The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-12-09
LABOR NEWS
GARBL.EI:D
Socialists at Convention
Repudiate Press Reports
Had No Intention of
Capturing Convention.

There was more than the usual
amount of newspaper talk about the
plans OF those delegates to the \. f.
of l.. convention who are believers in
Socialism. They were supposed to have
had designs on the general machinery.
and expressions about capturing" were
common. The men directly interested
held meeting and issued this state
ment:
"The trade union delegates to the
American Federation of Labor conven-
ton who are also members of the
Socialist party, have been somewhat
abused. while also considerably amused.
by the ridiculous stories circulated in
the press and elsewhere as to their at
titude toward the federation and the
dark designs ascribed TO them.
st can be said that the number of
Socialists in the convention is much
larger than at any previous session and
likewise, their total votes in the con
vention have proportionately increased.
"In order to set at rest all specula-
tions regarding the attitude of the So
cialistic delegates and their legislative
program within the federation, it should
be stated that no resolutions have been
introduced nor will there be any.
"This decision was reached at a well
attended meeting of the Socialist dele
gates.
'By this course the common policy of
the Socialist party of America and the
world towards trade organization is
upheld and emphasized.
Several resolutions upon this subject
all to the same purpose, have been
adopted by the national conventions of
the Socialist party in the years 1904.
1908 and 1910, and by the lnterna-
tional Socialist congresses at Stuttgart,
1907, and Copenhagen, 1910. The es
sentials of these resolutions are as fol
lows:
"'The unions and the Socialist party
have equally an important part to per-
form in the struggle for the proletariat
emancipation. Each of the two organi
cations has its distinct domain, defined
by its nature and within whose borders
it should enjoy independent control of
its line of action
"'1hat the Socialist party has neither
the right nor the desire to interfere in
any controversies which may exist
within the labor union movement over
questions of forms of organization or
| methds of action in the industrial strug
gle, but trusts to the labor organiza
tions themselves to solve these ques
tions and evolve in the direction of the
ever closer solidarity and even more
effective action in the industrial field.
"'That it is the interest and the duty
of the Socialist party to give moral and
material support to the labor organiza-
tions in all their defensive or aggres
sive struggles against capitalist oppres-
sion and exploitation, Tor the protec-
ton and extension of the rights of the
wage workers and the betterment of
their material and social condition
Regardless of MISUNDERSTANDING or
deliberate Misrepresentation on the
part of our opponents the fact is in
evidence that the organized workers
throughout the country are more and
more coming to recognize the valuable
services rendered by the Socialist party
in their behalf in their every conflict
with the master class.
"Besides the trade unionists in larg-
er numbers than ever before are join
ing the Socialist party and voting its
ticket for the establishment of political
rule by the working class"