The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-04-11

Had I published such a thing as
that two years ago, however, l would
have been howled down as traitor
and disruptor. 1 had no evidence ex-
cept their guarded expressions of opin-
ion given in private conversation and
over, as 1 have said hundred times
to impatient comrades, it is not wise
to try to throw people out Of the party
on slight evidence. Wait till you get
the goods on them. Such people as
that will always hang themselves if
you just keep paying out the rope.
1t was not until the socialist party
came under the direct primary law
that they got bold enough to announce
their intention of taking the political
power away from the locals, and then
they thought they were safe in using
an obsolete provision Of the law as an
excuse.
They have another reason for want
ing to put the power in the hands of
precinct committeeman, and that is
because by that system they would
get rid of the Firms. The Finnish COM
rades have always been "a thorn in the
side of the Yellows, because they can
always be depended upon to vote al
most as a unit for revolutionary tao
tics This is not because they are
easily influenced, but because they
are all working people with no poll
ticians among them, and they cannot
understand why we should want any
thing except revolutionary program.
The constitution adopted by the Yel-
lows in King county provided that the
units of the party should consist of
qualified electors. The constitution
drawn up by the half dozen boilers at
Tacoma, provides that anyone who
signs a pledge that he believes in the
collective ownership of socially used
capital may become a member, but
their freak organ, "The State Chair
man." says there is much dissatisfac-
tion with that clause and that it will
probably be changed.
Much as the Finnish vote has al
ways CALLED our Yellow friends, still
it was another case where they did
not dare to openly protest. But now
that they seem to have cut themselves
loose from the party, they will not
mind telling exactly what they stand
for and what they always have stood
for, namely, a party governed by its
full voting strength. This will elimi-
nate, (D the Firms; (2) the red card
Now l hope 1 have made clear the
issue that was before the state conven-
tion. 1t was nothing about direct ac-
lion. 1t was nothing about a wage
workers party. 1t was the simple
question, "Shall the red-card member
ship govern?"
The convention seemed to under
stand the whole situation perfectly.
They listened quietly to Homer T.
Bone present the strongest case that
he Yellows had to present. Then
without hesitation or debate, except
brief reply from those he had at
acked, the convention voted by a ma
ority of more than IL to 1 to expel
Bone and his local.
Whoever is telling that they were
expelled on any other issue than the
me l mentioned, tells a short and ugly
hing. Certainly direct action was
lot an issue. There was not even a
speech made on the subject The con-
'ention voted down a resolution pro-
esting against Haywood's recall. and
hen with nice discrimination passed
resolution Of protest against the
Methods used in his recall. which GER
ainly is not the same thing
Neither was the wageworker ques-
ion an issue. That subject came up
n three different ways, but the action
vas practically unanimous on all. with
carcely any debate The first time
vas when a yellow delegate presented
resolution 10 bar all those from the
,arty who made their living by rent,
interest or profit The Yellow lobby
ioped that this would pass and would
'ffend some Of the delegates. whom
hey could then get 70 bolt the party.
Whether the convention Understood
he trick, or knew that they had no
,ower TO make such a rule. or just
believed Il unwise. do not know. but
{ was laughed down. and laid on the
able without comment
The second time the question came
.p was In the mild resolution recon-
nending the nomination Of working
lass candidates where practicable"
This was passed
Continued on PAGE Fourl