The Milwaukee leader (Milwaukee, Wis.), May 23, 1932, (Home Edition) (page 1)

So long as Vie war of classes shall continue, the weak and helpless must ever look to trade unionism as its most powerful defender. --Clarence C. Darrow. Vol. 21--No. 143 THOMAS. MAURER HEAD PARTY TICKET Socialists Launch 1932 Campaign 5,000 CROWD HALL TO HEAR CANDIDATES Speakers See Victory Within Grasp of Party. "It is within the power of the w >kers to build up an or ganization that will strike against war --of men who would dare to say, 'I will die u necessary, but not in mortal combat with our brothers.' Norman Thomas.

"Any system that piles up mountains of wealth and then compels those who created that wealth to suffer privation, to beg, steal or starve is not only morally criminal but actually stupid."--James H. Maurer.

"The ruling class should provide bread for its slaves. It has ruled and it has ruined the world. The time has come for a new, vigorous class to taka over the government of the world. We ask for a man date from the people to build on the ruins of the outworn economic system, a new eco nomic structure."--Morris Hill quit. Socialists launched their cam paign to the masses of the nation last night at the Auditorium be fore a crowd of 6,000 Milwaukeeans, delegates and visitors to the na tional convention of the Socialist party. Prolonged cheers punctuated the addresses of Norman Thomas, New York, candidate for president of the Pnited States; James H. Maurer, eßading, Pa., nominee for vice presi dent; Morris Hillquit, New York, keynote speaker of the convention and national chairman of the party; Oscar Amering, Oklahoma City, the party's wit and former editorial writer of The Milwaukee Leader, and Daniel W. Hoan, mayor of Mil waukee and master of ceremonies. Victory Within Grasp. The party's standard hearers and strategists on last night's program re so stimulated and encouraged .the exceptional ovations which aey received that though earlier speakers hesitated to prediete cap ture of the presidency until 1936, the later speakers, including Nor man Thomas, were inspired to feel that victory is already within the grasp of the national Socialist party. "Don't tell me you can't do in other towns what you have done in Milwaukee," said Thomas in wind ing up his address. "This campaign as I see it is a campaign of all of us--to all of us. "Because we have forgotten to hope, the Democratic and Repub lican parties have prolonged their lives beyond their appointed span. Have New Hope. "But we have our well-founded hope--the hope that will send us onward in our humdrum tasks, into the wards and villjges, cities and the countrysides. It is the hope that will conquer. "Iv is a hope that will not make us forget where we are going or divert us with side issues from our objective. "If we put our feet firmly in the path thfct leads to the co-operative commonwealth and permit the st lichen men and women of Amer ica to hear and learn about the So cialist message of hope, and if we press on in that hope--victory on Nov. 5 will be ours." Leo Krzycki, Milwaukee county organizer, his voice showing no signs of the strain to which it was subjected as reading clerk at the convention, called the mass meeting to order. "Milwaukee is host to all of these delegates from coast to coast and far and near, and all of you Mil waukeeans are the reception com mittee." said Krzycki. Hopes They Have Enjoyed. Mayor Hoan. introduced as mas ter of ceremonies by Krzycki began: "I hope the delegates will feel hat they have enjoyed their visit .tnd have done well. "It is never our policy in Milwau kee to boast of our accomplish ments. We have not done anything that Socialists of other cities could not do perhaps better than we have done. "This convention is being held in -me of the most critical times of our Mstory, if it is not the most vritical ime. "Democrats and Republicans will rive us the same old makeshift iromises. and again leave it to the tocialists alone to offer definite lans and the only way out. "When the votes arc counted Nov. Turn to Page Two, Column Five. The Milwaukee Leader iK r jWfeM K 2 .^n| M Norman Thomas of New York One Mighty Thrill as Thomas Is Nominated Like bombs sent to pierce the stars, the Socialist national conven tion late yesterday skyrocketed the names of Norman Thomas and James 11. Maurer through the roof of the Auditorium. This pair appeared as candidates for president and vice president be fore an indifferent United States in 1928. They carry the party standards to an attentive United States in 1932, with the unanimous shouts of loyalty and enthusiasm of their 213 fellow delegates warming them to their purpose. Bearers of Socialist Standard The convention reassembled after the noon recess to lay down its cards speedily and with well planned end plays in the matter of placing its presidential ticket before the pub lic. During the interlude the news reel men had moved down to the front of the hall all the elaborate apparatus which had been ready for hours for this nomination. In their number lay recognition that the moment was one of national sig nificance. Two batteries of lights had been set up flanking the plat form. Series of reflectors sent the searching rays or dozens of power- MONDAY EVENING, MAY 23, 1932. James H. Maurer of Pennsylvania ful bulbs toward the stage from all points of the balcony. The conven tion hall hummed expectantly as Louis Waldman, successful young labor attorney, rose from his seat in the midst of the New York delega tion. Waldman mounted the rostrum to present the name of Thomas. Cama ras rose on all sides. Lights blazed everywhere. The big moment had begun. The tension was that which makes every major political con vention a gripping picturesque drama. The glare was like the ris ing sun of Socialism such as was depicted on so many banners of Mil waukee's May day parade. Waldman is among the most dy namic of the party orators. Years of defense of labor groups, in the New York courts, lay behind his eloquence in expressing the hopes of --By Leader Staff Photographer. the working class in the November voting booths. As he raised a tense finger, the movie men turned on their ma chines. The great spectacle of the first political convention was going on celluloid record. The machines ground out his glowing words of tribute to Thomas: "New York and Ohio vied for the privejege of naming this mau," they will quote him in flashes across hundreds .of moving picture house screens. And "New York won be cause Ohio was silly enough to let him move to New York." Waldman built a stirring climax of enthusiasm, which broke loose when he named his man. At the sound of Thomas' name the thunder rolled. Delegates shouted and pounded their tables with both fists. The galleries cheered. The strains of Socialist tunes came from an off Turn to Fag© Two, Column One Entered aa second-class matter August 25. 1920, at the pcstoffies at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the Act of March 3. 1879. VETERANS OF SOCIALIST, LABOR MOVEMENT IN 0. S. CHOSEN BV UNANIMOUS VOTE OF DELEGATES Convention Program TODAY. 2:30 p. m. --Unfinished busi ness. 3:00 p. m. --Election of the chairman and members of the national executive committee for 1932-1936. 6:00 p. m.--Convention din ner in the Pfister hotel, Aid. Paul Gauer, president of the common council, chairman. TOMORROW. 9:30 a. m. --Completing un finished business and adjourn ment of the convention. PARTYPASSES FIV E BILLION BELIEF HAM A plank demanding a federal ap propriation of $5,000,000,000 for im mediate relief for those in need to supplement state and local appro priations was passed today, as the Socialist national convention con tinued its sessions for drafting a platform today. Considerable discussion on an other plank providing for a federal appropriation of $5,000,000,000 for public work to relieve unemploy ment developed. The delegates, while in favor of the proposals for the appropriation, insisted upon more specifically stat ing in what manner this money is to be used. Ask Idle Factories For Workers. An amendment by Darlington Hoopes, Pennsylvania, to provide for legislation for turning over idle land, factories and equipment to the unemployed workers to allow them to produce food, fuel and clothing, was adopted by a motion of 78 to 62. Sheriff Al Benson in a speech sup ported the proposal and the Wis consin delegation voted for it. Another amendment offered by John M. Glenn, Washington, pro posing that the government encour age and aid the establishment of industrial exchanges and the tak ing over of factories for the unem ployed was defeated. The plank as finally adopted reads: Plank as Finally Adopted. "A federal appropriation of $5,- 000,000,000 for public work and roads, reforestration, slub clear ance and decent homes for workers by the federal government, states and cities an dproviding for legisla tion for turning over idle land, fac tories and equipment to unem ployed workers to allow them to produce food, fuel and clothing." Other planks adopted are for a six-hour day and five-day week, without reduction in wages and the comprehensive and sufficient of three public employment agencies. The convention this afternoon continued its discussion on th ques tion of a compulsory system of un employment compensation or insur ance with a division among the dele gates as to whether insurance or compensation should be favored and as to whether such compensation should be based on contributions by employers or raised by federal tax ation on incomes gifts and inheri tances. Roewer in Chair. The session today is presided over by George Roewer, Boston. It is expected that a discussion on the party's stand on the prohibi tion question will come up late in the meeting. Weatnigy Milwaukee and vicinity: Fair and warmer tonight; tomorrow increasing cloudiness and warmer. Moderate southerly winds. Temperature range tomorrow, 54 to 72. Wisconsin: Possibly showers In north west portion tonight or tomorrow and north-central portion tomorrow. Other wise generally fair with increasing cloudiness. Warmer, except in west central portion tomorrow. TEMPERATURES. 6 p. m 55| 4 a. m <...46 7 p. m. 53 5 a. tn. ......,.46 8 p. m. 471 6 a. m. 49 9 p. m. 471 7 a. m. ........53 10 p. ~.47 8 a. m 53 11 p. m 47' 9 a. m 55 i Midnight .......47110 a. m ..55 I 1 a. in 47|11 a. m 55 2 a. m. ........47'Noon 55 I 3 a. m 46| I Humidity: 7 p. m., 43; 7 a. m., 70; I noon, 48. Temperature, 24 hours to mid j night: Maximum, 56; minimum, 43; I mean, 50; normal. 56. Midnight to 10 i a. m.: Maximum, 55; minimum, 46; wind I velocity at 7 a. m„ six miles; direction I of wind at 7 a. m., east; sunrise today, 4:21; sunset, 7:16. Nominations Are Made Amid Scenes of En thusiastic Acclaim; Waldman Says Crisis Paves Way for Socialists. PARTY CANDIDATES ALONE WILL CHAMPION CAUSE OF WORKINGMAN Will Strive to Lead Millions of Persons Out Of Misery and Privation; Says Capital ism at End of Journey. Norman Thomas of New York for president. James H. Maurer of Reading, Pa., for vice president. These two veteran leaders of the Socialist and labor movement of America will again, as in 1928, be the standard bearers of the Socialist party of the United States in the coming national campaign. They were chosen by the unanimous vote of the delegates to the national Socialist party conven tion, in the nominating session of the convention in the Auditorium late yesterday, amid scenes of enthusiastic acclaim and fervor. Thomas Is Only Nominee for President. Thomas was the only nominee for Socialist can didate to the highest office in the nation. Maurer's choice as candidate for the second place was made unanimous after Mrs. Meta A. Berger of Milwaukee, widow of the late Socialist Con gressman Victor L. Berger, who also was nominated, de clined. The nomination of Thomas by Louis Waldman of New York created an outburst of tremendous applause and cheering by the whole convention. The cheering was in creased, with delegates standing on chairs and tables, when a group of "Yipseis," preceded by Joe Carver's band, start ed a march through the convention hall bearing a red flag and signs and banners with Socialist slogans. Greeted With Cheers. When these young people started to sing the Inter national hymn and the Red Flag delegates and visitors alike fervently joined in. The enthusiastic cheering was renewed following the seconding speeches by Mayor Daniel W. Hoan, Joseph W. Sharts, Ohio, and Oscar Ameringer, Oklahoma, and burst forth in even greater volume when Thomas was escorted to the paltform by a committee com posed of Al Benson, local Socialist sheriff; Frank Daniel, Pennsylvania; Morris Kaplan, Minnesota; Sharts and John Packard, California. Maurer's and Mrs. Berger's nominations brought sim ilar acclaim. In his nominating speech recounted the history of the DINERSWILL HEAR THOMAS AND MAURER Speakers at the Socialist party convention dinner in the Ferm room, Pfiste rhotel, tonight, will in clude Norman Thomas. New York, Socialist candidate for president, and James H. Maurer. Reading, Pa., Socialist candidate for vice president. A feature of the dinner, which will be especially attractive to mu sic lovers, will be a short piano concert by Prof. Vladimir Karapet off, Cornell university. Bobby Stewart, Milwaukee, will sing. Music for the banquet will be furnished by Joe Carver's orches tra. Seated at the toastmaster's table will be Aid. Paul Gauer, president of the common co;*" n il, who will in troduce, besides the candidates, Mayor Daniel W. Hoan, Oscor Ameringer, Oklahoma City, Okla.: Clarence Senior, Chicago, national secetary; Leo Krzycki, Wisconsin secretary, and Heywood Broun, not ed New York columnist. The dinner, which starts at G p. m., will be infor nal, sponsored by the Socialist party of Milwaukee county to allow 'Milwaukeeans op portunity to become better acquaint ed with national Socialist celebri ties. HOME EDITION PRICE THREE CENTS for Thomas, Waldman briefly past four years with a drop from feverish productive ac tivity to industrial stagna tion, and asserted that the present industrial crisis will make the Socialist message acceptable to the masses of the people. Shows Real Leadership. "The Socialist party must present to the nation a ticket which will show intelligent, courageous and constructive leadership," Waldman said. "We have gone through three years of hopelessness in which millions of people have reached the depths of misery and privation, and it must be our purpose to pre sent candidates who can in spire these people with a new hope--to lead them out of the present terrible situation. "There will be no difference between the candidates of the Republican and Demo cratic parties. The Socialist party is the only party that can and will champion the cause of the working class. "The qualifications that our can didate for president must meet are; that he must be a Socialist dedi cated to the establishment of a democratic social system which will Turn to Page Nine, Column One.