Harry Wellington Laidler (February 18, 1884 – July 14, 1970) was an American

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

writer, magazine editor, and politician. He is best remembered as executive director of the

League for Industrial Democracy The League for Industrial Democracy (LID) was founded as a successor to the Intercollegiate Socialist Society in 1921. Members decided to change its name to reflect a more inclusive and more organizational perspective. Background Intercollegiate So ...

, successor to the

Intercollegiate Socialist Society The Intercollegiate Socialist Society (ISS) was a socialist student organization active from 1905 to 1921. It attracted many prominent intellectuals and writers and acted as an unofficial student wing of the Socialist Party of America. The Society ...

, and for his close political association with perennial

Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of th ...

Presidential nominee

Norman Thomas Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was an American Presbyterian minister who achieved fame as a socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. Early years Thomas was the ...

. He also served a two-year term on the

New York City Council The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of New York City. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five Borough (New York City), boroughs. The council serves as a check against the Mayor of New York City, mayor in a may ...

Early years

Harry W. Laidler was born February 18, 1884, in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, the son of a salesman. The Laidler family was comfortable, middle-class, and politically liberal.

Mari Jo Buhle Mari Jo Buhle (born 1943) is an American historian and William R. Kenan Jr., William J. Kenan Jr. University Professor Emerita at Brown University. Early life and education Buhle was born in 1943 as Mari Jo Kupski. She graduated from North Chi ...

Paul Buhle Paul Merlyn Buhle (born September 27, 1944) is a (retired) Senior Lecturer at Brown University, author or editor of 35 volumes including histories of radicalism in the United States and the Caribbean, studies of popular culture, and a series of ...

, and

Dan Georgakas Dan Georgakas ( el, Νταν Γεωργακάς; 1938–2021) was an American anarchist poet and historian, who specialized in oral history and the American labor movement, best known for the publication ''Detroit: I do mind dying: A study in u ...

(eds.), ''Encyclopedia of the American Left.'' First edition. New York: Garland Publishing Co., 1990; pp. 408-409. Young Harry attended public school in Brooklyn, before graduating to attend

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...

, from which he obtained a

Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in 1907.Solon DeLeon with Irma C. Hayssen and Grace Poole (eds.), ''The American Labor Who's Who.'' New York: Hanford Press, 1925; pg. 131. Upon graduation, Laidler worked as a reporter for the ''Brooklyn Eagle'' newspaper, attending

Brooklyn Law School Brooklyn Law School (BLS) is a private law school in New York City. Founded in 1901, it has approximately 1,100 students. Brooklyn Law School's faculty includes 60 full-time faculty, 15 emeriti faculty, and a number of adjunct faculty. Brookly ...

at night. Laidler's graduation from

law school A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...

in 1910 also marked the end of his career as a news reporter. He subsequently enrolled in

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, from which he obtained his

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

in 1914.

Political career

Harry Laidler was a committed socialist from his teenage years, enrolling in the

Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...

in 1903. In 1905 became a founding member of the

(ISS), a national organization dedicated to advancing the study of socialism on college campuses around the country through lectures, debates, and publications. Laidler was named to the ISS's executive committee as a representative of undergraduates. Upon his graduation from law school in 1910, he was named Secretary of the ISS, serving as well as editor of its magazine, ''The Intercollegiate Socialist,'' from the time of its launch in 1913. He continued to edit this publication and its successor, ''The Socialist Review,'' until 1921. In 1921, with much of the youth section of the socialist movement departed to the

Communist Party of America The Communist Party USA, officially the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), is a communist party in the United States which was established in 1919 after a split in the Socialist Party of America following the Russian Re ...

and Communist Labor Party, the ISS determined to change its name to the

(LID). The name change marked a shifting of orientation, from an exclusive concentration upon college campuses to bringing socialist ideas to trade unions and the general public. Harry Laidler was named the executive director of the revamped organization — a position which he would continue to hold until 1957. Laidler was a close associate of

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...

minister

in the LID. Thomas was a fellow New Yorker born in the same year as Laidler, and the pair shared a middle-class upbringing and a rather academic and technocratic view towards the American Socialist movement. A trusted confidante, Laidler helped to manage Thomas' 1928 and 1932 runs for president as the nominee of the Socialist Party. During the faction fight between a Left Wing loyal to Thomas and an organized

Old Guard faction The Old Guard faction was an organized group in the Socialist Party of America (SPA) that sought to retain the organization's traditional orientation towards electoral politics by fighting the Militant faction of generally-younger party members who ...

that wracked the Socialist Party from 1934 to 1936, Laidler played a key role for the young insurgents, running for and winning election as State Secretary of the Socialist Party of New York in a hotly contested race with Old Guard leader Louis Waldman. Laidler was president of the

National Bureau of Economic Research The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) is an American private nonprofit research organization "committed to undertaking and disseminating unbiased economic research among public policymakers, business professionals, and the academic c ...

from 1930 to 1932 and again from 1948 to 1949. He also served as head of its board of directors from 1932 to 1934. He frequently contributed book reviews to scholarly journals in this period, a long list which included the ''

American Journal of Sociology The ''American Journal of Sociology'' is a peer-reviewed bi-monthly academic journal that publishes original research and book reviews in the field of sociology and related social sciences. It was founded in 1895 as the first journal in its disci ...

,'' ''

The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS) was founded in 1889 to promote progress in the social sciences. Sparked by Professor Edmund J. James and drawing from members of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmor ...

,'' ''

The Journal of Political Economy The ''Journal of Political Economy'' is a monthly peer-reviewed academic journal published by the University of Chicago Press. Established by James Laurence Laughlin in 1892, it covers both theoretical and empirical economics. In the past, the ...

,'' and the ''

American Economic Review The ''American Economic Review'' is a monthly peer-reviewed academic journal published by the American Economic Association. First published in 1911, it is considered one of the most prestigious and highly distinguished journals in the field of ec ...

.''A
advanced search of WorldCat
listing "Harry W. Laidler" as "author" generates a lengthy list. Laidler was twice a candidate on the Socialist Party ticket, running for

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has ...

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

and for

U.S. Senator from New York Below is a list of U.S. senators who have represented the State of New York in the United States Senate since 1789. The date of the start of the tenure is either the first day of the legislative term (Senators who were elected regularly before th ...

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...

. He was later a successful candidate of the

American Labor Party The American Labor Party (ALP) was a political party in the United States established in 1936 that was active almost exclusively in the state of New York. The organization was founded by labor leaders and former members of the Socialist Party of ...

for

in 1940, serving a 2-year term as an alderman.

Death and legacy

Harry Laidler died on July 14, 1970, two years after his friend Norman Thomas.

Footnotes

Works

Books and pamphlets

* ''Boycotts and the Labor Struggle: Economic and Legal Aspects.'' New York: John Lane Co., 1914. ''—reissued 1968'' * ''The British Co-operative Movement.'' New York: Co-operative League of America, 1917. * ''Public Ownership Throughout the World: A Survey of the Extent of Government Control and Operation.'' New York: Rand School of Social Science, 1918. ''—reissued 1924'' * ''Study Courses in Socialism.'' New York: Intercollegiate Socialist Society, 1919.
''Socialism in Thought and Action.''
New York: Macmillan, 1920. * ''Recent Developments in Socialism: With Bibliographies and Directory.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1922. * ''Public Ownership, Here and Abroad, Before, during and After the War.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1923. * ''How America Lives: A Handbook of Industrial Facts.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1924. * ''Roads to Freedom: A Syllabus for Discussion Groups.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1924. * ''Canada Shows How to Manage Electrical Power.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1924. * ''The Coming of a Labor President to Mexico.'' Richmond, IN: n.p., 1925. * '' A History of Socialist Thought.'' New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1927. * ''Unemployment and Its Remedies.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1931. * ''Concentration of Control in American Industry.'' New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1931. * ''The Practical Program of Socialism.'' Girard, KS: Haldeman-Julius Publications, 1931.
''The Road Ahead: A Primer of Capitalism and Socialism.''
New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1932. * ''Incentives Under Capitalism and Socialism.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1933. * ''The City for the People.'' Chicago: Socialist Party, 1933. * ''Socialism.'' Chicago: Socialist Party, 1934. * ''An Appeal to White Collar Workers and the Professions.'' New York: Socialist Party, n.d. . 1934 * ''Slash Your Electric Bills.'' New York: Socialist Party, n.d. . 1934 * ''Socializing Our Democracy: A New Appraisal of Socialism.'' New York: Harper and Bros., 1935. * ''America in the Depression: Supplement of How America Lives.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1935. * ''America in the Depression and Under the New Deal.'' New York, Council for Social Action, 1935. * ''A Program for Modern America.'' New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1936. * ''Putting the Constitution to Work.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1936. * ''Acceptance Speech.'' New York: Socialist Party, 1936. * ''American Socialism: Its Aims and Practical Program.'' New York: Harper and Bros., 1937. * ''The Consumer Cooperative Movement: A Social Interpretation.'' With Wallace J. Campbell. New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1937. ''—reissued 1940.'' * ''Toward a Farmer-Labor Party.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1938. * ''Vote a Real Labor Ticket!'' New York: Socialist Party of New York, 1938. * ''The Federal Government and Functional Democracy.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1940. * ''Maximum Production: Warfare and Welfare.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1942. * ''Social-Economic Movements: An Historical and Comparative Survey of Socialism, Communism, Co-operation, Utopianism and Other Systems of Reform and Reconstruction.'' New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1944. ''—reissued 1968 as "History of Socialism."'' * ''British Labor's Rise to Power.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1945. * ''Toward Nationalization of Industry.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1947. * ''Labor Governments at Work: British, Scandinavian, Australasian.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1948. * ''Our Changing Industrial Incentives.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1949. * ''Freedom and the Welfare State.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1950. * ''Socialism in the United States: A Brief History.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1952.

Collections edited

''State Socialism, Pro and Con: Official Documents and Other Authoritative Selections Showing the World-Wide Replacement of Private by Governmental Industry Before and During the War.''
With William English Walling. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1917. * ''New Tactics in Social Conflict.'' With Norman Thomas. New York:

Vanguard Press The Vanguard Press (1926–1988) was a United States publishing house established with a $100,000 grant from the left wing American Fund for Public Service, better known as the Garland Fund. Throughout the 1920s, Vanguard Press issued an array o ...

/ League for Industrial Democracy, 1926. * ''Prosperity?'' With Norman Thomas. New York: Vanguard Press/ League for Industrial Democracy, 1927. * ''Wells' Social Anticipations.'' Edited, with introduction by Harry W. Laidler. New York: Vanguard Press, 1927. * ''The Socialism of Our Times: A Symposium.'' With Norman Thomas. New York: Vanguard Press/ League for Industrial Democracy, 1929. * ''Socialist Planning and a Socialist Program: A Symposium.'' New York: Falcon Press, 1932. * ''Post-War Planning for Peace and Full Employment: Symposium.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1941. * ''The Role of the Races in Our Future Civilization: Symposium.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1942. * ''Post-War Planning for Social Justice: A Symposium.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1942. * ''The Third Freedom: Freedom from Want.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1943. * ''Forty Years of Education: The Task Ahead: A Symposium.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1945. * ''A Program for Labor and Progressives: Symposium.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1946. * ''World Cooperation and Social Progress: A Symposium.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1951. * ''Needed: A Moral Awakening in America: A Symposium.'' New York: League for Industrial Democracy, 1952.

Articles

* "The New Capitalism and the Socialist," ''The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science,'' vol. 149 (May 1930), pp. 12–21. * "More Government in Business," ''The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science,'' vol. 178, (March 1935), pp. 148–154. * "New Zealand's Democracy," '' Far Eastern Survey,'' vol. 13, no. 10 (May 17, 1944), pg. 91.