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From New International, Vol.5 No.6, June 1939, p.162.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.
THE entire edition of 4,500 copies of the popular May number of The New International is sold out, and yet – IT IS NOW FOR OUR READERS, AND PARTICULARLY THE SWP AND YPSL UNITS TO DECIDE IF THE NEW INTERNATIONAL IS TO CONTINUE ... TO ANSWER YES! at least two things need to be carried through at once:
Short of immediate, decisive and positive steps to accomplish these two elementary, but now determining tasks, THE NEW INTERNATIONAL WILL QUICKLY DISAPPEAR FROM THE SCENE. The foreign countries have more than done their share to maintain the magazine. Indeed it is time we rendered more aid to financially weaker places abroad. The responsibility for the immediate future of The New International today rests with the American comrades.
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In recent issues of the At Home column, we began to point out certain delinquencies and inadequacies of important Party and YPSL units, and to suggest remedies. As these notes are written, the following localities WILL NOT RECEIVE BUNDLES OF THE JUNE NUMBER, unless, by the time the June issue goes to press, payments on bundle accounts will have been forthcoming:
LOCAL SAN FRANCISCO: Bundle discontinued already with May issue for non-payment of bills. No good reasons have been given for repeated negligence by the San Francisco organization.
OAKLAND, Cal.: Non-payment of bills for several months; NI office not in a position to carry any longer.
DOWNTOWN BRANCH, NEW YORK: Slow in paying bills, although one of largest branches in city. Does poorest job of any important Party branch in the country. In view of presence in Branch of otherwise active and leading members, what appears to be a general indifference to the fate of The New International is incomprehensible. Literature agent E. Konikow makes steady efforts for improvement, but quantity handled, subscriptions secured, etc., have decreased. This branch will receive further consideration on another occasion.
SEATTLE, WASH.: Non-payment of bills. Unemployment cited.
Till now bundles have been sent free to field organizers in South Bend, Ind., Wichita, Kans., and other places. But unless larger units pay their bills, this assistance will have to cease. Moreover, the business office has been carrying several cities, such as Flint, Mich., because members were unemployed. This, too, cannot be done any longer until the magazine’s income picks up again considerably.
Several other cities, whose names we do not mention here (anticipating improvement) will hereafter not receive their bundles unless payments are made more regularly and back accounts paid up. A considerable amount of money is outstanding with the Party units. If the payments come forth quickly, the magazine will more easily weather the summer period. The management has no wish to act drastically; this is done only when there is a choice of publication or non-publication of The New International itself. In such circumstances, the general good and interest have to prevail over particular local situations. The comrades will understand that: hence now is the time to cooperate and assist the magazine.
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Four hundred (400) SUBSCRIPTIONS which expired in recent months, still remain TO BE RENEWED. Many renewals have been obtained by direct correspondence of the management. But experience demonstrates that to get almost 100% RESPONSE IN RENEWALS, the Party and Youth members must assist by visiting the readers of the magazine for renewals. This is not a hard task, but has to be carried out within two weeks. Important revenue can thereby accrue for The New International, which has so far maintained itself almost entirely through circulation. Moreover, direct contacts are thus retained by the Party and YPSL for utilization in other activities. The response to the RENEWAL SUBSCRIPTION DRIVE may be decisive for the regular appearance of the magazine during the summer months. Party and YPSL members, do you want The New International to continue? If you do, SUBSCRIBE YOURSELF AND TAKE PART IN A DRIVE FOR RENEWALS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS!
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The bulk of the subscriptions to be renewed are in Greater New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Newark, San Francisco, Cleveland and Boston.
Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Louis are making systematic efforts to obtain renewal subscriptions and we confidently expect good results there. In New York the efforts of Mary Green, City New International agent, have brought results; the Teachers Branch in the past has done very well in this respect, but of late there has been a let-down. From the Upper West Side Branch, Chet Manes, agent, several renewal subscriptions have been brought in. But in Greater New York, far, far more needs to be done in the field of subscriptions ... The combination offer of The New International and Big Business and Fascism by D. Guerin should make it easier to obtain subscriptions.
Special mention must be made of the work of the YPSL agent in New York, Sol Dollinger. Under his direction the YPSL is responding better than in any previous period with the magazine. Likewise the YPSL Unit in Berkeley, Cal. continues to do a nice job of circulating the magazine and comrade S.T. writes that there will be no let-up despite the summer and vacations. It can be done! The YPSL organization in Chicago is cooperating in a joint subscription drive with the Party. Sam Richter of the SWP and Max Weinrib of the YPSL are in charge. We have no doubt of the best results, knowing the calibre of the Chicago YPSL particularly ... Subscriptions! More subscriptions! And still more subscriptions! That is the need today.
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The printer says, that’s enough – the type won’t stretch. But this should be enough anyway, comrades, for you to get to work so that it can continue to be said: “The finest Marxist magazine published in any language.” (Havana, Cuba reader.) And: “The best and ONLY Marxist theoretical paper in the world that appears in the English language.” (London, England readers.)
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