Eteenpäin
Encyclopedia
Eteenpäin was a Finnish-language
daily newspaper launched in New York City
in 1921. The paper was the East Coast organ of Finnish-American members of the Communist Party USA
. The paper moved to Worcester, Massachusetts
in 1922 and to Yonkers, New York
in 1931. In 1950 Eteenpäin was merged with the Communist Party's Midwestern Finnish-language daily, Työmies ("The Worker") to create Työmies-Eteenpäin, which continued to be published from Superior, Wisconsin
into the 1990s.
(SPA), amidst much acrimony, split into three parts at its 1919 Emergency National Convention
. Two new Communist Parties were established, with the moderate Socialist
"Regulars" retaining control of the old party name, logo, and assets. In the run-up to this landmark party convention the SPA's governing National Executive Committee had suspended six large foreign language federations for having officially endorsed the Left Wing Manifesto
around with the soon-to-be Communist Party dissidents were organizing their forces. This action, coupled with the revocation of the state charters of "left wing" dominated states such as Ohio, Michigan, and Massachusetts, deprived the left wing of its voting majority and assured the Regulars of victory at the convention in Chicago.
This heavy-handed action taken against the non-English-speaking section of the Socialist Party came at a severe cost, however. Even though the Finnish Socialist Federation
(SSJ), long regarded as one of the strongest bones in the Socialist Party's body, was not one of those endorsing the Left Wing Manifesto and thus incurring the NEC's wrath, many in the organization were sympathetic to the revolutionary socialist
pronouncements of the Left Wing Manifesto and were disgusted by the actions of the NEC.
At its 6th National Convention, held in Waukegan, Illiniois from December 25, 1920 to January 2, 1921, the Finnish Socialist Federation after much heated debate voted 16-5 to withdraw from the Socialist Party of America and to continue instead its existence as an independent organization.
Upon learning of the decision of the Waukegan Convention to separate the Finnish Socialist Federation from the party, Socialist Party Executive Secretary Otto Branstetter immediately set about reorganizing a new Finnish Federation for the Socialist Party, an idea which had much support among the branches of the more moderate Eastern District of the Finnish Socialist Federation. In August 1921 a convention was held in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
, home of the Eastern District's daily newspaper, Raivaaja ("The Pioneer") and a new Finnish Socialist Federation organized.
A large percentage of the Eastern District of the old Finnish Socialist Federation left that organization and joined the reorganized Finnish Socialist Federation affialiated with the SPA, bringing with them their newspaper, Raivaaja. The independent SSJ still had three regular and well established newspapers — the daily Työmies ("The Worker"), published in the Upper Midwest, and the weeklies Toveri ("The Comrade") and Toveritar ("The Woman Comrade"), published in Oregon
. Despite this fact the radical Finnish-Americans of the East still felt they needed a newspaper published at a closer proximity to cover news of local concern and to this end they launched a new publication entitled Eteenpäin ("Forward").
on May 25, 1921 under the editorship of Elis Sulkanen, until recently the editor of Toveri. In an effort to reduce expenses, the publication moved from New York to Worcester, Massachusetts
in 1922. There was also a name change of the publisher at this time, with the initial "Bothnia Press Inc." giving way to the "Eteenpäin Co-operative Society."
The paper was typically four pages in length and strongly ideological in its coverage of the news.
There was some limited Finnish presence in the underground Communist Party of America — a shade over 400 dues-paying members by the end of 1921. This number was quite limited and its expansion difficult, however. In the estimation of Finnish Communist leader John Wiita (best known by the pseudonym "Henry Puro"), may Finnish-Americans were suspicious of illegal revolutionary propaganda activities, which they considered outlandish. Eteenpäin editor Elis Sulkanen, himself a participant in the underground Communist movement of 1920-1923, similarly noted that most radical Finns had no desire to join the underground organization, instead seeking to participate in a legal organization realistically participating in the actual politics of the United States.
It was not until the establishment of the above ground and "legal" Workers Party of America
(WPA) around New Year's Day of 1922 that Finnish radicals entered the communist movement en masse. The main body of the Finnish Socialist Federation ended its year of independent existence and joined the new WPA as a group at the time of the organization's founding convention, held in New York City. The Finns soon comprised the largest component of the WPA, outnumbering native English speakers and representing 40% of the total party membership by 1923.
Eteenpäin became a part of the WPA at this juncture and it remained a Communist Party publication throughout its nearly three decades of existence.
A number of leading figures in the radical Finnish-American political movement were editors or managers of Eteenpäin over the years, including original editor Sulkanen (later the author of an encyclopedic history of Finnish-American socialism), William Marttila, Toivo Vuorela, Onni Saari, K.E. Heikkinen, and John Wiita (Henry Puro).
In 1931 the publication moved to Yonkers, New York
, where it was published by a new holding company called "American Finnish Publishers, Inc."
The publishers of Eteenpäin also issued a number of other Finnish-language radical publications over the years, including a Marxist theoretical magazine Viesti ("The Message"), a magazine directed at women called Työläisnainen ("The Working Woman"), and the annuals Punainen Kalenteri ("Red Calendar"), Vappu ("May Day"), and Työmiehen Joulu ("Worker's Christmas").
offices. This paper continued through 1995, when it was replaced by the English-language publication, The Finnish-American Reporter.
Eteenpäin has been preserved almost in its totality. Microfilm of Työmies-Eteenpäin (1950–1995) is available from the Wisconsin Historical Society
at the University of Wisconsin.
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
daily newspaper launched in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1921. The paper was the East Coast organ of Finnish-American members of the Communist Party USA
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
. The paper moved to Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
in 1922 and to Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
in 1931. In 1950 Eteenpäin was merged with the Communist Party's Midwestern Finnish-language daily, Työmies ("The Worker") to create Työmies-Eteenpäin, which continued to be published from Superior, Wisconsin
Superior, Wisconsin
Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...
into the 1990s.
Political background
In the summer of 1919 the Socialist Party of AmericaSocialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
(SPA), amidst much acrimony, split into three parts at its 1919 Emergency National Convention
1919 Emergency National Convention
The 1919 Emergency National Convention of the Socialist Party of America was held in Chicago from August 30 to September 5, 1919. It was a seminal gathering in the history of American radicalism, marked by the bolting of the party's organized left wing to establish the Communist Labor Party of...
. Two new Communist Parties were established, with the moderate Socialist
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
"Regulars" retaining control of the old party name, logo, and assets. In the run-up to this landmark party convention the SPA's governing National Executive Committee had suspended six large foreign language federations for having officially endorsed the Left Wing Manifesto
Left Wing Manifesto
The Left Wing Manifesto is the name rather confusingly bestowed upon two distinct programmatic documents of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party during the factional war in the Socialist Party of America of 1919...
around with the soon-to-be Communist Party dissidents were organizing their forces. This action, coupled with the revocation of the state charters of "left wing" dominated states such as Ohio, Michigan, and Massachusetts, deprived the left wing of its voting majority and assured the Regulars of victory at the convention in Chicago.
This heavy-handed action taken against the non-English-speaking section of the Socialist Party came at a severe cost, however. Even though the Finnish Socialist Federation
Finnish Socialist Federation
The Finnish Socialist Federation was a language federation of the Socialist Party of America which united Finnish language-speaking immigrants in the United States in a national organization designed to conduct propaganda and education for socialism among their community.-Early Finnish socialist...
(SSJ), long regarded as one of the strongest bones in the Socialist Party's body, was not one of those endorsing the Left Wing Manifesto and thus incurring the NEC's wrath, many in the organization were sympathetic to the revolutionary socialist
Revolutionary socialism
The term revolutionary socialism refers to Socialist tendencies that advocate the need for fundamental social change through revolution by mass movements of the working class, as a strategy to achieve a socialist society...
pronouncements of the Left Wing Manifesto and were disgusted by the actions of the NEC.
At its 6th National Convention, held in Waukegan, Illiniois from December 25, 1920 to January 2, 1921, the Finnish Socialist Federation after much heated debate voted 16-5 to withdraw from the Socialist Party of America and to continue instead its existence as an independent organization.
Upon learning of the decision of the Waukegan Convention to separate the Finnish Socialist Federation from the party, Socialist Party Executive Secretary Otto Branstetter immediately set about reorganizing a new Finnish Federation for the Socialist Party, an idea which had much support among the branches of the more moderate Eastern District of the Finnish Socialist Federation. In August 1921 a convention was held in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
, home of the Eastern District's daily newspaper, Raivaaja ("The Pioneer") and a new Finnish Socialist Federation organized.
A large percentage of the Eastern District of the old Finnish Socialist Federation left that organization and joined the reorganized Finnish Socialist Federation affialiated with the SPA, bringing with them their newspaper, Raivaaja. The independent SSJ still had three regular and well established newspapers — the daily Työmies ("The Worker"), published in the Upper Midwest, and the weeklies Toveri ("The Comrade") and Toveritar ("The Woman Comrade"), published in Oregon
Socialist Party of Oregon
The Socialist Party of Oregon is the name of three closely related organizations — an Oregon state affiliate of the Social Democratic Party of America established in 1897 and continuing into the 1950s, as well as the Oregon state affiliate of the Socialist Party USA from 1992-1999...
. Despite this fact the radical Finnish-Americans of the East still felt they needed a newspaper published at a closer proximity to cover news of local concern and to this end they launched a new publication entitled Eteenpäin ("Forward").
Formation
Eteenpäin was launched in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on May 25, 1921 under the editorship of Elis Sulkanen, until recently the editor of Toveri. In an effort to reduce expenses, the publication moved from New York to Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
in 1922. There was also a name change of the publisher at this time, with the initial "Bothnia Press Inc." giving way to the "Eteenpäin Co-operative Society."
The paper was typically four pages in length and strongly ideological in its coverage of the news.
There was some limited Finnish presence in the underground Communist Party of America — a shade over 400 dues-paying members by the end of 1921. This number was quite limited and its expansion difficult, however. In the estimation of Finnish Communist leader John Wiita (best known by the pseudonym "Henry Puro"), may Finnish-Americans were suspicious of illegal revolutionary propaganda activities, which they considered outlandish. Eteenpäin editor Elis Sulkanen, himself a participant in the underground Communist movement of 1920-1923, similarly noted that most radical Finns had no desire to join the underground organization, instead seeking to participate in a legal organization realistically participating in the actual politics of the United States.
It was not until the establishment of the above ground and "legal" Workers Party of America
Workers Party of America
The Workers Party of America was the name of the legal party organization used by the Communist Party USA from the last days of 1921 until the middle of 1929. As a legal political party the Workers Party accepted affiliation from independent socialist groups such as the African Blood Brotherhood,...
(WPA) around New Year's Day of 1922 that Finnish radicals entered the communist movement en masse. The main body of the Finnish Socialist Federation ended its year of independent existence and joined the new WPA as a group at the time of the organization's founding convention, held in New York City. The Finns soon comprised the largest component of the WPA, outnumbering native English speakers and representing 40% of the total party membership by 1923.
Eteenpäin became a part of the WPA at this juncture and it remained a Communist Party publication throughout its nearly three decades of existence.
Development
Eteenpäin had a circulation of nearly 7,300 in 1924. By 1930, its press run averaged just shy of 11,000 copies per issue.A number of leading figures in the radical Finnish-American political movement were editors or managers of Eteenpäin over the years, including original editor Sulkanen (later the author of an encyclopedic history of Finnish-American socialism), William Marttila, Toivo Vuorela, Onni Saari, K.E. Heikkinen, and John Wiita (Henry Puro).
In 1931 the publication moved to Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, where it was published by a new holding company called "American Finnish Publishers, Inc."
The publishers of Eteenpäin also issued a number of other Finnish-language radical publications over the years, including a Marxist theoretical magazine Viesti ("The Message"), a magazine directed at women called Työläisnainen ("The Working Woman"), and the annuals Punainen Kalenteri ("Red Calendar"), Vappu ("May Day"), and Työmiehen Joulu ("Worker's Christmas").
Merger and legacy
In 1950, Eteenpäin was essentially dissolved when it was merged into Työmies, with the "new" joint publication (called Työmies-Eteenpäin) being published from Työmies' Superior, WisconsinSuperior, Wisconsin
Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...
offices. This paper continued through 1995, when it was replaced by the English-language publication, The Finnish-American Reporter.
Eteenpäin has been preserved almost in its totality. Microfilm of Työmies-Eteenpäin (1950–1995) is available from the Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...
at the University of Wisconsin.