‘Pennsylvania Socialist Encampment at Conneaut Lake’ from The International Socialist Review. Vol. 16 No. 2. August, 1915.

Comrade J.H. Browning of Meadville, Pa., sends us in a most glowing report of the success of the socialist encampment held at Conneaut Lake’ Pa. Many such gatherings have been held by socialists in the western and middle states but without the features included by the Pennsylvania friends. Trips were enjoyed on the lake and one entire day was given over to the comrades by the amusement parks; another day was entirely devoted to sports. Baseball games kept up a vivid interest on the diamond and nightly jollifications were indulged in around big camp fires in the tent city.

The encampment was held under the auspices of Locals Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Venango, the executive committee being represented by Comrades Phelps, Nivens, Porter, Carpenter, Mattison, McCafferty, Wrhen and Browning. Well-known comrades began to arrive June 19, and by Saturday there were over three hundred socialists in attendance. John Slayton lectured to an audience of over four hundred and later the camp colony sang revolutionary songs till long after midnight. The Sunday afternoon lecture by Comrade Prosser was largely attended and the evening lecture by B.E. Phillips was enjoyed by an enthusiastic gathering. The event of Monday was the ball game between the Socialist Bloomer Girls and the men, the girls coming out with an encouraging score to their credit. After the evening lecture on Tuesday given by Gertrude B. Fuller, 600 socialists enjoyed a cruise around the lake. Then came an old- fashioned hop and everybody forgot the old struggle for existence in the mazes of the dance.

Comrade Hadon, state organizer, handed them something new at Wednesday afternoon’s lecture, and Comrade. Barnard kept up the good work in the evening. The wind up for that night was a chicken roast — and men and women alike voted it a feast fit for epicures. The women had the entire honors on Thursday, Women’s Day, and everybody marched in the big parade. It was almost impossible to drive folks to bed Thursday night. Campfires were kept up till long after usual hours. Everybody said it was a shame to waste time in sleep among such a gathering of Reds, but the fact that Friday was Field Meet Day compelled them to seek some rest before entering upon the contests between the different counties. The tug-of-war was won by Erie and Venango County socialists against Crawford and Mercer counties. Comrade Browning won the 100-yard dash and Wrhen came in second. We wish we could print the records made in other features by the different contestants. Comrade Esaman won the mile swimming contest.

Saturday, being hot, many bathing parties were in evidence, and Sunday was the big Debs Day. Over 4,000 people were in attendance. The Socialist Register showed 5,000 names and not all who came got their names down. Over seventy-five towns were represented and some comrades traveled 500 miles to attend the encampment. Plans are already being laid for the encampment for 1916. The Pennsylvania comrades are so enthusiastic over the glorious time they had and the splendid work accomplished that they mean to make the next one an unprecedented success. We need more of these semi-social, educational encampments when the workers can get away from their labors and get acquainted. Congratulations to the Pennsylvania friends who carried out the success at Conneaut Lake.

The International Socialist Review (ISR) was published monthly in Chicago from 1900 until 1918 by Charles H. Kerr and critically loyal to the Socialist Party of America. It is one of the essential publications in U.S. left history. During the editorship of A.M. Simons it was largely theoretical and moderate. In 1908, Charles H. Kerr took over as editor with strong influence from Mary E Marcy. The magazine became the foremost proponent of the SP’s left wing growing to tens of thousands of subscribers. It remained revolutionary in outlook and anti-militarist during World War One. It liberally used photographs and images, with news, theory, arts and organizing in its pages. It articles, reports and essays are an invaluable record of the U.S. class struggle and the development of Marxism in the decades before the Soviet experience. It was closed down in government repression in 1918.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/isr/v16n02-aug-1915-ISR-riaz-ocr.pdf