Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-08
SOCIALISTS ORGANIZE
NEW SUBURBAN LOCAL
ORGANIZATION TAKES PLACE
OF COUNTY BODY
viii Act Independently of Los Angeles
City Branch and Expects to
Build Up Strong
Machine

The breach between the two wings of
the Socialists of Los Angeles was
widened further yesterday afternoon
when the Cloudesley Johns element of
the party met at Burbank hall, Main
street and took initiatory steps for the
formation of a suburban local, Los An
geles county.
A county local, which existed for
nearly three years, was dissolved last
month after various charges of mis-
management in connection with its
conduct of the organization had been
made, causing merry warfare between
the former officers of the county local
and the members of the Los Angeles
city branch, to the efforts of which
latter branch, 1t is claimed, the disso-
luton was due.
To form a new local that should be
independent of the Los Angeles city
meeting, and the bitter feeling of the
Jonhs element toward the city branch
was shown in the discussion.
The purpose of the new local, as out
lined by Mr.. Johns, who called the
meeting to order, is to consolidate the
various city and town branches OF Los
Angeles county and to include the for
1870
Angeles.
Precautions were taken to see that no
disturbing element would participate III
the meeting, and only those delegates
armed with proper credentials were al
lowed to take part in the proceedings.
A large number of members of the
Los Angeles city branch were present
at the meeting, but only as spectators
and the meeting of the rebels" as the
organizers of the new branch arc
termed. was entirely harmonious.
Mr.. Johns explained to the delegates
that the Socialists who had the in
terests of the party at heart decided
that, by consolidating the scattered
branches and the foreign-sp speaking
branches of the city, a powerful organ
! iZation would be welded together that
could accomplish great things without
the interference or hindrance of the
Los Angeles branch.
Illegal Means Charged
ItNwas alleged at the meeting that the
vote for the dissolution of the county
local had been obtained by illegal and
undetermined schemes. which precluded
the possibility of fair expression OF
opinion.
| There was much discussion as to
whether the meeting should vote to or
ganize an official county branch OF
simply a federation, but it was declared
as the sense of the meeting that an Of
fetal county branch should be organ
| lied.
In order to accomplish this it will be
necessary to obtain a separate charter
from the executive committee of the
state.
If the executive board refuses to
grant "a special charter then a fedora
ton will be formed. but the opinion
was expressed that the state executive
committee. after hearing an impartial
account of the recent troubles. would
not hesitate to grant the charter.
The affairs of the new local viii be
governed as was the former county
branch, and will pay the usual financial
tribute to the state Golfers.
Fifty delegates attended the meeting,
and everyone was enthusiastic over the
new organization. That Los Angeles
county will have one of the strongest
Socialist machines in California was the
unanimous opinion of those present.
At the meeting in Burbank hall yes
terday afternoon officers were elected
for the newly organized Los Angeles
county local of the Socialist party: Or
ganizer, Cloudesley Johns; secretary, F..
e. Cooke: financial secretary, Otho
Robbins: treasurer r. H. Quinn; dele
gates at large, NJ. ]. Nolan, San Dimas;
]. P. Barnett. Santa Monica; John
Stark, German Socialist branch, Los
Angeles; Mrs. Edith e. Bradford, Mel
rose; ]. e. Collier, Pasadena; G. II.
Peters. Sawtelle; w. S. Smith, South
Pasadena: c. Schaffenhofer, German
branch, Los Angeles, and M. Durcsik,
Hungarian branch Los Angeles.