A delightful piece of proletarian history. Tom Mooney is trying to win a trip around the world by selling the most subscriptions to Wilshire’s, a Socialist magazine; the problem is a paid organizer from the reformist National Office is also trying for the trip, putting Mooney at a distinct disadvantage. Enclosing a letter of recommendation from Debs, he appeals for the left to help a comrade out. Mooney won a second prize—a trip to the Copenhagen Congress of the Socialist International.

‘Hoboed Over Eight Thousand Miles’ by Thomas J. Mooney from International Socialist Review. Vol. 10 No. 11. May, 1910.

Eugene V. Debs Recommends T. J. Mooney as follows:

June 28, 1909.

“To Whom it May Concern:

Thomas J. Mooney accompanied us on the “Red Special” last fall and rendered us most valuable service along the route. Comrade Mooney is one of the most active workers in the labor movement. He is absolutely honest and trust worthy and is filled with energy and ambition to better the condition of his class. Comrade Mooney is worthy of any position he may wish to hold in the labor movement and I cheerfully commend him to the consideration of Comrades and Friends as one of the best types of the Awakened American Proletariat. Yours Very Truly,

(Signed) E.V. Debs.

Comrades and Friends: It is with the greatest hesitancy that I insert this letter I assure you. Last June I read of the “Wilshire Contest” for the “trip round the world,” to one securing the most subscriptions for “Wilshire’s Magazine,” within eleven months time. Fully realizing the value of such a trip to a working class education, at once I entered the contest determined to win that trip fair and square. Starting out without any finance, as I had just put in one month in a hospital from loss of a finger, I hoboed from town to town getting subscriptions, covering a distance of 8,000 miles, riding in box cars, on blind-baggages and tops of passenger trains over the deserts of Utah, Cal. and Nev. in scorching suns of July and August, through Oct. and Nov. rains in Oregon and Washington, and worst of all the ice and snow and sometimes zero weather of Dec. and Jan. in Mont., Idaho, Utah and Nev. through which I traveled was all that any human could stand, snatching a few hours sleep here and there when convenient, many times in a box car, round-house, sand-shed, engines, barns and socialist headquarters when available as I did most all my riding at night, for it is easier to get over the road.

I don’t want the readers of the “Review” to think I am trying to advertise and popularize myself, but to let you know of the efforts put forth by me in this contest and the disadvantages under which I labored. I would never have used this method of trying to secure subscriptions were it not for the tactics of one Geo. Goebel, National organizer and lecturer for the Party, who has been out on the road in the different states, at the party expense ever since the contest opened, and at the same time allowed to compete for this prize. He has offered a number of comrades in the West some of his “Wilshire Bishop Creek” mining stock and has written to almost every town in the west asking the active comrades to get subscriptions for him, also, he has gotten out private subscription cards and sent them to his friends, there are supposed to be no subscription cards in this contest.

I don’t happen to have the distinguished qualities that are required to be a National Organizer, but all my work so far in the party has been volunteered and wholly unremunerated, selling over $1,000 worth of literature in two months on the “Red Special.” Speaking every night for six months on the streets of Stockton, Cal., collected $75.00 for the “Red Special” before it left Chicago, and $38.00 at three meetings in Idaho, for the Mexican Refugee Fund. A member of International Molders’ Union, Socialist Party, and the Industrial Workers of the World.

Comrades, I am sure I can win this trip if you will help me to the extent of sending me your subscription for the “Wilshire Magazine,” 25 cents yearly, in money order, stamps or coin at once or send it direct to Wilshire to count for me in the Round the World contest, and should I win this trip, the knowledge and experience I would gain from it would at all times be used in the interest of my class. And should I ever be in a position to do you a like favor I will gladly do so. Thanking you in advance, I remain your co-worker and Comrade for Industrial Freedom.

T. J. MOONEY,

973 Market St., Room 301, San Francisco, Calif. All subscriptions must be in “Wilshire’s” office June 1st.

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/v10n11-may-1910-ISR-gog.pdf