Delightful run-down of a week’s activity for the large, left-wing, multi-lingual, Duluth local of the Socialist Party from new editor Jack Carney.

‘Duluth for Socialism’ from Truth. Vol. 2 No. 8. February 22, 1918.

A large meeting of party members was held on Sunday last in the Tarmo Hall. It was one impressive meeting, everyone tuned up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, and the right key-note was sounded.

Comrade Edes presided and spoke on the necessity for the workers to capture political power. He cited the case of the Draft Law, which was passed, because of the lack of interest displayed by the workers in politics. The editor of Truth followed, with a brief talk on the need for a more unified propaganda on the part of the various language locals.

Comrade Slonum made a fine stirring appeal to the members, an appeal that surely went to the hearts of all the comrades present. He told them that at the present time, it was a time when there was much to cause a feeling of sadness and discouragement to come over us. But some day the sun would be sure to shine, some day the feeling of sadness and discouragement would be wiped away, and it was our bounded duty to get together, so that when the sun does begin to shine, we shall be prepared. We are called Pro-German he went on to say, if there is anyone ta America who detest despotism, and is less in sympathy with Kaiserism, it is the Socialist Party. We are today the strongest political party, with a dues paying membership, in Duluth. Surveying the field of Socialist activities in Duluth, he was of the opinion that we had at least a thousand members, sharing our political views. Therefore with such field, we could so organize this city, so to make it safe for Socialists.

Comrade Wakefield a very old member also spoke, and gave us an outline of his earlier activities, and in conclusion he appealed to the younger members to get busy and so make for a large party, which would express the ideals and aspirations of the Socialist movement.

Discussion followed as to the best methods we should adopt to re-organize the English speaking local, in which comrades Thompson, Singer, Blackman, O’Rourke, Carney, Essen, Carson, Johnson and many others took part. It was decided to form a committee of seven to go around and visit the old members of the English-speaking local and bring them around to the next meeting on February 27th at the Tarmo Hall

It was decided to have a meeting each month of all the party, so has to be in a position to formulate any ideas we may have and so have united action.

The meeting was a huge success and from all sides much can be expected to make Duluth safe for Socialists. Everyone was in the best of spirits and if the meeting was anything to go by, then we can be safely assured of being a strong factor in the political and industrial life of Duluth. We want all the old comrades to come to our next monthly meeting, to be held on March 10th, when we shall hear from the delegates who attended the State Convention, and it is also expected that Tom Lewis will address us on the subject of organization and a campaign will be commenced for new members.

Jewish Radicals Organize in Duluth.

The various Jewish radicals have organized together and taken over new headquarters, at 22 East First Street. The Jewish Local, the Workmens Circle and a Ladies Auxiliary have all joined together and from their first meeting, signs are showing for a big movement amongst the Jews.

Last Monday night in their new headquarters, a highly successful basket social was carried out. The social was arranged for the benefit of this paper and out of an attendance of about ninety people a sum of fifty dollars was raised. The meeting was one of the most successful meetings we have had the pleasure of attending for some time. An election was held, the candidate who received the highest number of votes received a box of chocolates. The three principal candidates in the field, were Bessie Yipsel Meyers, Comrade Mrs. Litman and the editor. Bessie was backed by Wall Street in the person of Comrade Sway, Mrs. Litman was backed by the Bolsheviki element, owing to the editor being backed by a notorious capitalist and exploiter of Scandinavian labor who owing to their ignorance of the Irish language can not be blamed for said exploitation, the editor was left standing at the post. The voting was as follows:

Mrs. Litman…1,460
Bessie Meyers…777
The Poor Editor…35

The social concluded with the singing of the International in three languages, Jewish, Swedish and the language of the editor. We forgot to mention that the opening chorus was by Miss Carson a middle aged lady of four months.

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Jewish Radicals will hold meetings in the above hall, every second and fourth Monday. The next meeting will be addressed by Dr. Mary McCoy on the subject of child hygiene, it will take place next Monday. These meetings are open to all women, not necessarily Jewish. The Ladies Auxiliary intend making investigations into all walks of life, where the welfare of working class women Is concerned, they are going to investigate factories, department stores and all places where women are employed. So you can rest assured that there is going to be something doing in Duluth. Do not forget next Monday 25th inst.!!

The Jewish Workmen’s Circle held a very successful meeting in Camel’s Hall last Sunday, the 17th inst. There was an attendance of ever one hundred people, and it was decided to form a committee to collect funds for the benefit of the Jewish war sufferers. They will hold their next meeting on March 3rd, in the above, headquarters and also please note for those concerned, that all meetings of the Circle take place on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. Look out for the official opening of the new headquarters.

The Duluth Branch of the National Arbeiter Forbund will hold a meeting on Sunday next, at the Foresters’ Hall, Comrade Kiel will speak on “Socialism and Nationalism,” a spirited discussion is expected from this subject, especially at this time. More debates will follow and March 3rd, Comrade Max Conoval will speak on “Socialism and the Jewish Worker.” This organization is one of the most advanced organizations In the country, every member is expected to belong to a labor union and also vote the Socialist ticket. We strongly urge all Jewish comrades to attend these meetings, the editor will address them in the near future.

Scandinavian Local

The local held a masquerade ball on the 14th, which was very largely attended. There was many pleasing sights to meet the eye, and from all appearances, many of the dancers were raised when meat was cheap. Two striking costumes were wore by Comrades Johnson and Forsman. Comrade Johnson wore a dress made out of three copies of Truth and Comrade Foreman wore one similarly made from the copies of the Svenska Socialisten. We had the pleasure of meeting Comrade Mrs. Thompson in a rather amusing costume, but, hush, keep it dark.

On Sunday evening, the local held its usual Sunday gathering, at which Comrade W.E. Towne returned to the folds and spoke on the need of a real class conscious working class party. He warned the members of the audience of the necessity of keeping strictly to working class propaganda and not allow the middle-class with their false conceptions of economies to destroy the movement.

On Monday they held their usual weekly business meeting, and their delegates to the Convention were instructed to move a resolution, asking for support for the paper. Every first Thursday afternoon the women’s section of the local meet in the Woodman Hall will all comrades see that their wives mothers and sisters attend these meetings when possible.

The local also desires to draw the attention of the members to the fact that a children’s study else has been commenced and is held every Sunday morning in room 16 Stack Bldg. from 10 to 11. It is absolutely essential that these meetings should be well attended and comrades should make it a special part of their work to obtain members for this class.

The Verdandi, a radical temperance organization, will hold a mass meting at the Woodman Hall, Friday, Feb. 22nd, commencing at 8 p.m. Comrade Arvid Carlson of Waukegan, Illinois will address the meeting, and Comrade Hakonson also of Waukegan, Illinois, will supply the amusement side of the program. Admission is free and everybody la invited to attend.

Truth emerged from the The Duluth Labor Leader, a weekly English language publication of the Scandinavian local of the Socialist Party in Duluth, Minnesota and began on May Day, 1917 as a Left Wing alternative to the Duluth Labor World. The paper was aligned to both the SP and the I.W.W. leading to the paper being closed down in the first big anti-I.W.W. raids in September, 1917. The paper was reborn as Truth, with the Duluth Scandinavian Socialists joining the Communist Labor Party of America in 1919. Shortly after the editor, Jack Carney, was arrested and convicted of espionage in 1920. Truth continued to publish with a new editor J.O. Bentall until 1923 as an unofficial paper of the C.P.

Access to full paper: https://www.mnhs.org/newspapers/lccn/sn89081142/1918-02-22/ed-1/seq-3