Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-27
POWERFUL LABOR PARTY
TO Be IN NEXT CONTEST
Open Secret That There Arc Bold
Leaders Working FeverishIy
for This End.
CHICAGO CONFERENCE EARLY
Made Little Hcadway Because 1t Was
Somewhat Premature-Past Ser.
vices Of Democratic Party Seem to
Have Been Forgotten by Workers.
ny }. FREDERICK EssARY.

|. bf j. FHEDENICN ESSARf.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 2S.-The belief
Is becoming stronger among political
observers In this city that the pre-
vailing industrial conflict in this
country will result In a concerted eff
fort TO form a powerful labor party
! which will go before the country next
year with its own ticket and its own
platform.
1t is an open secret. of course. tlat
there are bold labor leaders who arc
working fcverishly 10 this end; who
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
fixed purpose OF Dor to become the
undisputed master or American indus
This sort of thing is being preached
TO the steel strikers. It Is being
quietly urged among the United Mine
Workers who have threatened to strike
on on NoSem6er K and i, has been stag;
labor circles during the controversy
between the unionists and capital at
the Presidents industrial conference.
Conference Held at Chicago.
Months ago labor leaders from many
parts OF the country held a confer
ence at C.iicago for the purpose OF
organizing a new labor party which
would appeal directly to both the or
ganized and the unorsanined body of
American workingmen That confer
cnce. however, made very little head
way. for the reason. 1t is explained,
that ii was somewhat premature: that
lined then as now. and that the more
conservative labor forces remained
away from it.
But the argument that lie now heard
IS that within recent months. organ
lied capital has forced the night all
along the line: that In the steel strike
for example, II has stood stubbornly
labor the right Of collective bargain
ing a RICH, which the ORGANISED
seem convinced now that neither OF
the older parties ',as proven Itself
laoor's champion in the industrial bat
Of the country. Tradliionany The
Dem ocrntic party II labors friend. II
has gone further than any other In
the nations history to protect the
President Wilson has been tie fore
most advocate OF these rights in the
public life OF this generation. or per
his leadership has gone to extreme
lengths again and again In labor's be-
half.
Past Service Forgotten.
which ii is calculating upon. and in
those calculations labor leaders have
not failed TO take serious notice of
such hostile labor utteranccs as those
from Democratic Senators Williams.
Of Mississippi. Myers. OF Montana. and
others. from which 1t is argued that
the Democratic party is turning its
face away from labor Notwithstanding
President Wilson's sympathetic at,i.
tudc.
As for the Republican party. 1T Is
functionlnH. No, only has the ne
Of 'soelatIon BODY
enforce the efforts OF the Republican
National Committee. been engaged for
but Repuhlican congressional leaders
arc arrayed almost to MAJ, against
labors .' H,rogaaam These LEAD leaders have
nationai:zing the railroads. But. headed
by Senator Cummins. they are legis.
. s,rips aHa nns,, The RICH, Of labor to
onnosine with all It's might.
bored to reap enormous advantages
by most labor leaders MS a safe refuge
That organization Ia TOO -revolutionnrv.
no, TO say too incendiary, for the more
consecutive work inBmen. Besidcs
II they are to go into any third party.
thcy want to dominate It. not be domi.
hatcu Wy lou oil Eiepsladder orators,
maaasine statesmen or parior Dol
shcvists.
Fashioned Along Brltt.h Lines.
more and more labor politicians. as
/ they size up the. situation. therefore,
I2f Labor party. fashioned along the
/ lines OF the British Labor party. They
seem to think that they can get more
satisfactory results il they divorce
| themselves entirely from the Older
political ORGANIZATIONS ana ulay the
game in their own way.
The more enlightened among these
lenders TO not overlook. however the
history of third parties In this co,in.
trF; not one of which survived unless
an IN the case OF the Republican party
crowded an older organization out
or the field. Even the Progressive
party shared the same fate Of the
Populists of an earlier day by dis
soITlng after one promising campaign
Moreover. labortng men are inclined
hbl ns non IN this country The labor vote
masse. any more than the capitalist
vote, or the farmer vote. or the
womans vote. or the pr6hibition vote
Finally, the most radical or ali
lahoring men in America, and the most
rampant element among the strikera
the agitators and industry erabhera
are aliens. who havo never hecomn
naturalized and. who. therefore, have
not votes TO cast. even though fhev
had party OF their own and expected
10 revolutioniz e this country nv Tho
ballot instead Of the bludgeon' The
truth instead OF the torch.