The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-08
BY DEXTER TEED
NEA Service Writer

BY DEXTER TEED
NEA Service Writer
NEW YORK, Aug. 8.-This
IN man Norman Thomas, now
starting the speaking campaign
that will take him to all parts
of the United States as the So
cialist party nominee for Presi-
dent, holds a unique position
among all the men who have
fought to change the existing sys-
tenn in America.
With shrewd political observers
predicting that he probably will
poll the largest third party vote
of any presidential nominee in
history and with Republicans and
Democrats alike regarding, I'M
easily, his evident strength, he
finds himself established as a sig
nificant personality in these times
of crises.
For enemies and friends respect
Norman Thomas. It would be
difficult to say which respect him
more. There is bitter criticism of
Socialism, but it usually concludes
with the admission that Thomas,
as man, is fine type, sincere,
honest, highly capable"
And that is why, among those
wishing to overturn the old order,
he is almost unique.
Believe in Socialism or de-
nounce it, you have to admit that
Norman Thomas, with his career
of newsboy, college student, semi
nary graduate, preacher, social
worker and finally whole hearted
convert to socialism, is true
American.
From that day when he was
born in Marion, O., in 1884 his
life has been like that of millions
Of other Americana struggle to
get started, supporting himself to
get an education and finally a
position in the world.
1t is an old story, but Thomas
has given it a different ending.
A S a poor Presbyterian min
L n ister's son, he had a paper
route in Marion. He sold the
Star, the paper of the Warren G..
Harding, who one day was to be
President.
Looking back to his boyhood
memories, Thomas recalls Hard
ing now, wildly.
He was hail fellow we'll met"
says Thomas, "a pleasant man, al
ways patting people on the back
and shaking hands. People liked
him, but they didn't think he
amounted to much.
His wife ran the show. She
had great energy and capacity,
but was narrowminded.
"Harding's misfortune was that
when he was dressed up, he looked
like the American tradition of
statesman"
Thomas grew up in Marion, a
normal, tall, thin-legged boy. He
did we'll in school and showed in
terest in the Presbyterian church,
where his father, the Rev. yelling
E. Thomas, was pastor.
Unquestionably his contacts
there influenced his later de-
ciSion to be a minister.
He went through grammar and
high schools and when the family
moved to Lewisburg, Pa, he en-
tered Bucknell university. There
he remembers a tall, gangling
youth who pitched on the ball
team.
A likable fellow he was, and
his name was Christy Mathewson,
who later became the famous big
league pitcher.
After one year at Bucknell,
Thomas entered Princeton. He
was a good student, although he
had to pay his way by tutoring,
working at odd jobs and labor
ing in the summers.
Thomas was we'll liked, even if
he sometimes irked his class
mates by arguing about such
things as philosophy and social
ism.
A S he remembers it now, at
IA first he seemed to be opposed
to the idea of Socialism. He even
composed arguments against it.
But, what was significant as
proved later, he learned much
about it.
Having graduated from Prince
ton, he took a trip around the
world and then entered and even
tually graduated from the Union
Theological seminary in New
York, qualified to be minister.
He might have had a distin-
guished career as a preacher if
he had not become interested in
social work.
He worked in a settlement
house on the west side in New
York and at later date was
given $500 a year at a neighbor-
hood house in the Spring street
area. Those two experiences pro-
foundry influenced his later life.
In the west side 'hell's kitchen
section he saw poverty in its
worst forms. Spindly-legged chill
dren, underfed and irritable,
fought in the narrow streets.
Their parents, living in squalid,
dirty tenementS. brawled and