[Letter] 1925 April 23 [to] Friends of the Radical and Labor Movement
Title
[Letter] 1925 April 23 [to] Friends of the Radical and Labor Movement
Subject
Labor movement.
Labor literature
American Fund for Public Service.
Description
Sinclair requests a list of influential works on the working-class movement to use for a new publication series being put together by the American Fund for Public Service. Sinclair also requests written opinions if possible.
Creator
Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968
Source
Edwin Markham Archive, Horrmann Library
Date
4/23/1925
Contributor
Wagner College, Staten Island, NY
Rights
Please contact the Horrmann Library at Wagner College for rights to use this digital image.
Format
image/jpeg
Language
eng
Type
Text
Identifier
SinclairU15
Text
UPTON SINCLAIR
PASADENA
CALIFORNIA
April 23, 1925.
To FRIENDS OF THE RADICAL AND LABOR MOVEMENT:
The American Fund for Public Service has voted to finance the publication of a series of standard works of literature and education in the service of the movement for workers' emancipation. The series is to contain two hundred titles, to be put upon the market at the lowest possible prices. It will be known by some such title as "The Workers' Classics," "The Radical Classics," or "The People's Classics." I have been asked to become editor of the series; an advisory editorial board of twenty or thirty persons will be appointed. The first step toward the undertaking is the preparing of a list of titles for inclusion in the series, and the purpose of this letter is to ask your assistance.
Let me point out that this series, when completed, will involve an investment of a large sum of money, not less than a hundred thousand dollars. It will constitute a permanent treasure of the labor movement throughout the English-speaking world. It is proposed to spare no pains to make the series of the utmost possible usefulness, and to this end it is hoped that you will give your share of guidance at this preliminary stage.
The series will be all-inclusive and entirely non-partisan, as regards factions and schools of thought in the working-class movement. The classics of the Socialist, Communist, Anarchist, Single Tax, Co-operative, and all other wings will be represented. The series will include fiction, poetry, drama, history, philosophy, politics, economics, finance. The sole test of inclusion will be whether the work contributes ideas or information likely to be of service to the awakening workers. The series will include translations from works in foreign languages, and will endeavor to be international in point of view; but aiming to serve that public which uses the English language, it will necessarily include a larger percentage of works representing the English and American points of view.
We ask you to take the time to make us a list of all works which you think should be included in these two hundred volumes. Make your range of selection wide, including everything which might by any possibility go in, and leaving it for the editorial board to do the work of eliminating. We should also appreciate having the names and addresses of other qualified persons who might be willing to make suggestions. In the case of works likely to be unknown to an American committee, we ask the names and addresses of publishers, and any information or opinion you care to give concerning each work. It is asked that you underscore those titles which in your opinion should certainly be included. It is asked that you be as prompt as possible, in order that the mass of data may be effectively assembled. It is also hoped that you will not expect personal replies to letters on the subject, because this is a task beyond the capacity of a single editor. The receipt of all replies will be acknowledged by a form letter, and you may then rest assured that your suggestions are receiving consideration. The money has been formally voted, so there is no possibility of your labor being wasted.
On the sheet enclosed you will find a list of suggested works and authors. This is a transcription of notes which I have jotted down occasionally, while thinking over this proposed series. It must be understood that the list does not pretend to be complete; it is merely one man's suggestions, submitted with the idea that it may be the means of starting your own mind to work, and perhaps saving you some time. Please underscore such works in my list as you think should positively be included; and be sure to put your name and address at the bottom of the sheet. In the case of authors listed without any works, you are invited to suggest such works as seem to you most suitable.
Yours for the cause of Workers' Emancipation,
UPTON SINCLAIR.
PASADENA
CALIFORNIA
April 23, 1925.
To FRIENDS OF THE RADICAL AND LABOR MOVEMENT:
The American Fund for Public Service has voted to finance the publication of a series of standard works of literature and education in the service of the movement for workers' emancipation. The series is to contain two hundred titles, to be put upon the market at the lowest possible prices. It will be known by some such title as "The Workers' Classics," "The Radical Classics," or "The People's Classics." I have been asked to become editor of the series; an advisory editorial board of twenty or thirty persons will be appointed. The first step toward the undertaking is the preparing of a list of titles for inclusion in the series, and the purpose of this letter is to ask your assistance.
Let me point out that this series, when completed, will involve an investment of a large sum of money, not less than a hundred thousand dollars. It will constitute a permanent treasure of the labor movement throughout the English-speaking world. It is proposed to spare no pains to make the series of the utmost possible usefulness, and to this end it is hoped that you will give your share of guidance at this preliminary stage.
The series will be all-inclusive and entirely non-partisan, as regards factions and schools of thought in the working-class movement. The classics of the Socialist, Communist, Anarchist, Single Tax, Co-operative, and all other wings will be represented. The series will include fiction, poetry, drama, history, philosophy, politics, economics, finance. The sole test of inclusion will be whether the work contributes ideas or information likely to be of service to the awakening workers. The series will include translations from works in foreign languages, and will endeavor to be international in point of view; but aiming to serve that public which uses the English language, it will necessarily include a larger percentage of works representing the English and American points of view.
We ask you to take the time to make us a list of all works which you think should be included in these two hundred volumes. Make your range of selection wide, including everything which might by any possibility go in, and leaving it for the editorial board to do the work of eliminating. We should also appreciate having the names and addresses of other qualified persons who might be willing to make suggestions. In the case of works likely to be unknown to an American committee, we ask the names and addresses of publishers, and any information or opinion you care to give concerning each work. It is asked that you underscore those titles which in your opinion should certainly be included. It is asked that you be as prompt as possible, in order that the mass of data may be effectively assembled. It is also hoped that you will not expect personal replies to letters on the subject, because this is a task beyond the capacity of a single editor. The receipt of all replies will be acknowledged by a form letter, and you may then rest assured that your suggestions are receiving consideration. The money has been formally voted, so there is no possibility of your labor being wasted.
On the sheet enclosed you will find a list of suggested works and authors. This is a transcription of notes which I have jotted down occasionally, while thinking over this proposed series. It must be understood that the list does not pretend to be complete; it is merely one man's suggestions, submitted with the idea that it may be the means of starting your own mind to work, and perhaps saving you some time. Please underscore such works in my list as you think should positively be included; and be sure to put your name and address at the bottom of the sheet. In the case of authors listed without any works, you are invited to suggest such works as seem to you most suitable.
Yours for the cause of Workers' Emancipation,
UPTON SINCLAIR.
Data Digital
2009
Digitization Specifications
IBM ThinkCentre Intel Pentium 4 3.06GHz running Windows XP Professional Version 2 Service Pack 2; Epson Expression 10000XL scanner; Master Scanner Settings: 24-bit RGB, 400 dpi resolution; File Format: TIFF; Compression: none; Reference Images resized and converted with Adobe Photoshop CS2 version 9.0.2: 8-bit RGB; 400 ppi resolution; Compressed jpeg.
Collection
Citation
Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968 , “[Letter] 1925 April 23 [to] Friends of the Radical and Labor Movement,” Edwin Markham Digital Archive, accessed May 3, 2024, https://markham.omeka.net/items/show/570.