The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-21
BY FREDERICK WOLTMAN
Times STAFF Writer


NEW YORK, Oct Economy
means something more than po-
litical promise right now with the
Socialist party
Lacking campaign funds and
with 40 cents for breakfast and
tips" recurrent item on bis ex-
pense account, Norman Thomas is
running an economical presiden-
tia1 campaign, inquiry at his
headquarters revealed today.
No retinue of ballyhoo experts.
secretaries or political advisers
make up the campaign encourage.
Thomas whole party on his ma
tional tour. which is drawing hug
crowds everywhere and which is
said to presage 100000 votes, is
himself and Mrs. Thomas.
Wife Handles Correspondence
Mrs. Thomas handles the candi-
dates corresr ndence. taking it in
lenglaand and eoaNing it with two
fingers on her portable typewriter.
His speeches he usually writes
out after midnight in an upper
berth of a Pullman, sometimes
mailing them to his part-time sec
rotary in New York for mimeo-
graphing, if they are important.
To save party money, most of
his speech making tours, except
his present one, are covered in the
Thomas secondhand automobile,
the candidate at the wheel. He
dictates letters to his wife in the
short jumps between towns.
His ten-day New England trip,
for instance, cost the party $55.45.
Lodging (mostly at tourists
cabins). and meals totaled $500;
gas and oil, $22.65; repairs and
grease, $4.85; ferry charges and
tolls, $6.25; public stenogra pher
81, and incidentals, $3.50.
Funds Are Low
The candidate alphabetically
handed in his account for that
trip, said Mary Fox, secretary of
the Thomas-for-P President COM
mittee. with the footnote at
tached, please pay me promptly,
because my funds are very low"
Actually Thomas trips usually
pay for themselves, because ten
to twenty-five cents sometimes is
charged as admission. This is the
chief financial support of both
local and national parties.
The nineteen-day midwestern
tour of the presidential candidate
cost $229.41, including an item of
meals, tips, taxi, Sis"
The plan to send a publicity
man along on the trips was aban-
doned, Mrs. Thomas explained.
because those people eat we'll
while We can save a lot by sitting
down and studying the menu"
Chicken Dinner at Farm
In his expense account for a
stopover at Greenville, Mich. Mr..
Thomas wrote: Chicken dinner
with farmer, who at least has
food"
One unexpected expense on a
Pennsylvania trip was $14 for
car repairs, incurred when an oil
truck hit his automobile when he
stepped out to look at a signpost.
In March Thomas voluntarily
stopped a 800 a week salary as
director of the League for In.
dustrial Democracy. his onlv in
come. for the duration of the
campaign, and rejected the party's
o1er to pay him $50 week.
League Gets Receipts
All the income he gets from
speaking tours-other than DO
htlcal speeches-he turns back to
the league. In 1881 this netted the
league, a national student organ
ization, about $500, Miss Fox
said.
While Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas are
on speaking tours, their five chill
dren address envelopes. in the
party's headquarters, run Mrs.
Thomas restaurant at II Irving
Place and tend her kennel of
cocker spaniels, which are raised
to send them through college.
A large expense in the pres
idential campaign are twelve ma
tional organizers, paid $40 to $50 a
week.
Every possible economy is being
effected, including abandoning the
Ice water fountain in the national
Office.
Hourly Temperatures