Milton Snipper 1912-1985

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Lillian Curtiss 1911-1985 SOCIALIST ACTION JANUARY 1986 13 I first met Ray in 1938 in San Francisco. I was quite new to the movement. But he was already an "oldtimer" at age 23! He had been in communist youth groups since age 14. In 1933 he was Communist Youth organizer. That year he broke with Stalinism and joined the Young Spartacus League, the Trotskyist youth. He organized anti-fascist marches and rallies, made speeches, recruited, and educated for the League.

Toward the end of World War Il he was assigned to New York. He was active in the branch and wrote a popular column for The Militant. He served a stint as N.Y. branch organizer. But mostly, he was a sailor. He continued to sail well into the postwar period, the period of the great strike wave over much of the world.

In the 1950s during the McCarthy witch-hunt period, Ray, along with most other radicals, was "screened." That is, his seaman's papers were taken away. Ray loved going to sea.

Denied his occupation, he settled down in New York. His ship's carpenter experience stood him well. He became a skilled carpenter and cabinet maker, including work as carpenter foreman on the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and later as a building inspector. But this was all secondary to Ray-just a way to earn a good living.

When in 1965 the SWP called upon him to take on the job of fraternal delegate to the Secretariat of the Fourth Inter -national in Brussels, he accepted.

Back in San Francisco, Ray worked as a Lillian Curtiss, after spending more than 50 years in the socialist movement, died in Los Angeles on Dec. 10, 1985. She was 74.

She had been ill for only a month or so when she succumbed to cancer. Her death, so unexpected, shocked her many friends and comrades.

Lil came from a socialist family. Her mother was an active member of the Socialist Party until her death.

Lil became a Trotskyist after coming into contact with members of the Workers Party who had entered the Socialist Party (SP) in a body in 1936.

Lillian and her husband Charles were among those who helped found and organize the Socialist Workers Party in 1938 after the Trotskyists were expelled from the SP. In the following year they were founding members of the Fourth International as well.

During this period Lil Milton Snipper, 73, a veteran of more than 50 years in the socialist movement, died in Los Angeles Dec. 10, 1985, of a heart attack after a long illness.

"Mit," as he was widely known, was a socialist and Trotskyist during all his years of political activity.

He was an active member of the cutters' local of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and a leader in the struggles of that organization in Los Angeles.

He participated in many strikes and other organizing efforts. He succeeded in recruiting a number of workers to Trotskyism during his active years in the cutters' local.

Mit was introduced to socialist ideas at home. Both his father and mother were socialists, so he had the advantage of an early familiarity with what turned out to be a lifetime commitment.

Mit became a Trotskyist when he made contact with members of the Workers Party who entered the Socialist Party in 1936. Thereafter, he gave his unfaltering support to Trotskyism.

In 1937, the Norman Thomas leadership of the Socialist Party decided to expel all those who showed any sympathy for Trotskyism. This included any members of the party who wanted to express their opinions on such vital questions as the Civil War in Spain. Ordinary democratic rights that had been promised to the where she was secretary to Leon Trotsky, who had won the right to asylum after being exiled by the Stalinist government of the Soviet Union.

With the outbreak of World War II a severe factional struggle broke out in the Socialist Workers Party over the nature of the war and of the Soviet Union. Lil supported the SWP majority in this dispute as did Trotsky himself.

After a split took place in 1940, Lil and Charles moved to New York, where they lived for several years before returning to Los Angeles.

In party work Lil was a consistent and able contributor. While in New York she was an active leader in the work of the Civil Rights Defense Committee, formed to defend SWP and Teamsters' union leaders in the Minneapolis Trials. She also played a similar role in raising clothing and funds for the victims of the war in Europe.

She could be membership were revoked and a tough rule imposed.

Mit was among those who would not accept the gag rule and was expelled. He became a founding member of the Socialist Workers Party, which was organized by those who had been expelled from the SP.

In the new party Mit showed talent for local branch leadership and served on leadership committees and in various posts, including that of organizer of the Los Angeles East Side branch of the SWP.

Mit's reputation in the party was that of one who could be depended on for sound political judgment. He was widely res -pected among the membership.

In 1952 he was the party's candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. Mit carried out an active campaign and spoke at various meetings during the election period.

Mit was a modest man. He did not aspire to national leadership posts in the SWP, being satisfied with playing a part in the local leadership.

At the same time, he was interested in all political, theoretical, and organizational questions that came before the party. He was well read and well informed on all developments that affected party work. He was frequently consulted on every kind of problem, and his opinions were seriously considered by those who sought his advice.

In 1983 Mit was not in agreement with the drastic revisions being made by the enry Snipper Lillian Curtiss her share of the work and more. She was widely respected, looked up to, and loved. Her warm personality and concern for the welfare of party members were legendary in the movement.