The Washington times., 1908-02-12
LABOR DEMANDS
AN INDEPENDENT
POLITICAL PARTY
Movement With That
End in View May Be
Started by Convention.

NEW YORK. Feb. I2-An independent
labor party, unallied with any existing
political organization. particularly free
from association with various socialist
parties-such is the present day dema ~
of LABOR, as developed By inquiry among
general officers of national labor crgan-
izatiC2s having their headquarters in
New York
That the independent labor party must
come soon is the consensus Of opinion.
That H. will come before the present
campaign is over is the belief Of many.
This movement should be started
through the calling OF a national con-
veution, either directly through the
American Federation OF Labor or by
direct call upon labor unions, support
eTs Of the plan say
one Of the most enthusiastic support
ers of the idea here Is Max Zuckerman
general secretary Of the Cap Makers
Union
Only QuestiO, # Time.
The independent Dor party must
come. L believe il viii come durins the
present campaign. Experience has
shown that workingmen viii not desert
their old party associates II vote. Tor a
lab0ring man if ne is placed on one of
the old tickets. believe, he wever. that
practical iaboring men would rally to
an Independent labor party. Only
through such an organization of our
own can We secure the things for which
we are fighting. LaborIpg men are COM
ing more and more TO sac this and the
independent labor party must be the
result"
Both Zuckerman and other labor lead
ers who expressed almost similar views
declared the present an OppOrtune time
for launching such a party. Recent
events have done more 70 awaken work
ingmen to a realization of their political
needs than anything that has happened
in a decade.
First of all came the sweeping anti
labor decisions of tnc United States
Supreme Court. Instead Of criucising
the Supreme Court, most Of the labor
leaders regard the decisions as of
real benefit 10 the movement. The de-
CisiOns have opened the eyes Of labor
20 its danger.
Time to Act.
The hard times" which forced many
wOrkingmen out of employment is an
other incentive. Then, too, the success
achieved by the labor party in England
has given encouragement.
Timothy Healey. president of the In
| ternatiOnal Brotherhood of Stationary
| Firemen, one of the best known labor
| leaders in the country, is another man
who believes It is time for working
men to act for themselves politically.
/ Healey. however. does not advocate a
| labor party.
Healey would have labor take an ac
/ tive part in politics. Wherever fusion
/ can be obtained, with either of the other
/ parties, with a candidate proved faith
full to labor he would favor the fusion.
/ Wherever fusion with neither party is
possible he would have independent
/ labor tickets put in the field.
Favors Straight Party.
/ John Dyche. general secretary Of the
/ International Ladies' Garment Workers
Union. favors a straight independent
party. He thinks the party should be
/ organized without Intervention of the
/ American Federation of Labor, al
| though he would like to see men inter
| ested in the Federation backing the
/ labor party.
1 Already the question has been put
! into form where a labor party may be
the outcome. At last Sundays meeting
1 of the Central Federation MON a reso-
| can Federation Of Labor 20 summon 4
| convention to organize such a party.
| The resolution was carried over until
I March l. At that time, u is believed,
J the resolution win be adopted