Fall 1958 SOCIALIST Volume 19 No.4 REVIEW
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Another Step Ahead Deserved Praise The United Independent-Socialist porty Barring legal tricks which either the ever, has endorsed virtually all the ticket in New York deserves proise for mok ing a clean break with the Communist porty Republican or Democratic machines Democratic candidates, including Hogan that all might attempt in a last-ditch effort to for senator. Hogan is such an abject ond rejecting the latter's proposal condidates except Corliss Lamont for U.S. maintain their monopoly of the voting creature of the De Sapio machine that booths, the United . Independent-So even the millionaire Harriman sought Senate withdraw as the price of CP support. Such support would in any cIISe be a ruin cialist ticket was assured of its place to block his nomination. ous incubus. The Worker, the porty's weekly on the New York ballot as we went to The capacity of the Social Democratic press. orgon, hos sunk into the most deadly slovish and Communist party leaders to unite ness to Muscovite line, os wos evident ogoin The success in getting sufficient sig against a socialist ticket and in favor (Aug. 17) in its criticism of John T. Mc natures on the nominating petitions was of "lesser evil" candidates of one of the Monus, the U.I.S. candidate for Governor, a signal achievement, for besides the two capitalist machines should prove in because the National Guardi~n of which he unreasonable technical requirements, the structive to members of both organiza is editor criticized the execution of Nagy arduous work was hampered by ambush tions. and because - worst of sins - he is "coop shots from the side lines. The United Independent-Socialist erating with Trotzkyites." - I. F. Stone's Communist party leaders, who had ticket decided not to get into a dispute Weekly, Aug. 25. been invited to participate in the united over semantics with the Social Demo effort, levelled their fire at the ticket crats. "Independent-Socialist" is now when it was calculated to do the most the ballot designation. zation that demands due consideration harm. To persuade rank-and-file Com As for the Communist party ultima of State Department views is to be munists to go against their own wishes tum, the candidates, headed by Lamont, weighed against the adjectives they use and refrain from helping the socialist rejected it. McManus came to the de to describe the United Independent ticket, the Worker accused the nominees, fense of the Socialist Workers party, Socialist ticket. John T. McManus, Annette T. Rubin praising its work in the campaign, its The Weekly People, voice of Socialist stein, Corliss Lamont, Captain Hugh N. capacity to present forceful arguments Labor party representatives, who were Mulzac, and Scott K. Gray of being for its viewpoint in discussions over also invited in on the ground floor, has dominated by "anti-Soviet" elements; platform while listening attentively to likewise engaged in curious speculation namely, the Socialist Workers party. All other views. In his experience, he said, about the candidates: it is "plausible" the candidates except Lamont were told he had seen no evidence of anything to imagine, we are told, that "it is to withdraw. or suffer the consequences. "anti-Soviet" about the SWP. (See the highly unlikely that they would now Advertisements submitted to the Worker Militant, Sept. 1, and National Guardian, recoil from a tender of Republican aid" urging help in securing signatures were Aug. 25 and Sept. 8.) particularly in getting signatures on ; refused. Two more attacks should be noted as petitions. At the same time leaders of the So curiosities. Labor Action, the bi-weekly The fact is that many people who cialist Party-Social Democratic Federa voice of the Shachtmanites, has devoted have voted Republican or Democratic in tion attacked the ticket as "pro-Soviet." some columns to tortuous "analysis" of the past normally sign nominating peti They too had been invited to join in the meaning of the CP attack on what tions due to their conviction that every the democratic process of working out a it calls a "Stalinoid" ticket. This specu voter should have a chance to cast his minimum platform on which all so lation has amused at least those who ballot for a minority party if he wants cialists could unite in an election cam know that this group could have partic to. We doubt that election workers of paign; but they refused. They threat ipated in the united effort from the be the Socialist Labor party are instructed ened to file suit over the use of the ginning. Instead of seeking to help to refuse to accept such signatures on name "United Socialist" as a ballot des shape the platform and decide on can their petitions. ignation. didates, however, these "analysts" chose It is too bad that all these well-mean Both the CP and Social Democratic to forage in the Social Democratic bone ing socialists could not break through chieftains view the Liberal party as the yard which they hope will one day pro their sectarian habits for the sake of a best available meatts for registering a vide them with juicy pickings. Their united election campaign this year protest vote. The Liberal party, how- elation over acceptance into an organi- against the twin machines of Big Busi ness. We hope that they will reconsider by election day and pull the Independ ent-Socialist lever on the voting ma chines. Pep. Piffle and Fizzle As for the radicals in the rest of the country, we know that many of them Printers'lnk,' which is trying ·to persuade Salesmen all wore 'Keep the economy regard the work in New York as a hope advertisers that the depression over, was i~ strong' buttons, and streamers that appeal ful and significant advance toward a critical in its Aug. I issue of the auto in- to patriotism blazoned in, the streets. vigorous, nation-wide socialist campaign dustry's recent sales campaign: . "This sort of hoopla reached its ultimate in 1960. "What should be done when people don't when William Power, Chevrolet's national ad Other developments include discus buy? The favorite answer during the reces manager, rode into the Madison Squar~ sions in Seattle to probe electoral pos sion was 'more old-fashioned hard sell .. .' Garden rally in New York astride an ele sibilities and formation of a committee That wos typified by the You Auto Buy Now phont, wearing a pith helmet, firing blank in California. In Michigan Socialist campaigns held in 264 cities in the post five cartridges, and shouting, 'Pep without pur Workers candidates are stressing the months. If the~e wos such a thing as the pose is piffle!' " importance of preparing now for 1960. nard sell, that was it. Printers' Ink noted sordonically thot auto Meanwhile the Rev. Joseph P. King's "Most citie's 'had' a porade; -:- new cars, victory over Democratic efforts to keep sales dropped during' the campaign from old cars, stage- coaches, fire engines, all him off the ballot as Congressional can graced with pretty girls or circus clpwns. The 1957s level of 4.993.607 to 3,762,806 in the didate from Chicago's Second District streets of stoid Evonston, 0 Chicago suburb, same five-month period, a loss of 1,230,80 I has suggested to socialists elsewhere the rocked to the music of 0 wheezing calliope. models. obvious conclusion: "If it can be done in a place as tough as Chicago . 114 INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST REVIEW INTERNATIONAL Fall 1958 SOCIALIST Volume 19 No.4 REVIEW Editorial Which Road to Peace? HE Eisenhower administration appears, reluctantly, Soviet Union; all of Greece and half of Yugoslavia to T to have made up whatever collective mind it has Great Britain. This was the secret, "practical" side of that a concession must be made to the world-wide the famous "Four Freedoms" that Roosevelt and Chur demand that it follow the Soviet initiative and suspend chill had proclaimed as the Allied aims in World War II. nuclear poisoning of the earth's atmosphere. The public Attention should be paid to the anti-democratic char has been informed, consequently, that negotiations on acter of these conferences. Roosevelt, Churchill and America's giving up nuclear tests for "one year" will Stalin arrog-ated to themselves regulation of the fate of be undertaken - after ten more tests. Nothing was said, the peoples of the world. They assumed powers that no of course, about dismantling the stockpile now sufficient kings, emperors or dictators had wielded before them. to exterminate all life a dozen times over or of giving None of the three considered himself subject to con'trol up the manufacture of additional stockpiles for use as by parliamentary law, still less to control by the people good measure. he pushed around on the international chessboard. Nevertheless, this grudging gesture, coupled with Lest it be assumed that calling attenion to such equally grudging U.S. acquiescence in the United Na unpleasant facts indicates a bias on our part against tions resolution calling for the "early" withdrawal of international diplomatic relations, negotiations, govern American and British troops from Lebanon and Jordan, mental conferences and agreements in general, let us aroused fresh hopes that a "summit conference" is now specify right here that s.uch is not the case. We are for possible in which some kind of settlement assuring 8. conference to remove the obstacles to trade. like the peace might be reached between the USSR and the USA. ban on shipment of so-called "strategic" goods to the Among liberals and pacifists especially the continued Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China and the appeal of the Soviet government for such a meeting of countries of Eastern Europe.