Travers Clement
Encyclopedia
Travers Clement was an American socialist writer, politician, and political functionary. He is best remembered as an assistant to Angelica Balabanoff
in the writing of her memoirs and for his tenure as the National Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America
beginning in April 1939.
during the 1930s, where he was active in the local organization of the Socialist Party of America
.
Clement was an active member of the Newspaper Guild
and the Sailor's Union during the 1930s.
(ACLU), a position which he retained through 1929. In that year, he became secretary of the National Mooney
-Billings Committee. He remained an active member of the executive board of the ACLU's local committee in San Francisco.
Clement was the author of several pamphlets for the ACLU, as well as material dealing with the Mooney-Billings case and the Maritime Union. He was also a periodic contributor to The New Republic
magazine.
Clement was elected to the governing National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party at the April 1938 convention of the organization held in Kenosha, Wisconsin
. When Executive Secretary Roy E. Burt
resigned early in April 1939, the NEC named Clement as the new head of day to day operations of the organization.
Angelica Balabanoff
Angelica Balabanoff was a Jewish-Italian communist and social democratic activist.-Revolutionary activities:...
in the writing of her memoirs and for his tenure as the National Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
beginning in April 1939.
Early years
Travers Clement lived in Los Gatos, CaliforniaLos Gatos, California
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
during the 1930s, where he was active in the local organization of the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
.
Clement was an active member of the Newspaper Guild
Newspaper Guild
The Newspaper Guild-CWA is a labor union founded by newspaper journalists in 1933 who noticed that unionized printers and truck drivers were making more money than they did...
and the Sailor's Union during the 1930s.
Political career
In 1928, Clement was named the national publicity director of the American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
(ACLU), a position which he retained through 1929. In that year, he became secretary of the National Mooney
Tom Mooney
Thomas, Tom or Tommy Mooney may refer to:*Thomas Mooney , American labor leader in San Francisco*Thomas Mooney , Northern Irish footballer...
-Billings Committee. He remained an active member of the executive board of the ACLU's local committee in San Francisco.
Clement was the author of several pamphlets for the ACLU, as well as material dealing with the Mooney-Billings case and the Maritime Union. He was also a periodic contributor to The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
magazine.
Clement was elected to the governing National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party at the April 1938 convention of the organization held in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
. When Executive Secretary Roy E. Burt
Roy E. Burt
Roy Everett Burt was a Methodist clergyman and an American socialist politician and functionary. Burt is best remembered as the Executive Secretary of the Socialist Party of America from 1936 to 1939.-Early years:...
resigned early in April 1939, the NEC named Clement as the new head of day to day operations of the organization.