BY LUIS MADRID
In a confident move, consistent with their initial efforts, Seattle supporters of the Pathfinder campaign to raise $125,000 increased their goal to $9,000.

"This is in line with what we said we wanted to do," explained Nan Bailey. With local pledges already adding up to nearly $7,000 of an original goal of $8,000, the organizer of the effort in Seattle added, "This means the new goal will be a challenge, but also an opportunity, because it will make us reach out quite broadly."

The latest installment by fund supporters in Philadelphia makes that city one of three areas internationally who are on or ahead of schedule at the close of the first week of this nine-week campaign.

Local supporters will need to pay special attention in the next week to regularize the collection of contributions weekly, in order to help insure the success of the drive.

"We are in the final stages of production, and are organizing to have this book available in time for the Communist Party (CP) `fiestá in Spain," said Juliette Montauk referring to Ernesto Che Guevara: Economía y política en la transición al socialismo (Ernesto Che Guevara: Economics and Politics in the Transition to Socialism) by Cuban economist Carlos Tablada. Montauk works in Pathfinder's printshop and organized production of this title. In London Pathfinder volunteers have reserved a table at the CP-organized festival in Spain, and plan to make sales visits to bookstores and libraries following the event. In addition, other Pathfinder supporters will go to Mexico at the end of September to participate in meetings on Guevara's legacy at which Tablada will be making presentations.

The book on Guevara's political legacy will be Pathfinder's seventh new title in 1997, with five more projected before the end of the year.

The fact that a special cash outlay was necessary to insure the production of this book helps to underline the importance of the fund effort. In order to meet its editorial commitments, Pathfinder needs a steady flow of contributions, and a successful drive.

Supporters in several cities across the United States and internationally project to use fund rallies planned for the next several weekends to highlight the place of this title, as well as the complete arsenal of Pathfinder, winning new supporters to the campaign in the process.

"The theme of our meeting is The Changing Face of U.S. Politics," said Bailey. "In addition to Martín Koppel, the editor of the Spanish-language edition of the book, we want to feature one of the leaders of the farm workers in this area," she added in a letter that was accompanied by an additional $100 contribution.

Contributions to the fund can be made to: Pathfinder Fund, 410 West Street, New York, NY 10014.

Luis Madrid is the Pathfinder Fund director.  
 
 
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