Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-11-19
Washington. D. CA national con-

nomio measures which shall unite the
forces OF the wealth producers and the
organized consumers throughout the
United States for their common pro-
lection against profteers.
Herbert F. Baker, president Of the
Farmers National council, with head
quarters in the national capital, and
Dalton T. Clarke, president of tho
National Cooperative association,
with headquarters in Chicago, signed
the call. The sessions will be held in
the Hotel Morrison.
When the American Federation OF
Labor announced, three weeks ago, it's
intention to hold q conference of the
heads of all labor organizations in
this city on December 13 there arose
some question as to whether farmers
would be invited to attend. 1t then
appeared that the farmers and coop
orators had already arranged to meet
In Chicago, and that in view of that
fact the labor conference would get
the benent OF their deliberations and
decisions, regardless of whether any
particular organizations among the
farmers were invited to the labor con-
ference.
Plans in View.
The first issue before the labor
meeting will be the defeat Of the
Cummins anti-strike bill and the pre-
vention Of the return of the railroads
to private operation before a political
campaign shall have been fought on
the question Of public ownership.
The next issue will be the use of in
functions to break strikes. Then will
come the debate on the form of po-
litical activity which is to be adopted
for next year.
Plans are afoot for bringing the
products Of the organized progressive
farmers to the cooperative stores
owned by the wage-workers, to re-
duce the high cost of living. These
plans are supported by. legislative
plans for safeguarding the co-opera-
tive movement, and for giving the
co-operators q :. fair chance in COM
petition with the beef trust. The
keynote at Chicago will be the recog-
milton of the organized worker as an
organized consumer, to be bargained
with collectively by the organized
farmer
In order that this plan of expansion
of the cooperative movement for the
benefit of farmer and wage-worker
may be fully developed, the promoters
of the conference believe that the rail-
roads and the merchant ships must be
under public ownership and democrat
1c control. Hence they will oppose
the return of the roads to private OPP
Grafton and the sale of the govern
ment's merchant feet.
Recent Elections Studied.
Election returns from Massachu-
setts, New Jersey and elsewhere, have
been studied with almost feverish at
tention by the expert forecasters of
political weather in both the Republi-
can and Democratic national commit
tees headquarters, but neither side
draws much confidence from them.
They remember the Tory landslide in
Britain II months ago, and the quick
| and complete reversal of sentiment
shown by the British municipal elec-
tions of last week.
Will Parties Combine?
Among the amusing rumors that
are current in the national capital is
one to the effect that the presidents
message to Coolidge means that the
Democrats and Republicans may COM
bine next year to elect a congress
and an administration that shall re-
sist the demands of the radicals
the organized workers and farmers.
| The trouble with this scheme is that
it ignores the fact that with most pol
iticians there is nothing so important
as politics. Fusion Of the two big
parties would mean that a whole army
of politicians, big and little, would
try to lay aside their habits of a life
time, as they did in North Dakota, to
fight the radicals" And, just as
happened in North Dakota, they would
fail to pull together or to agree upon
any policy that would be effective in
rounding up the vote.
Republicans are quite aware that
they will have to fight out the issue OF
toryism versus progressiveism inside
! their own ranks next summer; the
Democrats will have to do the same
If the Tory element wins in both par.
ties, then the progressive forces will
decide whether or not to run a third
ticket in the November elections.
But there will be no fusion of the
old parties on national basis. The
leaders OF each are too sure that their
party will attract the larger proper.
ton Of the conservative vote.
! Miss 6ondfieid Here.
Miss Margaret Bondfeld. one of
the two women leaders of the Nation.
al Women's Trade Union league OF
Great Britain, who is here as tech,
meal adviser in the. official interna.
t1onal labor conference, is mentioned
as a probable member of the first La.
Dor party cabinet, when one Is formed
at Westminster. She has carried her
membership card in the retail clerks
union for Is years. and is equally at
home as . trade union organizer and
/ 9 debater on issues Of world politics
She secured the. adoption ~ the II.