The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-23
Party Life
Unit Inactivity Is
Seen as a Factor
In F1uctuati0n

The first and foremost problem
in recruiting new members into the
Party is that Of getting our MEM
bers TO put time into the task. So
many feel that one or two evenings
q week at inner or mass meetings
is time enough to spend on Party
work. This feeling is often &C
centuated by some member or
members Of the tired and dis
couraged" variety. His constant.
complaints Of overwork throw cold
water on everyone's ardor. We can
only function properly when and if
we look upon Party activities as
our happiest recreation, and not as
duties to be reluctantly gotten
through with. An excellent cor
receive is for a number Of mem
bers in each unit to literally laugh
the gloomy pessimists out OF coun-
tenance, and to instill notes of
enthusiastic competition into every
meeting. A whole lot of realistic
optimism is needed from our best
cadres to offset the gloomy slug
gishness of those who complain Of
too much work.
Those who are not members of
trade unions or fraternal organiza-
lions can best make fresh contacts
by door to door sales Of the Daily
Worker. 1t is the most ENJOYABLE
task live-wire member can have
assigned him. And once a worker
buys a Daily Worker from him sew
eral times he almost surely has a
potential Party member who will
come closer upon further visits and
longer visits.
Inactivity in units Is ma jor.
factor to membership turnover.
believe this can be traced, firstly to
a remoteness from struggles In the
immediate neighborhoods and
factories, secondly to a lack Of
theoretical understanding, due to
failure to read and study, and
thirdly to an inactive or burocratic
Unit Buro.
Also If every active and conscien-
tious unit member, no matter how
hard he works, would pay frequent
home visits to new members and
talk encouragingly to them of the
work Of the Party in connection
with local and world DEVELOPMENTS
fewer newcomers would drop out.
To eternally watch world develop
ments is an inspiring activizer,
providing we also eternally watch
our local problems, translating the
spirit Of the broad historical sweep
into everyday application locally.
Home influences often cause new
members to drop out of the Party.
All too often we go into homes,
talk to a contact or a new mem
Der, and do not try hard to involve
his wife in the conversation. We
work" upon the man, while his
wife is allowed to feel isolated and
left out. We should not be so dull
as to overlook the inevitable injury.
The wife who is not Communist
sees her husband attending meet
ingS and aligning himself with an
organization she neither under
stands nor feels a friendly ap-
proach from. Our women comrades
surely should take this to heart and
call as often upon the wives as our
men call upon the husbands.
Wives should be asked to attend
unit meetings as guests, should be
invited along with their husbands
to our homes. Why not aim to
enlist couples into our Party not
just the man of the house?
Also, wherever 1 have observed
units of mixed nationality 1 have
seen healthy, growing units. The
ones which are composed of
single language membership seldom
grow outside their sectarian circles.
In the Barre, Vermont Unit are II
members of nine nationalities. and
this unit is active, with MANY
contacts coming our way.
Comradely,
Barre, Vt.