The Jersey City news., 1899-10-24
KRAFT VS.. JACOBS
Each Swears His Faction Is
the Original and Only
Socialist-Labor
Union.
NATIONAL MIX UP, TOO
Two Committees Strive for
Supremacy In the
Councils.
MIX UP, TOO

Testimony was taken before Justice
Lippincott yesterday afternoon in the very
unsociable controversy between the rival
factions of the Socialist Labor Union
party William H. speer appeared for tbs
Tom Jacob faction and George ]. McEwan
for the Kraft faction The object of the
fight is to have County Clerk Fishers
recognition of the Jacob faction set aside
and the Kraft faction recognized to the
extent Of having the county go to the use
official ballots.
Frederick Kraft. one of the leaders, tes-
titled that his organization was the
original and only genuine one. 1t had
polled two per cent. of the total vote and
therefore had the legal right to hold con-
ventions, make nominations and be pro-
vided with official ballots. His rival,
Jacobs, controlled only one-quarter Of the
party and his convention was not properly
organized. Under the rules of the Ma
tional organization a convention in any
district must be organized by the desig-
mated organizer. The witness was the
designated organizer for the Hudson dis
trict and he had not organized the Jacob
convention.
SECRETARY Eufert corroborated Kraft's
testimony and read the minutes of the
Kraft faction meeting.
Kraft was recalled and asked by Mr..
Speer if he didn't go out with the So
called kickers and sign a call for their
meeting in Fehren's Hall. A copy of the
call was shown to him and he admitted
that he had signed it,
for that
The call consisted principally of pre-
amble and resolution. The preamble set
Whereas. The reactionists in the
Hudson district are endeavoring to dis
rupt he party by urging the recognition
of the Kanagroo vol1s Zeitung as the
National Executive Committee; and
Whereas. All such members who are
supporting said Kangaroo Commute and
refusing to recognize the regular Natioanl
Committee by their action are no longer
members of the party; therefore be it
Resolved, That the members of the s.
L. P. in good standing call a meeting in
Fehren's Hall, on Tuesday August l, 1899,
to consider the adoption Of a constitution
and by laws, enforcing party discipline
and other matters.
call and went to the hall. but there was
such a small gathering that he did not
call the meeting to rder. It was explain
ed that the original National Executive
Committee which consisted of seven
members and a secretary, became OBJ
iectionable and the sections of the party
throughout the country met and deposed
it. new National Committee was form
ed and now there are two, both claim
tiyes of the party. The Jacob faction are
working under the depesed committee,
while Kraft gets his authority from the
new one, which, he claims, Is regular
because 1t Is recognized by the majority
of the sections.
Henry Kuhn, National Secretary of the
deposed committee, testified that his COM
mittee is regular and the other is
usurper. His committee recognizes the
Henry Siobodin, Secretary of the other
National Committee testified that his
Committee was the only genuine article
and Fraft was its representative.
Jusice I4ippincott suggested that IT
would be advisable to get a list OF Sile or
Iginal officers of Section Hudson.
Thomas Jacobs testified that ne joined
the party last January, Kraft refused TO
call the meeting at Fehren because the
attendance was small
Joseph Gillian, Treasurer of Section
Hudson testified that he had not receiv-
ed any notice of the meeting at Fehrens.
He saw a copy of the call and was told
that 1t was not sent to him because 1t
was known that he would not sign it. JUS
tice Lippincott will hear the argument
this afternoon.