The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-09-23
ORGANIZATION NEWS
WHEN THIEVES FALL OUT
BY Frans Bostrom

the Information Department of the
National office and John Engdahl, edi-
tor of the American Socialist, severely
criticizing Walter Lanfersiek, the
National Secretary. for ineffciency
and mismanagement The letter,
which is signed also (partly) by Ralph
Korngold, director of the Literature
Department, Is addressed to the Ma
tional Committee and demands the i'm
mediate recall of the national secre-
tary. 1t Is claimed that at least 81, 900
have been wasted through his incom-
potency.
This is probably true; but what of
1t? The Infamous meeting of the Ma
tional Committee of 1913, which de-
clined to probe the raping of the ma
tional referendum by the executive
| committee, concerning the recall of j.
Mahlon Barnes as campaign manager,
fired Work and elected Lanfersiek.
Work, although not strong man, had
nevertheless too much manhood to be
} acceptable. He was apt TO expose any
= attempt to govern the party without
the consent of the governed.
, No one had any right to expect big
things from Lanfersiek, and he has
e. disappointed no one. His occupation
was that of lawyer and for eight years
5 he had been state secretary of Ken
lucky, an organization of about eight
, hundred members. In the Washing
l ton controversy he certainly proved
himself loyal servant Of the bunch
that had set its mind upon the de-
struction of the Washington party. But
there was limit to his pliability. In
: the course of time he began to under
stand the dignity of his high office
2 and undertook to assert it. Then the
trouble also began. He objected to
, the violation of the constitution by the
: executive committee when it sent one
of its members, George Goebel, on a
. speaking tour through the South at an
I expense of 5000. George, by the way,
delights in expensive trips and has
}, more than once been the cause of
I rumpus because of his luxurious pre-
i objections. Comrade Lanfersiek later
on found that his department chiefs,
thanks to their close connection with
Berger, forgot to render him the hon.
age due him, and resented his super
intendence. Everything would prob
Il ably have come off ok. if the finances
[ of the Party had not begun to cause
anxiety. Comrade Lanfersiek was
compelled to admit failure and to
: point out causes and remedies There
: is not a city in the land, with COM
mission form of government, where
the commissioners do not have some
such fun when it comes to trimming
down the budget and the National Of
flee might have learnt a lesson from
; practical politicians. They should do
their fighting among themselves and
not let us NUTS know anything about
p it.
Suppose he has wasted $4,000. The
Information Department has cost
y, more than $4,000 per year for nearly
= three years and every cent of it was
wasted. The Literature Department
= has always been managed at loss.
Chas. H. Kerr, private corporation,
;, has always managed to come out all
right in the same business. But Kerr
is printing books worth reading, which
: is seldom the case with the Literature
Department. Kerr can sell books at
y price that makes it possible for state
- secretaries, locals and book stores to
: do business with him, but the National
:, office does not attempt to do it.
Now, the idea seems to be to get
= rid of Lanfersiek before the election
. in November If the executive COM
:, mittee has the chance to appoint his
successor before the election, they
= know very well that their appointee
= could not be defeated for the office.
:, There would be no use in nominating
: an opponent even. 1t is understood
:, that their choice would be Germer and
6 it would be impossible to make a
worse selection. He is a cheap dem
:. agogue. Engdahl, the editor of the
American Socialist, who, as editor of
y the Chicago daily, probably more than
any one else contributed to the death
. of that coloress misfit publication,
:, may be considered. 1t is to be hoped
. that the National committee has de-
O cency enough to pay no attention to
: this belated criticism but will permit
the term of Lanfersiek to expire in it's
natural way and thus let the member
: ship decide who is to be his success
sor
t SOCIALIST CROP"
We received the following for the