Raising money for the election campaign fund, Local new York of the Socialist Party hosts 10,000 comrade at Sulzer’s Westchester Park. Contains the planning and program as well as a report on its success.

‘Socialist Party New York’s Annual Picnic’ from The Worker (New York). Vol. 17. Nos. 10 & 11. June 8 & 15, 1907.

LOCAL NEW YORK’S ANNUAL PICNIC NEXT SUNDAY. June 8, 1907.

Takes Place at Sulzer’s Westchester Park. Big Affair Planned.

Sunday June 9, promises to be an eventful day for the Socialists of this city and their friends, as the annual picnic of local New York will then take place. It is one of those occasions when all those with the interest of the party at heart, will take advantage of the opportunity of getting a first-class entertainment at a small expense and at the same time help swell the campaign fund of the party. The picnic grounds will be opened at 11 a.m., and comrades who have volunteered to act on the various commit- tees are urged to be on hand by 10 a.m.

The full program is as follows:

From 3 to 6 p.m., concert by New York Letter Carriers’ Band, composed of 60 musicians; chorus by the United German Workmen’s Singing Societies; gymnastic exhibitions by the various Workmen’s Turner Organizations.

From 6 to 7 p.m., concert by the Finnish Socialist Orchestra and Finnish Socialist Mixed Chorus.

The children’s great parade is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. and their parents are urged to bring them to the “shooting gallery” where the line of march will be formed. The parade will be headed by the Socialist Band and will March all thru the picnic grounds, and at its conclusion the children of the Free German Schools will sing the “Marseillaise” and other revolutionary songs. The Red and American flags will be distributed to the children while the line of march is being formed.

The Barbecue will be ready at 8 p.m. and in order that everyone may be satisfied 200 additional pounds of beef will be on hand. The ox cured for the occasion is one of the largest that the members of Butchers’ Union No. 174 have ever had to roast; his weight while alive was 1,350 pounds and sufficient sandwiches will be made to satisfy all those who may wish to get something which is not “Jungle beef.”

Dancing will begin at 4 p.m. and the Orpheus Orchestra has volunteered Its services for that purpose thus assuring a good and well trained dancing orchestra. In the evening the park will be illuminated with red fire so that the comrades may enjoy themselves until late.

The Bazaar will be in working order beginning at 2 p.m. and comrades who intend to donate articles are reminded that they can deliver them in case of emergency at the picnic, altho it would be better to deliver them at least by Saturday at the Organizer’s office. Several comrades have already delivered their donations and the bazaar will be a great improvement over what we had in former years. Better and more expensive prizes will be given out and the number of chances increased.

In addition to the Bazaar, there will be bowling, bird spearing, ping-pong, wheel of fortune, etc., and in full operation at 2 p.m., thus increasing the variety of amusement and the sources of income for the picnic.

The work on all the committees will require more volunteers than have already been heard from, and it is hoped that the comrades will give the necessary assistance. As many of them as possible should arrive at the picnic grounds early in the morning to help In the erection and decoration of booths, etc.

For particulars about directions to reach the park, etc., readers are referred to the advertisement on the sixth page of this issue of The Worker. More than 6,000 tickets have been distributed among the sub-divisions of Local New York and it is expected that most of them will be sold before Sunday, and that the comrades will make prompt settlement. 

THE ANNUAL PICNIC. June 15, 1907.

A Record-Breaking Success in Every Particular. Large Amount Cleared.

The annual picnic of Local New York, held in Sulzer’s Westchester Park last Sunday, was a record-breaking success and surpassed the expectations of the committee in charge. The day was one of the warmest of the season, thus inducing many to leave their tenement houses and spend it on the picnic grounds. The crowd was bigger than ever before, ten thousand persons, exclusive of children, at least. At three o’clock the park was so packed that the committee was worried about finding accommodations for the big crowd. It was one of those occasions which give inspiration to the comrades to renew their energies in spreading the propaganda of the cause. Practically every local member was there with his family and friends. Comrades from adjoining locals were also there in full force. The progressive labor organizations were there in larger numbers than ever before. More than three hundred members of the 8th A.D. wearing a white cap with red ribbon, came in a body and marched thru the park. The Finnish and other nationalities were well represented and groups of comrades singing revolutionary songs in several languages were to be found all over the park. An unusually large number of new faces could be seen.

The program went thru without a hitch and there was nothing but congratulations to offer for the splendid results brought about. The New York Letter Carriers’ Band, the Socialist Band, and Orpheus Orchestra, the Finnish Mixed Socialist Chorus, the combined Workmen’s Singing Societies, the Turners’ organizations, etc., supplied talent for the amusement and much credit for the remarkable results achieved is due to them. The Woman’s Bazaar was a great success, the comrades willingly buying everything in sight and everything was, sold out. All the other games did excellent business. At 5 o’clock the great children’s parade took place, and Comrade Tänzer and his committee made this feature a great success. The Socialist Band played the “Marseillaise” as the children marched and waved one thousand red flags. After the march the pupils of the various Free German Socialist Schools sang the “Marseillaise” and other revolutionary songs. The Butchers’ Union No. 174, as in former years, provided the huge ox, which, however, proved too small to accommodate the great crowd. The comrades should remember the hard work done by this organization and reciprocate when they have an opportunity. The Orpheus Orchestra, under the direction of Comrade Bingham, furnished the music for the dancing. The police present had a dull time of it, for Socialist crowds give them little to do. The total receipts on picnic day amounted to $1,688.24, while 6,400 tickets distributed in advance are yet to be accounted for. The net profit will probably amount to more than $1,600, thus adding $350 towards the sustaining Fund of The Worker”, and $1,300 to the campaign fund.

The Worker, and its predecessor The People, emerged from the 1899 split in the Socialist Labor Party of America led by Henry Slobodin and Morris Hillquit, who published their own edition of the SLP’s paper in Springfield, Massachusetts. Their ‘The People’ had the same banner, format, and numbering as their rival De Leon’s. The new group emerged as the Social Democratic Party and with a Chicago group of the same name these two Social Democratic Parties would become the Socialist Party of America at a 1901 conference. That same year the paper’s name was changed from The People to The Worker with publishing moved to New York City. The Worker continued as a weekly until December 1908 when it was folded into the socialist daily, The New York Call.

PDF of full issue 1: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-people-the-worker/070608-worker-v17n10-haywoodtrial.pdf

PDF of issue 2: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-people-the-worker/070615-worker-v17n11-haywoodtrial.pdf