The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-27
PARTY LIFE
Energetic Election Campaign
Brings Party Before Masses
Communists Should Not Wmt Until Bourgeois
Parties Get Busy, But Should Begin Early

dorsing candidates and their pro-
gram. ss
Signature collecting, speaking at
mass meetings, leading unemployed
workers struggles, cards, posters and
leaflets were the methods used to-
acquaint the population with ths-
program of workers candidates.
Contrary to the capitalist mode Of
signature getting on the basis Of
candidates record and personal his
tory the workers candidates secured
signatures on the basis Of the prin-
ciple of working class struggle. The
mayoraIty candidate in Des Moines
obtained FIVE hundred per cent over
the required number Of signatures.
The workers candidates and their
supporters spoke to approximately
seventy five different meetings. The
non-p partisan phase of the campaign
establishes a host Of partisan
organizations such as the Better
Government League, etc, who ar
range meetings inviting all cam
didates to speak. Workers cam
didates who are known Communists
even spoke in American Legion
Halls. the center Of reaction. These
meetings are financed by contribu-
tions from the candidates. About
ia candidates in Sioux City and
40 in Des Moines we're running for
the primaries which crowded the
speaking schedule at each meeting
to such an extent that the work
ers' candidates had but one to ten
minutes to give their program to
the people.
One candidate led delegation Of
unemployed to a city council caus-
ing the council to fulfill some of the
demands including the endorsement
of the Unemployment Insurance
Bill H. R. 1898. Thousands Of cam
paign cards with slogans and pro-
gram of one and Of all candidates
were distributed. The Communist
Party's endorsement of candidates
appeared in one capitalist newspaper
and printed on several thousand
leaflets.
The primary election returns
showed that the votes for workers
candidates were in proportion to our
activity. The large number of votes
cast in a student area indicated
rehabilitation of university students.
The number of votes received by
Sioux City candidates varied from
100 to 300. This is a decided gain
from the general election in Nov
ember 1882 considering the fact
that the votes are split among as
high as fifteen candidates running
for the same Office. The mayorality
candidate in Des Moines received
SIS votes. A gain of over 400 per
cent from November 1882
In conclusion: The Party should
not have waited when capitalist
candidates enter the field; it should
draw up program at least two
months before the elections Work.
ers' political clubs were not organ
lied; candidates should have been
set up for every Office regardless if
the candidate is able to campaign
or not; insufficient publicity by the
Party; tendency to hide the Party;
failure to penetrate shops and A.
F. of L. locals; forgetting the Daily
Worker at meetings; failure to fully
realize the Importance of poll watch
ers; failure to organize a united
front for the support of workers
candidates, and lastly, the failure
to consolidate the gains made we're
the shortcomings of the campaign.
The participation Of the Party in
municipal election campaign, when
properly organized, is one of our
most effective means to spread our
message to broad strata Of the
population.