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Fourth International, September 1948

 

Manager’s Column

 

From Fourth International, Vol.9 No.7, September 1947, p.194.
Transcription & mark-up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.

 

The group of revolutionists in Cyprus who recently applied for membership in the Fourth International requested regular copies of Fourth International and The Militant, to follow the American Trotskyist movement.

This is the group who for years did not know what “Trotskyism” meant when the Stalinists accused them of it. Finally they investigated and discovered they really were in agreement with the policies of the world movement founded by Leon Trotsky. Now they will have a chance to learn how the American Trotskyists conduct an election campaign against the world’s mightiest imperialist force, Wall Street’s Republican-Democratic regime, while the Stalinists support a third capitalist party.

* * *

From a new Trotskyist group in Dublin also comes a request for Fourth International and The Militant.

* * *

“I have had hard times recently,” writes M.K. of Montreal. “I was ill and unable to work. Besides physical nourishment I must have mental nourishment. I cannot do without your publications, The Militant and Fourth International, and would ask that you continue my expired subscription a few months longer and I will make every effort to remit full payment and some more besides. Can you do it? Thank you very much.”

We know just how M.K. must feel. We also know he’ll pay when he can “and some more besides” to help send the magazine to some other hungry reader.

* * *

A new subscription just arrived from Geneva, Switzerland, for Fourth International and The Militant. The $10 payment included $5.50 as a donation. Our thanks to M.S.

This is how a revolutionary periodical gets along. One worker’s donation helps another in distress. Tomorrow the tables may be turned but the process is the same.

Workers make donations to Fourth International and The Militant for the same reason they read these publications – because they agree with the political ideas and program presented, and want to help spread the message of socialism as far as possible

* * *

Four out of every five Fourth International subs received this month were in combination with The Militant or from Militant readers. That is about the year-round average: 80% of FI readers also take The Militant. One sound practical reason is that the two subs in combination may be had for $2.50. This reduced price cannot be listed on the expiration notices sent out with the magazine, but subscribers may alter that form when renewing at $2.50 for the combination. When they send $3 we tack a little onto the two subs.

In any case, we are trying to average up all Militant-FI subs so they will come out even. When Fourth International appeared bimonthly for five issues, all combination subs were thrown out of balance. As rapidly as possible this is being corrected whenever both subs are renewed in combination.

* * *

Fourth International is, of necessity, getting far less attention than The Militant during the Socialist Workers Party presidential campaign. Thousands of new workers are being reached with the special 25c introductory subscription to The Militant, and all emphasis is being put on the campaign paper. It is reasonable to expect many of these new readers will soon develop a great intellectual appetite and will want to get the theoretical magazine also. The election campaign reaches them first with the weekly paper and perhaps a pamphlet or two. It is up to our co-thinkers throughout the country to see that these new readers get the opportunity to become acquainted with Fourth International.

 
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Last updated on 26.2.2009