You are the head of the Socialist Party of America and the Combined Syndicates of America. The year is 1932. You have just lost a five-way presidential election that ended up thrown to the House, with the incumbent Hoover winning. And this is not acceptable. The workers of America suffer, and the world races towards confrontation. You must act.
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To Struggle and Strive: The Combined Syndicates of America in 1932. A Kaiserreich Quest
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The Declaration of the American Worker's Revolution November Crisis Week Week 4 Propaganda and Revolutionary Defense November Crisis Week 4 Politics and Diplomacy November Crisis Week 4 Economic Efforts November Crisis Week 4 Military Preparation November Crisis Week 4 November Crisis Week 3 Propaganda and Revolutionary Defense November Crisis Week 3 Politics and Diplomacy
Introduction
The year is 1932. For seven long years, the Great Depression has ravaged the United States of America. You have traveled the country and seen the horrific conditions, the poverty and the hunger and the despair. You have seen lines of unemployed workers that stretched for blocks, twisting like the spilled entrails of some great beast. You have seen the roaming caravans of desperate farm workers, the endless rows of empty homes with their former tenants sleeping on benches in front of them.
As an American, as a socialist, and as a simple human being, you found this unbearable three times over.
You have always been a writer and often been a politician. But never before have you been so consumed. The campaign was a battle as you raced from union meeting to rally to speech, running on as little sleep and as much coffee as you could, dealing with every obstruction the reactionaries could throw into your path. You marched with strikers, led tenant's unions in negotiations with their landlords, prayed with those seeking succor, and did everything you could. You won battle after battle after battle.
And now you are seeing the fruits of these victories as returns pour in from all across the country. You have won Washington, Ohio, and Michigan decisively, and made enough votes to get the rest of the Steel Belt by varying margins. Farmer-Labor has won much of the Midwest, by just a few votes more than you in Iowa. But everywhere else, even in West Virginia, voter suppression and mystification have borne fruit for the reactionaries. In many states, you have won significant portions of the vote, but that avails you nothing. In some, you have lost by less than a percent of the total votes.
As the sun's rays drift over the horizon, you raise your weary head and let out a sigh. Al around you, the headquarters are buzzing as people compare totals and discuss the election, phones ring, messengers rush in to drop off reports. Chalkboards and maps are everywhere, covered in scrawls.
A coffee cup appears at your side like magic, steam curling off the surface. You give the boy who delivered it a grateful nod and drink deep, scorching your throat. You stand up, and raise a hand for silence.
You are John Silas Reed, New York Senator for the Socialist Party and Party Chairman and Presidential candidate. You have lost this election, this battle, but the struggle will carry on until the final conflict and the final victory.
But here and now, you have lost. And it's time to acknowledge that.
"Comrades, we did our best. We fought hard, and we have won major victories. No Socialist candidate has ever won this many states or this many votes, and we have gained seats in the Senate and House as well. We might not have done as well as we hoped, but much has been achieved, thanks to the labor of each and every single one of you."
Your voice echoes across the room as you sweep your gaze from left to right. Some cannot bear to meet your eyes, others refuse to look away. A few even keep working, treating your speech like a minor distraction.
"Don't look at what we've lost, comrades. Look at how far we have gone, and how much further we can go. Capitalism is dying. This is nothing more than the last thrashings of a wounded beast, clawing at the people it has preyed upon in a desperate attempt to gain strength. And where it seeks to wound and crush the workers, we will be there, driving it back. And when its strength is exhausted, we will be there, driving a spear into its neck!"
You are tired, but you force strength and vigor into your voice. At some point, you have begun standing on the chair, fist raised triumphantly.
"Four more years, comrades! Four more years, we'll fight this battle again! And this time, there will be no choice but victory!"
The room erupts in cheers and applause, but you raise a hand again, asking for silence. After a few minutes, you receive it.
"For now though, I have a request. Go home. Sleep, eat, we'll have plenty of work to do in a few hours. And we'll be doing it ourselves, we are not capitalists!"
A titter of laughter runs around the room and people begin to leave. You sit down and let out a sigh. You wish you were half as confident as you acted. Victory had seemed inevitable in Petrograd too, and now the workers suffer under Sakinov's rule. "Socialism or barbarism," you were once told.
And you can't silence that voice asking what you will do if people choose barbarism, how you will keep Louise and Rose safe.
With a weary sigh, you begin sifting through the maps and voting returns that cover your desk, looking for your agenda for the day, trying to remember where you put it. Your secretary had to leave the Party to take care of his mother, and you haven't managed to get a replacement yet.
"Aren't you going to take your own advice, sir?" someone asks in a New York City accent.
You look up to see a young woman is standing there, looking sternly at you.
A smile stretches across your face. "I suppose I should...but only if you agree to not call me sir. We are all Comrades here, Miss..."
"Flora, Comrade. Flora Hamburger. And I will call you comrade if you do me the same courtesy...sir."
You can't help but laugh. "You remind me of my daughter, Comrade Flora. She's just as quick-witted as you."
She smiles at that, and the two of you share a few more sentences before you go your separate ways.
After six hours of sleep, some eggs and toast, and a kiss from your wife and daughter, you feel much better about your prospects, and sit down to get to work.
The Revolution will not build itself.
You have 1 Influence and 1 Authority. You are not currently taking any Focuses.
Current Mandate: None
[] Get a Secretary: Your secretary Mrs. Stevens had to leave two days ago, and attempting to manage your own schedule has proved...more complex than you expected. You will send the old one a card and then find a new one. Hopefully, whoever they are will give you more notice if they have to quit...not that you blame Mrs. Stevens for her bad luck. In any case, getting a secretary again will help reduce your workload from overwhelming to merely crushing. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Benefit: Gain access to Personal Actions.
[] The Vote in the House: With no candidate achieving a majority of the electoral college votes, or a majority of the popular vote for that matter, the election will go to the House. It is all but certain that Hoover will win, likely with a couple of sops to the Democrats. You don't have nearly the number of votes to truly sway this...but perhaps you can add some extra legitimacy to their victory and win some political concessions or even a Cabinet position. Of course, this compromise will have to go two ways, and the price they ask from you could be ruinous. Cost: High risk of losing support for even attempting it. Time: 1 month. DC: 55. Benefit: Chance to get some concessions in exchange for throwing your votes in the House behind Hoover, will probably have to give concessions as well.
[] Set the Tone: While you could just make a brief statement acknowledging that you will not be the 32nd President, writing a longer and more emotionally involved speech could be a good use of your time.
-[] Conciliatory: You lost, you recognize this. Now you hope to work with the future president for the better of the workers of America. Fill your speech with your belief in future cooperation, don't mention the inevitable revolution. The thought burns in your gut and will anger many to your left, but it might pull wool over the capitalist's eyes, at least long enough for you to triumph. Cost: Will cost support from those to your left. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/35. Benefit: Increased support from the right-wing, the possibility of decreased hostility from establishment
-[] Determined: You have lost, you cannot deny that. But the march of progress carries on. Do not falter, do not hesitate, do not stumble! This is but a setback, one you will recover from. You like the tone this strikes in your soul better, and it's not a sentiment any can argue with. Cost: May attract increased attention. DC: 0/70. Benefit: General increase to support.
-[] Optimistic: This is a regrettable but setback, but the sun is still rising, and the conditions of the workers are improving. People are organizing and rallying, victories are being won. Carry on, your victory is inevitable. Although you find yourself wishing you know more about how you'll get there...Cost: Risk of losing some support. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/50. Benefit: General increase to support.
-[] Wrathful: You have lost in a rigged election that denied the will of the American people! Voters were suppressed in West Virginia and Massachusetts and New York City, and the very nature of this bourgeoisie election denies victory to the one with the most support! And now Hoover, the man who has done nothing for the crisis, gets to keep sitting pretty in the White House and earn money stolen from the American workers! This is intolerable! Cost: Risk of losing support from the right-wing of the party, will attract increased hostility from the establishment. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/75. Benefit: Significant boost in support from the left-wing.
Free Actions
[] Choose A Focus: You currently have no focus. Select one from the Available Focuses spoiler.
As an American, as a socialist, and as a simple human being, you found this unbearable three times over.
You have always been a writer and often been a politician. But never before have you been so consumed. The campaign was a battle as you raced from union meeting to rally to speech, running on as little sleep and as much coffee as you could, dealing with every obstruction the reactionaries could throw into your path. You marched with strikers, led tenant's unions in negotiations with their landlords, prayed with those seeking succor, and did everything you could. You won battle after battle after battle.
And now you are seeing the fruits of these victories as returns pour in from all across the country. You have won Washington, Ohio, and Michigan decisively, and made enough votes to get the rest of the Steel Belt by varying margins. Farmer-Labor has won much of the Midwest, by just a few votes more than you in Iowa. But everywhere else, even in West Virginia, voter suppression and mystification have borne fruit for the reactionaries. In many states, you have won significant portions of the vote, but that avails you nothing. In some, you have lost by less than a percent of the total votes.
As the sun's rays drift over the horizon, you raise your weary head and let out a sigh. Al around you, the headquarters are buzzing as people compare totals and discuss the election, phones ring, messengers rush in to drop off reports. Chalkboards and maps are everywhere, covered in scrawls.
A coffee cup appears at your side like magic, steam curling off the surface. You give the boy who delivered it a grateful nod and drink deep, scorching your throat. You stand up, and raise a hand for silence.
You are John Silas Reed, New York Senator for the Socialist Party and Party Chairman and Presidential candidate. You have lost this election, this battle, but the struggle will carry on until the final conflict and the final victory.
But here and now, you have lost. And it's time to acknowledge that.
"Comrades, we did our best. We fought hard, and we have won major victories. No Socialist candidate has ever won this many states or this many votes, and we have gained seats in the Senate and House as well. We might not have done as well as we hoped, but much has been achieved, thanks to the labor of each and every single one of you."
Your voice echoes across the room as you sweep your gaze from left to right. Some cannot bear to meet your eyes, others refuse to look away. A few even keep working, treating your speech like a minor distraction.
"Don't look at what we've lost, comrades. Look at how far we have gone, and how much further we can go. Capitalism is dying. This is nothing more than the last thrashings of a wounded beast, clawing at the people it has preyed upon in a desperate attempt to gain strength. And where it seeks to wound and crush the workers, we will be there, driving it back. And when its strength is exhausted, we will be there, driving a spear into its neck!"
You are tired, but you force strength and vigor into your voice. At some point, you have begun standing on the chair, fist raised triumphantly.
"Four more years, comrades! Four more years, we'll fight this battle again! And this time, there will be no choice but victory!"
The room erupts in cheers and applause, but you raise a hand again, asking for silence. After a few minutes, you receive it.
"For now though, I have a request. Go home. Sleep, eat, we'll have plenty of work to do in a few hours. And we'll be doing it ourselves, we are not capitalists!"
A titter of laughter runs around the room and people begin to leave. You sit down and let out a sigh. You wish you were half as confident as you acted. Victory had seemed inevitable in Petrograd too, and now the workers suffer under Sakinov's rule. "Socialism or barbarism," you were once told.
And you can't silence that voice asking what you will do if people choose barbarism, how you will keep Louise and Rose safe.
With a weary sigh, you begin sifting through the maps and voting returns that cover your desk, looking for your agenda for the day, trying to remember where you put it. Your secretary had to leave the Party to take care of his mother, and you haven't managed to get a replacement yet.
"Aren't you going to take your own advice, sir?" someone asks in a New York City accent.
You look up to see a young woman is standing there, looking sternly at you.
A smile stretches across your face. "I suppose I should...but only if you agree to not call me sir. We are all Comrades here, Miss..."
"Flora, Comrade. Flora Hamburger. And I will call you comrade if you do me the same courtesy...sir."
You can't help but laugh. "You remind me of my daughter, Comrade Flora. She's just as quick-witted as you."
She smiles at that, and the two of you share a few more sentences before you go your separate ways.
After six hours of sleep, some eggs and toast, and a kiss from your wife and daughter, you feel much better about your prospects, and sit down to get to work.
The Revolution will not build itself.
You have 1 Influence and 1 Authority. You are not currently taking any Focuses.
Current Mandate: None
[] Get a Secretary: Your secretary Mrs. Stevens had to leave two days ago, and attempting to manage your own schedule has proved...more complex than you expected. You will send the old one a card and then find a new one. Hopefully, whoever they are will give you more notice if they have to quit...not that you blame Mrs. Stevens for her bad luck. In any case, getting a secretary again will help reduce your workload from overwhelming to merely crushing. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Benefit: Gain access to Personal Actions.
[] The Vote in the House: With no candidate achieving a majority of the electoral college votes, or a majority of the popular vote for that matter, the election will go to the House. It is all but certain that Hoover will win, likely with a couple of sops to the Democrats. You don't have nearly the number of votes to truly sway this...but perhaps you can add some extra legitimacy to their victory and win some political concessions or even a Cabinet position. Of course, this compromise will have to go two ways, and the price they ask from you could be ruinous. Cost: High risk of losing support for even attempting it. Time: 1 month. DC: 55. Benefit: Chance to get some concessions in exchange for throwing your votes in the House behind Hoover, will probably have to give concessions as well.
[] Set the Tone: While you could just make a brief statement acknowledging that you will not be the 32nd President, writing a longer and more emotionally involved speech could be a good use of your time.
-[] Conciliatory: You lost, you recognize this. Now you hope to work with the future president for the better of the workers of America. Fill your speech with your belief in future cooperation, don't mention the inevitable revolution. The thought burns in your gut and will anger many to your left, but it might pull wool over the capitalist's eyes, at least long enough for you to triumph. Cost: Will cost support from those to your left. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/35. Benefit: Increased support from the right-wing, the possibility of decreased hostility from establishment
-[] Determined: You have lost, you cannot deny that. But the march of progress carries on. Do not falter, do not hesitate, do not stumble! This is but a setback, one you will recover from. You like the tone this strikes in your soul better, and it's not a sentiment any can argue with. Cost: May attract increased attention. DC: 0/70. Benefit: General increase to support.
-[] Optimistic: This is a regrettable but setback, but the sun is still rising, and the conditions of the workers are improving. People are organizing and rallying, victories are being won. Carry on, your victory is inevitable. Although you find yourself wishing you know more about how you'll get there...Cost: Risk of losing some support. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/50. Benefit: General increase to support.
-[] Wrathful: You have lost in a rigged election that denied the will of the American people! Voters were suppressed in West Virginia and Massachusetts and New York City, and the very nature of this bourgeoisie election denies victory to the one with the most support! And now Hoover, the man who has done nothing for the crisis, gets to keep sitting pretty in the White House and earn money stolen from the American workers! This is intolerable! Cost: Risk of losing support from the right-wing of the party, will attract increased hostility from the establishment. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/75. Benefit: Significant boost in support from the left-wing.
Free Actions
[] Choose A Focus: You currently have no focus. Select one from the Available Focuses spoiler.
Rally the Party - Though you have lost the election, you have made great gains. Rally around the flag and let the next step begin! Time: 1 month. Effect: Unlock Party actions, gain awareness of certain stats, +1 Authority
Last edited:
Character Sheet
John "Jack" Reed
The current leader of the Socialist Party of America and the Combined Syndicates of America. Journalist, writer, and a Senator for New York. One of the most controversial men in America, he has been attacked by assassins and defamed within the papers, but he still stands defiant and arguably triumphant.
Current Will: 12 Influence, 0 Gravitas
Current Traits: Writer (+5 to writing articles, speeches, or poems), Leader of the SPA (Provides +3 Relations per turn with factions), The perfect is the enemy of the good enough,) When a result is within five of the next DC, roll a 1d6-1 and add the result)
Current Health: Average
Current Stress: High
The current leader of the Socialist Party of America and the Combined Syndicates of America. Journalist, writer, and a Senator for New York. One of the most controversial men in America, he has been attacked by assassins and defamed within the papers, but he still stands defiant and arguably triumphant.
Current Will: 12 Influence, 0 Gravitas
Current Traits: Writer (+5 to writing articles, speeches, or poems), Leader of the SPA (Provides +3 Relations per turn with factions), The perfect is the enemy of the good enough,) When a result is within five of the next DC, roll a 1d6-1 and add the result)
Current Health: Average
Current Stress: High
Last edited:
Status
The Socialist Party of America:
Current Appeal: 74
Reed's Resources: 20.1, +3.9 per month
SPA Resources: -5.65 +7.45 per month
State Government Resources: ~126, ~+25 per month
Subordinate Organizations:
Coordination Planning Committee: An advisory committee whose purpose is to help municipalities dominated by the Socialist Party prepare for the Revolution and improve the lives of the workers. Their current priorities are reducing unemployment and making voting more accessible to party loyalists. You have invested 1 Influence in them. They have 2 Influence.
-Traits: Pork Barrel Spending (The Committee will sometimes spend Influence on local politics. Doing so slightly shores up support in the selected area.), Greasing the Wheels (Due to familiarity with machine politics and other, less pleasant aspects of running a city government, the Committee gives +5 to all actions involving local governance.)
Norman Thomas, Senator from New York. A dedicated ally of yours and the leader of a strong faction within the SPA. Even your worst enemies recognize he is a strongly principled man, dedicated to both socialism and pacifism. Popular with the party and experienced, he is easily able to manage the increasingly fractious politics on the Hill. His current priorities are urban relief and protecting minorities. You have invested 1 Gravitas and 1 Influence in him. He has 4 Influence.
-Traits: Legislative Expert (+10 to all rolls involving passing federal legislation), Strongly Principled (Will refuse instructions going against his ideals of pacifism, equality, and worker's rights)
State Legislative Committee: A body elected by the state representatives and senators. While purely advisory, they have proven capable in getting legal and political assistance to see several bills passed, even if they have encountered many obstacles in making more substantive improvements, both legally and extralegally. With fresh modifications to the bureaucratic system but experienced bureaucrats, the state governments are proving very effective compared to previous efforts. Their current priorities are supporting dual-power organizations and expanding relief programs. You have invested 2 Influence in them. They have 4 Influence.
-Traits: Diverse Experience (+7 to two random actions each month)
Smedley Butler, Commander of the Red Guards: Experienced with combat and command, popular with the military, and widely regarded, Smedley Butler is one of the few high-ranking officers to be a firm and committed socialist. His current priorities are instill discipline and a sense of esprit de corps in the Red Guards. You have invested 1 Gravitas and 3 Influence in him. He has 6 Influence.
-Traits: Unfamiliar With Procurements (Having never commanded a unit larger than a division or served in a logistics posting, he is unfamiliar with the intimate details of supplying soldiers. However, he has learned extensively from experience, although he is still not as good as a professional.+5 to all logistics rolls), Inspiring Leader (He is a popular and inspiring figure, one widely admired, +5 to rolls for recruiting or inspiring soldiers), Marine Drill Sergeant (He is very familiar with the often difficult process of training troops. +10 to all training rolls), Broad Staff (Butler's staff is full of young, intelligent officers all seeking a socialist revolution and a revolution in warfare. They have a great many ideas about how to achieve both...+5 to doctrine development, +3 to tactics development, +4 to naval warfare, +3 to motorization, +2 to the use of military propaganda, +2 to the development of special forces), The Procurement Committee (A group appointed entirely by Butler, the best logisticians who have joined our cause work tirelessly to ensure our Red Guards are as well equipped as possible. +10 to all logistics and supply actions).
The SPA Cadres: While local party branches have always had a degree of independence, recent adjustments to the SPA's structure has given them more freedom to act on their own and send proposals and recommendations to the regional and national branches. You have invested 1 Influence in them. They currently have 4 Influence.
-Traits: Lack of Coordination (The downside of this independent action is that it is occasionally redundant or counterproductive. The other downside is that these local branches are by no means immune from corruption)
Charles Schenk, Spymaster: A proud and committed socialist, his experiences during the Palmer Raids have left him determined to not allow such a fate to befall his fellow socialists. Instead, he seeks to use the tools of the oppressors such as infiltration and the insertion of disruptive agents to spread syndicalism. A proud internationalist, he also desires to assist fellow revolutionaries whenever possible. By any means necessary. You recently discovered that extended to being a high-ranking member of the Red Army Faction and secured their cooperation through his assistance. You have invested 1 Gravitas in him. He has 3 Influence.
-Traits: Direct and Deadly (He believes that counterrevolutionaries must be destroyed with extreme prejudice, +10 to "direct action" attempts), The Tools of the Enemy (His experiences have showed him the power of methods such as infiltration, subversion, and agent provocateurs in disrupting movements. +10 to the use of such methods)
Benjamin Stevens, Red Grange Liaison: Rapidly radicalized by the brutality he received after attempts to organize destitute farmworkers, he is a dedicated syndicalist and a firm believer in the necessity of violent action and agitation among those who remain unorganized. You have invested 1 Influence in him. He has 2 Influence.
-Traits: Rural Soldier (He has fought in a dozen skirmishes and battles throughout the Bleeding Midwest. +10 to Sending Union Organizers to rural areas, +10 to actions involving recruiting, organizing, or supplying troops in rural areas)
The Propaganda Committee: Led by Albert Goldman, A. J. Muste, and Paul Robeson, they are dedicated to encouraging organization, condemning racism and imperialism, and demanding both economic and social revolutions. Woodie Guthrie, Rockwell Kent, and Thomas Mooney are also prominent, with interests as diverse as music, environmentalism, careful reform, and radical revolution. You have invested 6 Influence in them, and they have 12 collectively.
-Traits: The Dual Revolution (+5 to rolls regarding social and economic justice propaganda), The Art of Organization (+10 to rolls involving encouraging organization and rolls involving art), Speaking for the Left (+10 to rolls involving speeches and songs and other audible propaganda)
War and Peace (+5 to all rolls involving propaganda demanding radical action or promising protection from radical action)
Ben Little: A heroic and popular figure among many, he has spent years working as an organizer, taking severe injuries on multiple occasions. You cannot speak highly enough of the man, and he returns the favor. You have invested 1 Gravitas in him, and he has 3 Influence.
-Traits: The Hero of the CAS (+3 to all Union actions)
Committee for Education: Led by John Brophy, the Committee for Education features several representatives from the more conservative wings of the CAS and a few of the most radical. They are dedicated to reforming the curriculum of the American education system and resolving the major inequalities inherent in it. Filled with teachers and professors, the committee has undeniable experience with the failings of schools in America, but some question if they have any plans for true reforms. Despite those concerns, they have significant support, including a staff of volunteer administrators who hope to assist the committee with their goals. You have invested 1 Influence in them, and they have 3 Influence.
-Traits: Experienced Educators (+8 to all actions involving education), Administrative Expertise (+5 to all Committee for Education actions)
Office of Communications: Created to help improve, coordinate, direct, and standardize the mishmash of radios, telegrams, and postal systems that exist throughout the areas transitioning to socialism, the Office of Communications has an immense task ahead of them. Led by Julia O'Conner, they will be working closely with EcPlanComm and existing institutions to accomplish their goals. You have invested 2 Influence in them, and they have 4 Influence
-Traits: Familiar with Telecommunications: (+5 to all actions involving telegraphs, telephones, etc.), EcPlanComm Coordination (EcPlanComm gets a +5 bonus to rolls that involve the Office of Communications)
Assistants:
John Lawson. A coal miner and member of the IWW, he fought fiercely in the Colorado Coal War. His home was bombed, he was shot, and Rockefeller thugs machine-gunned women and children, but he still led the miners in an admittedly unsuccessful fight and was jailed for his troubles. After being freed in 1918, he promptly joined the IWW and began working his way up. Having seen peace did not work, he has taken to proposing war. However, an artifact of his early life has also seen him strongly advocate for education. (Party Faction: Syndicalists, friendly with the Orthodox, hostile to the Parliamentarians. CSA Faction: IWW Mountain Men, friendly with the IWW Main affiliates, hostile to the SPU and AFL. Area of Expertise +10 to Union organizing, militant, and education actions,-5 to negotiations with bosses)
Kate Sadler. Born in Scotland, Kate Sadler has always been a radical. And the creation of the Union of Britain has only left her more radical. Beloved in Seattle, she is ever at the forefront of social matters, determinedly advocating for African-Americans, immigrants, Native Americans, women, and any other marginalized group she is aware of. Organized, tough, and fiery, there are few who can match her in debates. (Party Faction: Orthodox, friendly with the Syndicalists and Anarchists, hostile to Ultraleft Farmer-Labor and the Parliamentarians. CSA Faction: IWW Main Affiliates. Area of Expertise: +15 to social justice actions)
John Brophy. A religious man, and a deeply determined advocate for worker's rights, he is a major rival of John Lewis, despite the two recognizing each other's talents. He has visited the Commune of France, the Union of Britain, and the Socialist Republic of Italy several times. (Party Faction: Syndicalists, friendly with the Parliamentarians. CSA Faction: IWW Mountain Men, friendly with the Regional Unions. Area of Expertise: +5 to religion, education, and history-related actions, +10 to managing the SPA and CSA)
The Union-Planning Commission: Responsible for planning the economic growth and development of the CSA in a decentralized, democratic fashion. The current plan is focused on the growth of the raw industrial power of the nation and improvements to working conditions and worker's safety.
Current Appeal: 74
The American Disaster ( Most view civil war as an inevitability. The lines have been drawn, and no compromise seems possible. Some hope that the upcoming elections will help stabilize the situation, or at least create a clear mandate, but deep inside even the most determined optimist feels the cold touch of fear).
The Struggle Carries On! (The determined efforts of the Socialist Party of America continue. Debates on the class structure of society and how a post-capitalist economy will be structured can wait, now is the time to speak and to strike. +1 Strength to the Center per month, +0.5 Appeal in rural areas per month, +1 to Appeal in urban areas per month).
Moderately Disciplined Red Guards (Between the determined efforts of Smedley Butler, the experience of the veterans in its ranks, and the demonstration of the consequences of abusing your position, the Red Guards are doing their best to behave. Their best could be better, but it is slowly improving. Moderately reduced risk of egregious violence, abuse of power, or corruption. Moderately increased effectiveness of the Red Guards).
A Professional Core (Well-trained, well-organized, and well-equipped, there is a relatively small core of professional quality troops which will slowly grow...)
Very Cooperative Red Army Faction (A very decentralized, dedicated, and militant group has agreed to cooperate with you with enthusiasm as recent events have re-ignited their ardor and persuaded the doubters that you are a true revolutionary. They have limited their activities and promised to give you advance notice of major operations.)
Passive Bureaucratic Resistance ( The intricate network of subcommittees and commissions and appointed officials that handles the CAS has had their hackles up for some time over the corruption purge and the proposed modifications to the state bureaucracies. It has finally escalated beyond afterwork grumbling to a general loss of enthusiasm that has slowed down work now that the bureaucrats are no longer working twelve hours a day. -3 to all Union actions)
Restless Reactionaries (Despite the efforts of propagandists and paramilitaries, there is still a moderate anti-socialist population within even the most ardently red cities and towns.)
Plague and Hunger (The major economic reforms of the Congress of American Syndicates and various red-dominated governments have allowed people to recover from the worst impacts of the Depression and the Dust Bowl, but food can still be hard to come by, logistical links are still damaged, and disease has sprouted among many cities.)
The Union Forever! (To some, such a rallying cry is a thing of nationalism. But to a socialist, it is a call for revolutionary struggle, for it has been the radical, militant unions who are the heart of the worker's movement, who form the most disciplined and revolutionary building blocks of the force which will end capitalism. +1 Strength to the Syndicalists, Orthodox, and Anarchists per month)
The November Crisis (With the rampant cheating by multiple factions in the November elections, the wide-scale violence, and the fevered political atmosphere, the nation's stability is critical. One wrong move by anyone could provoke a civil war...)
The Struggle Carries On! (The determined efforts of the Socialist Party of America continue. Debates on the class structure of society and how a post-capitalist economy will be structured can wait, now is the time to speak and to strike. +1 Strength to the Center per month, +0.5 Appeal in rural areas per month, +1 to Appeal in urban areas per month).
Moderately Disciplined Red Guards (Between the determined efforts of Smedley Butler, the experience of the veterans in its ranks, and the demonstration of the consequences of abusing your position, the Red Guards are doing their best to behave. Their best could be better, but it is slowly improving. Moderately reduced risk of egregious violence, abuse of power, or corruption. Moderately increased effectiveness of the Red Guards).
A Professional Core (Well-trained, well-organized, and well-equipped, there is a relatively small core of professional quality troops which will slowly grow...)
Very Cooperative Red Army Faction (A very decentralized, dedicated, and militant group has agreed to cooperate with you with enthusiasm as recent events have re-ignited their ardor and persuaded the doubters that you are a true revolutionary. They have limited their activities and promised to give you advance notice of major operations.)
Passive Bureaucratic Resistance ( The intricate network of subcommittees and commissions and appointed officials that handles the CAS has had their hackles up for some time over the corruption purge and the proposed modifications to the state bureaucracies. It has finally escalated beyond afterwork grumbling to a general loss of enthusiasm that has slowed down work now that the bureaucrats are no longer working twelve hours a day. -3 to all Union actions)
Restless Reactionaries (Despite the efforts of propagandists and paramilitaries, there is still a moderate anti-socialist population within even the most ardently red cities and towns.)
Plague and Hunger (The major economic reforms of the Congress of American Syndicates and various red-dominated governments have allowed people to recover from the worst impacts of the Depression and the Dust Bowl, but food can still be hard to come by, logistical links are still damaged, and disease has sprouted among many cities.)
The Union Forever! (To some, such a rallying cry is a thing of nationalism. But to a socialist, it is a call for revolutionary struggle, for it has been the radical, militant unions who are the heart of the worker's movement, who form the most disciplined and revolutionary building blocks of the force which will end capitalism. +1 Strength to the Syndicalists, Orthodox, and Anarchists per month)
The November Crisis (With the rampant cheating by multiple factions in the November elections, the wide-scale violence, and the fevered political atmosphere, the nation's stability is critical. One wrong move by anyone could provoke a civil war...)
Reed's Resources: 20.1, +3.9 per month
SPA Resources: -5.65 +7.45 per month
State Government Resources: ~126, ~+25 per month
Subordinate Organizations:
Coordination Planning Committee: An advisory committee whose purpose is to help municipalities dominated by the Socialist Party prepare for the Revolution and improve the lives of the workers. Their current priorities are reducing unemployment and making voting more accessible to party loyalists. You have invested 1 Influence in them. They have 2 Influence.
-Traits: Pork Barrel Spending (The Committee will sometimes spend Influence on local politics. Doing so slightly shores up support in the selected area.), Greasing the Wheels (Due to familiarity with machine politics and other, less pleasant aspects of running a city government, the Committee gives +5 to all actions involving local governance.)
Norman Thomas, Senator from New York. A dedicated ally of yours and the leader of a strong faction within the SPA. Even your worst enemies recognize he is a strongly principled man, dedicated to both socialism and pacifism. Popular with the party and experienced, he is easily able to manage the increasingly fractious politics on the Hill. His current priorities are urban relief and protecting minorities. You have invested 1 Gravitas and 1 Influence in him. He has 4 Influence.
-Traits: Legislative Expert (+10 to all rolls involving passing federal legislation), Strongly Principled (Will refuse instructions going against his ideals of pacifism, equality, and worker's rights)
State Legislative Committee: A body elected by the state representatives and senators. While purely advisory, they have proven capable in getting legal and political assistance to see several bills passed, even if they have encountered many obstacles in making more substantive improvements, both legally and extralegally. With fresh modifications to the bureaucratic system but experienced bureaucrats, the state governments are proving very effective compared to previous efforts. Their current priorities are supporting dual-power organizations and expanding relief programs. You have invested 2 Influence in them. They have 4 Influence.
-Traits: Diverse Experience (+7 to two random actions each month)
Smedley Butler, Commander of the Red Guards: Experienced with combat and command, popular with the military, and widely regarded, Smedley Butler is one of the few high-ranking officers to be a firm and committed socialist. His current priorities are instill discipline and a sense of esprit de corps in the Red Guards. You have invested 1 Gravitas and 3 Influence in him. He has 6 Influence.
-Traits: Unfamiliar With Procurements (Having never commanded a unit larger than a division or served in a logistics posting, he is unfamiliar with the intimate details of supplying soldiers. However, he has learned extensively from experience, although he is still not as good as a professional.+5 to all logistics rolls), Inspiring Leader (He is a popular and inspiring figure, one widely admired, +5 to rolls for recruiting or inspiring soldiers), Marine Drill Sergeant (He is very familiar with the often difficult process of training troops. +10 to all training rolls), Broad Staff (Butler's staff is full of young, intelligent officers all seeking a socialist revolution and a revolution in warfare. They have a great many ideas about how to achieve both...+5 to doctrine development, +3 to tactics development, +4 to naval warfare, +3 to motorization, +2 to the use of military propaganda, +2 to the development of special forces), The Procurement Committee (A group appointed entirely by Butler, the best logisticians who have joined our cause work tirelessly to ensure our Red Guards are as well equipped as possible. +10 to all logistics and supply actions).
The SPA Cadres: While local party branches have always had a degree of independence, recent adjustments to the SPA's structure has given them more freedom to act on their own and send proposals and recommendations to the regional and national branches. You have invested 1 Influence in them. They currently have 4 Influence.
-Traits: Lack of Coordination (The downside of this independent action is that it is occasionally redundant or counterproductive. The other downside is that these local branches are by no means immune from corruption)
Charles Schenk, Spymaster: A proud and committed socialist, his experiences during the Palmer Raids have left him determined to not allow such a fate to befall his fellow socialists. Instead, he seeks to use the tools of the oppressors such as infiltration and the insertion of disruptive agents to spread syndicalism. A proud internationalist, he also desires to assist fellow revolutionaries whenever possible. By any means necessary. You recently discovered that extended to being a high-ranking member of the Red Army Faction and secured their cooperation through his assistance. You have invested 1 Gravitas in him. He has 3 Influence.
-Traits: Direct and Deadly (He believes that counterrevolutionaries must be destroyed with extreme prejudice, +10 to "direct action" attempts), The Tools of the Enemy (His experiences have showed him the power of methods such as infiltration, subversion, and agent provocateurs in disrupting movements. +10 to the use of such methods)
Benjamin Stevens, Red Grange Liaison: Rapidly radicalized by the brutality he received after attempts to organize destitute farmworkers, he is a dedicated syndicalist and a firm believer in the necessity of violent action and agitation among those who remain unorganized. You have invested 1 Influence in him. He has 2 Influence.
-Traits: Rural Soldier (He has fought in a dozen skirmishes and battles throughout the Bleeding Midwest. +10 to Sending Union Organizers to rural areas, +10 to actions involving recruiting, organizing, or supplying troops in rural areas)
The Propaganda Committee: Led by Albert Goldman, A. J. Muste, and Paul Robeson, they are dedicated to encouraging organization, condemning racism and imperialism, and demanding both economic and social revolutions. Woodie Guthrie, Rockwell Kent, and Thomas Mooney are also prominent, with interests as diverse as music, environmentalism, careful reform, and radical revolution. You have invested 6 Influence in them, and they have 12 collectively.
-Traits: The Dual Revolution (+5 to rolls regarding social and economic justice propaganda), The Art of Organization (+10 to rolls involving encouraging organization and rolls involving art), Speaking for the Left (+10 to rolls involving speeches and songs and other audible propaganda)
War and Peace (+5 to all rolls involving propaganda demanding radical action or promising protection from radical action)
Ben Little: A heroic and popular figure among many, he has spent years working as an organizer, taking severe injuries on multiple occasions. You cannot speak highly enough of the man, and he returns the favor. You have invested 1 Gravitas in him, and he has 3 Influence.
-Traits: The Hero of the CAS (+3 to all Union actions)
Committee for Education: Led by John Brophy, the Committee for Education features several representatives from the more conservative wings of the CAS and a few of the most radical. They are dedicated to reforming the curriculum of the American education system and resolving the major inequalities inherent in it. Filled with teachers and professors, the committee has undeniable experience with the failings of schools in America, but some question if they have any plans for true reforms. Despite those concerns, they have significant support, including a staff of volunteer administrators who hope to assist the committee with their goals. You have invested 1 Influence in them, and they have 3 Influence.
-Traits: Experienced Educators (+8 to all actions involving education), Administrative Expertise (+5 to all Committee for Education actions)
Office of Communications: Created to help improve, coordinate, direct, and standardize the mishmash of radios, telegrams, and postal systems that exist throughout the areas transitioning to socialism, the Office of Communications has an immense task ahead of them. Led by Julia O'Conner, they will be working closely with EcPlanComm and existing institutions to accomplish their goals. You have invested 2 Influence in them, and they have 4 Influence
-Traits: Familiar with Telecommunications: (+5 to all actions involving telegraphs, telephones, etc.), EcPlanComm Coordination (EcPlanComm gets a +5 bonus to rolls that involve the Office of Communications)
Assistants:
John Lawson. A coal miner and member of the IWW, he fought fiercely in the Colorado Coal War. His home was bombed, he was shot, and Rockefeller thugs machine-gunned women and children, but he still led the miners in an admittedly unsuccessful fight and was jailed for his troubles. After being freed in 1918, he promptly joined the IWW and began working his way up. Having seen peace did not work, he has taken to proposing war. However, an artifact of his early life has also seen him strongly advocate for education. (Party Faction: Syndicalists, friendly with the Orthodox, hostile to the Parliamentarians. CSA Faction: IWW Mountain Men, friendly with the IWW Main affiliates, hostile to the SPU and AFL. Area of Expertise +10 to Union organizing, militant, and education actions,-5 to negotiations with bosses)
Kate Sadler. Born in Scotland, Kate Sadler has always been a radical. And the creation of the Union of Britain has only left her more radical. Beloved in Seattle, she is ever at the forefront of social matters, determinedly advocating for African-Americans, immigrants, Native Americans, women, and any other marginalized group she is aware of. Organized, tough, and fiery, there are few who can match her in debates. (Party Faction: Orthodox, friendly with the Syndicalists and Anarchists, hostile to Ultraleft Farmer-Labor and the Parliamentarians. CSA Faction: IWW Main Affiliates. Area of Expertise: +15 to social justice actions)
John Brophy. A religious man, and a deeply determined advocate for worker's rights, he is a major rival of John Lewis, despite the two recognizing each other's talents. He has visited the Commune of France, the Union of Britain, and the Socialist Republic of Italy several times. (Party Faction: Syndicalists, friendly with the Parliamentarians. CSA Faction: IWW Mountain Men, friendly with the Regional Unions. Area of Expertise: +5 to religion, education, and history-related actions, +10 to managing the SPA and CSA)
The Union-Planning Commission: Responsible for planning the economic growth and development of the CSA in a decentralized, democratic fashion. The current plan is focused on the growth of the raw industrial power of the nation and improvements to working conditions and worker's safety.
| Faction | Ideology | Strength | Relations |
| Parliamentarians | Anti-revolutionary, or at least anti-violent revolutionary. View electoralism as the primary method, everything else is secondary. Fairly right socially, but still left of the non-socialists consensus. Would purge everything left of the Centrists if possible. Have a small reformist flank. | 30 | 20 |
| Centrists | Praxis-focused, least concerned about the specific tactics, generally values democracy, highly divided on what a socialist society should look like. Generally on the center socially for the SPA. Will not purge anyone, except possibly Totalists | 60 | 35 |
| Orthodox | Mostly conventional Marxists, dedicated to the concept of a vanguard party. Fairly divided on what a socialist society should look like, prefer central planning over market socialism, somewhat socially left. Would purge Syndicalists and Totalists if possible. | 66 | 50 |
| Syndicalists | Fully converted to syndicalism, consider electoralism to be a waste of time and the vanguard party to be counterrevolutionary. Believe class consciousness and power must be developed through unions. Generally, favor market socialism over full central planning. Slightly to the right of the Centrists socially. would purge Orthodox and Totalists if possible. | 55 | 43 |
| Totalists | Believe that the working class is not ready for democratic socialism and the state must have total dominance to protect the revolution and defeat capitalism. Slightly to the left of the non-socialist consensus. Would purge everyone but the Centrists if possible, and maybe even them. | 2 | 36 |
| Anarchists | A mix of actual anarchists and syndicalists or socialists highly concerned with liberty and liberation and the social revolution. Reject electoralism utterly, wish for a decentralized, democratic association of communes. Furthest to the left socially. Would purge Totalists if possible. | 30 | 69 |
| Ultraleft-Farmer-Labor | While the majority of Farmer-Labor has chosen to maintain some degree of independence, the very fringe of their extreme left has chosen to formally switch their party allegiance, a process which has been happening gradually for some time. The majority have joined the Parliamentarians, while the rest have formed a group of socially conservative radicals focused on the destruction of the capitalist system. Would probably purge Totalists, highly rural focused. | 24 | 69 |
| Fosterites | A motley crew barely within the party, they are the most radical of the most radical. Coming from the far left fringe of multiple factions, their attitudes towards most things are fairly confused. On one thing they hold firm: enemies of the Revolution must be shown no mercy. | 32 | 48 |
| 299 |
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Mechanics
Each turn, you have a certain amount of Influence and Authority. You may commit these to various actions, or delegate them to other characters. While you can never hold more than 10 Influence and Authority personally, you can have as much delegated as you want...but delegation comes with its own risks.
The amount of Influence comes from the amount of support and opposition within the Combined Syndicates. The amount of Authority comes from your personal prestige, power over the organization, and leadership capabilities.
Spending Influence and Authority (together known as Political Will) commits it to the action until it is completed. Influence gives you a d100 roll. Actions with "No roll" as the difficulty automatically succeed. Actions with a single DC automatically pass with Authority, if Influence is spent may succeed or fail. Actions with multiple DCs will have a moderate success with Authority and variable possible results with Influence. You may pick one Personal action and as many Free actions as are available without cost. Gravitas is a special form of Political Will. 1 Gravitas may be temporarily converted to 1 Authority for a small cost in your Relations with party factions. Otherwise it functions like Influence
When you delegate Political Will, you may give direction or a task. How well this will be followed and what additional resources are spent depend on the traits and attitudes of who you delegate it to. They may spend additional Influence of their own, for instance.
An Example: You choose the action Send Socialist Agitators to New Orleans. The DCs are 0/35/70/150. Spending Authority gives you the same result you would expect if you spent Influence and got between 35 and 70.
There are three other mechanics you currently have access to:
Resources are effectively money, although they also represent manpower, material, etc.
You will sometimes be given a Mandate by the members of the Party or factions within it. Failing to fulfill them will have consequences, typically including a loss of Relations and Strength for the faction. The various factions of the party have differing amounts of Strength, representing their internal influence and Relations, representing how much they like you. You can spend Relations to use different abilities depending on the available Strength. The list of abilities can be found here. The Syndintern will have these abilities, as well as some special ones, with a Strength of Yes once you get into contact with them. Using abilities can cost Strength from factions, or grant them Strength, as can the choices you make.
Each turn, you have one Focus slot. You may select a Focus when it is empty, which will progress through the turn, and give some sort of benefit, including unlocking more Focuses when complete. If you have played HOI4 you are familiar with this.
Also, something to note: all actions can synergize. Positively or negatively,
The amount of Influence comes from the amount of support and opposition within the Combined Syndicates. The amount of Authority comes from your personal prestige, power over the organization, and leadership capabilities.
Spending Influence and Authority (together known as Political Will) commits it to the action until it is completed. Influence gives you a d100 roll. Actions with "No roll" as the difficulty automatically succeed. Actions with a single DC automatically pass with Authority, if Influence is spent may succeed or fail. Actions with multiple DCs will have a moderate success with Authority and variable possible results with Influence. You may pick one Personal action and as many Free actions as are available without cost. Gravitas is a special form of Political Will. 1 Gravitas may be temporarily converted to 1 Authority for a small cost in your Relations with party factions. Otherwise it functions like Influence
When you delegate Political Will, you may give direction or a task. How well this will be followed and what additional resources are spent depend on the traits and attitudes of who you delegate it to. They may spend additional Influence of their own, for instance.
An Example: You choose the action Send Socialist Agitators to New Orleans. The DCs are 0/35/70/150. Spending Authority gives you the same result you would expect if you spent Influence and got between 35 and 70.
There are three other mechanics you currently have access to:
Resources are effectively money, although they also represent manpower, material, etc.
You will sometimes be given a Mandate by the members of the Party or factions within it. Failing to fulfill them will have consequences, typically including a loss of Relations and Strength for the faction. The various factions of the party have differing amounts of Strength, representing their internal influence and Relations, representing how much they like you. You can spend Relations to use different abilities depending on the available Strength. The list of abilities can be found here. The Syndintern will have these abilities, as well as some special ones, with a Strength of Yes once you get into contact with them. Using abilities can cost Strength from factions, or grant them Strength, as can the choices you make.
Each turn, you have one Focus slot. You may select a Focus when it is empty, which will progress through the turn, and give some sort of benefit, including unlocking more Focuses when complete. If you have played HOI4 you are familiar with this.
Also, something to note: all actions can synergize. Positively or negatively,
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Vote closed
Voting has closed, writing has begun.
Scheduled vote count started by notbirdofprey on Apr 23, 2021 at 12:04 AM, finished with 11 posts and 9 votes.
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[X] Get a Secretary
--[X] Influence
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[X] Set the Tone
-[X] Determined
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[X] Choose A Focus: Rally the Party
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[X] Plan: Wrath of the American Worker
-[X] Get a Secretary
--[X] Influence
-[X] Set the Tone
--[X] Wrathful
---[X] Authority
-[X] Choose A Focus
--[x] Rally the Party
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[X] Plan: Wrath of the American Worker
-[x] Write in: assert that a united working class would have won if the Farmer-Labor Party hadn't split the vote.
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November 1932 Results
Set the Tone, Determined
Milton stood in the crowd and smiled. His gaze swept across the audience, across his brothers, united in their cause and their excitement. He had helped bring them together, helped organize this grand affair so they could hear Comrade Reed. As he looked about, he saw the owner of the concert hall glaring at him with a pair of bully boys flanking him. Milton shrugged. If the man didn't want some "mad Bolsheviks" in his concert hall, he could have just lied and they would have found somewhere else.
The thoughts fled as the people around him let out a roar of acclamation and cheering, flags waving, fists raised in solidarity, defiant shouts echoing off the walls until it sounded like the whole world was roaring with them.
Jack Reed strode on stage. "COMRADES! MY FRIEND!" He shouted as the room gradually quieted.
"I wish I could give you news of victory, of advancement of our cause. We have struggled mightily for many years and suffered terribly under the reign of Capital and its loyal servant in the White House, and now we must endure another term under King Hoover!"
The crowd erupted in boos and hisses.
"While we live in Hoover mansions and dine on Hoover hogs, the capitalists who caused this crisis enjoy the real things! When I came here, I walked past a hundred men with palaces, and ten times that number without any home! I saw all the wealth and all the power of capital...but did I despair? Did I falter?"
His voice lowered, and Milton found himself leaning forwards, the men around him doing the same.
"No, I didn't, and I know you won't either! There's an election in four years, and another in two, and meanwhile...every act of solidarity is a victory against the forces arrayed against us. Every strike, every rally, even acts as simple as not calling them "sir" like we are their servants is a victory. I have plenty left in me, do you?"
They roared their response.
Reed cupped a hand to his ear. "I can't hear you!"
They roared louder.
And then louder still, until the walls of the hall shook and trembled. They marched out, singing the Internationale with more enthusiasm than skill, to find a dozen nervous-looking officers.
They didn't stop marching.
You gave your concessions speech a dozen times, tweaking it a little each to suit your audience. You filibustered the selection of the vice president to proclaim your intention to wage unrelenting war in the halls of power against the dogs of capital. You spoke in New York City to hungry day laborers without any labor, and in West Virginia to miners who had their votes stolen by company thugs and Pinkertons. You even ventured into Wilmington, although you kept it short and had to retreat when someone took a shot at you.
Everywhere you found the hungry, the cold, the desolate. You cannot give them succor, but you can offer hope and fill their bellies with fire. It must be enough.
Result: You have traveled across the country to give an impression of a determined but restrained struggle against capitalism, inspiring those who support you, but attracting the attention of those who fear you will not remain restrained...
Get a Secretary
You don't have the time to do your own interviews, so you deputize one of the Party staff to handle it while you are traveling. You come back, aching from the uncomfortable seat in the train, to find your office completely rearranged. On one wall stands a map of the United States and southern Canada, marked with pins where you have been, larger ones hammered into Chicago, New York City, and Washington DC. The stacks of paperwork that once covered your desk are now neatly filed in a dozen different piles, each one labeled.
As you slowly turn around, wondering who did this, a young woman walks right into you. "Oh mist- ImeanComrade Reed, I didn't realize you were back!" a familiar voice says.
"Comrade Hamburger..." you say, seeing the thick file in her hands.
"I take it you are my new secretary? And what's that file?"
"Yes, Comrade. And this is a list of names and positions and such for all the Party members who wanted a meeting with you while you were gone."
You study the size of the file and resign yourself to another few hours of marking who you need to meet with immediately and who can wait, then snatching a nap in your office chair.
"I have ordered them by who is most urgent," Hamburger tells you.
She hands you the file. You look through, seeing nothing unacceptable, thank her, and head home.
For the first time in a month, you are able to tuck your daughter into bed.
Result: You now have enough time to be able to take one Personal Action a month. These include things like relaxing, writing your memoirs, and devoting extra time to particular problems.
Focus: Rally the Party completed
The next day you are out and back in the party offices, meeting with various leading lights of the cause of Socialism and Syndicalism: Debs, Thomas, Flynn, Foster, Browder, Lippman, and Cannon, and even Wallace. Browder thinks your speech didn't go far enough, Thomas thinks it was too militant, but everyone knows now is the time to stay united, to keep the factional disputes under control until the United States are painted red. The ordinary political dickering is subsumed with almost frantic energy, electricity leaping through the air with every conversation.
Plans for General Strikes, for expanding the Red Guards, for reaching out to sharecropper and farmworkers, debates on whether to reach out to the Progressive Party or Farmer-Labor, how to maintain democratic control of the expanding movement...all these are debated and discussed in your office and in a hundred other rooms.
The conversations end with you a leader, not an unquestioned one (Heavens forbid!) but one with the support of those who follow, so long as you continue advancing their cause.
Result: +1 Authority, new focuses unlocked, Party Actions unlocked, internal Strength and Relations meters unlocked.
A/N: I need 3 d100s please.
Milton stood in the crowd and smiled. His gaze swept across the audience, across his brothers, united in their cause and their excitement. He had helped bring them together, helped organize this grand affair so they could hear Comrade Reed. As he looked about, he saw the owner of the concert hall glaring at him with a pair of bully boys flanking him. Milton shrugged. If the man didn't want some "mad Bolsheviks" in his concert hall, he could have just lied and they would have found somewhere else.
The thoughts fled as the people around him let out a roar of acclamation and cheering, flags waving, fists raised in solidarity, defiant shouts echoing off the walls until it sounded like the whole world was roaring with them.
Jack Reed strode on stage. "COMRADES! MY FRIEND!" He shouted as the room gradually quieted.
"I wish I could give you news of victory, of advancement of our cause. We have struggled mightily for many years and suffered terribly under the reign of Capital and its loyal servant in the White House, and now we must endure another term under King Hoover!"
The crowd erupted in boos and hisses.
"While we live in Hoover mansions and dine on Hoover hogs, the capitalists who caused this crisis enjoy the real things! When I came here, I walked past a hundred men with palaces, and ten times that number without any home! I saw all the wealth and all the power of capital...but did I despair? Did I falter?"
His voice lowered, and Milton found himself leaning forwards, the men around him doing the same.
"No, I didn't, and I know you won't either! There's an election in four years, and another in two, and meanwhile...every act of solidarity is a victory against the forces arrayed against us. Every strike, every rally, even acts as simple as not calling them "sir" like we are their servants is a victory. I have plenty left in me, do you?"
They roared their response.
Reed cupped a hand to his ear. "I can't hear you!"
They roared louder.
And then louder still, until the walls of the hall shook and trembled. They marched out, singing the Internationale with more enthusiasm than skill, to find a dozen nervous-looking officers.
They didn't stop marching.
You gave your concessions speech a dozen times, tweaking it a little each to suit your audience. You filibustered the selection of the vice president to proclaim your intention to wage unrelenting war in the halls of power against the dogs of capital. You spoke in New York City to hungry day laborers without any labor, and in West Virginia to miners who had their votes stolen by company thugs and Pinkertons. You even ventured into Wilmington, although you kept it short and had to retreat when someone took a shot at you.
Everywhere you found the hungry, the cold, the desolate. You cannot give them succor, but you can offer hope and fill their bellies with fire. It must be enough.
Result: You have traveled across the country to give an impression of a determined but restrained struggle against capitalism, inspiring those who support you, but attracting the attention of those who fear you will not remain restrained...
Get a Secretary
You don't have the time to do your own interviews, so you deputize one of the Party staff to handle it while you are traveling. You come back, aching from the uncomfortable seat in the train, to find your office completely rearranged. On one wall stands a map of the United States and southern Canada, marked with pins where you have been, larger ones hammered into Chicago, New York City, and Washington DC. The stacks of paperwork that once covered your desk are now neatly filed in a dozen different piles, each one labeled.
As you slowly turn around, wondering who did this, a young woman walks right into you. "Oh mist- ImeanComrade Reed, I didn't realize you were back!" a familiar voice says.
"Comrade Hamburger..." you say, seeing the thick file in her hands.
"I take it you are my new secretary? And what's that file?"
"Yes, Comrade. And this is a list of names and positions and such for all the Party members who wanted a meeting with you while you were gone."
You study the size of the file and resign yourself to another few hours of marking who you need to meet with immediately and who can wait, then snatching a nap in your office chair.
"I have ordered them by who is most urgent," Hamburger tells you.
She hands you the file. You look through, seeing nothing unacceptable, thank her, and head home.
For the first time in a month, you are able to tuck your daughter into bed.
Result: You now have enough time to be able to take one Personal Action a month. These include things like relaxing, writing your memoirs, and devoting extra time to particular problems.
Focus: Rally the Party completed
The next day you are out and back in the party offices, meeting with various leading lights of the cause of Socialism and Syndicalism: Debs, Thomas, Flynn, Foster, Browder, Lippman, and Cannon, and even Wallace. Browder thinks your speech didn't go far enough, Thomas thinks it was too militant, but everyone knows now is the time to stay united, to keep the factional disputes under control until the United States are painted red. The ordinary political dickering is subsumed with almost frantic energy, electricity leaping through the air with every conversation.
Plans for General Strikes, for expanding the Red Guards, for reaching out to sharecropper and farmworkers, debates on whether to reach out to the Progressive Party or Farmer-Labor, how to maintain democratic control of the expanding movement...all these are debated and discussed in your office and in a hundred other rooms.
The conversations end with you a leader, not an unquestioned one (Heavens forbid!) but one with the support of those who follow, so long as you continue advancing their cause.
Result: +1 Authority, new focuses unlocked, Party Actions unlocked, internal Strength and Relations meters unlocked.
A/N: I need 3 d100s please.
Rumors and News November 1932
Rumors
You have heard some vague reports that the Democrats and Republicans are considering a coalition or at least an agreement not to run Congressmen against each other. You judge a coalition to be unlikely, given the immense rivalry between the two parties, but both are bourgeois parties and thus will cooperate to oppose you. They may even try to pull Farmer-Labor and the Progressive Parties into this alliance unless you take measures to prevent that.
News
Huey Long and Henry Ford have announced a joint plan to revitalize southern industry through constructing a series of plants and company towns. They have stated their intent to give "good American men good American jobs" while forcing "The degenerate negroes to actually contribute." While this plan met with the expected condemnation from the Republicans and from your own party, it has also met widespread protest from the KKK, albeit on very different grounds. Even worse for the project, leaked documents reveal that Long's lieutenant governor, the man actually in charge (supposedly, although everyone knows he is just a puppet), was planning on embezzling a portion of the funds. The project dies in a furor of scandal and protest, leaving a few half-finished factory halls to join the decaying wreck of American industry. While you cannot celebrate the suffering this will doubtless cause among the American proletariat, you can take enjoyment from the stumbling of the Kingfish, even if the man himself will escape prosecution. You also wonder what he was planning on doing with the embezzled money...It would have to be something Ford would've approved.
As veterans in their thousands return from the Legation cities, hungry and weary, a call goes up for more troops to enforce the imperialist interests of the American business class. Unrest in the cities seems to grow by the day, making the worst American cities seem like ordinary neighborhoods, and more and more soldiers are required to enforce order and prevent the warlords from violating the unequal treaties forced upon them. These soldiers could be a potent force if recruited...
Meanwhile, in Canada, a recent wave of strikes brought on by rumors that the Empire intended to reinforce the Remnant Raj in India came to an end. Shockingly, it was not defeated by troops terrified of the uprising of the proletariat, but by a splintering within the Canadian unions and negotiations with the Candian liberals. Some of the unions have officially rejected revolution as a means of advancing the cause of the workers, while others have not.
International News
Winston Churchill, governor of the Remnant Raj, has announced a policy of decimation in response to "Syndicalist terror and Indian devil worship," drawing widespread condemnation from much of the world.
The Argentine dictatorship collapses and bourgeois democracy is restored, with the political landscape undergoing an immense upheaval. Perhaps Syndicalism will spread to the northern half of the country as well!
Border Skirmishes between the Ottoman Empire and its Arabic neighbors have begun as the dying empire seeks desperately to clamp down on unrest within its borders.
You have heard some vague reports that the Democrats and Republicans are considering a coalition or at least an agreement not to run Congressmen against each other. You judge a coalition to be unlikely, given the immense rivalry between the two parties, but both are bourgeois parties and thus will cooperate to oppose you. They may even try to pull Farmer-Labor and the Progressive Parties into this alliance unless you take measures to prevent that.
News
Huey Long and Henry Ford have announced a joint plan to revitalize southern industry through constructing a series of plants and company towns. They have stated their intent to give "good American men good American jobs" while forcing "The degenerate negroes to actually contribute." While this plan met with the expected condemnation from the Republicans and from your own party, it has also met widespread protest from the KKK, albeit on very different grounds. Even worse for the project, leaked documents reveal that Long's lieutenant governor, the man actually in charge (supposedly, although everyone knows he is just a puppet), was planning on embezzling a portion of the funds. The project dies in a furor of scandal and protest, leaving a few half-finished factory halls to join the decaying wreck of American industry. While you cannot celebrate the suffering this will doubtless cause among the American proletariat, you can take enjoyment from the stumbling of the Kingfish, even if the man himself will escape prosecution. You also wonder what he was planning on doing with the embezzled money...It would have to be something Ford would've approved.
As veterans in their thousands return from the Legation cities, hungry and weary, a call goes up for more troops to enforce the imperialist interests of the American business class. Unrest in the cities seems to grow by the day, making the worst American cities seem like ordinary neighborhoods, and more and more soldiers are required to enforce order and prevent the warlords from violating the unequal treaties forced upon them. These soldiers could be a potent force if recruited...
Meanwhile, in Canada, a recent wave of strikes brought on by rumors that the Empire intended to reinforce the Remnant Raj in India came to an end. Shockingly, it was not defeated by troops terrified of the uprising of the proletariat, but by a splintering within the Canadian unions and negotiations with the Candian liberals. Some of the unions have officially rejected revolution as a means of advancing the cause of the workers, while others have not.
International News
Winston Churchill, governor of the Remnant Raj, has announced a policy of decimation in response to "Syndicalist terror and Indian devil worship," drawing widespread condemnation from much of the world.
The Argentine dictatorship collapses and bourgeois democracy is restored, with the political landscape undergoing an immense upheaval. Perhaps Syndicalism will spread to the northern half of the country as well!
Border Skirmishes between the Ottoman Empire and its Arabic neighbors have begun as the dying empire seeks desperately to clamp down on unrest within its borders.
December 1932
In Washington DC, the whole city shivers as a storm blows down from the north, blanketing the streets in snow. Snow turns to slush under the stamping feet of thousands of souls, some wrapped in thick furs and others in whatever rags they could find. Flames guttered dimly in trash cans as their owners fought desperately to keep them out, while prices for coal and food began to creep higher.
You can't see any of it from the heated inside of the Capitol building, but you know it is there, just as it is in every city in the United States. And you find your anger building and building, your heart hammering in your chest as the pompous fool speaking yammers on about how the rights of people to work for hours and come away with less money than they needed to buy a loaf of bread.
It's too much. You rise to your feet. "I thank the distinguished gentlemen for his concerns," you grind out, as Curtis goggles at you, remembering his gavel too late.
You storm into the center of my room. "My colleagues and comrades, we were elected to serve our constituents. For hours, I have heard of nothing but serving ourselves. I don't know how many of you have traveled this past month, but I have ridden the rails for miles, and I have seen the poverty of my constituents and of yours as well."
Your gaze sweeps across the room. Curtis recovers his courage and the bang of gavel echoes through the room. "Senator Reed! You are out of order! Apologize to Senator Smith and then sit down, or I will remove you!" he squeals.
You sneer back. "Remove me then." You turn and march out of the Senate session, behind you the members of your party and the one man from Farmer-Labor scrambling after you, leaving the room quite a bit emptier.
To the men who followed you, you turn and look at them, anguish and rage boiling in your eyes.
"We need to help our people. If we can't do it in this chamber, we'll do it outside!" you proclaim.
At first, there is only silence. Then there is a nod.
You have 1 Influence and 2 Authority. You are not currently taking any Focuses.
Current Mandate: None
General Actions
Hold a Rally: It's a classic for every political party for a reason. There's nothing quite like a grand rally with banners waving and people cheering to make you seem unstoppable and to gather more support. The demonstration of the energy and might of the working class will have the capitalists shaking in their boots. It is a message to your supporters as well, that all the power of the SPA stands behind them. Cost: 4 Resources and a risk of backlash and hostile interruption. Time: 1 month. DC: 15/50/85/120. Results: Variable change in support, chance of intimidating your enemies. Can synergize with other actions.
Wave the Red Banner: The Red Banner is not the only SPA-affiliated or favoring publication, but it is the only one produced by the Party itself. And it is immensely popular. New ones go out constantly, but you could write an article of your own and make a special edition. This would receive extra attention and possibly some new readership, allowing you to make your opinions heard and sway the hearts and minds of others. You could shape the narrative on something, make an argument for or against a particular course of action, attack an enemy or uplift an ally. The possibilities of the written word are limitless. Cost: 2 Resources and a risk of backlash. May be additional costs depending on topic. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/25/50/75/100/150. Results: Variable change in support or party factions, results depend on topic. Topic must be written in. Some examples: "The importance of unity in the socialist cause," "The corruption of the Hoover administration," "Why feminism and socialism must go together," and "Why Farmer-Labor should unify with the SPA." Can synergize with other actions.
Socialist Soup Kitchens: The hungry must be fed. All throughout the cities, people starve as the endless grinding poverty of the Long Depression takes its toll. The federal government proclaims it cannot intervene in the free market while protecting oligarchs, the states cannot afford to provide for their inhabitants, the private charities are overwhelmed. The SPA must step in. Not only is it a moral imperative, but the more pragmatic side of you is salivating at the potential propaganda and recruitment. These soup kitchens will be democratically run and organized, with food sourced from donations and the party's coffers. Cost: 5 Resources, -2 Resources a turn. Time: 2 months. DC: 30/60/90/120. Results: Increase in support and recruitment, synergizes with other actions.
Speak to the Soldiers: The American troops in the Legation Cities consists of a mix of professional troops and the National Guard. Many of those returning home have fought in the bloody Shanghai Uprising, crushing it with infamous brutality. They are doubtless sick at heart and exhausted, left with dozens of questions and no answers. These answers can be given to them, for they will find no answers but in socialism and syndicalism. While controversial with the left and right of the Party (for very different reasons) making an effort to recruit these soldiers will strengthen you greatly, at the ballot box, in the streets, and when the Revolution inevitably comes. Cost: Loss of Relations with the Right and Left. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/50/100. Results: Recruit veteran soldiers, bonuses to other actions.
Send Social Agitators To: Nearly every street corner in Chicago, New York City, and Seattle has a man or woman standing on a crate and telling the passerby of the virtues of the cause and encouraging them to donate. They are often beaten brutally by the bourgeois or by police (and just as often protected by their listeners), but they nevertheless persist, determined to gain recruits and funds for the cause. Some of these agitators are amateurs doing it in their spare time, but quite a few are dedicated and skilled speakers. Sending these speakers in significant numbers to an area can result in an uptick of support, especially if it is followed up upon with meaningful organization. Cost: Risk to the lives and health of the agitators depending on where they are sent to. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/Variable/Variable. Results: Write in an area (such as New York state, the Midwest, New Orleans, etc. The bigger it is, the more diffuse the impact) and gain some temporary support there.
Party Actions
Appoint a Party Whip: You have gained fifteen seats in the Senate and far more in the House. While you generally don't have to deal with congressional revolts, there may be occasionally controversial legislation you will have to deal with. Furthermore, having someone handle the day-to-day matters of making sure everyone is read up on the bills, helping your congresspeople manage their staff and campaigns, and coordinate filibustering would free up some more time you could use. Cost:None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Subvote to determine who the Party Whip will be and how much to invest in them.
Mayoral Coordination: You have had a brilliant idea: Though you lack power at the federal level, the Socialist Party has substantial control of many mayorships, county governments. You even effectively control some states of the Steel Belt. Creating a forum to help these various governments cooperate and resolve disputes will be useful, especially if you have further requests of these governments. You have only discussed this concept briefly, but the idea of the Interstate Committee of Socialist Governments (name subject to change) has dazzled many. Especially since it will help you gain influence over their legal codes, voting laws, and National Guard armories. Cost: Significant and dangerous backlash from within and without the Party, probable legal challenges. Time: 3 months. DC: 80/160/240/320. Results: Various states and lower-level governments integrated into a coordinated body, many new possibilities available, although the body could be unwieldy.
Coordination Planning Committee: The implementation of your idea would be a legal and political nightmare, but there is something to it. Cooperation and solidarity are the greatest strengths of the socialist movement, after all. The Combined Syndicates already help various unions work together, but more can be done. The first thing to do is to have some friendly lawyers find what you can do without prompting serious legal backlash. You will have less slack than the capitalists, of course, but there are possibilities you can think of, from empowering the CSA to confederating charities. There is likely more. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Unlock new actions, bonus to certain actions.
Meet With Leadership: You are not the only influential figure in the SPA and CSA. Hilquit, Browder, Thomas, and more all lead influential factions. You have garnered their support already, but if you want to keep it you will need to do more. You will be asking all of them to sacrifice a great deal for the cause, and so you must give them something as well. But first, you must find what they want. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Gain Relations with all factions, begin getting Mandates.
Personal Actions (Choose one. It's a free action.)
Work Overtime: Although your heart and mind ache at the thought, the cause needs you. It will be stressful, it will be upsetting to your wife and daughter, you can feel your very soul revolting at the thought of spending even more hours working...but you must. The workers of the world demand it! Cost: Severely stressful, unhealthy, bad for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: +1 temporary Influence.
Personal Attention: If you spend a few hours working on a particular task, it will likely go smoother. It will cut into the time you would normally spend with your family or your books, but it is a sacrifice you will have to make. Cost: Stressful, not great for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Small dice and narrative bonus to chosen action.
Exercise: You have gotten slightly out of shape thanks to the stress of the election. Getting back in shape would be good for your health and your image...and if you ever get the chance to punch Huey Long in his fat face, it will help then too. Cost: Not great for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Decrease in stress, improvement to health.
Spend Time With Your Family: Your daughter Hannah misses you, as does your wife Louise. Spending some extra time with them this month will make up for all the times you missed doing it during the campaign season. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Major decrease in stress, good for your family.
Write: You have been working on another book about your own thoughts and beliefs about socialism and syndicalism, as well as on a few poems, memoirs, and some other odds and ends. Spending some time working on that will help order your thoughts and ease your burdens. Cost: Not great for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Decrease in stress, possibility of new traits.
Free Actions
[] Choose A Focus: You currently have no focus. Select two from the Available Focuses spoiler.
2 hour moratorium.
You can't see any of it from the heated inside of the Capitol building, but you know it is there, just as it is in every city in the United States. And you find your anger building and building, your heart hammering in your chest as the pompous fool speaking yammers on about how the rights of people to work for hours and come away with less money than they needed to buy a loaf of bread.
It's too much. You rise to your feet. "I thank the distinguished gentlemen for his concerns," you grind out, as Curtis goggles at you, remembering his gavel too late.
You storm into the center of my room. "My colleagues and comrades, we were elected to serve our constituents. For hours, I have heard of nothing but serving ourselves. I don't know how many of you have traveled this past month, but I have ridden the rails for miles, and I have seen the poverty of my constituents and of yours as well."
Your gaze sweeps across the room. Curtis recovers his courage and the bang of gavel echoes through the room. "Senator Reed! You are out of order! Apologize to Senator Smith and then sit down, or I will remove you!" he squeals.
You sneer back. "Remove me then." You turn and march out of the Senate session, behind you the members of your party and the one man from Farmer-Labor scrambling after you, leaving the room quite a bit emptier.
To the men who followed you, you turn and look at them, anguish and rage boiling in your eyes.
"We need to help our people. If we can't do it in this chamber, we'll do it outside!" you proclaim.
At first, there is only silence. Then there is a nod.
You have 1 Influence and 2 Authority. You are not currently taking any Focuses.
Current Mandate: None
General Actions
Hold a Rally: It's a classic for every political party for a reason. There's nothing quite like a grand rally with banners waving and people cheering to make you seem unstoppable and to gather more support. The demonstration of the energy and might of the working class will have the capitalists shaking in their boots. It is a message to your supporters as well, that all the power of the SPA stands behind them. Cost: 4 Resources and a risk of backlash and hostile interruption. Time: 1 month. DC: 15/50/85/120. Results: Variable change in support, chance of intimidating your enemies. Can synergize with other actions.
Wave the Red Banner: The Red Banner is not the only SPA-affiliated or favoring publication, but it is the only one produced by the Party itself. And it is immensely popular. New ones go out constantly, but you could write an article of your own and make a special edition. This would receive extra attention and possibly some new readership, allowing you to make your opinions heard and sway the hearts and minds of others. You could shape the narrative on something, make an argument for or against a particular course of action, attack an enemy or uplift an ally. The possibilities of the written word are limitless. Cost: 2 Resources and a risk of backlash. May be additional costs depending on topic. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/25/50/75/100/150. Results: Variable change in support or party factions, results depend on topic. Topic must be written in. Some examples: "The importance of unity in the socialist cause," "The corruption of the Hoover administration," "Why feminism and socialism must go together," and "Why Farmer-Labor should unify with the SPA." Can synergize with other actions.
Socialist Soup Kitchens: The hungry must be fed. All throughout the cities, people starve as the endless grinding poverty of the Long Depression takes its toll. The federal government proclaims it cannot intervene in the free market while protecting oligarchs, the states cannot afford to provide for their inhabitants, the private charities are overwhelmed. The SPA must step in. Not only is it a moral imperative, but the more pragmatic side of you is salivating at the potential propaganda and recruitment. These soup kitchens will be democratically run and organized, with food sourced from donations and the party's coffers. Cost: 5 Resources, -2 Resources a turn. Time: 2 months. DC: 30/60/90/120. Results: Increase in support and recruitment, synergizes with other actions.
Speak to the Soldiers: The American troops in the Legation Cities consists of a mix of professional troops and the National Guard. Many of those returning home have fought in the bloody Shanghai Uprising, crushing it with infamous brutality. They are doubtless sick at heart and exhausted, left with dozens of questions and no answers. These answers can be given to them, for they will find no answers but in socialism and syndicalism. While controversial with the left and right of the Party (for very different reasons) making an effort to recruit these soldiers will strengthen you greatly, at the ballot box, in the streets, and when the Revolution inevitably comes. Cost: Loss of Relations with the Right and Left. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/50/100. Results: Recruit veteran soldiers, bonuses to other actions.
Send Social Agitators To: Nearly every street corner in Chicago, New York City, and Seattle has a man or woman standing on a crate and telling the passerby of the virtues of the cause and encouraging them to donate. They are often beaten brutally by the bourgeois or by police (and just as often protected by their listeners), but they nevertheless persist, determined to gain recruits and funds for the cause. Some of these agitators are amateurs doing it in their spare time, but quite a few are dedicated and skilled speakers. Sending these speakers in significant numbers to an area can result in an uptick of support, especially if it is followed up upon with meaningful organization. Cost: Risk to the lives and health of the agitators depending on where they are sent to. Time: 1 month. DC: 0/Variable/Variable. Results: Write in an area (such as New York state, the Midwest, New Orleans, etc. The bigger it is, the more diffuse the impact) and gain some temporary support there.
Party Actions
Appoint a Party Whip: You have gained fifteen seats in the Senate and far more in the House. While you generally don't have to deal with congressional revolts, there may be occasionally controversial legislation you will have to deal with. Furthermore, having someone handle the day-to-day matters of making sure everyone is read up on the bills, helping your congresspeople manage their staff and campaigns, and coordinate filibustering would free up some more time you could use. Cost:None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Subvote to determine who the Party Whip will be and how much to invest in them.
Mayoral Coordination: You have had a brilliant idea: Though you lack power at the federal level, the Socialist Party has substantial control of many mayorships, county governments. You even effectively control some states of the Steel Belt. Creating a forum to help these various governments cooperate and resolve disputes will be useful, especially if you have further requests of these governments. You have only discussed this concept briefly, but the idea of the Interstate Committee of Socialist Governments (name subject to change) has dazzled many. Especially since it will help you gain influence over their legal codes, voting laws, and National Guard armories. Cost: Significant and dangerous backlash from within and without the Party, probable legal challenges. Time: 3 months. DC: 80/160/240/320. Results: Various states and lower-level governments integrated into a coordinated body, many new possibilities available, although the body could be unwieldy.
Coordination Planning Committee: The implementation of your idea would be a legal and political nightmare, but there is something to it. Cooperation and solidarity are the greatest strengths of the socialist movement, after all. The Combined Syndicates already help various unions work together, but more can be done. The first thing to do is to have some friendly lawyers find what you can do without prompting serious legal backlash. You will have less slack than the capitalists, of course, but there are possibilities you can think of, from empowering the CSA to confederating charities. There is likely more. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Unlock new actions, bonus to certain actions.
Meet With Leadership: You are not the only influential figure in the SPA and CSA. Hilquit, Browder, Thomas, and more all lead influential factions. You have garnered their support already, but if you want to keep it you will need to do more. You will be asking all of them to sacrifice a great deal for the cause, and so you must give them something as well. But first, you must find what they want. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Gain Relations with all factions, begin getting Mandates.
Personal Actions (Choose one. It's a free action.)
Work Overtime: Although your heart and mind ache at the thought, the cause needs you. It will be stressful, it will be upsetting to your wife and daughter, you can feel your very soul revolting at the thought of spending even more hours working...but you must. The workers of the world demand it! Cost: Severely stressful, unhealthy, bad for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: +1 temporary Influence.
Personal Attention: If you spend a few hours working on a particular task, it will likely go smoother. It will cut into the time you would normally spend with your family or your books, but it is a sacrifice you will have to make. Cost: Stressful, not great for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Small dice and narrative bonus to chosen action.
Exercise: You have gotten slightly out of shape thanks to the stress of the election. Getting back in shape would be good for your health and your image...and if you ever get the chance to punch Huey Long in his fat face, it will help then too. Cost: Not great for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Decrease in stress, improvement to health.
Spend Time With Your Family: Your daughter Hannah misses you, as does your wife Louise. Spending some extra time with them this month will make up for all the times you missed doing it during the campaign season. Cost: None. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Major decrease in stress, good for your family.
Write: You have been working on another book about your own thoughts and beliefs about socialism and syndicalism, as well as on a few poems, memoirs, and some other odds and ends. Spending some time working on that will help order your thoughts and ease your burdens. Cost: Not great for your family. Time: 1 month. DC: No roll. Results: Decrease in stress, possibility of new traits.
Free Actions
[] Choose A Focus: You currently have no focus. Select two from the Available Focuses spoiler.
In the Halls of Power - Your congressional delegations make a small but significant voting bloc. This leverage can be used to pass legislation to benefit workers and your organization. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Political actions, +1 Influence
In the Street and in the Shop- The unions are your mainstay. Rally to them, give them support and succor, and they will never fail you. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Union actions, +1 Influence
In the Songs of Workers - The stories and songs of the American worker are filled with Revolutionary potential. From George Washington to Abe Lincoln, make American culture resonate with the cause. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Cultural actions, +1 Influence
In the Dark - Not every battle to bring the light of socialism to the world can be fought cleanly. Reactionaries will attempt to infiltrate and disrupt your movement, but you can do the same to them. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Intrigue actions
In the Blood and Mud - Police and Pinkertons and Minutemen are all willing to use violence against the workers. Force must be met with force. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Militant actions
In the Thoughts of Those Who Strive - It is not enough to act. You must have a reasoning behind your action, a framework to guide your efforts. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Intellectual actions
In the Street and in the Shop- The unions are your mainstay. Rally to them, give them support and succor, and they will never fail you. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Union actions, +1 Influence
In the Songs of Workers - The stories and songs of the American worker are filled with Revolutionary potential. From George Washington to Abe Lincoln, make American culture resonate with the cause. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Cultural actions, +1 Influence
In the Dark - Not every battle to bring the light of socialism to the world can be fought cleanly. Reactionaries will attempt to infiltrate and disrupt your movement, but you can do the same to them. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Intrigue actions
In the Blood and Mud - Police and Pinkertons and Minutemen are all willing to use violence against the workers. Force must be met with force. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Militant actions
In the Thoughts of Those Who Strive - It is not enough to act. You must have a reasoning behind your action, a framework to guide your efforts. Time: 0.5 months. Effect: Unlock Intellectual actions
2 hour moratorium.
Last edited:
Vote closed
Scheduled vote count started by notbirdofprey on Apr 27, 2021 at 12:02 AM, finished with 2 posts and 2 votes.
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[X] Plan: Swords To Plowshares
-[X] Socialist Soup Kitchens
--[X] Authority
-[X] Speak to the Soldiers
-[X] Meet With Leadership
--[X] Influence
-[X] Spend Time With Your Family
-[X] Choose A Focus
--[X] In the Street and in the Shop
--[X] In the Blood and Mud
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[X] Plan: Swords To Plowshares
-[X] Spend Time With Your Family
- [X] Focus: In the blood and the mud; In the street and the shop
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December 1932 Results
Socialist Soup Kitchens - Authority
The order comes down from the top, and people move to fulfill it, operating almost like a well-oiled machine. The coffers of the party open, and bread and beans and meat are bought in enormous quantities and shipped across the country to dozens of cities. Red painted buildings are opened up, with signs proclaiming them sponsored by the Socialist Party and the Combined Syndicates.
In some cities, the hungry wait gratefully, listening to the admonishments and preaching of the attendants with half an ear as they eat. In some, police drive the homeless away, leaving the buildings standing bereft and empty. In yet others, the buildings themselves are targeted, robbed, vandalized, burned, and worse. But sometimes, people fight back.
He leaves the room and finds Comrade David, a hard-eyed man who led the Red Guard. Comrade David listened, then gathered his followers around. Looking at them, Robert shivered. They aren't followers, they are soldiers, he thought.
"We've interrogated the reactionary terrorists who attacked us," David said.
"They were paid for by a few businessmen who have been trying to make people work for food, and we were stealing their workers."
A low snarl of anger rises from a dozen throats, Robert's among them.
"We are going to make an example of them. Any questions?"
Such scenes are an exception though. In most places, there isn't the will to attack soup kitchens and charities. The people there experience nothing worse than the occasional angry look. Bellies were filled and hope was offered, and some of those who ate wanted to know more or help.
"Why are you helping us? You don't believe in G-d, so why are you doing this?" Liam demanded, clutching the cross around his neck while juggling the bowl of stew and hunk of bread he had been given. It was awkward, but the cross gave him some comfort as he studied the strange woman standing behind the counter.
She held up a finger, served the next person, who quickly hurried off to a nearby bench to eat, and then turned back to Liam.
"Well, because I believe it's part of my duty to help the proletariat cultivate class consciousness..."
"The what?"
Result: A general increase in support and positive attention, some new recruits interested in joining you. Resource income is decreased by 2.
Speak to the Soldiers, Authority
You don't just order agitators to visit the returning soldiers, you travel across the country to Seattle and meet a large group of them on the docks. Your first attempted speech is met with boos and jeers and thrown garbage.
A week later, when these former soldiers are camped out in a park with no work and short their last payday, they are far more receptive. Your announcement about the soup kitchens is greeted with enthusiastic shouting.
"Has your country treated you fairly?" you ask.
"No, no, no!" they shout back.
"You were told you would be fighting to protect American people, to spread democracy and justice! Instead, you were sent to fight for more dollars in the pockets of the fat cats who won't even pay their soldiers! Is that right? Is that just?"
Your audience is far more receptive than some of your more pessimistic colleagues predicted. Foster thought you were more likely to get shot than change any minds.
You sure showed him.
You continue your speech for a few minutes longer, then leap down, speaking with soldiers, shaking their hands, promising change. You don't say anything...untoward, no vows of violent retribution or revolution, but you make more than a few references to Lincoln and Washington.
A pair of grizzled sergeants are some of the last men you speak to. They size you up with their eyes and then dismiss you, but as you leave, you hear someone shout: "We'll see you in Washington if we don't get our pay, Mr. Reed!"
You shrug off the rhetoric and continue on. You have a schedule to keep.
Result: You have gained support among veterans, and quite a few have joined your Red Guards or taken to attending party meetings. The right wing of the party is concerned about some rumors you have heard from these soldiers and the belligerence of openly recruiting veterans, the left wing is worried about infiltration and your agenda being watered down.
Meet With Leadership, Influence
A party as large and diverse as yours inevitably has factions (and the factions often have factions), but they can be roughly divided into three.
On your right are those who seek reform to destroy capitalism or reform, period, led by Lippmann and Fitzpatrick. In the center, there is a dizzying array of socialists and syndicalists who tend to look to you directly (although Norman Thomas is highly influential), and on your left, you have Foster and Browder, who are by far the most radical and determined members of the SPA. There are other influential people - Cannon and Wallace and Flynn - and important people outside the party - Coxey and Goldman - you will have to deal with, but Fitzpatrick, Foster, and Thomas are the three most important.
Each has their own opinions, their own desires, their own goals, and you will need their support. Fitzpatrick wants protection for the unions. "It's the Pinkertons, they are thicker on us than ever, I don't even know where they are getting the money to hire them all. We need help dealing with them."
Thomas wants legislation. Not at the federal level, he knows as well as you how impossible that is. But he wants the state governments you control to pass social relief programs - government coffers are far deeper than yours and they have better credit.
And Foster wants education. Significant portions of the AFL and CIO lack revolutionary fervor. Quite a few want nothing more than tweaked capitalism, and he worries they will side against you if not properly educated.
Results: Three mandates, slightly more aware of what's going on in your own party.
Spend Time With Your Family
Hannah is excited about Christmas. She keeps begging you to tell her what Santa brought her, and you zip your lips and throw away the key every time. That only inspires her to beg harder, but you don't mind the attention.
It takes you and Louise twice as long to chivvy her into bed as it usually does, but eventually, she is fast asleep and the two of you sneak down, eating the cookies she laid out for Santa and slipping a few boxes under the tree and a few pieces of candy into her stocking.
You lay your head down and then it seems like barely any time has passed before you are woken up by excited squeals. Rushing down in your pajamas and nightcap, your daughter is excitedly holding up your gift to her: a new sketchbook.
Louise smiles down at Hannah. "Sounds like someone is happy about what Santa got her."
Your daughter nods vigorously, grinning so brightly it makes your eyes prickle and heart ache...(it's definitely just that it's bright enough to hurt you, that's why you are tearing up)
Result: Your family is glad to see you again, and you are glad to spend time with them.
Focus: In the Street and in the Shop completed
The unions are your strength. They lead your marches, they fight your battles. Their members are a major part of your organization and they have voted for your party reliably since the Long Depression began. You have returned this support generously, and you have every intention of continuing doing so as you campaign for shorter hours, higher wages, and a total transformation of society into one that puts the workers first instead.
As the workers of American donate their hard-earned wages to the cause and lift up their voice in their support, you vow to never falter and fail.
The unions forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Result: +1 Influence, Union actions unlocked
Focus: In the Blood and Mud completed
The forces of capital and reaction will never simply allow you to win power. When you strike, they send in scabs and Pinkertons. When you organize, they assassinate your leadership. When you fight, they bomb you. This will not be tolerated.
Already, paramilitaries and militias are forming, wielding rifles and pistols and clubs. They protect your meeting places, patrol the streets your people live on, and escort strikes and protesters who advocate for your causes.
And when the revolution comes, they will be the ones to lead you to victory.
Result: +1 Influence, Militant actions unlocked
A/N: 3 1d100s please.
The order comes down from the top, and people move to fulfill it, operating almost like a well-oiled machine. The coffers of the party open, and bread and beans and meat are bought in enormous quantities and shipped across the country to dozens of cities. Red painted buildings are opened up, with signs proclaiming them sponsored by the Socialist Party and the Combined Syndicates.
In some cities, the hungry wait gratefully, listening to the admonishments and preaching of the attendants with half an ear as they eat. In some, police drive the homeless away, leaving the buildings standing bereft and empty. In yet others, the buildings themselves are targeted, robbed, vandalized, burned, and worse. But sometimes, people fight back.
Robert wasn't hungry anymore. Now the only thing in his gut was anger as he lifted the knife and smashed the hilt across the thug's face, teeth flying across the room.
"Who paid you! Fuckers like you don't just burn down a goddamn soup kitchen unless someone paid you!" he roars, and the thug murmurs something back, barely coherent.
He tried to calm down, but every time he did, he remembered the flames licking at the wood he had painted, the loss of his first job in weeks and the pride he had taken in it, and the screams of terror from the people he had wanted to feed.
Robert blinks, and suddenly the knife is buried in the man's guts. That's a slow way to die, he's heard. He shrugs, and leaves the man to bleed.
"Who paid you! Fuckers like you don't just burn down a goddamn soup kitchen unless someone paid you!" he roars, and the thug murmurs something back, barely coherent.
He tried to calm down, but every time he did, he remembered the flames licking at the wood he had painted, the loss of his first job in weeks and the pride he had taken in it, and the screams of terror from the people he had wanted to feed.
Robert blinks, and suddenly the knife is buried in the man's guts. That's a slow way to die, he's heard. He shrugs, and leaves the man to bleed.
He leaves the room and finds Comrade David, a hard-eyed man who led the Red Guard. Comrade David listened, then gathered his followers around. Looking at them, Robert shivered. They aren't followers, they are soldiers, he thought.
"We've interrogated the reactionary terrorists who attacked us," David said.
"They were paid for by a few businessmen who have been trying to make people work for food, and we were stealing their workers."
A low snarl of anger rises from a dozen throats, Robert's among them.
"We are going to make an example of them. Any questions?"
Such scenes are an exception though. In most places, there isn't the will to attack soup kitchens and charities. The people there experience nothing worse than the occasional angry look. Bellies were filled and hope was offered, and some of those who ate wanted to know more or help.
"Why are you helping us? You don't believe in G-d, so why are you doing this?" Liam demanded, clutching the cross around his neck while juggling the bowl of stew and hunk of bread he had been given. It was awkward, but the cross gave him some comfort as he studied the strange woman standing behind the counter.
She held up a finger, served the next person, who quickly hurried off to a nearby bench to eat, and then turned back to Liam.
"Well, because I believe it's part of my duty to help the proletariat cultivate class consciousness..."
"The what?"
Result: A general increase in support and positive attention, some new recruits interested in joining you. Resource income is decreased by 2.
Speak to the Soldiers, Authority
You don't just order agitators to visit the returning soldiers, you travel across the country to Seattle and meet a large group of them on the docks. Your first attempted speech is met with boos and jeers and thrown garbage.
A week later, when these former soldiers are camped out in a park with no work and short their last payday, they are far more receptive. Your announcement about the soup kitchens is greeted with enthusiastic shouting.
"Has your country treated you fairly?" you ask.
"No, no, no!" they shout back.
"You were told you would be fighting to protect American people, to spread democracy and justice! Instead, you were sent to fight for more dollars in the pockets of the fat cats who won't even pay their soldiers! Is that right? Is that just?"
Your audience is far more receptive than some of your more pessimistic colleagues predicted. Foster thought you were more likely to get shot than change any minds.
You sure showed him.
You continue your speech for a few minutes longer, then leap down, speaking with soldiers, shaking their hands, promising change. You don't say anything...untoward, no vows of violent retribution or revolution, but you make more than a few references to Lincoln and Washington.
A pair of grizzled sergeants are some of the last men you speak to. They size you up with their eyes and then dismiss you, but as you leave, you hear someone shout: "We'll see you in Washington if we don't get our pay, Mr. Reed!"
You shrug off the rhetoric and continue on. You have a schedule to keep.
Result: You have gained support among veterans, and quite a few have joined your Red Guards or taken to attending party meetings. The right wing of the party is concerned about some rumors you have heard from these soldiers and the belligerence of openly recruiting veterans, the left wing is worried about infiltration and your agenda being watered down.
Meet With Leadership, Influence
A party as large and diverse as yours inevitably has factions (and the factions often have factions), but they can be roughly divided into three.
On your right are those who seek reform to destroy capitalism or reform, period, led by Lippmann and Fitzpatrick. In the center, there is a dizzying array of socialists and syndicalists who tend to look to you directly (although Norman Thomas is highly influential), and on your left, you have Foster and Browder, who are by far the most radical and determined members of the SPA. There are other influential people - Cannon and Wallace and Flynn - and important people outside the party - Coxey and Goldman - you will have to deal with, but Fitzpatrick, Foster, and Thomas are the three most important.
Each has their own opinions, their own desires, their own goals, and you will need their support. Fitzpatrick wants protection for the unions. "It's the Pinkertons, they are thicker on us than ever, I don't even know where they are getting the money to hire them all. We need help dealing with them."
Thomas wants legislation. Not at the federal level, he knows as well as you how impossible that is. But he wants the state governments you control to pass social relief programs - government coffers are far deeper than yours and they have better credit.
And Foster wants education. Significant portions of the AFL and CIO lack revolutionary fervor. Quite a few want nothing more than tweaked capitalism, and he worries they will side against you if not properly educated.
Results: Three mandates, slightly more aware of what's going on in your own party.
Spend Time With Your Family
Hannah is excited about Christmas. She keeps begging you to tell her what Santa brought her, and you zip your lips and throw away the key every time. That only inspires her to beg harder, but you don't mind the attention.
It takes you and Louise twice as long to chivvy her into bed as it usually does, but eventually, she is fast asleep and the two of you sneak down, eating the cookies she laid out for Santa and slipping a few boxes under the tree and a few pieces of candy into her stocking.
You lay your head down and then it seems like barely any time has passed before you are woken up by excited squeals. Rushing down in your pajamas and nightcap, your daughter is excitedly holding up your gift to her: a new sketchbook.
Louise smiles down at Hannah. "Sounds like someone is happy about what Santa got her."
Your daughter nods vigorously, grinning so brightly it makes your eyes prickle and heart ache...(it's definitely just that it's bright enough to hurt you, that's why you are tearing up)
Result: Your family is glad to see you again, and you are glad to spend time with them.
Focus: In the Street and in the Shop completed
The unions are your strength. They lead your marches, they fight your battles. Their members are a major part of your organization and they have voted for your party reliably since the Long Depression began. You have returned this support generously, and you have every intention of continuing doing so as you campaign for shorter hours, higher wages, and a total transformation of society into one that puts the workers first instead.
As the workers of American donate their hard-earned wages to the cause and lift up their voice in their support, you vow to never falter and fail.
The unions forever, hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Result: +1 Influence, Union actions unlocked
Focus: In the Blood and Mud completed
The forces of capital and reaction will never simply allow you to win power. When you strike, they send in scabs and Pinkertons. When you organize, they assassinate your leadership. When you fight, they bomb you. This will not be tolerated.
Already, paramilitaries and militias are forming, wielding rifles and pistols and clubs. They protect your meeting places, patrol the streets your people live on, and escort strikes and protesters who advocate for your causes.
And when the revolution comes, they will be the ones to lead you to victory.
Result: +1 Influence, Militant actions unlocked
A/N: 3 1d100s please.
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