The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-28

the workers in America in Commu-
mist theory and practice and the
publication of books and pamphlets
on these and allied subjects was the
most urgent task The Communist
Party itself did little publishing;
the Socialist publishing firm of
Charles H. Kerr and Company in
Chicago was practically out of bust
ness so far as new publications were
concerned. No capitalist publisher
would dream of bringing out the
works Of Lenin or any of the rich
literature which the October Revo-
luton made available in the Soviet
Union.
1t was necessary to create an or
ganization for that purpose in the
United States, and Trachtenberg
was the logical man to head such
an undertaking. His thorough
MARKHAM erudition, his profound
knowledge of both the Russian and
American labor movements, his
previous work as editor and writer,
made him the ideal person for the
! job. Besides, Trachtenberg has a
quality which few possess; he is a
/ 365-days he works
every day in the year, from morn
ing till morning. Even in August
and September, when hay-fever
knocks him low, he gets the better
of it by working extra hours. Who
else, then, could have been better
suited for the extremely responsible
and intricate job of publisher, edi-
tor, publicity man, bookseller and
strict accountant, than Trachten-
berg? But it took considerable
persuasion to get him to accept the
task: Trachtenberg is so much
part of the labor movement, so
much man of action, that being
tied to a desk was the least he
wanted to do. However, the need
for the printed word was so great
that he agreed.
Foundation Of International
Publishers
Thus, in 1924, International Pub
fishers was established. 1t was by
no means a simple matter. In the
brief space of a short article there
is no room to recount the difficult
ties which the publishing house
faced the first years. They were
the difficulties Of labor move
ment that was disjointed, of a
scattered and unframed reading
public, of lack Of distributing cen
tiers, of opposition on the part of
bourgeois bookstores and libraries
to handle international publica-
tons.
Another man in Trachtenberg' S
place would have thrown up the job
or would have succumbed to the
difficulties. But not Trachtenberg.
With determination that knows
no obstacles, logged persistence and
a faculty for laughing off difficult
ties, he succeeded in carrying the
publishing house over the top.
Today, when we celebrate Trach-
tenberg's fiftieth birthday, we cele-
brate at the same time the tenth
anniversary of International Pub
fishers. We celebrate a unique
achievement in the history of the
American labor nlovement-Lenin's
and Stains works made available
to American workers, Marx and En-
gels re-published and number OF
volumes hitherto not known in
English translated and published;
the works Of Soviet writer's, both in
the sciences and belles-lettres; i'm
portant works of MARKHAM writer's
from all lands; a Labor and Indus
try Series dealing with conditions
in the United States-in all about
It's separate titles, some of which
have gone through several editions.
Also the International Pamphlets,
AZ titles to date, in editions from
10000 to $4,000.
Every single item enumerated
here had to receive minute atten-
ton; editing and frequently pref
acing, checking Of translations, an
notating; selection of proper type,
paper and binding. Then the con-
! tinuous effort to reduce costs and
selling prices; and the tireleSs eff
forts to make the books and pam
phlets available over as wide ter
ritory as possible, without at the
same time running into an impasse
Of uncollected bills and too great
an overhead. This is the job
Trachtenberg accomplished in ten
years.
Yet not this alone. Trachtenberg
finds time for numerous other ae-
tivitiss, on the cultural front, in
mass organizations, in assisting or
directing various publications, in
speaking and lecturing. He finds
time for advising with young writers
and publicists. with research stu
dents and editors, with leaders in
various fields as we'll as rank and
file workers-the number of his dis
ciples and admirers is legion.
At fifty, Trachtenberg is still
young and full of pep; his work is
many sided; but his road is straight,
it points to the goal which he set
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