MIA: History: USA: Publications: International Socialist Review


International Socialist Review

Cover of the May 1913 issue of the ISR; it is a large profile picture of Big Bill Haywood

 

CONTENTS BY ISSUE
(1900 until 1918)



Special Note of thanks to the following individuals and institutions that made copies of The International Socialist Review available and help scan and process them for this archive: Google Books, Archive.org, Dr. Marty Goodman of the The Riazanov Project and David Walters from the Marxists Internet Archive and Holt Labor Library.

The International Socialist Review was a monthly magazine published in Chicago, Illinois by Charles H. Kerr & Co. from 1900 until 1918. The magazine was chiefly a Marxist theoretical journal during its first years under the editorship of A.M. Simons. Beginning in 1908 the publication took a turn to the left with publisher Charles H. Kerr taking over the main editorial task. The later Review (as it was called by its contemporaries) featured heavy use of photographic illustration on glossy paper and mixed news of the contemporary labor movement with its typical theoretical fare.

Loyal to the Socialist Party of America throughout the entire course of its existence, The International Socialist Review after 1908 was recognized as one of the primary voices of the party's left wing. It defended the concept of revolutionary socialism against those who would reduce the Socialist Party to a party of ameliorative reform, expounded upon the syndicalist ideas of the revolutionary industrial union known as the International Workers of the World, consistently fought against the expansion of militarism being pushed forward by the so-called "Preparedness" movement, and provided a vehicle for the leaders of the Zimmerwald Left to relay their ideas to an American audience.

After American intervention in the European World War in 1917, the International Socialist Review came under increasing pressure from the U.S. Post Office Department and United States Department of Justice. Its loss of mailing privileges at the hands of the Wilson administration's Postmaster General, Albert S. Burleson in 1917 sounded the death knell for the publication. The magazine died early in 1918, chiefly due to this government pressure. A brief attempt to revive the publication as The Labor Scrapbook under the editorship of Mary Marcy, Kerr's chief lieutenant, proved unsuccessful in 1918.

Simons period (1900-1908) Algie M. Simons, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, was the first editor of the International Socialist Review.

The International Socialist Review was edited from 1900 to 1908 by Algie M. Simons, formerly of Wisconsin. Under Simons, the magazine served as a sounding board for various theoretical questions which were dividing the socialist movement. The magazine gave particular attention to the role of the socialist movement towards the American farmer, an issue held near and dear both by editor Simons (author of a 1902 book on the topic) as well as by J.A. Wayland of the Appeal to Reason, the largest circulation socialist newspaper of its era.

The tone of the early Review was temperate and the policies advocated modest. The publication was fully reflective of what one historian has called "the rather moderate social-democratic perspective of Simons and other Socialists of the 'Center.'"

From its beginnings in the summer of 1900, the publication managed to achieve a modest circulation of about 4,000, about three-quarters of which obtained the publication by mail rather than via sales at newsstands or via bundle orders by local socialist organizations.

Due to a disagreement over fundamental principles, with Simons' views becoming steadily more moderate while those of his employer became increasingly radical, publisher Charles H. Kerr fired editor Simons in 1908. Kerr worked to make the previously dry and academic publication into what he called "the fighting magazine of socialism," making use of dramatic photography in telling the story of contemporary labor struggles against the forces of capitalism. As historian Allen Ruff notes, the revitalized Review took a very different form than its predecessor: Mary Marcy played a leading role in establishing the tone and content of the Review after the departure of Algie Simons.

"Liberally illustrated with 'action fotos' and original graphics, the revamped ISR carried firsthand reports of major strikes, lockouts, organizing drives, and employers' offensives as well as theoretical and political discussions. Kerr's work with longtime associates Mary and Leslie Marcy and an editorial board including left-wingers William D. "Big Bill" Haywood, Frank Bohn, and poet/illustrator Ralph Chaplin raised the Review's circulation from nearly 6,000 in 1908 to over 40,000 by 1911."

The Review soon became the major organ of the "left wing" of the Socialist Party, which was critical of what it perceived to be an obsession of many national figures in the party with ameliorative reform. The circulation and influence of the Review was further enhanced with the 1910 termination of The Socialist, a weekly newspaper published in Seattle, Washington by Hermon F. Titus which had gained national attention and readership as a left wing voice. By July 1910, the monthly circulation of the Review had grown to 27,000 copies.

The moderate wing of the Socialist Party was at times sharply critical of the International Socialist Review. Writer Robert Hunter declared in 1911 of the Review:

"It has sneered at Political Action, advocated rival unionism, and vacillated between Anarchism and Proudhonism. The constant emphasis the Review lays on Direct Action and its apparent faith that a revolution can be evoked by Will or Force is in direct opposition to our whole philosophy."

The Review was, in fact, very sympathetic to the Industrial Workers of the World, a revolutionary industrial union which sought to unite all workers regardless of race, craft, or skill under the umbrella of "One Big Union" with a view to the overthrow of the wage system and its replacement with decision-making by economic units established by the workers themselves (syndicalism).

Prominent staff members:

* Max S. Hayes
* Charles H. Kerr
* Mary Marcy
* A.M. Simons
* Ernest Untermann

—From Wikipedia entry

 


Essay on the Digital Archive of International Socialist Review

[A very detailed essay explaining how these scans were made, and why you really should get your International Socialist Review scans here, and not from the volume-long scans made by Google and offered on Google Books, Hathi Trust, or Archive.org. This archive is complete, with no missing issues and essentially no issues missing pages. Art is rendered meticulously in the scans here. Such is not true of the scans of ISR made Google. We cordially invite Google, Hathi Trust, and Archive.org to offer the scans we have here on their sites.]

Searchable Tables of Contents for all the Issues of ISR

[Contents for volumes 1 - 10 are those produced by the publisher, arranged in alphabetical order by author's name. Contents for volumes 11 - 18 consist of the scanned tables of contents pages of each issue, extracted and with OCR, put together into a file for each volume (12 issues in a volume).]


A presentation of the Illuminated Letters used in the International Socialist Review in issues between 1908 and 1910.


1900

Vol. 1, No. 1, July, 1900

Vol. 1, No. 2, August, 1900

Vol. 1, No. 3, September, 1900

Outlook for Socialism in the United States by E. V. Debs

Vol. 1, No. 4, October, 1900

Vol. 1, No. 5, November, 1900

Vol. 1, No. 6, December, 1900

Some Ethical Problems by May Wood Simmons

 

1901

Vol. 1, No. 7, January, 1901

Vol. 1, No. 8, February, 1901

The Negro Problem by Charles H. Vail

Vol. 1, No. 9, March, 1901

Civilization in Southern Mills by Mother Jones
The Charity Girl by Caroline H. Pemberton

Vol. 1, No. 10, April, 1901

Education and Socialism by May Wood Simmons
Trades Unions and Socialism by Karl Kautsky

Vol. 1, No. 11, May, 1901

Release by Rose Alice Cleveland

Vol. 1, No. 12, June, 1901

 

Vol. 2, No. 1, July, 1901

Vol. 2, No. 2, August, 1901

Vol. 2, No. 3, September, 1901

Vol. 2, No. 4, October, 1901

Vol. 2, No. 5, November, 1901

Vol. 2, No. 6, December, 1901

 

1902

Vol. 2, No. 7, January, 1902

Vol. 2, No. 8, February, 1902

Vol. 2, No. 9, March, 1902

Vol. 2, No. 10, April, 1902

Vol. 2, No. 11, May, 1902

Vol. 2, No. 22, June, 1902

 

Vol. 3, No. 1, July, 1902

The Socialist Party of France after the Elections by Jean Longuet
The Two Tendencies by Karl Kautsky

Vol. 3, No. 2, August, 1902

Lines of Division in American Socialism by A.M. Simons

Vol. 3, No. 3, September, 1902

Socialist Agitation Among Farmers in America by Karl Kautsky

Vol. 3, No. 4, October, 1902

Vol. 3, No. 5, November, 1902

The Western Labor Movement by E. V. Debs

Vol. 3, No. 6, December, 1902

The American Labor Movement by G.A. Hoehn

 

1903

Vol. 3, No. 7, January, 1903

Song of Labor by Caroline H. Pemberton

Vol. 3, No. 8, February, 1903

The Church and the Proletarian by Austin Lewis

Vol. 3, No. 9, March, 1903

The Economic Interpretation of History by May Wood Simmons

Vol. 3, No. 10, April, 1903

The Great Strike on the Railroads of Holland by Herman Gorter

Vol. 3, No. 11, May, 1903

Laborism, Impossibilism and Socialism by Henry Hyndman

Vol. 3, No. 12, June, 1903

The Revolt of the Artist by Austin Lewis

 

Vol. 4, No. 1, July, 1903

Vol. 4, No. 2, August, 1903

Features of the Electoral Battle by August Bebel
Political Problems in Germany by Ernest Untermann

Vol. 4, No. 3, September, 1903

Vol. 4, No. 4, October, 1903

Vol. 4, No. 5, November, 1903

The Negro and the Class Struggle by E. V. Debs

Vol. 4, No. 6, December, 1903

Shall We Revise Our Program Forward or Backward? by Ernest Untermann

 

1904

Vol. 4, No. 7, January, 1904

The Negro and His Nemesis by E. V. Debs

Vol. 4, No. 8, February, 1904

Vol. 4, No. 9, March, 1904

Vol. 4, No. 10, April, 1904

More Socialism in the Platform, More Democracy in the Constitution by Ernest Untermann

Vol. 4, No. 11, May, 1904

Delegates to the 1904 Convention of the Socialist Party of America

Vol. 4, No. 12, June, 1904

 

Vol. 5, No. 1, July, 1904

Vol. 5, No. 2, August, 1904

Vol. 5, No. 3, September, 1904

The Socialist Party and the Working Class by E. V. Debs
Letters of a Pork Packer’s Stenographer by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 5, No. 4, October, 1904

Vol. 5, No. 5, November, 1904

Letters of a Pork Packer’s Stenographer 4 by Mary E. Marcy
Letters of a Pork Packer’s Stenographer 5 by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 5, No. 6, December, 1904

 

1905

Vol. 5, No. 7, January, 1905

Vol. 5, No. 8, February, 1905

Aid For Russia

Vol. 5, No. 9, March, 1905

Vol. 5, No. 10, April, 1905

Vol. 5, No. 11, May, 1905

The Theoretical System of Karl Marx by Louis B. Boudin

Vol. 5, No. 12, June, 1905

Differences Among the Russian Socialists by Karl Kautsky

 

Vol. 6 No. 1, July, 1905

Vol. 6 No. 2, August, 1905

The Industrial Convention by E. V. Debs

Vol. 6 No. 3, September, 1905

Vol. 6 No. 4, October, 1905

Vol. 6 No. 5, November, 1905

Vol. 6 No. 6, December, 1905

 

1906

Vol. 6 No. 7, January, 1906

Revolutions, Past and Present by Karl Kautsky

Vol. 6 No. 8, February, 1906

Vol. 6 No. 9, March, 1906

Vol. 6 No. 10, April, 1906

Marxism or Eclecticism? by Ernest Untermann
A Pioneer of Proletarian Science by Ernest Untermann

Vol. 6 No. 11, May, 1906

Vol. 6 No. 12, June, 1906

 

Vol. 7 No. 1, July, 1906

Vol. 7 No. 2, August, 1906

Vol. 7 No. 3, September, 1906

Vol. 7 No. 4, October, 1906

Vol. 7 No. 5, November, 1906

Vol. 7 No. 6, December, 1906

 

1907

Vol. 7 No. 7, January, 1907

Vol. 7 No. 8, February, 1907

Vol. 7 No. 9, March, 1907

William, the Faithful by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 7 No. 10, April, 1907

Socialism and Religion by Anton Pannekoek
The Economic Interpretation of History and the Practical Socialist Movement by Austin Lewis

Vol. 7 No. 11, May, 1907

Vol. 7 No. 12, June, 1907

 

Vol. 8, No. 1, July, 1907

Vol. 8, No. 2, August, 1907

Vol. 8, No. 3, September, 1907

Vol. 8, No. 4, October, 1907

The Parlor Socialists by Ellis O. Jones

Vol. 8, No. 5, November, 1907

The Historical Method of Karl Marx by Paul Lafargue

Vol. 8, No. 6, December, 1907

The Social Democratic Party School in Berlin by Anton Pannekoek

 

1908

Vol. 8, No. 7, January, 1908

Vol. 8, No. 8, February, 1908

Immigration at Stuttgart by Louis B. Boudin

Vol. 8, No. 9, March, 1908

Vol. 8, No. 10, April, 1908

Vol. 8, No. 11, May, 1908

Vol. 8, No. 12, June, 1908

Delegates to the 1908 Convention of the Socialist Party of America

 

Vol. 9, No. 1, July, 1908

The Labor Movement and Socialism by Anton Pannekoek
Practical Work in Parliament by Karl Kautsky

Vol. 9, No. 2, August, 1908

Vol. 9, No. 3, September, 1908

Vol. 9, No. 4, October, 1908

Railroad Employes and Socialism by E. V. Debs

Vol. 9, No. 5, November, 1908

Socialism and Education by Austin Lewis

Vol. 9, No. 6, December, 1908

Industrial Unionism by E. V. Debs
The Tour of the Red Special by Charles Lapworth

 

1909

Vol. 9, No. 7, January, 1909

Vol. 9, No. 8, February, 1909

Must the Proletariat Degenerate? by Karl Kautsky

Vol. 9, No. 9, March, 1909

Vol. 9, No. 10, April, 1909

Vol. 9, No. 11, May, 1909

Vol. 9, No. 12, June, 1909

Delegates to the 1910 "Congress" of the Socialist Party of America

 

Vol. 10, No. 1, July, 1909

Vol. 10, No. 2, August, 1909

Vol. 10, No. 3, September, 1909

Vol. 10, No. 4, October, 1909

The New Middle Class by Anton Pannekoek
Ballots, Bullets, Or — by James Connolly
Socialism and Labourism in England by Henry Hyndman

Vol. 10, No. 5, November, 1909

What Is the Matter with the Socialist Party? by Charles H. Kerr

Vol. 10, No. 6, December, 1909

Industrial Unionism by E. V. Debs

 

1910

Vol. 10, No. 7, January, 1910

The Awakening of China by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 10, No. 8, February, 1910

Revolutionary Social-Democracy. The Curse of Compromise in Great Britain by Henry Hyndman
Industrialism and the Trade Unions by James Connolly
A Strike in the “Model Village” by M.E.M.

Vol. 10, No. 9, March, 1910

Vol. 10, No. 10, April, 1910

Prospects of a Labor Party in the U.S. by Louis B. Boudin
Hoboed Over 8,000 Miles by Thomas J. Mooney

Vol. 10, No. 11, May, 1910

Prussia in Revolt by Anton Pannekoek
The Milwaukee Victory by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 10, No. 12, June, 1910

Economic Determinism and Sacred Cows by Mary E. Marcy
Solidarity in Prison by William D. Haywood

 

Vol. 11, No. 1, July, 1910

A Letter on Immigration by E. V. Debs
Working Men and Women by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 11, No. 2, August, 1910

With the Copper Miners of Michigan by William D. Haywood

Vol. 11, No. 3, September, 1910

The Injunction by Austin Lewis

Vol. 11, No. 4, October, 1910

Sabotage by Austin Lewis

Vol. 11, No. 5, November, 1910

Vol. 11, No. 6, December, 1910

The Day After by Austin Lewis
Beginners Course in Socialism and the Economics of Karl Marx by Mary E. Marcy

 

1911

Vol. 11, No. 7, January, 1911

Danger Ahead by E. V. Debs
Help! Help!! Help!!! by E. V. Debs

Vol. 11, No. 8, February, 1911

The Crime Of Craft Unionism by E. V. Debs
Pick and Shovel Pointers by William D. Haywood

Vol. 11, No.9, March, 1911

Vol. 11, No. 10, April, 1911

The California Situation by Austin Lewis
Shots for the Workshop by William D. Haywood

Vol. 11, No. 11, May, 1911

The General Strike by William D. Haywood

Vol. 11, No. 12, June, 1911

A Serious Blunder by Louis B. Boudin
Who is the Foreigner? by D. Bond

 

Vol. 12, No. 1, July, 1911

The Crisis in Mexico by E. V. Debs
Pick and Shovel Pointers by William D. Haywood

Vol. 12, No. 2, August, 1911

The Eight Hour Work Day by E. V. Debs
Are You a Socialist? by Mary E. Marcy
“Reasonable” Crime by William D. Haywood

Vol. 12, No. 3, September, 1911

Labor’s Struggle For Supremacy by E. V. Debs
Can a Socialist Serve All the People? by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 12, No. 4, October, 1911

Vol. 12, No. 5, November, 1911

The World-Wide Revolt by Mary E. Marcy
The Drift in California by Austin Lewis
Pages Torn from “The Class Struggle” and Other Haywood Lectures by William D. Haywood

Vol. 12, No. 6, December, 1911

A Detective by William D. Haywood

 

1912

Vol. 12, No. 7, January, 1912

The Strike of the Scavengers by William D. Haywood

Vol. 12, No. 8, February, 1912

Vol. 12, No. 9, March, 1912

The Elections in Germany by Anton Pannekoek

Vol. 12, No. 10, April, 1912

A Positive Platform by Austin Lewis

Vol. 12, No. 11, May, 1912

When the Kiddies Came Home by William D. Haywood

Vol. 12, No. 12, June, 1912

 

Vol. 13, No. 1, July, 1912

Vol. 13, No. 2, August, 1912

Statement of Presidential Candidate by E. V. Debs
Why the Socialist Party Is Different by Mary E. Marcy
Timber Workers and Timber Wolves by William D. Haywood

Vol. 13, No. 3, September, 1912

The Fighting I.W.W. by William D. Haywood

Vol. 13, No. 4, October, 1912

Resolution Against War by William D. Haywood

Vol. 13, No. 5, November, 1912

Vol. 13, No. 6, December, 1912

Morals of Rubber by Mary E. Marcy

 

1913

Vol. 13, No. 7, January, 1913

Vol. 13, No. 8, February, 1913

War Against War by Anton Pannekoek

Vol. 13, No. 9, March, 1913

Hard Times and How to Stop Them by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 13, No. 10, April, 1913

The White Flag Agreement Brigade by M.E.M., Editorial

Vol. 13, No. 11, May, 1913

Vol. 13, No. 12, June, 1913

 

Vol. 14, No. 1, July, 1913

Vol. 14, No. 2, August, 1913

The Call of the Steel Worker by Louis C. Fraina

Vol. 14, No. 3, September, 1913

The March of the Machine by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 14, No. 4, October, 1913

Vol. 14, No. 5, November, 1913

The Food Destroyers by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 14, No. 6, December, 1913

 

1914

Vol. 14, No. 7, January, 1914

Competing with the Machines by M.E.M.

Vol. 14, No. 8, February, 1914

Nine Sharpshooters by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 14, No. 9, March, 1914

Vol. 14, No. 10, April, 1914

Vol. 14, No. 11, May, 1914

Twenty-Five Years of Eight-Hour Propaganda by Hubert Langerock

Vol. 14, No. 12, June, 1914

Whose War is This? by Mary E. Marcy
Washington's May Day by Ellen Wetherell

 

Vol. 15, No. 1, July, 1914

Vol. 15, No. 2, August, 1914

Vol. 15, No. 3, September, 1914

The Gunmen and the Miners by Eugene V. Debs
Latest News From South Africa by Tom Mann
The Real Fatherland by Mary E. Marcy, Editorial

Vol. 15, No. 4, October, 1914

The Great European War and Socialism by Anton Pannekoek
The Battle of Butte by William D. Haywood
Organize with the Unemployed: A New Way to Fight by Mary E. Marcy
Socialist Unpreparedness in Germany Editorial

Vol. 15, No. 5, November, 1914

Imperialism and the War by Karl Kautsky

Vol. 15, No. 6, December, 1914

The War and Its Effects by Anton Pannekoek

 

1915

Vol. 15, No. 7, January, 1915

Vol. 15, No. 8, February, 1915

German Socialism in the War by Anton Pannekoek
Better Any Kind of Action Than Inert Theory! by Mary E. Marcy
Executive Committee Rule by T.E. Latimer

Vol. 15, No. 9, March, 1915

Revolutionary Unionism and War by James Connolly
Where We Stand on War by Mary E. Marcy, Editorial

Vol. 15, No. 10, April, 1915

We Must Fight It Out by M.E.M., Editorial

Vol. 15, No. 11, May, 1915

Solidarity and Unemployment by Austin Lewis

Vol. 15, No. 12, June, 1915

 

Vol. 16, No. 1, July, 1915

The Rebuilding the International by Rosa Luxemburg
Down with American Militarism by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 16, No. 2, August, 1915

Vol. 16, No. 3, September, 1915

Far Eastern Imperialism: 1. Modern Imperialism by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 16, No. 4, October, 1915

Far Eastern Imperialism: 2. China by S. J. Rutgers
Stories of the Cave People by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 16, No. 5, November, 1915

Far Eastern Imperialism: 3. Japan by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 16, No. 6, December, 1915

 

1916

Vol. 16, No. 7, January, 1916

Do Internationalists Want a Split? by Alexandra Kollontai
Fighting for Peace by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 16, No. 8, February, 1916

Review of Socialism and War by Louis B. Boudin by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 16, No. 9, March, 1916

Vol. 16, No. 10, April, 1916

Vol. 16, No. 11, May, 1916

The Left Wing: 1. The Battle Cry of a New International by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 16, No. 12, June, 1916

The Left Wing: 2. Imperialism by S. J. Rutgers

 

Vol. 17, No. 1, July, 1916

The Left Wing: 3. Economic Causes of Imperialism by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 17, No. 2, August, 1916

The Left Wing: 4. The Passing of the Old Democracy by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 17, No. 3, September, 1916

They Belong Inside! by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 17, No. 4, October, 1916

Hamstringing the Unions by Mary E. Marcy
The Left Wing Socialists: 5. Mass Action by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 17, No. 5, November, 1916

Organize – Organize Right! by William D. Haywood
The Left Wing: 6. Mass Action and Mass Democracy by S. J. Rutgers
The Railworkers' "Victory" by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 17, No. 6, December, 1916

The Left Wing: 7. An Actual Beginning by S. J. Rutgers
Mass Action: Where We Stand by Mary E. Marcy, Editorial

 

1917

Vol. 17, No. 7, January, 1917

Mass Action in Russia by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 17, No. 8, February, 1917

The Third International by Anton Pannekoek

Vol. 17, No. 9, March, 1917

Killed Without Warning by Mary E. Marcy
Marxian Economics: Transportation by Mary E. Marcy
The Future of International Socialism by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 17, No. 10, April, 1917

Letter From Karl Liebknecht by S. J. Rutgers
Revolutionary Socialism in Germany by Karl Liebknecht

Vol. 17, No. 11, May, 1917

Our Gains in the War by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 17, No. 12, June, 1917

Our Action Against Conscription by S. J. Rutgers

 

Vol. 18, No. 1, July, 1917

The Cause of War by Mary E. Marcy
Introduction to the History of Japanese Labor by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 18, No. 2, August, 1917

Why Not Register Them All? by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 18, No. 3, August, 1917 [alt presentation]

Vol. 18, No. 4, September, 1917

World Policies by S. J. Rutgers

Vol. 18, No. 5, October, 1917

German Socialist in Russia by Mary E. Marcy

Vol. 18, No. 6, November, 1917

Inside by William D. Haywood

 

1918

Vol. 18, No. 7, January, 1918

Vol. 18, No. 8, February, 1918

The IWW Bogey by Eugene V. Debs
Statement to the American Socialist Movement when Sentence was Affirmed by Alfred Wagenknecht

Vol. 18, No. 8, February, 1918 [alt presentation]

 


Last updated on 19 March 2024