THE SOCIALISTS MUST LEAD!
THOMAS, NORMAN
THE SOCIALISTS MUST LEAD! Destruction of National Democratic Party Leaves Socialist Party The Only Vital Opposition, Norman Thomas Says By Norman Thomas 1 "The Socialist Party is now the...
...We know the field and the strategic centers...
...Forest City, Pa—Hoover 418, Smith l.SOfl, Thomas 40, Foster 4. Schenectady, N. Y—Schenectady County gave Hoover 29,269, Smith 21,218, Thomas 1,118...
...returns which the New Leader has received: MMdJegreve, Httaote, N*v...
...The Middle West refused to be budged from the Republican column...
...Eight years experience working for Al Smith...
...The bitter opposition to Smith which caused many die-hard Republicans to come to the polls for the first time contributed to the election of Berger's opponent...
...If we do not take the lead in making democracy real in politics and in economic life, I do not know who will...
...e gallant candidate of the Demo"*tic Party swung around the circle, ["Ming the voters from their apathy » cast their ballots for his opponent...
...Thomas received 2,801 votes in the county outside of Reading, an increase of 800 per cent, over last year's Socialist vote...
...The Negroes and the Gtttnaas swept over the Democratic J*»P and into the Republican shelter...
...This is the great meaning of the election, my comrades, and this is our glorious opportunity...
...w - FOR SAUL Mailing- list of liberals, tired radicals, and progressives who endorsed Al Smith...
...The genuine party of Big Business, the Republican, cut off the eareer of its imitation up-start, the Democratic party, in an unmistakable manner...
...With all the vehemence of his criticism of the Republicans, at a time when he was offering his maximum bid for labor's support he scarcely went beyond Hoover in specific promises in such vital matters as unemployment and labor injunctions...
...We have a far better idea than we did of the men and women on whom we count...
...M ceats a doxea...
...What possible reason had we for expecting a large vote when our organization was so nearly non-existent...
...Wisconsin Goes Hoover Wisconsin did not go Smith either...
...We have surveyed the situation...
...The final returns will show, however, that Berger increased his vote beyond any other vote ever given him...
...THE DISCORDANT G. O. P. The Republican rejoicing is greater now than it will be a year hence...
...They will have to resurrect it Everywhere throughout the county the voters turned out in full force te vote against the Happy Warrior...
...Fancy liberal coatings aad atmosphere oar specialty...
...To such a fantastic situation has the Democratic Party been reduced...
...The Corn Belt proved that it was more discontented with Tammany, Clerical rule than with low prices for corn...
...An those who want to assist the-paper are cordially invited to communicate with the business manager, Oirolamo Valenti, at the office, si East 10th Street, New York City...
...But it will be worth it...
...Smith received 10,226 and Hoover 25,103...
...John J. Socialist Vote Up In New York...
...Will yon forgive me...
...But we would leave little money and only volunteer organizers...
...WE MUST TAKE THE LEAD...
...We did not expect and did not claim a big vote in this election...
...See Mr...
...On the Pacific Coast the Republican forces swept on pitilessly despite the prophesies of some daring prognosticate...
...In 1926 the Socialists received 1,045 in Schenectady County...
...Thomas ser red 50,117 votes in the city, where- ' ranken, running for governor In 1' ~received 48,446, and Thomas, ry lag for governor in 1924, received but 44,852...
...Now I want to reiterate my belief that in this campaign we have done extremely valuable ground work for the rebuilding of the party...
...We must consider the structure of our party machine...
...Star gazer or palm reader to interpret result of election...
...While I am by no means content with our proposed new constitution, I earnestly hope that it will be adopted'for no other reason than that it permits groups to affiliate with us as groups...
...Let me say right here that the prime cause of the Democratic disaster was neither Protestant bigotry nor the Anti-Saloon League but, as I predicted during the campaign, the lack of cohesion and organization in the party...
...Sorry now I didnt vote for yon...
...Between these two dates the Socialist movement was almost wiped out through a variety of irresistible causes...
...Most of these voters, as the returns for president showed, were Hoover voters who naturally voted against the local Socialist candidates...
...Apply New York World...
...The city gave Roosevelt 18,194, OtUnser 19,238, and Waldman 788...
...I was never one of those who expected a million votes in the nation...
...Such was the great ac**BpllshmeHt of Raskob, the efficient of the Democratic campaign P contrasted with 4m t—Masr mf...
...Then the waves of Republican and Democratic ballyhoo and pressure through press, radio, movie and party machine would sweep over the city...
...I am against prejudice but think the Socialist party ought 'to change its name...
...Cheap...
...Democrats Are Shattered As National Party Hoover Sweep Breaks Party of Smith as Functioning Political Organization—Industrialized Southern States Swinging to G. O. P.—Four States Go Republican By Louis Stanley AL SMITH, courting the favor of Big Business, pocketing the votes of shrewd '"practical" progressives, wielding a campaign check book of Republican size, and brandishing a brown derby_ ot the 1928 New York vintage, nevertheless was thoroughly squashed ^>y Herbert Hoover, his stammering, stuttering opponent tor tne Presidency of the United States...
...For U. S. Senator, Rep...
...This is very encouraging...
...Work'for the Republicans...
...27, Socialist 19...
...In fact, it was...
...He did win some Southern states and nosed out Hoover in Massachusetts and Rhode Island...
...Weeks in advance of the election Maurer or I or some other prominent Socialist speaker would go to a town...
...These words from a telegram which I received late election night tell a story...
...For governor, the Socialist, Mary Hapgood, received 239, while Alfred B. Lewis, for IT...
...Their" usual announcement that-their non-partisan policy has been proven sound by the election of the friends of labor is equally awaited...
...Nuovo Mondo, as a result ot the ruthless war which has been waged against it by Mussolini and his benchmen operating in this country, has lived a precarious life, but the generous support of its friends has succeeded in keeping this, which is the only Italian AntiFascist dally in the world, alive...
...Apply New Republic, Mr...
...In this task we have wholly succeeded...
...Hoover 98, Smith 28, Thomas 22...
...In New York City it is somewhat better than the private estimate which a few of us had made before election...
...Apply Progressive League for Al Smith...
...Voted for Smith as protest against bigotry...
...The Socialist party has won the respect and gained the confidence of many thousands of workers and other open-minded persons, who are bound to come to our support in future political battles...
...The city of Schenectady gave Hoover 20,639, Smith 17,700, Thomas 785...
...Even Atlanta, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama cut loose from their Democratic moorings...
...8. Senate on the Socialist ticket, received 272...
...Neither the Germans nor the wets could stem the tide...
...We have earned for ourselves a position of leadership which we can only keep by continued thinking and planning...
...Bigotry played a sinister role but it is foolish noi> ense to say with Mr...
...emerge from the campaign with active nuclei of organizations in practically every state of the union, and with an enthusiastic mass of supporters, old and new, eager to take up the battle with increased zest and determination...
...Evidently brown derbies are not yet popular in sunny California...
...HAVE YOUR VOTE THROWN AWAY by one who has done it and knows bow...
...Hoover into* one party, the man is not Herbert Hoover...
...During the campaign we furnished the only intellectual opposition to Hoover's capitalism...
...William Hard, Washington, D. C ADVICE WANTED...
...The City of New York cut down his previous majority, knowing full well that the rural up-Staters would turn to Hoover...
...Ours is an opportunity that rarely comes to any group...
...If Al Smith had been himself, if his party had been itself, and all other factors except religion unchanged, he mold have carried the Southern states which he lost and possibly made a better showing in the Northwest...
...Ttfc...
...Great concession...
...Whatever liberal promise there seemed to be in Smith's acceptance speech petered out badly toward the end...
...From present indications it would appear that we have united about half a million votes on our presidential ticket...
...Vaclrca and others of international fame, will contribute special articles...
...In this situaation is at once a challenge to the Socialist Party and its opportunity...
...The vote in the county for governor was Roosevelt 22,402, Otting-er 27,077, Waldman (Socialist) 1,056...
...The increased registration of 20,000—moat of whom wars out "to get Smith"—was ttu factor that deprived the Socialists of electing three assemblymen...
...We Socialists alone furnished the intellectual opposition to Hoover's theory of society which I have previously described as expressed in the advertising slogan: "Milk from contented cows...
...In this campaign we made a new start...
...Morgenthau that if Al Smith had been a Protestant he would have been elected...
...Heywood Brows, The Tilign—, New York City...
...For U. S. Senator, Rep...
...Appeals have been sent to all progressive organisations to send messages of greetings to be published in the special edition...
...Hoover 100, Smith SO, Thomas 25...
...Aeeept my apologies...
...The complete inability of leaders to make any marked impression on the reSuit: the carrying of unionism into the, ditch with 8mith, and the consciousness that labor cannot be a force Inside either the Democratic or Republican organizations, are now topics of quiet conversation...
...Friday, November 16, being its third anniversary, Nuovo Mondo will celebrate this occasion with a concert and dance at Webster Hall...
...A. O. Hays...
...In that fellowship let us go forward...
...Possibly in spite of lack of organization a mass move* . ment due to crowd psychology and the obvious appeal of our platform might have given us a big vote if the crowd psychology had not been so thoroughly absorbed in the strange complex of issues which the nomination of Smith called into being...
...The New Leader: First Socialist vote since the war...
...Anything front s. dollar up...
...Trade Unionists Now Face Barren Party Results In New York City there is talk among some trade unionists who supported Governor Smith which questions the whole policy of going outside of the ranks of labor in politics...
...Of these details I can speak hereafter...
...Berger Loses Wisconsin Socialist Increases Vote But Is Defeated By Hoover Sweep—Scattering Returns Show Thomas Polling Good Percentage of Total Vote Cast QNLY scattering and fragmentary Socialist returns are available as The New Leader goes to press, but the figures received show that the party has improved its standing vastly over the figures of the last year or two...
...The progressives were supposed to have sacrificed the ultimate goal of a party of their own liking in order to give Smith the necessary votes to ele.t him...
...This crushing defeat of the Democratic Party is all to the good because it helps clear the way for that realistic political alignment "which we want...
...O. G. V, The Nation, New York City...
...The "realistic" liberals will be unsafe to resuscitate the Democratic *»rty...
...We are now the official opposition to the Republican Party...
...Our task will be immensely easier if Victor Berger has been returned to Congress to voice opposition on the floor of the House...
...In the needle trade unions many of the rank and file recognize that the covert support of Tammany Hall by a few leaders means death to that Idealism which alone built up and which can again „uild powerful unions in the Industry...
...It was the verdict of the great State of New York that it preferred its favorite son in the trucking business...
...One party can't fool the voters as well as two...
...The border states steered clear of the New Tammany...
...The same day the paper will issue a special edition, which will be devoted to Labor propaganda and carry the greetings of labor, progressive and fraternal institutions...
...I simply point to its manifest impotence...
...Senator John J. Blaine had given Al his endorsement...
...Destruction of National Democratic Party Leaves Socialist Party The Only Vital Opposition, Norman Thomas Says By Norman Thomas 1 "The Socialist Party is now the official opposition...
...Of course I shall rejoice over every additional vote and I am hopeful that the vote will exceed that half million which within the last few weeks has been my private estimate...
...As I said repeatedly during the campaign I should have been the equally happy mourner at the funeral of either of the old parties...
...Lipoma...
...Fltchburg, Mass.—Hoover 6,649, Smith 8,167, Thomas 213...
...87, Dem...
...Picture the situation to yourselves...
...Both of them are supposed to have been delivered, one by some noted libertarians, humanitarians and reformers, the other by labor officials according to the formula of rewarding the friends of labor and punishing* its enemies...
...The Democratic party is dead...
...In other words, Smith earned the states most opposed to him...
...There were those who predicted a Democratic victory in Hoover's home state...
...Greenfield, Mass.—Hoover 4,254, Smith 2,471, Thomas 60...
...However that may be, I repeat that we are in fine position to build a party if we go ahead...
...The leaders of organized labor declared their neutrality this year aa between Hoover and Smith...
...Here are other scattering...
...Arturo Glovannlbtl, one of the contributing editors, will be in charge of this special edition...
...The religious and moral prejudices of the South were compatible with the section's new industrial interests...
...Now I and that only Arkansas, Louisiana and Georgia voted with me...
...He would not have been elected...
...Our big task, of course, will be organization, and on methods of organization we must all be doing some straight thinking and effective acting...
...Usually we would have a good, even an enthusiastic meeting...
...The Socialists in New York looked for a drop in the vote and are overjoyed with the increase...
...Comparisons with the 1924 vote are impossible because the Party did not have its own candidate that year...
...What happened to the progressive and labor votes...
...farmers hurried to ward off agri?&ural relief from the sidewalks of J*» York...
...An unofficial election In Smith college grave Thomas 246, Smith S95, and Hoover 1,289...
...Let us be worthy of it...
...Greensburg, Pa...
...These trade unionists are those who had become pessimists regarding an independent party ot the workers...
...In the city of Reading Thomas obtained 3,885 votes, which was within 1,000 of what the party received whan ft carried the city last year...
...He had no program for foreign relations, coal taxation or the power monopoly as a whole...
...Two mysteries arise as a result of the campaign...
...RE - VTTALTZER FOR SALE...
...The management ot Nuovo Mondo is counting on the generous assistance ot all the forward-looking people to-" make this third anniversary celebration an eventful affair, such will help the paper both morally and financially...
...What should a puzzled liberal do...
...Democrats 2,171, Socialist 10...
...The decisive defeat of Governor Smith, who always made a peculiar appeal to the politically uncritical among workers and so-called progressives, has cleared the atmosphere and left us the undisputed leaders for the development of a true consistent and effective opposition party of labor and progress in the United States...
...Solid South" Broken 1 Smith's strenuous efforts were mightily rewarded...
...Later on I shall have certain concrete ideas to express in the columns of The New Leader...
...If any man could unite the incongruous elements behind Mr...
...From the day of bis nomination I knew that our work in this campaign would not show primarily in the size of the vote and that our vote would represent an irreducible minimum of believers in our ideals, believers who are willing to join up for a long fight...
...Thanks primarily to the inspiring work of our chosen standard bearers, Norman Thomas and James Maurer, the Socialist campaign was conducted on an infinitely higher moral and intellectual plane that that of either of the old parties...
...F. F. Walsh and Fred Howe...
...Nuovo Mondo Will Celebrate Anniversary The 16th of November, 192S, is the date when Nuovo Mondo first appeared as an Italian Labor and Anti-Fascist dally paper...
...The American love of riding on the band-wagon would assert itself...
...For governor...
...ApLIGHTER THAN AIR SPEECHES written on short order...
...As it is, it is an ironical fact that Democratic organization and...
...Fortunately no constitution of ours is unchangeable and in the light of experience we can make progress...
...Please help a poor man pay off the Democratic campaign deficit...
...Personal Column WANTED...
...Comrades Hoverter, Bower 'and George, running for the state legislature, were defeated by less than 1,000 votes...
...Individuals and parties are often a long time dying, so that I do not prophesy the immediate disappearance of a national Democratic organization...
...The only setback report thus far is the apparent defeat in Milwaukee of Congressman Victor L. Berger who was running for re-election...
...To go ahead will require a sacrifice of money, time and energy...
...The figures on the balloting in New York City are complete and show that, despite the heat of personal feelings and religious prejudices that swept the city, the party bettered by thousands the vote It received in 1924 and 1929...
...I knew Coo well the importance of organization and the weakness of our organization...
...Let ¦3 go forward...
...Lincolnville, Maine—Hoover 184, Smith 64, Thomas 15...
...Hillquit Sees Election Result Full of Socialist Encouragement By MORRIS HILLQUIT SOCIALISTS have every reason to be pleased with the result of the elction...
...But I thought from the beginning that the more likely victim was the Democratic Party...
...Croly...
...Northampton, Mass.—Hoover 4,S28, Smith 5,158, Thomas 00...
...The vote of nearly a million which Gene Debs polled in 1920 was no criterion for 1928...
...GOOD SPORTS WANTED...
...The Protestant bigots helped to ¦*wnp the Democratic bigota...
...THE SIZE OF OUR VOTE What our vote will show I don't yet know...
...Reading, Pennsylvania, also brought good news...
...We set ourselves the task of rebuilding the movement from the bottom up, without sterile pride in,our past achievements, without vain regrets about our past reverses...
...formance of Dr...
...BROWN DERBIES...
...2,618, Socialist 62...
...He will try to give the country a thoroughly conservative administration, efficient in a narrow sense and dangerously aggressive in the pursuit of foreign markets...
...History will thank him for breaking the Solid South...
...That state had been made out to be a counterpart of New York...
...It would even take a chance with a betrayal of another Republican administration than risk its fortunes with Al Smith...
...Senator LaFollette had given his tacit consent to the swinging of Republican votes to Smith...
...He would have joined Cox and Davis in defeat...
...2« citizens of all cities came out in ***¦ to look at him and vote yin«t him...
...Even Senator Norris' appeal on the water power issue did not transform agrarian disgruntlement into ballots...
...He would have made a worse showing in Rhode Island and Massachusetts...
...The affair will start at S o'clock in the evening...
...Prominent Labor and Socialist speakers will address the celebrants in different languages...
...Smith had, as a matter of fact, saved his energy by not even going to the coast but some liberals had engaged in a furious debate as to whether Smith or Hoover could capture the Far West...
...Reading is well satisfied with tb* Thomas vote, which, in the country districts is regarded as an Inspiring accomplishment...
...The voters just would not have Smith...
...Well known writers, like Hon...
...It might endure a Democrat for Governor—and it showed its liberality by electing Franklin D. Roosevelt to that office—but not even A! Smith would it make President...
...la the city Smith raoerred 7,971 sad Hoover 19,344...
...Light wanted on meaning of Al Smith vote...
...Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Texas risked "Negro domination" by going Republican...
...Today I want once more to thank my comrades for magnificent support and for a fellowship in the struggle that is one of life's richest gifts...
...New York, Al's own state, refused to give him up to the nation...
...We shall either have a faintly disdfeguised government by blocs in America or we shall build that progressive party of the workers with hand and brain {er which we Socialists fought with so much encouragement in this campaign...
...8,964, Dem...
...But even in private life his clear head and trenchant speech will be invaluable to us in this work of constructive opposition...
...THE SOCIALIST OPPOSITION It is this intellectual opposition which we must continue to offer and to make concrete in the months that are ahead...
...We must wipe out the deficit, which fortunately will not be as large as one time we feared, and create an organization fund...
...References Herbert Hoover...
...racial bigotry carried die electoral vote for Smith in the six Southern states where Protestant feeling is perhaps the strongest and where there was no thought even of modifying the Volstead Act, much less of changing the 18th amendment...
...No personal appeals could do any good...
...F. W. MOORE...
...TO NORMAN THOMAS...
...The Democratic Party is done for on any national scale and the Republican Party as now constituted can hardly be held together without the old line Democratic opposition...
...Republican 4,381...
...It is doubtful if he can get along well with his Congress which will probably act as a useful brake upon him...
Vol. 7 • November 1928 • No. 47
