Do We Want "Independence" In Our Candidates for Office?
Feigenbaum, William M.
By William M. Feigenbaum Do We Want "Independence" In Our Candidates for Office? "DLATFORMS," said a noted minister the other day, "mean nothing- The only thing that matters is the character...
...As one of the councilmanic body of Reading he put over a program of public works that is a model for the country...
...More than half of these locals were the result of the letter campaign...
...but not Socialist (Continued on Page Sixteen) OLD-TIME SOCIALISTS REBUILD INDIANA PARTY _ INDIANAPOLIS...
...Garn e r is a n ything but a s p o k esman for the backw a r d, dark and dismal reactionary South...
...The Republican Party has never believed that they coald be furnished with suitable permanent employment unless some one could derive s reasonable profit from employing them...
...That is the utterance of ex-President Coolidge in his address in New York on October 12...
...that is, they are supposed to stand on their own feet and on their own records, taking "orders" from no one...
...Inasmuch as Pounds had been selected at a convention as completely boas-controlled as the Tammany circus that had accepted the name of O'Brien when the bosses gave the orders, wherein did the "non partisanship" of Pounds come in...
...Socialists spend time and energy to create a party that will be the means of carrying out just those ideas...
...In the event of the death or removal from office of the President, Mr...
...RESERVED SEAT TICKETS ARB TWKNTY-FIVH CENTS EACH...
...But the showing np of these prize reactionaries is all the more striking when it is considered whom the so-called "progressives" are failing to vote for...
...Why do they nominate candidates...
...As a member of the State Legislature he fathered old-age pensions, improved workmen's compensation, fought for shortening the workweek for women and minors and championed every humane measure...
...The newspapers are recognizing the importance of the movement and are quite liberal with the space they devote to party activities...
...During the past week Jim Maurer, candidate for vice-preaident, has been touring the state...
...The end is the ideal—not the man...
...Governor Roosevelt's securing of the nomination through the deal with Garner's dark Democracy has been matched by only one incident in this campiagn...
...There Is nothing left to do EXCEPT TO GET THE TICKETS OUT snd to fill up the important committees...
...Let progressive States go in for unemployment and old age insurance, if they will...
...By Joseph E. Cohen Who Wants Garner for President...
...PARTY EXPECTS BIG VOTE IN BAY STATE - BOSTON.—Because of the widespread enthusiasm for Socialism everywhere in Massachusetts in one of the most intensive Socialist campaigns ever waged, the Socialbits confidently expect to poll the necessary percentage of the total vote for their candidate for Governor, Alfred Baker Lewis, to become a "legal" political party of the state...
...In addition to the five state candidates there are 27 local candidates on the Socialist ticket, the first time since the split that so many Socialists are running for office hi the state...
...They are supposed not to consult with their party associates, but to consult their own consciences...
...Garner becomes Vice-President...
...Or tariff reformers electing a man who suddenly becomes "independent" and votes for a high tariff...
...More in amusement than in sorrow Hillquit asked How Come...
...Not that it was put quite that way, but that is the general idea...
...That query gave the civie organization the opening to pay the Socialist Party the warmest compliment it has eyer been paid by a non-Socialist organizatiop—although it ia doubtful if any compliment was intended...
...It is a fair queation, in view of the political psychology of the American people...
...4. There Is still need of volunteers to nan the meeting...
...In an article urging the reelection of President Hoover, WilMan or Parties...
...LAST CALL FOR THE GARDEN "TMIIS is the last call before the great Madison Square Garden rally...
...Before the campaign began, Edward Henry, State Secretary, and Mrs...
...The two Henrys are old-time Socialists who know every corner of the state and their knowledge of each section and experience in party work made It possible to get the most favorable eitles and towns organized first...
...In that career he served, often without the possibility of opposition, sixteen years as head of the Pennsylvania Federation of Labor...
...A candidate may be named on the party's ticket who suddenly succumbs to the lure of "independence," who may begin to believe that the city should economise on social services, thst injunctions in labor disputes are not so bad, or that free speech is not necessarily a desirable thing...
...The big event of the Socialist campaign is the coming of Norman Thomas to speak at the Tremont Temple, Boston, October 29th...
...In the western part of the state particularly there has been a phenomenal rise...
...To my personal knowledge," the secretary of the organisation wrote Hillquit "your party exacts of its candidates a much mors rigid adherence than any other party...
...They are turning their better selves away from the chance to vote for the one man running for Vice-President whose record of achievement stand out like a day of gloryThat man is James H. Maurer...
...And then when the candidates are nominated they are supposed to be "independent...
...There sre now 48 party locals in the state and nearly a thousand members...
...Do any "progressives" want that...
...Either profit for the masters or starvation for millions._*_ How can real progressives be at home in either old party...
...The executives of that organisation had scanned the records of John Patrick O'Brien, of one L. H. Pounda and of Morris Hillquit, and had decided that the welfare of the great city required the election of the gentleman named Pounds as Mayor, especially since he stands for something known as "non-partisanship" in city government Whsddose Mean, N on partisanship...
...His influence there should be no less than when, as Speaker of the House, he attempted to ; t over the sales tax, throttle progressive measures and do the complete bidding of Wall Street plutocracy...
...The party organization in Indiana is being rapidly rebuilt and it will soon recover its old pre-war strength...
...And all of this raises some important questions...
...Half a million leaflets have been distributed by the state office, and in addition thousands of copies of Socialist pamphlets and newspapers have been sold...
...Those who grow ecstatic over "independence" would not see anything wrong in a man benefitting from the sacrifices of dry advocates voting' "wet" in Congress—throwing their influence to the "wet" side...
...The final touches sre being put on the preparations for what is expected to be the greatest political rally of the campaign...
...Do so-called "progressives" want Garner for President...
...Said he: "We have tens of millions of wage-earners in this country...
...They cannot see far enough ahead to know that, should they put a cross in the Democratic column they are also voting for Garner for Vice-President...
...Socialists believe In what the Citizens' Union calls the "straitjacket" Socialists organise a party to advocate and carry out certain ideals and purposes...
...If they do not, they had better watch their step...
...As yet no ballyhoo for „the donkey has o f f e red to tell anyone Mr...
...Thomas will also speak in Lowell and Lawrence in the afternoon of the 29th, and there will be a dinner for Thomas at the 20th (Continued on Page Sixteen) Readers in Massachusetts Readers of The New Leader in Massachusetts not members of the Socialist Party and who would like to join or keep informed about Socialist activities, should write to the state secretary, Alfred Baker Lewis, 3 Joy Street, Boston, Mass...
...All of which is not only interestins...
...Why Have Parties...
...In the years following tbs war they saw the movement disintegrate till only a few small locals survived but they never surrendered...
...Socialist committees must get the reserved seat tickets oat AT ONCE...
...and if they change their minds after their election on matters of vital importance to those who organized the party through which they were elected to office, why it's just too bad, but nothing can be done about it For example, a "dry" organization may have elected a Congressman who changes his mind the moment he gets to Washington...
...Here are the facts: 1. The meeting will be held at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, 49th Street and 8th Avenue, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER Srd, at 8. P. M. 2. Speakers will be THOMAS, MAURER, WALDMAN, HILLQUIT, SOLOMON, PANKEN, KARLIN, DEVBRB ALLEN, BROUN, and others...
...To this Mr...
...The Citizens' Union rebuked Hillquit snd the Socialist Party for the offense of being consistent, for being as good as its word, for meaning what it says, and for having adopted a means of making its word good...
...Many of the candidates are putting up a vigorous fight and expect to poll a vote that will take old party politicians, and even Socialists, by surprise...
...But the Democratic Party will see to it that the South is let alone to continue its dark way against progress...
...And here it is: "Unemployment and old age insurance under State laws...
...Garner becomes President...
...And while he waa oh the subject, what is this "non partisanship" to which the civic organisation ia so tenderly devoted...
...Let progressive States make child labor laws, provide workmen's compensation, mothers' assistance and regulate hours of labor of women and minors...
...He took particular pains to quote the only plank in the platform of his party covering this point...
...The New Leader could not be batter...
...Should he be elected Vice-President he becomes president of the Senate...
...They are not particularly interested In men seeking careers...
...Real progressives will vote only for Thomas and Maurer...
...The most interesting one is in Northampton, located on Main Street in a modern business block, where Calvin Coolidge has his law bffice...
...DLATFORMS," said a noted minister the other day, "mean nothing- The only thing that matters is the character of candidates for office...
...In the meanwhile, suppose they judge Governor Roosevelt by the company he keeps...
...A corps of 25 speakers have been holding about 60 street meetings a week in various parts of the state...
...3. Admission BY TICKET...
...Everything points to a packed house...
...On Thursday, October 13, the Democratic candidate for President defined his stand on questions asked him by social workers as to welfare legislation...
...Civic Organizations Incut That Candidates Be Free of "Fetters"—But Responsible to Whom...
...Thia is the man for whom every progressive should vote...
...What Are Parties For...
...Emma Henry carried on an extensive letter campaign and also held meetings wherever they could be arranged...
...Nine Socialist campaign headquarters have been opened in strategic cities throughout the state...
...Volunteers for one Job or another should send la their names AT ONCH to party headquarters and ask for assignments...
...What are parties organized for...
...The civic organization, William Alien White, the ministers and the other folks who have so little sense of reality seem to believe that men snd women give up their time and energy and spend money to establish and build up political organizations merely to comply with the election laws, merely in order that a forum and a rostrum may be given gentlemen seeking office...
...Since the campaign opened, Powers Hapgood, Socialist candidate for Governor, has been filling many speaking dates under the direction of the state office...
...And at about the same time a •well-known civic organization in New York undertakes severely to rebuke the Socialist Party for putting its candidates into "straitjackets" and for not "permitting" them to be themselves and to exercise "independence...
...Despite the poor weather Maurer's meetings have been well attended...
...His tour is carefully mapped out and the result is more locals and members with the certain prospect of also recovering most of the pre-war Socialist vote in the state...
...Here is the callous, sordid viewpoint of the Republican Party of Herbert Hoover...
...But that is not all...
...General admission ticket* are I'KKK, and csn be secured st Socialist headquarters anywhere In town...
...Telephone: Capitol 8024...
...All Right, Let Him Be No Socialist would deny any man the right to hold any opinions he cares to hold...
...but significant...
...Are parties organized by men and women T-ho seek to advance certain principles, or is it their sole purpose to furnish talented and promising gentlemen an opportunity to run for office...
...Ever since the enthusiastic state eonveniton at Springfield last June the Socialists have been working for a large Socialist vote...
...From his earliest hours as a wage-earner his every thought, every bit of energy and extraordinary ability has been devoted to the betterment of the conditions of his fellow man...
...JN this campaign the big joke is on old party "progressives" wha are ready to vote for Roosevelt for President...
...Garner's democracy could shout a fervent "Amen...
...Can the so-called "progressives" stomach such a dose...
...And that brings us back to our original question...
...It's great— Bill Levenburg, tr two decades a Socialist agitator Massachusetts...
...The party membership last March was only about 150...
...Since June 21, new branches have been organized and the membership has jumped 600 per cent since two years ago...
...Their confidence In the recovery of the pat tjf never faltered and It Is now being rewarded with the growth of all excellent party organization...
...There shall be no federal laws bringing the solid, reactionary South Into accepting humane measures...
...liam Allen White says that there is bo difference between the platforms of the two obi parties, and that the only issue between the two parties is one of the personal merits of Hoover or Roosevelt And the civic organization herein before referred to makes the mam basis of its interest in polities the personality of men and women who run for office...
Vol. 14 • October 1932 • No. 18
