‘Socialist State Picnic Tomorrow’ from the New York Call. Vol. 3 No. 232. August 20, 1910.

Biggest Gathering of Its Kind Ever Held in New York Expected at Astoria Schuetzen Park.

“Where is Astoria Schuetzen Park?” That question will be asked thousands of times tomorrow.

Why?

This is the reason:

Charles Edward Russell, candidate of the Socialist party for governor and Gustave A. Strebel, candidate for lieutenant governor, are going to fire the opening guns of the state campaign there at half past three tomorrow afternoon.

The occasion is the state picnic of the Socialist party, the proceeds of which are to be equally divided between the state campaign fund and this paper.

More than 25,000 persons are expected to attend.

U. Solomon, state secretary of the Socialist party, and the guiding spirit of tomorrow’s monster gathering of Socialists, issued the following statement last night:

“The picnic for the benefit of the state campaign fund and The New York Call, to take place on Sunday, August 21, in Astoria Schuetzen Park, Broadway and Steinway avenue Astoria, promises to be one of the biggest and most successful affairs conducted by the party in recent years. It is the first picnic arranged by the state committee for the purpose of raising funds to send through the state a number of competent organizers and speakers so that one of the liveliest and most effective campaigns may be conducted this year. A part of the proceeds of the picnic will be given to The New York Call, so much in need of funds at this time. It is the first picnic which will bring together, not alone the Comrades of all nationalities in the four counties of the city of New York, but also from all the adjoining counties. Even a party of Comrades from Pottstown and Reading, Pa., have notified the committee that they have made arrangements to come to New York to witness this picnic.

“While the affair is held as a picnic, it will virtually be a state ratification meeting. In the afternoon our standard bearers, Comrades Charles Edward Russell, of New York, and Gustave A. Strebel, of Syracuse, will deliver stirring addresses on the issues of the campaign, and will formally open our state campaign. Comrade Russell will arrive in the city on Sunday morning, coming direct from Denver, Colo., and interrupting all his magazine work, so that he may address this meeting, and then devote all the rest of his time between now and the close of the campaign to the work of conducting a vigorous campaign all over the state. Comrade Strebel will arrive in New York on Sunday morning, after finishing a short, but very successful, speaking tour of the state. That the Comrades will receive a very enthusiastic reception, and will have a chance to address an unusually large meeting in the park is a foregone conclusion. The Comrades in New York, Brooklyn, and Queens, have been hard at work to make this opening rally of the campaign a great success, and the large advance sale of tickets indicates that the success will surpass all expectations.

“Astoria Schuetzen Park is the most beautiful park in Greater New York, plenty of ground and trees, easily accessible from all parts of Greater New York, and especially adapted for picnic purposes, baseball grounds, band stands, open-air stage for speaking purposes, etc.

The park will be thrown open to the public at 10 a.m., and everything will be in good working order by that time. Ample provisions were made to entertain the large crowds expected. The program contains a number of entertainments of all sorts for the amusement of both young and old. There will be two bands of music. The concert music will be given by the well known Brooklyn Letter Carriers Band, under the direction of Bandmaster Frank E. Houts, concert to begin at 3 p.m., and will include a number of revolutionary selections. “In addition the German Workmen’s Singing Societies of New York, Brooklyn, and Queens, will each render a number of revolutionary songs. About 900 singers are expected, and all those who enjoy good revolutionary music will have no occasion to regret attending this picnic. The Turnvereins Vorwaerts, of New York and Brooklyn, will give a variety of gymnastic exhibitions. There will be all sorts of games, such as bowling, bird spearing, etc., etc. besides the usual bazaar, wine booth, literature stand, etc. The bazaar and bird-spearing contest will be under the direction of the Women’s Branch of Yorkville, who have made special efforts to secure valuable and useful prizes. Comrades Mr. and Mrs. Passburg will, as usual, at all Socialist and press picnics, have charge of the eel contest, and do their best to give to the successful winners smoked eels of the finest quality.

“A special feature of the picnic will be the distribution of prizes to the children. A special committee will be in charge of the distribution of prizes, and for this purpose about 1,000 different prizes will be available.

“Dancing will follow in the afternoon, and for this purpose a strong dancing orchestra was secured, the dancing pavilion being one of the best. and it is expected that the dancing will last until late at midnight.

“The speaking will begin at 3:30, when Comrade G. A. Strebel, our candidate for Lieutenant Governor, known as the little man with the big voice, will make the opening address. to be followed by our candidate for Governor, Comrade Charles Edward Russell, who will deliver a well prepared address for this occasion.

“Considering all the various features of this extraordinary festival and the noble cause to which the proceeds of it will be applied, it is hoped that no one who has the welfare of the movement at heart will fail to be present with his family and friends, and with their presence make this opening rally of the state campaign one to be long remembered by the Comrades of the state of New York.

“All those who have volunteered to serve on the various committees at the picnic are urged to make a special effort and be at the picnic grounds, Astoria Schuetzen Park. Broadway and Steinway avenue, at 10 o’clock in the morning and report to Comrade Solomon at the committee room, so that they may be assigned to their respective committees. Volunteers are still needed, and all those who desire to swell the profit of the picnic can best accomplish it by serving on committees and seeing to it that everything is properly managed and accounted for.”

The New York Call was the first English-language Socialist daily paper in New York City and the second in the US after the Chicago Daily Socialist. The paper was the center of the Socialist Party and under the influence of Morris Hillquit, Charles Ervin, Julius Gerber, and William Butscher. The paper was opposed to World War One, and, unsurprising given the era’s fluidity, ambivalent on the Russian Revolution even after the expulsion of the SP’s Left Wing. The paper is an invaluable resource for information on the city’s workers movement and history and one of the most important papers in the history of US socialism. The paper ran from 1908 until 1923.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-new-york-call/1910/100820-newyorkcall-v03n232.pdf