A ROOM OF OUR OWN
Follette, Isabel Bacon La
A Room of Our Own Birthday Party The Day Arrives Progressive Woman By ISABEL BACON LA FOLLETTE WHAT a grand week-end! Wisconsin Progressives celebrated the sixth birthday of the Progressive...
...I laughed and told him that it was true, that there is so much interest and ever-Increasing opportunity that I tear like a fire-horse at the sound of the bell...
...SO the day finally arrived when we were to gather at Wisconsin Rapids, and from all over the state we drove through the rain to this city in central Wisconsin...
...We also realize anew that the methods that are successful in a rural community may be quite different from those applicable to Milwaukee, and find great value in appreciating each other's work...
...May the child wax in strength and stature with the years...
...We have raised the money to get it out here in Madison, but the women all over the state are taking the responsibility for its distribution...
...We had most worthwhile conferences on both Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, where women from various parts of the state compared notes and took home helpful suggestions for coming work...
...As I said to Phil last night when he suggested that I take a day off, the women are so eager to go ahead I must gallop to keep up with them...
...There Is no rest for the weary, but how marvelous that Is...
...I had written: "'The American people arc thoroughly awake to real issues with which they must deal, and realize the failure of the two dominant parties to meet them.'" These words were true In 1924 when the elder Sen...
...Phil La Follette is giving much of his time to this ground-work throughout the country...
...We were very' proud, too, of the greeting given at the main program on Sunday afternoon by Mrs...
...I think there is no more Important Job to do right nw than to express our feelings, to do our best to escape the war-tension, in worth-while action...
...But I certainly got a lot of scolding at the birthday party for falling down on the column Job, and I'll try to mend my ways...
...In ensuing issues it is the plan of The Progressive Woman to talk over with you our objectives as they affect every American home...
...To know the places, to have friends who live (or lived...
...There was serious consideration by all of the problems ¦which lie ahead of us in this campaign year...
...This anniversary month of May, however, when our Wisconsin Progressive party was founded, we want to close with a birthday greeting...
...The flags were out, the city gaily decorated, and the local Progressives had done everything posible to make our visit the enjoyable and inspiring time we each had...
...Today both Democratic and Republican parties are split wide open by bitter internal strife...
...Saturday afternoon and evening was given over to conferences of the state central committee, Progressive women, and the Progressive youth organization...
...First I was laid low with a bug that, went through our entire household with dire results...
...asked her mistress...
...At the moment I had been talking with a fine young woman who has splendid ideas on organizing the women of her county...
...Riding home, I said to Mrs...
...Then I went on a hurried trip with Phil where theoretically I rested but really spent much of It on N. P. A. One of the men was Joking me yesterday, "You are like a salesman for a big corporation on a whirlwind business trip...
...I' was somebody saying that it was a long distance from New York, and I told them that we knew that," replied the new servant...
...in them is too desperate...
...Those first days of the "blitzkrieg" I found myself repeating, "I simply can't bear it...
...Since the founding of the National Progressives of America in April 1938, organizing work has been going on a-pace in the many states whose progressive-minded people under various party labels are shaping their work in line with N. P. A. objectives and affiliation...
...I am sure that all of them felt as I did, the Inspiration and comfort that comes from hearing other women discuss problems and their methods of overcoming them...
...over and over again...
...All of these angles are important, but I think that the main effect from which I absorbed encouragement, yes refreshment, was the healthy realism of our women...
...They were true in 1934 when the Progressives of Wbconsin went out In the face of bitter opposition and in three weeks time gathered the signatures of 50,000 men and women who established the Progressive party in our own state...
...She started out by saying that her husband is a Democrat, that, she is a Progressive, that they have six children with two of voting age and that they are Progressives which "makes the score two In favor of me " We all enjoyed that...
...In the words of the sages...
...La Folic:'" :hem in announcing his candidacy for president as the spearhead of an independent progressive movement...
...In our little paper the •'Progressive Woman...
...Throughout our nation men and women increasingly realize this cruel fact...
...In each there is a progressive-talking element which recognizes that the American people are impatient and demand that the country's needs be met...
...They launched movement determined to i cure and preserve the right of a free people to work, and by their work to add to the wealth of the country...
...John Campbell of Dodgevllle, "I don't even know what has gone on in Europe during the last 36 hours...
...I must apologize for missing the last two columns In The Progresive...
...The details of a program for the new party will have to be worked out by a convention of Progressives from the various states of the nation...
...The elder La Follette's words were still true in 1938 when the Wisconsin Pro--ressives decided to accept . c responsibility for natlon-ieadership...
...She replied, "Yes, and it seems good to be so busy on our own problems...
...The new servant answered the telephone in a Denver home, muttered something into the receiver, and slammed it down...
...It has been great fun to see how the Individual women are using their Imagination as well as energies to get the little paper into as many hands as possible...
...In the main, although we discussed organization and money-raising through card parties to strawberry festivals, our talk centered about The Progressive Woman, the little paper we Wisconsin Progressive women on our own responsibility distribute more and more widely throughout the state...
...Who was that...
...I will skip over details and try to give you my impression of the points essential to us women...
...Wisconsin Progressives celebrated the sixth birthday of the Progressive party...
...Stronger, and thus paralysing these elements, are the leaders of both old parties who are grasping for power frankly and unashamedly at the acknowledged expense of thi average American...
...However, even now Progressives are united on basic principles, ths cornerstone of their union...
...I'm expecting an important call...
...Vena Rice of Sparta who represented us women...
...Many happy returns from The Progressive Woman, we Joyfully cry...
...may he achieve a useful life, bringing joy to mankind.' "Happy birthday, dear Progressive party...
...After the first impact, however, I have been trying to practice what I preach, pouring that energy into the big job to be done at home...
...We send our packages to the distributors and they do the rest...
Vol. 10 • May 1940 • No. 21
