New-York tribune., 1920-05-12

Reject Plank
OF Radicals
Demand for Dictatorship
of Proletariat' as Issue
i'm Platform Loses
After Bitter Debate

The Left wing and "thc dictatorship
of the proletariat" suffered rout at the
hands of the convention of the Social
ist party yesterday. The convention,
In session at Finnish Hall, 127th Street
and Fifth Avenue, rejected proposed
radical declaration of principles by a
vote of 103 to 38.
The battle for the radicals, which
consisted of several hours of intense
debate, was led by J. Lewis Engdahl,
mover of a substitute for the declara-
ton prepared by the Hillquit- Berger
committee; Walter kruse and Irwin
st. John Tucker, Of Illinois, and Ben
jamin Glassbcrg and Moses Open
hcimer, of New York.
Morris Hillquit, Victor Berger, Judge
Jacob Panken, former Assemblyman
Charles Solomon and James O'Neal, of
New York, led the fight for the Right.
Lcnine Policies Rejected
In impassoned addresses the radi-
Gals demanded that the convention and
the party take their stand squarely
behind the doctrines and policies of
Lenlne and Trotzky. The answer Of
the convention was that this was not
Russia, but the United States.
This and the announcement by the
Wisconsin delegation, made through
Oscar Ameringer, that the Socialists
of Wisconsin intended to run Victor
Berger for Governor and had every
chance of electing him. were the prin-
cipal developments of the day
Berger twice has been refused seat
IN Congress because Of his conviction
under the espionage act on the charge
of obstructng the military operations
of the government during the war.
The Wisconsin delegation was i'm
PEELED to make this announcement
when the radicals, pleading for direct
action and "the dictatorship Of the
proletariat,' pointed out that no sooner
does the Socialist party succeed in
electng men to Office than they are
fired out by the capitalists
They cited the expulsion of the fiYe
Socialist Assemblymen from the Legis-
lature at Albany and Berger's expuI-
sion from Congress. Glassberg. one
of the spoktsmen for the Left declare d
olie'C cFcH IL tHS toOCIdllStS SHOuIu OD-
tain a ma aiority 'of votes the checks
and balances contained in the Consti-
tuition Of the United States are such
that they would not permit the Social
lists to carry out their program with
out "overthroWing the Constitution.'
Convention On It's Feet
Judge Panken brought the convention
to its feet, when, in replying to Glass
Perg and the declaration of other
1caders of the Left, that chattel slav-
cry was not abolished in this country
without civil war, he fairly shouted :
II want to get our friends on the
Left straight. Let US see what hap
pened. The Republican party elected
It's candidate for President. 1t elected
control of the government on the
proposition that slavery must end
And then reactionary group in the
South challenged the authority of the
newly elected, uly-constituted govern
ment OF the country, having behind it
the mandate of the majority Of the
people with arms in their hands.
And the new government dealt with
this reactionary element just as we
Will deal with any reactionary elements
that will dare to stand in our way
once the country by its votes, will
indicate that it is behind u.s."
Until the Socialist party obtains a
majority in the government, Justice
Panken declared, it must abide by the
principles of democracy and conduct
its work along peaceful, constitutional
lines.
The plank in the radicals declara-
Continued page threc)