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From Fourth International, vol.4 No.7, July 1943, p.194.
Transcribed, marked up & formatted by Ted Crawford & David Walters in 2008 for ETOL.
The most significant events of the month, from the Business Manager’s point of view, were two subscription campaigns in New York and Cleveland.
The wind-up report from New York speaks for itself. We quote:
“A successful campaign for subscriptions to The Militant and Fourth International was concluded this week by the Central Branch of Local New York, Socialist Workers Party. In the four weeks of the campaign 51 subs (23 of these were Subscriptions to Fourth International), amounting to $93.00, were brought in.
“Six competing teams participated in the campaign, with the winning team, ‘The Activists,’ bringing in 25 subs and a total of $40.
“The campaign wound up on Sunday, June 20, with a party in honor of the winning team. A special prize was awarded to Clare Hopkins who turned in the highest number of subs – eleven, amounting to $18. Clare sold in addition two copies of Leon Trotsky’s In Defense of Marxism and other party literature.
“Much enthusiasm was aroused by the campaign. The comrades reported that our press is very well received by contacts. The consensus of all reports is that once a worker reads our press he is willing to take a subscription. This has also been the experience of other branches throughout the country, and many comrades have reported, ‘All you have to do to get subs is to go after them.’
“The comrades of Central Branch feel gratified with the results of their campaign. They feel they have aided in the accomplishment of important political tasks.”
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Cleveland wrote in at the conclusion of its subscription campaign:
“As organizer I have been riding the branch for sometime to get some contacts seen and some subs sold. There were many excuses – lack of time, working hours, tired out, etc., etc. I recently changed jobs myself, from an office job to a tough job in a steel mill. I took the occasion of my change of job to start this campaign which I challenged the rest of the branch put together, and said that no excuses could be accepted anymore. We put a little stake on the outcome.
“The result was an even tie, 23 points apiece, a number of new contacts, and a real demonstration that we could get results if we worked. We combed our contact list, got a new appreciation of its value, and maybe will get several new members as a result of this activity.
“The rules of the contest were simple: (1) One point for each dollar turned in, Militant or FI; (2) Your own sub counts.
““I am enclosing a list of the subs obtained.”
***
Other branches also realize the importance of getting subscriptions:
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Minneapolis and St. Paul recently conducted a thorough discussion on Fourth International and from this discussion came many invaluable and interesting opinions. Some of them are:
“The FI must maintain a high theoretical level, inasmuch as it is the leading organ of theoretical Trotskyism in the world. As such, the FI must educate Trotskyist and friends of the Trotskyist movement throughout the entire world on the necessity for theoretical clarity in the analysis of their own social and political problems.
“... Contrary to an opinion in the Manager’s Column of the May issue, the magazine makes good reading for streetcar riding.
“One housewife gave the opinion that the FI is much livelier than the NI was and that she does not regard reading the FI as a chore.
“Among our friends there is general agreement that the FI is far superior to the old New International, and that no comrades need feel any hesitation about circulating the magazine among worker-contacts.”
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The following letter, signed “An FI and Militant Reader,” just reached us:
“I just want to let you know that I think the June issue of the Fourth International is an excellent edition. I have been reading the magazine since the first of this year and it seems to improve with every edition. All of the articles in the June issue were outstanding, and what was unusually inspiring was Larissa Reissner’s article. It brought out the human interest which several people believe is lacking in the magazine. It made the whole theory of the revolutionary movement assume real and dynamic shape. I, for one, would like very much to read more of this woman’s writing.”
The editor informs us that more of Larissa Reissner’s articles are forthcoming.
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Last updated on 12.9.2008