Main FI Index | Main Newspaper Index
Encyclopedia of Trotskyism | Marxists’ Internet Archive
From Fourth International, April 1947, Vol.8 No.4, p.98.
Transcribed, edited & formatted by Ted Crawford & David Walters in 2008 for ETOL.
Fourth International’S three-month campaign for 1,000 new readers closed March 15 with subscriptions still coming in from the field. The total subscriptions obtained by the branches of the Socialist Workers Party is 790. Although this is only 79 per cent of the goal, the attainment of 790 new readers is a noteworthy achievement for Fourth International.
* * * *
|
SCOREBOARD |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
City |
Quota |
Subs |
Per Cent |
|
St. Paul |
20 |
29 |
145 |
|
Milwaukee |
15 |
21 |
140 |
|
Pittsburgh |
10 |
14 |
140 |
|
Minneapolis |
50 |
66 |
132 |
|
Youngstown |
30 |
39 |
130 |
|
Boston |
20 |
23 |
115 |
|
Reading |
10 |
11 |
110 |
|
Cleveland |
15 |
16 |
107 |
|
Flint |
30 |
32 |
106 |
|
San Francisco |
40 |
11 |
103 |
|
Newark |
40 |
11 |
102 |
|
Allentown |
5 |
5 |
100 |
|
Calumet |
5 |
5 |
100 |
|
Connecticut State |
10 |
10 |
100 |
|
St. Louis |
5 |
5 |
100 |
|
Chicago |
80 |
71 |
89 |
|
Detroit |
70 |
58 |
83 |
|
Seattle |
30 |
25 |
83 |
|
Oakland |
15 |
11 |
73 |
|
Akron |
26 |
12 |
60 |
|
San Diego |
10 |
6 |
60 |
|
New York |
200 |
111 |
55 |
|
Toledo |
30 |
15 |
50 |
|
Buffalo |
40 |
16 |
40 |
|
Portland |
5 |
2 |
40 |
|
Rochester |
5 |
2 |
40 |
|
Philadelphia |
40 |
15 |
38 |
|
Los Angeles |
120 |
24 |
29 |
|
Bayonne |
15 |
2 |
13 |
|
Tacoma |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
Texas |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
General |
- |
52 |
- |
|
TOTAL |
1000 |
790 |
|
* * * *
The first branch prize goes to Youngstown. This branch sent in the highest number of subs per member, based on the 1946 Convention membership record. The award is a bound volume of Fourth International for 1946.
A like award goes to St. Paul Branch for reaching the highest percentage. They top the scoreboard with 145 per cent.
The price for the highest individual PaceSetter in the country goes to Shirley Carlson of Minneapolis, who has 21 subs to her credit in this campaign. Comrade Carlson’s outstanding work has won for her a bound volume of New International for 1934-5-6, an extremely rare volume that can no longer be purchased for any price.
The prize for the second highest individual PaceSetter in the country goes to E. Kennedy of Detroit, who has 17 subs to his credit. Comrade Kennedy will be awarded a bound volume of Fourth International for 1946.
* * * *
The subscription that put St. Paul in the lead was received as we were about to make up the final scoreboard.
“This gives us 29 subs, 145 per cent, which isn’t bad;’ says Paul Shell. “We find that we received about 35 per cent returns on our method of sending FI’s to Militant subscribers and calling back for subs.”
Comrade Shell set the pace for St. Paul with 9 subs. Winnie Nelson followed with 7.
* * * *
The branches who finished the campaign with 100 per cent are proud of their achievement, and justifiably so. The going wasn’t easy.
Dick Carlson of Minneapolis, who has never managed a campaign before directed this one like a veteran. In his latest report he says:
“I am sending you 5 more subs. This brings our total to 66. I think I will be able to send you two more within the next two days.”
San Francisco’s Organizer, Bob Chester, reports for the branch:
“These subs should put us over the top, and accomplish a near miracle for SF. I never thought that we could make it – but we did!”
* * * *
Youngstown achieved its goal in a 6-week whirlwind campaign, according to Harry Braverman’s report:
“We had to hold up our campaign for FI subs until the national campaign was almost over because we had our large and important Lenin Memorial Meeting to build up. Actually, we could only run a 6-week campaign. But the branch did a bang-up job as you can see from the results. Subs are still coming in. We expect important political returns from this increase in FI subscribers in our area.”
* * * *
“Our find score in Milwaukee,” reports Virginia Barrett, Campaign Manager, “is 20 subs. The PaceSetter for the branch is Robert Henderson with 7 subs. Of course, we don’t know whether Sam Taylor our Madison comrade, has sent in any additional subs. We have him down for four. If he has sent in anymore, please credit him. We are happy that our branch is over the top in this campaign, but we had hoped for even better results. However, campaign or no campaign, you can be sure that the Milwaukee comrades are always on the alert for prospective subscribers to Fourth International.”
* * * *
Latest reports from the branches promise more subs. For instance, Harry Smith of Reading, Pa., writes:
“This sub puts Reading in the 100 per cent column, and the promise of more subs.”
Likewise Boston in F. Daniel’s report, which states:
“With these four subscriptions our quota of 20 has been filled. However, I expect we can dig up a few more in the next few weeks. All in all, I’m glad we made our quota.”
* * * *
Letters from those branches that were not able to complete their quotas on schedule show a determination to continue getting subs until their goals are reached.
Seattle Branch is one of these.
“As you can see” writes Clara Kaye, “our FI campaign really gathered steam this last week. This brings our total to 25. If you give us another 10 days we’ll definitely hit that 30 mark.”
Clara Kaye is Seattle’s Pace-Setter. She has 6 subs to date.
* * * *
Detroit is also determined to hit its goal. E. Brent sent in 8 more subscriptions and wrote:
“We were slow in getting started but are now in full swing. This batch will bring us up to 58. E. Kennedy and D. Darnell are leading in Detroit. Comrade Kennedy, who is determined to win the top prize, is leading with 17 subscriptions. Darnell is trailing with 11 subs. Both have promised additional subs for this week.
* * * *
Chicago will not stop getting FI subs until it reaches its goal.
“We are going to extend the campaign another week;’ states Miriam Roberts, “and get the remaining 9 subs which would make up our quota of 80. Frank R. won local first prize with 8 subs – a bound volume of Fourth International. Belle won local second prize with 7 subs – $2 in literature.”
Main FI Index | Main Newspaper Index
Encyclopedia of Trotskyism | Marxists’ Internet Archive
This work is in the Public Domain under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Encyclopedia of Trotskyism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors & proofreaders above.
Last updated on 12.2.2009