Campaign Handbook of the Progressive Party - 1948

New York: Research Department, National Headquarters Progressive Party, 1948. First Edition First Printing . Soft cover. Fair. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Quarto. 272 pages. Softcover bound in yellow wrappers with masking tape on the spine. Title of work handwritten on front cover. Wrappers have edge-wear, and there is a split to the lower half of the front hinge (about 5 inches). An inexpensively made but exhaustive political party handbook to be used during the 1948 Presidential Election. Text is toned. There are occasional corrections and other marks throughout text. A scarce item. The Progressive Party (1948-1955) was a progressive liberal party which served the campaign of Henry A. Wallace for President. Wallace had been a Vice-President under Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1946 Wallace was Secretary of Agriculture under Truman, and Truman fired him due to Wallace's public opposition to some of Truman's policies. The party platform included racial desegregation, the establishment of a national health insurance system, expansion of welfare, and an easing of tensions with Soviet Russia during the early years of the Cold War. This last bit was especially controversial at the time, as the party was seen to be a haven for Communist sympathizers and was possibly influenced by the Communists. The 1948 Progressive National Convention was held in Philadelphia over July 23-25, 1948. Truman won the election, and in 1950 Wallace revised some of his foreign policy views when the Communists invaded Korea. This led to the Progressive Party turning their support to Vincent Hallinan.