The labor standard., 1919-06-01
FORMATION OF LABOR PARTY
 A GOOD OMEN"
''Will Relationship of the Labor and the Socialist Parties Be of Bitter Competition or of Cor dial Co-Operation?"
(From Intercollegiate Socialist)

the political arena. They have pointed to the fact that, in most of the coun- tries on the continent, trade unionists have, as matter of course, voted the Socialist ticket. In Great Britain, the British Labor Party-until recently without any comprehensive program has brought together under one of the Independent Labor Party and the intellectuals of the Fabian So- ciety. In Australia, few years ago, the Labor Party completely domi- mated the government. The Premier was a-stationary engineer; the Minis ter of External Affairs. an engine fit- ter; the Minister of Home Affairs, a bank clerk; the Attorney General, a cook; the Postmaster General, a miner; the Vice-President of the Ex- ecutive Council, mason; the Minis ter of Defense, a carpenter; and the Minister of Trades and Customs, a and other countries labor is now com pletely in the saddle politically.
 Obstacles to Independent Political
 Action
 In the United States, numerous la bor parties of local character have come and gone, and many attempts have been made by different labor groups to enter the political field. One of the last of these was the dis. astrous endeavor of the Knights of Labor in the eighties to function politically.
 This "horrible example" of the pos- sible dangers to labor unions of con- certed political activity; the antagon- ism in the nineties between the So- cialist Labor Party, with it's compet- ling unions, and the A. F. of L.; the fear on the part of old-line trade unionists that labor politics would lead to Socialist control; the racial heterogeneity of the American labor movement, and the antagonism by ex- litical activity, have been among the factors which, for the past generation, have kept labor in this country from developing an independent labor party.
 Beginnings of Political Action
 The logic of events, however, final y forced the American Federation of Labor, more than decade ago, to adopt the policy of "rewarding labor's friends and punishing it's enemies" In 1906, the A. F. of L. conducted a vigorous campaign against Congress man Littlefeld, of Maine, and other anti-labor candidates, and since them the A. F. of L. has frequently taken sides in campaigns as between the candidates of the old parties. Labor has employed it's members as@lobby- ists in state and national capitals, and, in few instances, such as in Wisconsin, the local trade unionists have officially allied themselves with the Socialist Party. Tens of thou sands of trade unionists have also as individuals supported the Socialist ticket. R
 Prior to the war, considerable dis. satisfaction was manifested with the lack of militant political action on the part of labor as whole. Discomfort increased during the war, particularly following the educational offensive of the reconstruction program of the British Labor Party, and local labor parties began to spring up in many centers of population. The most significant move toward labor party was the formation, on November IT, 1918, of the Independent Labor Party of Illinois and the United States, at regular meeting of the Chicago Fed eration of Labor, and the adoption by that body of "Labor's Fourteen Points" These points included, among other demands, "the elimina- tion of autocratic domination of the forces of production and distribution; public ownership and operation of railways, steamships, stockyards, telephone, telegraphs and other public utilities and the naturalization and development of natural resources, water power and unusedland," etc. (See I. s. Dec.-Jan. 1918-19, pp. 32- 33. The labor party idea was en- dorsed on December 2, by the Illinois Federation of Labor. The central unions of Greater New York organ ized another labor party in January, and, during the last few months, no less than two score such parties have been started in various parts of the United States, despite the opposition and threats of MT. Gompers and the members of the Executive Committee of the A. F. of L. A national conven- tion of these parties will undoubtedly be held in the near future.
 The development of the labor party brings to the forefront many impor- tant problems. One of the most diff cult of these is the question as to what should be the relation between these new parties and the Socialist Party-the one party of considerable size that has consistently fought for the rights of labor in this country. Will that relationship be one of bitter competition or one of cordial co-ope- ration?
 The Symposium Summarized
 In an endeavor to throw some light on this question, "The Intercollegiate Socialist recently sent question naire to number of leadrs of thought throughout the country asking their attitude toward the new labor parties and the form of cooperation which should be worked out between them and the Socialist and other radical groups. The majority of those reply ing to the questionnaire expressed their belief that the formation of such party was good omen; expressed the hope that the new movement would develop into revolutionary, rather than a mere reform organiza-
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