure as the hope of liberation of the working class He was alloyed with large masses of the Soviet peoples and heaping shovelfuls of international brotherhood with just the right amount of love for humanity to finally make— A man of steel.... An artist wants to paint a flock of birds in a tree. That’s silly, the Party says. There’s no communist message. Here’s how his idea can be improved. Make one bird a white dove and, presto, you’re right in line with the communist “peace” offensive. Another improvement: Put a mean-looking capitalist “warmonger” under the tree taking aim at the peaceful dove.