Heywood Broun Surveys Candidates in Terms Of Fractional Rating
THE WOODSHED Heywood Broun Surveys Candidates in Terms Of Fractional Rating DESERVED SPANKINGS IT SEEMS to Heywood Broun that Norman Thomas is the beat man of the four candidates for...
...It does not reveal the danger of voting for the others...
...I am led to suspect that Hoover earned his credits by getting a strike on a batter In throwing out the first baseball of the season...
...We are the old, the seared and withered, wrinkled, furrowed old, and only memories of things that we're, of dreams alone remain to comfort our long nights on creaking beds above the sordid squalor of the streets, above the rumble of the "el," above the clatter of taxi cabs and trucks upon the streets...
...Success to the paper...
...I merely wish to Indicate that poisonous substances have nutritive value...
...M THE <H*1TKRDDI Mike's Poem Is Welcome In These Turgid Times Of Stark Depression By S. A. DeWItt: Song of the Ghetto Old By MICHAEL C. AKOONE NO MATTER and no matter, this we know: Reality that shattered dreams so many yean ago...
...Carl Parsons reports for Westchester County that the Socialists uf there plan to distribute 50,000 copies of The New Leader as part of tht campaign plans to place the big New York suburb on the Socialist map...
...THE WOODSHED Heywood Broun Surveys Candidates in Terms Of Fractional Rating DESERVED SPANKINGS IT SEEMS to Heywood Broun that Norman Thomas is the beat man of the four candidates for President, and that Herbert 'Hoover is the least desirable of the four candidate...
...He wants to know about the club rates of The New Leader...
...And I do wish Mr...
...What is the use...
...Who will not give a few pennies every week tc spread the light of Socialism...
...But If there had been a struggle and If my candidate had been humlllatmgly defeated, I should still cast a whole, unfractloned vote for the Socialist Party and Its candidates...
...Broun in his column , recently printed batting' averages for his four candidates...
...Now ,to me It seem* that Franklin D." Roosevelt HLthe least desirable...
...As a 1.000 supporter of Norman Thomas I am naturally anxious to see Norman Thomas grow to 1.000 in Heywood Broun'a rating...
...well not be here to smell again of rain that falls upon green buds, through April days while all of life goes singing on bright April's ways...
...felling copies oj The New Leader...
...HELPING TO BUILD PARTY AND PAPER Hlggias Is a Jtascaae Hlggtsjs "The Socialist party press can never be stronger than our move "n>snt," says State Secretary Biggins of West Virginia, in a state jnent sent to all the sub-divisions of the party in that state, In a ringing appeal, Hlggins cans on all the members to pledge themselves to purchase a few copies each of The New Leader to be sold or distributed...
...There is something dangerous to Socialists in keeping score cards on candidates...
...p. li Socialism hasn't broken up the home yet...
...Jack Altman, who has Charge of the squads, has neu plans under way to popularize our paper, and those wilting to halt should get in touch with him at the Hand Book Store or the Sociolisi party office...
...If we are more than political infants, we have passed that stage...
...Nonetheless, If Broun were to spend the next few years of his life making himself more clever and more charming and more witty, and better In every way and,—If he were then to become a candidate for a party that seeks to give aid and comfort to capitalism, I would find li necessary to rate him .0000000...
...We are the old...
...We are waiting to see whether there will be any left to break up in the next few years...
...Instruct your financial secretary tc order a bundle of papers every week...
...Not that the Socialist Party falls to attract good men...
...But there are so many good men who have grown up with the Ideals of capitalism and find themselves attracted to the conservative side of the political struggle...
...And Isn't it about time that we stopped discus, sing bad men and good men...
...He said that the candidates by their conduct and statements during the campaign might cause- the batting averages to change...
...too soon is spring not far behind...
...for the hempen cords draw taut upon our necks and strangle dreams a-sudden while we He upon the sagging beds In narrow Ghetto rooms . .. No matter and no matter, this we know: Reality that shattered dreams so many years ago...
...but what's the use...
...A rash order for 100 additional copies followed...
...Ylpaets to the Fore Evtry Friday and Saturday Yipsels and parly members may bi seen on prominent comers in New York and Brooklyr...
...too soon will come the spring and grass and trees and rases will bud In distant places that seem, so far away and long ago, hut which we still will dream about though we are old and seared and withered, furrowed with the dreams we sought but failed attaining...
...I am going to send list of twenty friends who would like The New Leader...
...This is our winter...
...Broun's score card merely conveys the impression that Thomas is the best man...
...Now, It seems to seem to Broun that .270 of Thomas should be kept out of the vVhite House...
...I wonder whether Broun might be In favor'of Thomas and Garner...
...Broun would not waste lengthy columns in stating his opinions of good and bad men...
...Just to Illustrate: I regard Broun as an excellent man, although his score card does not raise him In my estimation...
...Unemployed members are urged to sell th< paper and secure subs...
...A good man and wise man, one Woodrow Wilson, sent thousands of good Americans to the slaughter houses of Europe...
...The Broun viewpoint Is dangerous...
...She Liked the Pussle LytMa Wentworth of MMwu-Jtusett* writes that our pusale ot the capitalist party platform last week was so good that she weak ake to pass it on In leaflet form...
...There was no struggle within the Socialist Party for the nomination, as there was in tho Democratic Party...
...Building something a few feet higher than the Empire State building...
...Indeed, it seems to me that Roosevelt in points of character and sincerity Is not much higher than Al Smith (which is not very high...
...Attend to this matter without delay...
...No matter and no matter, this we know: Reality that shattered dreams so many years ago...
...s;' too soon we'll not be here to smell again the ram that running 'gainst the curbstones to the sewers will make a turgid river swiftly flowing for Ghetto young to sail their- ma tuns tick boats upon while we with purblind eyes look on and dream of quiet streams and foreign native dimes that seem so far away and long ago...
...One of the ways that the Chird Assembly District of the Bronx is promoting the sale of The New Leader ia seeing to it that active members of the branch purchase a'few copies of the paper weekly, The branch la working out a campaign to give The New Leader i circulation throughout the district on a scale that will open the eyes of our boosters...
...We are the old...
...He Likes It A. Aultfather of Akron, writes: "I Just ran across a copy ol your paper...
...Broun has generously indicated the possibility for further promotion for Thomas...
...If Socialism Is to rest Its case upon the relative merits of candidates, then Socialism rests on an insecure foundation...
...Both men served as agents of capitalism, not the workers...
...Not Enough The 460 copies ot^ The New Leader ordered by Local Newark last Saturday, were not enough to supply the crowd...
...J regard Hoover as pathetically muddle-headed, but I cannot help feeling that under a decent system of society, Hoover might prove a useful citizen and valued neighbor...
...We are the old . . . This is our winter . . . and soon will winter pass...
...And another good man, Newton Baker, was his Secretary of War...
...This might be a reasonable proposition If Broun wen to specify...
...9 of the Painters & Decorators Union, Neu York, orders a large bundle of papers for distribution...
...Now, what can Thomas do to win a higher rating...
...Another Secretary G. J. Brann, State Secretary of Tennessee, sends in a large lial of names, all of them prospects for subs...
...Raakob to join the Socialist Party...
...W. E. Annon, West Virginia, sends In two subs with the promise that others will follow soon...
...Take off his coat and vest to do some shadow-boxing with the Forgotten Man...
...The proposition baffles me...
...The demonstration for Al Smith so moved him that he was swept "off hi* feet" (really, he was swept on them) and forgot the- tedious business of keeping score...
...too soon the grasses long asleep will break again the sod, too soon we'll not be here...
...District Council No...
...We pass the saggeatton on to ft* party, as The New Leader does not print leaflet...
...Broun la .010 for Herbert Hoover...
...The paper shows steady Improvement," he writes...
...Or, get Mr...
...Broun published a preference table in his column and declared himself .721 for Thomas...
...We are the old, and springs will come and go, our Ghetto young will grow and dream what once we dreamt...
...My objection to him as a score keeper • arises from a peculiarity of his temperament as displayed at the recent Democratic convention...
...Norman Thomas Is the standard-bearer of the Socialist Party...
...Too soon will flowers bloom again . . . but we,, the tired, wrinkled old will not be here, (no matter) I , we'll not be here to taste again of spring, (no matter, 'tis for the young) we'll not be here to smell, again the rain that for so short a while will lave the streets of their accumulated grime, and dirt...
...A person reading such a chart might not be forewarned against poison, Broun's score card does not forewarn any one against the poison, either...
...It seems to me that If I were a candidate for President, I would not care to have Heywood Broun keep the score...
...The statement continues: _ "The plan calli for no sacrifice...
...We are the old, but not, not older tian the streets that wend their tortured way down to the river's edge . . . there is no change of scene, and evil, squalor, sordid grime and dirt stink In our many nostrils as when first we came eager and unafraid unto the' Ghetto and called It haven, heaven, thinking soon to leave for Cleaner places once we'd saved a bit . . . > Then we Were young and never dreamed the Ghetto's clutch would hold us tight within its grasp and wither day by day the dreams we held of freedom from the gaunt, gnarled fingers of factories and the shops wherein we spent our ' day" and oftentimes the nights hunched silent at machines...
...If this scorecard system were applied in the glib Brounian fashion to dletics, we might get a chart something like this: Spinach: .88432 Carrots: .75802 Poison Ivy: .00001 Of course, I do not vouch for the accuracy of the figures...
...Send the State Office of the Socialist party of West Virginia the gratifying news that your local is carrying out the plan for the pushing of The New Leader...
Vol. 14 • July 1932 • No. 3
