The Pittsburgh Press (October 13, 1944)
PAC discovers dollars are hard to get
Heads report interest but little cash
By Robert Taylor, Pittsburgh Press staff writer
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania –
The Pennsylvania Citizens Political Action Committee has learned one of the primary lessons of politics: It’s hard to get campaign money, even from your own members and even at the modest rate of a dollar per head.
The pro-Roosevelt PAC several months ago divulged a simple plan to raise a war chest of $5 million in the nation and some $400,000 in Pennsylvania by tapping each CIO member for a dollar.
Today, however, PAC heads ruefully admitted that fundraising isn’t as easy as it sounds, and that something will have to be done to fill the coffers of the new campaign organization before Election Day.
Interest, but little cash
PAC chairmen representing the state’s principal counties verified the lack of cash in a meeting here yesterday, held to receive reports on the campaign to date.
One said collections were “difficult.” Another said union members are interested and active in the campaign, but not to the extent of giving a dollar. Others reported that, although some local unions contributed handsomely, in most places the “Buck for Roosevelt” plan wasn’t going well.
One delegate said perhaps their wives gave union members only a dollar a week out of the paycheck. Miss Connie Anderson, chairman of the women’s division of PAC, suggested that if the men paid more attention to the women, they might get two dollars a week.
Collections ‘look bad’
No collection totals were announced, but Joseph A. Donoghue, chairman of the PCPAC, told the meeting “the raising of funds looks bad.”
He warned:
Every effort will have to be made by the county committees to raise money. If we don’t have some money to spend on Election Day, the workers will feel they are being let down.
Mr. Donoghue added, however, that the PAC’s principal contribution to the campaign is the work of men and women, and not money.
He told the PAC chairmen he had discussed campaign plans with Sidney Hillman, national chairman of the PAC, and had been directed to coordinate all PAC campaign activity with that of the Democratic organization.
Results of the campaign to get voters registered, he said, had contributed to what is apparently a greater voter registration than that of 1940 – the all-time peak of vote registrations in Pennsylvania – and the PAC’s job now was in the last phase of getting out the vote.
He said:
We want to work with the Democratic organization, and fill in the weak spots where we’re needed. We can get watchers’ certificates only through the Democratic organization, and we want to coordinate our efforts and see that the polls are manned.
He suggested that every local or shop unit arrange with its employer for time off to vote on Election Day, preferably in the early morning, to help the morale of their own poll workers and clear the polls for the heavy vote later in the day.
Local union offices should be closed on Election Day, he advised, so their personnel can work on the election and – if finances permit – every available piece of sound equipment should be obtained for last-minute appeals to “get out and vote” in industrial sections.
Big vote favors Roosevelt
He said:
The national and state offices of the PAC will help in every way possible to assure the victory of liberalism over the reactionaries of the Republican Party. We know the wealthy backers of Dewey are praying for a small vote – the smaller, the more chance they have of occupying the White House.
All indications now are that Mr. Roosevelt will be reelected. Shrewd politicians predict that if 45 million vote, FDR will go in. But if only 40 million vote, the election will be close.
We don’t intend to let apathy or overconfidence lose the fight. We’ll take nothing for granted until every eligible voter casts his ballot – and then we’ll know that the forces of reaction have been defeated.