Item #253457 Three Typed Letters Signed on personal stationery. Norman THOMAS, 1884 - 1968.

Three Typed Letters Signed on personal stationery

New York: 1963.

All three of these one-page letters were written in New York City in 1963 to Italian-born left-wing political activist and publisher Carl Aldo Marzani concerning a prospective book Marzani was attempting to finalize. The first letter measures 11 x 8.5 inches and is dated January 7, 1963, in small part: "I write with regret to say that all my friends agree that I better not write an introduction for your book. I am sorry that I have to consider the question whether my contributing would do more to hurt my general usefulness in this field. Roger Baldwin, who was one of those with whom I discussed the matter, made an interesting suggestion; namely, that you try to get some person so far outside the general radical area that he would not have to consider the problem as I have to consider it...I hope you won't mind my saying in conclusion that there is a real trouble in the fact that communism in power goes so far beyond what is done here in the denial of freedom. Incidentally, communism not in power has tried hard to keep me from speaking on various occasions." The second letter measures 8.5 x 5.5 inches and is dated January 8, 1963, in part: "...Yes, I am perfectly willing to be quoted as saying your book is 'original, entertaining and effective' on the flap of the jacket...I hope you and Deutscher's opinion are right about what Russia will become. I am right in holding that we who hold civil liberties cannot have a double standard on judgment." The third letter measures 11 x 8.5 inches and is dated February 11, 1963, in part: "...I am glad you are making progress with your book. Objectively, I expect that there will be, among the 'emerging' nations...a great deal of the sort of thing exemplified by Nkrumah but I would be entirely untrue to my deepest sense of values if I didn't protest it and I do not believe evolution out of this autocratic dictatorship will be fast except as it is protested...I by no means put what Nkrumah does in Africa on all fours with what Stalin did in Russia in the name of socialism." The recipient of these letters, Carl Aldo Marzani (1912 - 1994), was a Communist Party organizer, volunteer soldier in the Lincoln Brigade, a member of the OSS, and an employee of the U.S. Department of State. He is credited with picking the targets for the Doolittle raid on Tokyo as well as serving three years in Federal prison for having concealed his Communist Party USA (CPUSA) membership while in the OSS. Several staple holes in the upper left corners of each letter; light staining on the letter dated January 7, 1963. Overall very good(-) condition.

Presbyterian Minister who achieved fame as a socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.

Binding: Unbound
Language: English

Price: $400.00

Item #253457

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