It was on the East Side of New York City that the “block party” had its birth--unique fruit of the war and symbolic of the war’s influence upon the people of the nation. For such a party all the people living in a block, or several adjoining blocks, decorated their houses and the street with flags, colored lanterns, ropes of greens, bright fabrics; and on the appointed night everybody swarmed into the street and to the accompaniment of music and cheers speeches were made, a huge service flag, with a star for every man of the block in service, was strung across the street and then all the nations and races represented among them told one another the news they had heard from their soldier and sailor lads, sang patriotic songs and danced on the pavement and sidewalk all the rest of the evening. Soon the block party spread to all parts of the city and established itself even in the exclusive residence districts where men, women and children, janitors and those whom they served, house maids and mistresses, met on the pavements, talked and sang and cheered and danced together as the service flag of their block was swung to its place and floated above them, their bond of union in common devotion to their country. The block party, although it did not make its appearance in just that form in all sections, yet was significant of what was taking place in the hearts of the people all over the land. For out of their universal spirit and its white heat of devotion was being born a fresh realization of democracy and of its meaning to humanity and a new dedication to its ideals. CHAPTER XXX LABOR AND THE WAR