The following excerpt from a non-Socialist local newspaper in 1911 gives a rare view into a Socialist election night meeting. Reading, Pennsylvania Socialists gathered in a private lodge hall (ironically named the Red Men's Hall) to hear the election returns after a hard-fought campaign. Area Socialists had elected James H. Maurer to the legislature one year earlier, and now hoped to elect their mayoral candidate Elwood Leffler, as well as members of city council.
The Socialists assembled in Red Men's Hall were confident of victory up to the last.... Coffee and sandwiches were served by members of the Women's Socialist League, while cigars were disposed of in large numbers.
One message came in from New Castle (Pa.), conceding a Socialist victory in that town. For fully three minutes the crowd cheered and stamped like mad. This was followed shortly after by the announcement of a probable Socialist victory in Altoona, and the demonstration was a repetition of the previous one.
Intermingled in the crowd were a number of curiosity seekers. One of these wore a Stratton button [supporting the Republican candidate for mayor] and was the object of much 'kidding'....
 |
Wives, daughters, and sweethearts cheered their party all evening. The women wore red badges with the word "Socialism" inscribed in gilt letters. Many of them wore red arm bands, and Leffler buttons were on nearly every woman's coat lapels.
When the reports of 30 districts out of 51 were read giving Mr. Stratton a big majority, the Socialists were still reluctant to admit defeat. The majority of Socialists waited patiently for the Thirteenth Ward returns, believing that Mr. Leffler would get an even 1,000 in this district. He ran lower than expected in the Second Precinct, according to John A. Aulenbach, Socialist County Chairman.
Mr. Aulenbach, when asked for a statement, replied, "I guess we are licked."
----Reading Eagle, November 8, 1911.
Still, the news wasn't all bad. Although the Socialists failed to elect their mayoral candidate, Elwood Leffler, they did succeed in electing five members of city council and a number of other officers. Further, in the coming years Maurer would be twice re-elected to the state legislature, while another mayoral candidate (Henry J. Stump) would be elected several times beginning in 1927.
The following excerpt is from the Reading Eagle of November 22, 1935. Like the preceding excerpt, this one is nice because it discusses the political paraphernalia used by the Socialist party. The article appeared a couple of weeks after former Socialist mayor Stump was returned to office by the voters.
Marching legions of cheering, singing, and shouting Socialists last night celebrated their election triumph with an imposing display of strength.
Numbering between 8,000 and 9,000, the celebrators paraded down Penn Street with the jubilance and hilarity of bygone political days. The marchers had to plow through solid ranks of spectators who poured from the sidewalks into the street.
It was a night Socialists will long remember-a night in which party veterans were joined by women and school children to demonstrate their conception of liberty, freedom, and representative government....
Amid the flicker of flares, placards, and banners expounding the Socialist principles, hundreds of American flags passed in review. Gold-fringed banners of unions and crimson capes, ribbons, and caps lent color to the procession that was dominated by enthusiasm.
After the paraders tramped from Eleventh and Amity Street to Second and Penn, as many as possible filled the Capitol and Orpheum Theaters for mass meetings to hear speakers who led the battle to give Socialists control of the city....
Police were ignored by spectators when the front rank of the parade came into view and thousands swarmed into the street.
Heading the legion of marchers were three prominent leaders—Norman Thomas, twice the party's presidential candidate; Daniel W. Hoan, Mayor of Milwaukee, and Mayor-elect J. Henry Stump....
The release of sky rockets from the Eleventh and Pike Streets playground heralded the start of the parade.
The Yipsels, or Young People's organization of the party, raised their voices in songs of victory as they marched along....
Half a dozen bands provided music for the marchers. The Southern branch had a float, upon which Miss Liberty and Miss International rode with girls representing other nations. Dorothy Grund was Miss Liberty.
The Taxpayers' Protective League, an organization of unemployed, turned out in full force. So did the Federated Trades Council, Branch No. 10, of the Federation of Hosiery Workers....
There was no mistaking one man was a Socialist. He was weighted down by at least a half dozen victory badges. The badges, emblazoned with pictures of the three Socialist mayors of the country, were sold by vendors along the line of march, along with small flags, balloons, hot dogs, flares, and what not.
----Reading Eagle, November 22, 1935
Thanks to Robert Millar, college professor and political collector, who provided Buttons and Ballots with a photocopy of the 1935 article. The photocopy was made at the Reading Public Library. The article contained several photographs, which did not reproduce well from the microfilm, but which are notable for showing Reading's new Socialist officers marching in the parade and wearing the large trigate ribbon. Another interesting thing about the article, pointed out by Robert, is that although the trigate celebrates the nation's three most important Socialist mayors, Mayor Jasper McLevy was not present at the celebration, while Mayors Stump and Hoan were.
Certainly no other small American city could match Reading's record of producing Socialist national candidates. Reading was home of James H. Maurer, Norman Thomas' running mate in 1928 and 1932. Maurer was present at the 1935 victory celebration in Reading, but was so ill he had to watch the parade from a balcony. Darlington Hoopes was the Socialist's vice-presidential candidate in 1944, and presidential candidate in 1952 and 1956.
 |
Interestingly, both Maurer and Hoopes gained their fame within the national Socialist party by holding the same office. Both men were elected to the Pennsylvania legislature from the Reading area district.
 |
| © 1997 by Stephen Cresswell |
