BY SIMONE BERG

NEWARK, New Jersey - Going into the fourth week of the drive to raise $90,000 for the Socialist Workers 1996 national election campaign, contributions received at the campaign offices in New York as of May 21 added up to $17,254. As the chart accompanying this article shows, total pledges fall $4,800 short of the national goal.

Supporters in Twin Cities and Philadelphia are sending weekly contributions to the campaign headquarters and staying ahead of schedule. In both areas, they are also calling a broad layer of contacts, coworkers, youth, and other activists to insure that they can surpass their goals.

The Young Socialists have decided to put two members of its National Committee, Tom Alter and Verónica Poses, on the road to campaign alongside the socialist presidential ticket of James Harris and Laura Garza.

They will help build the Young Socialists for Harris and Garza, and put campaign backers in the best position to attract and win students, workers, and other youth to the campaign. During Garza's recent campaign stop in Chicago, for instance, she and Poses met students at Lane Tech High School where they discussed politics at a literature table outside the school. Two youth signed up for more information on the campaign.

"Having these two young leaders join the national speaking tour strengthens the campaign," said Luis Madrid, who helps to coordinate the fund drive nationally. "But it also means increased expenditures, making the fund drive more important than ever."

At a fund-raiser during Garza's Chicago visit, the appeal for pledges was led by Frankie Travis, who was part of the fight against concessions at A.E. Staley in Decatur, Illinois. Travis explained how the experience transformed him "from someone who voted Democrat to a supporter of the Militant," the campaign newspaper.

Supporters in Peoria have taken the campaign to members of the United Auto Workers in their area. Seven workers at a Caterpillar foundry bought copies of the Militant from a recent campaign team. Several received the campaign brochure with great interest, and many who drove by gave campaigners the thumbs up.

Johanna Ryan, a supporter of the socialist ticket there, explained that was one of the ways they were "warming up" for Harris's upcoming visit there.

Socialist Workers campaign backers coast-to-coast are also planning events for Memorial Day weekend. These events can play a pivotal role in making the fund goals in full and on time.  
 
 
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