The Washington times., 1919-10-27
LABOR PARTY
PRED|CTEDAS
1920 FACTOR

The belief is becoming stronger
among political observers in this city
that the prevailing industrial conflict
tn this country will result in a con-
eerted effort to form a powerful labor
party which will go before the coun-
try next year with it's own ticket and
its own platform. says J. Fred Essary.
IN Washington dispatch to the Bal
Simore Sun today.
It is an open secret of course, that
there are bold labor leaders who are
working feverishly to this end; who
are seeking to capitalize the unrest
for political use, and that they are
urging their followers to go into ac-
tive politics as great third party as
the only means OF accomplishing the
hIed purpose of labor to become the
undisputed master of American indus
try.
Chicago Conference Premature.
This sort of thing is being preached
TO the steel strikers. 1t is being urged
quietly among the United Mine Work
ers who have threatened 20 strike on
November ], and il has been whispered
in American Federation of Labor cir
clpes during the controversy between
the unonists and capital at the Presi-
dents Industrial conference
Months ago labor leaders from
many parts of the country held a con-
ference at Chicago to organize a new
labor party which would appeal d.
rectly to both the organized and the
unorganized body of American work
ingmen. That conference, however,
made little headway, for the reason.
IL is explained, that il was premature;
haN - F.9N
outlined then as now and that the
more conservative labor forces re-
mained away from it.
Situation Changed Now.
But the argument that is now heard
is that within recent months organ
ized capital has forced the fight all
along the line; that in the steel strike,
for example, il has stood stubbornly
against unionism, and that in the In
dustrial Conference il has denied la
Dor the right of collective bargaining,
a right which the organized workers
believe to be fundamental.
Moreover labor leaders generally
seem convinced now that neither of
the older parties has proven itself Ia
bor's champion in the Industrial bat
tie now in progress. Traditionally
the Democratic party is labor's friend.
Il has gone farther than any other in
the nations history to protect the
vorkingnnan. to safeguard his rights
and to better his living condition.
President Wilson has been the fore
most advocate of these rights in the
public life OF this generation, or per
maps any other. and his party under
jiis leadership has gone to extreme
lengths again and again in labor's be-
half.
But past services seem to have
been forgotten by labor It is the
future which Il Is calculating upon,
and in those calculations labor lead
ers have not failed TO take serious
notice OF such hostile labor utter
ances as those from Democratic
senators Williams, OF Mississippi;
Myers. of Montana, and others, from
~hich il is argued that the Demo
cratic party is turning its face away
from labor. Notwithstanding Presi-
lent Wilson's sympathetic attitude.
As for the Republican party. il is
frankly inimical to labor as now or
>aniZed. as now led and now function
ing. Not only has the Republican
publicity association, a body of Re
publican leaders formed to re-enforce
ne efforts OF the Republican ma
'ional committee, been engaged for
Feeks in savage assaults upon labor.
tut Republican Congressional leaders