Ludwig Katterfeld, here as State Secretary of the Washington Socialist Party, on turning 1914’s Labor Day celebrations into protests against the World War just broken out and taking advantage of the recent growth in membership. In five years Katterfeld would be central to the formation of the Left Wing and on the leadership of the C.L.P.

‘Anti-War Mass Meetings’ by L.E. Katterfeld by The Washington Socialist. No. 191. September 3, 1914.

All over the state the class conscious workers are arousing their communities in protest against the present world-wide war. Great mass meetings are being arranged everywhere under the auspices of the Socialist locals, in response to the call sent out by the state executive committee of the Socialist party of Washington, and the committee on immediate action from national headquarters.

The Socialist locals of Grays Harbor held a great peace demonstration on Saturday, August 29, a joint picnic. Sunday afternoon, August 30, followed by an anti-war protest meeting at the Finnish hall in Aberdeen Sunday night, with John DeQuer as principal speaker.

Skagit county will have a picnic and anti-war demonstration at Mount Vernon Sunday, September 6, to be addressed by Geo. E. Boomer, the Socialist candidate for congress in the Second congressional district.

The locals of Yakima county will co-operate in a county picnic and anti-war mass protest at North Yakima Sunday September 6th. The speaker for the occasion being L.E. Katterfeld, state secretary of the Socialist party.

Labor Day will be celebrated with a great anti-war mass meeting at Wilkeson by the miners of Pierce county. who have secured Kate Sadler to address them on this occasion.

Snohomish county also will celebrate Labor Day with a combined picnic and anti-war protest meeting at Edmonds. The speakers of the day are to be Maynard Shipley, L.E. Katterfeld and Mary McNamara. Two steamers have been chartered to convey the crowds from Everett to the city park at Edmonds for the low round trip fare of forty cents.

Locals in other counties are also making plans, and it is expected that during Socialist week, September 6 to 13, every county in the state will see at least one great mass meeting to voice the protest of the working class against the system that has brought on the present butchery.

Encampment a Success.

The first Socialist encampment held in the state of Washington has proved a great success. It was held at Addy August 20-22, with Kate Sadler as the principal speaker. E.E. Owsley, county secretary of Stevens county, under whose auspices the encampment was held, reports as follows:

“The encampment is over. Was a grand success. Kate Sadler was the speaker. Every Socialist and visitor was pleased to the limit and was only sorry that it was over so soon. An immeasurable amount of good was done.”

It is hoped to make this encampment an annual affair and to have other counties take up the idea so as to make the Socialist encampment in Washington, as it now is in Oklahoma, a real factor in the lives of the people.

Ballots and Bulletins.

A package of referendum ballots for the pending election of party officials has been sent to every local in the state. Also a bundle of the State Bulletin, published by the state office. If any local has not received ballots or Bulletins, write immediately to the state secretary, box 491, Everett, WA. It is the local secretary’s duty to distribute both the ballots and the Bulletins to all members in good standing. If you have not received yours, attend the next meeting of the local and call for your copies.

Party Growth.

“A step at a time,” the Socialist party of Washington is gaining ground. A table published in the last State Bulletin shows that in the last four months the number of locals reporting has increased from 135 to 177 in a total of 212. The number of paid-up members increased from 2,665 to 3,360 and the total membership in these reporting locals from 4,017 to 4,812. Total number of due stamps sold increased from 3,091 to 3,764.

August will show a similar increase over July, even without counting the locals of the seceding organization, which will be added to the list next month for the first time.

With a United Socialist party celebrating Red Week, and every Socialist worthy of the name working from September 6 to 13 to help BUILD the ORGANIZATION, the party promises to regain all of its old-time strength before election day comes around. Put your shoulder to the wheel, and PUSH!

Red Buttons for Red Week.

Every party member should wear the party button.

During Red Week especially every Socialist should show his colors. Make it a point during that week to pin a red button on every party member and on every Socialist sympathizer of your acquaintance.

Nothing will make so strong an impression upon the public mind, right during these days of war, as to see that little emblem of the class struggle and symbol of universal brotherhood worn by great numbers of earnest men and women.

Get a supply of buttons at once from the state office, Box 491, Everett, Wash., and tag every Socialist. One dozen are fifteen cents. Twenty-five or more come at a penny apiece. Sell them at a nickel and use the profit for Socialist propaganda.

A Labor Day Pointer.

Sell that eight-hour button that you are wearing to some fellow worker that has not got one yet. Then back to your local secretary and make him happy by buying another. If he cannot supply you, send two-bits to the state secretary, Socialist party, box 491, Everett, Wash., and Uncle Sam will bring you a button by return mail.

Do You Live Here?

Do you belong to one of the following locals: Bismarck, Bush Prairie No. 2, Buckley No. 3, Centervale, Clarkston, Coweeman, Cowlitz Bend, Dayton, Fruit Farms, Glenwood, Haller Creek, Horse Heaven, Kapowsin, La Center, Lisabuela, Lowgap, Marysville, Molson, New Castle, Nordland, Okanogan, Poulsbo No. 2, Prosser, Puyallup, Renton, Roslyn No. 3, Sanpoil, Sandy Bend, Seattle No. 3, Seattle No. 6, Spokane No. 3, Synarep, Tacoma No. 3, Woodland No. 3.

If you do, whatsematterwithye? This is the hospital list of the Socialist party of Washington. These are the 35 locals that for some reason or another didn’t report, and who therefore are not in good standing according to our state constitution which REQUIRES that a local report before the 13th of each month on the month preceding.

It is for YOU to say whether your local shall be carted from the hospital out to the morgue, or whether it shall join the 177 live ones that reported on the firing line for the month of July.

Attend your next local meeting and have a heart-to-heart talk with your secretary whose duty it is to report. COME ALIVE during Red Week, and surprise the enemy by taking the OFFENSIVE once more.

To the Lonesome Socialist. You who are carrying on your lonely propaganda among the heathen, has it occurred to you that some of them may be about ready to be “saved”? Events are making Socialists fast these days. Why not try to organize a local in your community? The ease with which it can be accomplished may surprise you.

The week of September 6 to 13 has been set aside as Red Week by the national organization of the Socialist party. During that week every Socialist, no matter where he lives nor what his business, is expected to do his utmost to BUILD the PARTY. Let your contribution be a new local.

If you don’t know just how to go about it, or have not the necessary blanks, write L.E. Katterfeld, state secretary, Box 491, Everett, Wash., who will gladly send you the information and supplies.

The Commonwealth was a Socialist Party-aligned paper based in Everett, Washington that began in February, 1911. First edited by O.L. Anderson, the weekly paper was quickly involved in the state’s very fractious inner Socialist Party life. Editors followed the changing political fortunes with Anna A. Maley directing The Commonwealth from September, 1911 until May, 1912, who also focused the paper nationally. Maley left the paper to run for governor in 1912, the first woman and first Socialist in the state to run for that office, winning a respectable 12% of the vote. Six more editors followed Maley, including Maynard Shipley. The paper’s orientation was left and supported the I.W.W. when many S.P. papers were denouncing them. The Commonwealth struggled, like nearly all left publications in history, with money financially and sold to the Socialist Party of Snohomish County in April, 1914 to be reborn as The Washington Socialist.

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