Ray organizes the operation to fill orders from Pathfinder, which publishes the works of revolutionary leaders of the communist and working-class movement from Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, to the leaders of the Socialist Workers Party today.

Starting January 2, shop workers began picking orders to fill invoices, packing up and shipping the books around the world, tracking inventory levels to insure no title goes out of print, and maintaining the publisher's stock in good condition.

"We have 110 invoices from Pathfinder to fill over the next two days," said Ray, "including orders from Pathfinder bookstores, university bookstores for classroom use, and other retail outlets and libraries."

In order to continue upgrading the building and machinery needed to produce the books, socialists launched a $280,000 capital fund at the end of February. Fund director Dave Prince reports that as of the end of December $235,500 has been pledged by 79 people. Those who want to help complete the fund can write to Pathfinder at 410 West St., NY, NY 10014 or call (212) 741-0690.

Ray said dozens of volunteers from 20 cities in the United States, and from Australia, Britain, Canada, Greece, and Sweden participated in the project.

Over the course of the four-week effort, volunteers discussed how events in the world class struggle pointed out the need to produce and distribute the lessons of the workers movement, and Marxist analysis of current developments in politics: Hundreds of thousands of workers in south Korea went on strike to protest government antiunion measures; tens of thousands of youth and others involved in protests in Yugoslavia stood up to the regime's use and threats of violence; Washington continued to press ahead with plans to cut Social Security; and the stock market's gyrations pointed to the underlying instability of the world capitalist economic system.

"For many who came to New York to get the pick-and-pack operation set up," said project organizer Kevin Dwire, "this was the first time they had a chance to gain first- hand knowledge of the place the Pathfinder Building and the shop have in producing revolutionary literature. It gave everyone involved a better feel for the centrality propaganda work has for the communist movement as we join working-class struggles today."

Dwire also emphasized that the "way the pick-and-pack operation project was organized was very important. We took the deadline seriously and put out a call to get the volunteers we needed. When we fell behind our schedule we worked extra hours to get back on track."

Ved Dookhun, a leader of the Young Socialists who was part of the project steering committee, noted that for the large number of YS members who participated the effort was "a real learning experience and a chance to appreciate the importance of the books and to understand politics. "What struck me was how workers and young people transformed an entire floor into a pick-and-pack operation. None of us were specialists, but we organized every detail that needed to get done," he said.

Pathfinder organized a sale of slightly damaged books that turned up as volunteers unpacked skids, cleaned each item, and put them on the shelves. Participants in the project bought $2,000 worth of literature.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home