Voice of the Lonely Lion

A gruff and toothless old lion of U.S.politics growled softly with rheumatism and prepared once more for combat. The Socialist Party held its 1948 presidential convention in Reading, Pa.

It was a homely affair. The dingy convention hall was undecorated, except for three red flags and a few tired banners. The 250 delegates smoked steadily and stolidly, causing the chairman to cry: "Keep your butts off the floors!" There were no parades; no foolish talk of victory.

But though the Socialists did not hope for many more than the 80,000 votes they had drawn in 1944, they were neither discouraged nor dismayed. They debated as though millions were listening. Cried a redheaded delegate from Michigan: "I don't want a cheap, lousy, vote-seeking bourgeois platform!" They sang the Internationale, spoke fiercely against the Communists, the Republicans and the Democrats, publicly pitied Henry Wallace.They argued wildly as to whether they should stand for pacifism, decided against it.

After three days they nominated their presidential candidate. Although he had said he would not run again, it turned out to be Princeton-bred ('05), aging Norman Thomas, who had already carried the Socialist banner in five straight presidential elections. They picked Tucker P. Smith, an economics professor from Olivet, Mich., to run for Vice President. Then they went back home to hope and argue and wait for the recalcitrant world to come to its senses.

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