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From The Militant, Vol. 10 No. 33, 17 August 1946, p. 4.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’ Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
To cover up their crimes, crooks often yell “thief” the loudest. This applies to the Communist (Stalinist) Party and to Norman Thomas’ Socialist Party.
Both are now engaged in a big election fraud in New York State. Both are throwing sand in the eyes of the workers.
The Communist Party seems to be trying to place its own independent ticket on the state ballot. In reality, it is doing nothing of the kind. If the “anti-Dewey” candidate on the Democratic ticket is acceptable to the Stalinists, according to their own announcement, they will withdraw in his favor. Just another way of tricking their own members and sympathizers into support of a Wall Street Party. In other words – a swindle, pure and simple.
Norman Thomas’ Socialist Party also is trying to get on the state ballot. Ordinarily no one would pay much attention to this decrepit sect which has neither spirit, program, principals nor membership.
The S.P. is about to give up the ghost. On July 2 their national committee decided to approach the Social Democratic Federation for organic unity. The Social Democratic Federation is the backbone of the Liberal Party which is supporting Democratic Senator Mead for Governor in keeping with its practice of supporting capitalist politicians in all elections.
In other words, if the merger with the Social Democrats goes through before the election there may not be any S.P. ticket. If the merger is delayed until after the election, workers who have voted for the S.P. will have thrown away their vote on a dying sect breathing its last gasp. Another swindle.
Both the S.P. and C.P. appear to be having a lot of trouble getting the required number of signatures to place them on the ballet. Thus both of them bellow with rage at the warm welcome Socialist Workers Party campaign workers received from workers and farmers throughout the state. In less than two weeks we collected 12,000 signatures and a number far in excess of the legally required totals for the 62 counties of the state. The campaign is now rolling forward to its goal of 25,000 signatures.
The Daily Worker accuses us of “provocation” to incite the American Legion against them. What provocation? Give names and places or shut up! What stupidity! If the Legion succeeded in driving one minority party off the ballot, how would that help the SWP which comes under the same election laws?
Norman Thomas writes a frantic fetter to his “friends” in which he accuses us of attempting to “steal” the name Socialist. He compares us with the Nazis who “once stole the name Socialist for use in their nefarious propaganda.” We heard that frame-up before from the Kremlin. That’s where Thomas got it.
What gives the S.P. the monopoly on the name “Socialist?” Not their prgram. Net their propaganda. Not their action. Not even history. For the Socialist Labor Party used the name Socialist years before the S.P. was formed.
Two of a kind. Both engaged in a swindle. The working class should remember that on election day.
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Last updated: 18 June 2021