We’re on the Last Lap; Minneapolis Is in Front (11 January 1941) (original) (raw)
James P. Cannon
Trotsky Memorial Fund
(11 January 1941)
Published: Socialist Appeal, Vol. 5 No. 2, 11 January 1941, p. 2.
Source: PDF supplied by the Riazanov Library Project.
Transcription/Mark-up: Einde O’Callaghan for the Marxists’ Internet Archive.
Public Domain: This work is in the under the Creative Commons Common Deed. You can freely copy, distribute and display this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit the Marxists’ Internet Archive/Encyclopedia of Trotskyism On-Line as your source, include the url to this work, and note any of the transcribers, editors, translators, proofreaders etc. above.
January 1st was the time set by the Chicago Conference for completion of the Trotsky Memorial Fund. As can be seen from the score board below, the branches came mighty close to the goal on the average, and some of them went over.
In order to give the backward branches a final chance to catch up, with and outstrip the fast starters, the Political Committee has extended the deadline for one month, to February 1st. Those branches which are not under the wire by that time are down in the black book for good.
As the campaign reached its climax, a vicious competitive struggle broke out between the New York and Twin Cities locals. This was precipitated by the following telegram from New York.
“NEW YORK IS UP 44% ON MEMORIAL FUND QUOTA. INTENDS TO BEAT TWIN CITIES TO GOAL."
This was immediately responded to by the Twin Cities comrades as follows:
“WHAT A MERE 44%? YOU CAN’T BEAT MINNESOTA.”
For one week New York held the lead by .1 of 1%. However, this was a bit of a fluke, as a contribution of $100 from the Twin Cities was delayed in the mail during the holidays and was not credited to them. More than that, the New Yorkers were accused of slick work in putting in an extra dollar to gain a small lead of .l of 1%.
This week the Twin Cities comrades reached the goal and sent 1extraforgoodmeasure,togivethemascoreof100.11 extra for good measure, to give them a score of 100.1%. A check for 1extraforgoodmeasure,togivethemascoreof100.1371 was received from them, with the following letter:
“Here she is. We’re 48 hours late but we have the organization and give us due credit for that .1 of 1% over the Quota and See that there’s no cheating by those New York City slickers. They might tie Minnesota after the excellent reports of N.Y. City Convention but they can’t beat us yet.
“Fraternal greetings to the N.Y. comrades and better luck next time.”
It is now up to New York. They asked for the fight. The question is: Do they intend to go through with it?
The up and coming branch at Detroit, which completed its quota 100% before the deadline, greeted the extension of the campaign for another month by pledging another $50. Under the democratic principles of dur organization other branches have full right to do likewise if they see fit.
The following are the additional payments made to the Trotsky Memorial Fund this week:
| Akron | $ 7.00 |
|---|---|
| Boston | 16.00 |
| Buffalo | 7.00 |
| Cleveland | 10.00 |
| Detroit | 10.00 |
| Los Angeles | 27.75 |
| Lynn | 5.00 |
| Minneapolis and St. Paul | 371.00 |
| New Haven | 2.00 |
| New York | 100.00 |
| Philadelphia | 11.00 |
| Quakertown | 5.00 |
| Rochester | 5.00 |
| San Francisco | 15.00 |
| Williston | 10.00 |
| Individual Contribution | 1.00 |
| TOTAL | $602.73 |
| Branch | Quota | Amount paid | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $ 100.00 | $ 147.00 | 147 |
| QUAKERTOWN | 7.00 | 7.50 | 107 |
| BUFFALO | 25.00 | 26.15 | 105 |
| DETROIT | 200.00 | 210.00 | 105 |
| PORTLAND | 10.00 | 10.50 | 105 |
| TOLEDO | 50.00 | 51.00 | 102 |
| LOS ANGELES | 150.00 | 151.45 | 101 |
| MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL | 1,000.00 | 1,001.00 | 100.1 |
| PITTSBURGH | 10.00 | 10.00 | 100 |
| ALLENTOWN | 15.00 | 15.00 | 100 |
| CHICAGO & INDIANA HARBOR | 200.00 | 200.00 | 100 |
| MILWAUKEE | 5.10 | 5.10 | 100 |
| READING | 5.00 | 5.00 | 100 |
| BALTIMORE | 10.00 | 10.00 | 100 |
| SAN. DIEGO | 8.50 | 8.50 | 100 |
| ROCKVILLE | 7.00 | 7.00 | 100 |
| TEXAS | 5.00 | 5.00 | 100 |
| NEWARK | 150.00 | 150.00 | 100 |
| HUTCHINSON | 10.00 | 10.00 | 100 |
| ST. LOUIS | 5.00 | 5.00 | 100 |
| AKRON | 10.00 | 10.00 | 100 |
| PHILADELPHIA | 30.00 | 30.00 | 100 |
| ROCHESTER | 15.00 | 15.00 | 100 |
| SAN FRANCISCO | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100 |
| WILLISTON | 10.00 | 10.00 | 100 |
| FLINT | 150.00 | 138.00 | 92 |
| LYNN | 100.00 | 90.00 | 90 |
| NEW HAVEN | 20.00 | 13.00 | 90 |
| NEW YORK | 1,000.00 | 656.00 | 66 |
| CLEVELAND | 70.00 | 16.00 | 14 |
| YOUNGSTOWN | 50.00 | 6.00 | 12 |
| INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS | 3.30 | ||
| TOTAL | 3527.60∣3527.60 | 3527.60∣3121.57 | 88% |
Last updated on 13 November 2020