Omaha daily bee., 1920-07-12
Official Sanction Given by
American Labor Group for
AmaIgamation With Other
Branches Now in Session.
QUESTION OF NEW NAME
REGARDED AS IMPORTANT
Committee Of 48 Opposed to
Word Labor" on Ground
That Farmers May Shy
Away-Agree on Platform.
BY D. F. SULLIVAN.

thcagO iFlDune-unHhn nee Ieaseu wire.
Chicago. July ll.-Oficial sanction
was given today by the American
Labor party at the first session of
its national convention to the IN
formal negotiations III progress Tor
an amalamation as a new third
party" with the groups represented
at the convention called by the Com
mttee of 48 and in session at the
Hotel Morrison.
As result the prospect Of q
union of the radical groups in one
party became apparently brighter,
although actually the laboritcs only
recognized Officially" what was al
ready "unofticially" in progress.
Following the action Of the labor
party, there were a series of confer
cnces between the conference com
mttees of the two conventions. At
this conference efforts were made TO
reach an agreement on the points
at which the two conventions are at
variance.
These points are: f.
The name by which the new party
shall be known.
Its platform. 8
Name Important
\ The question of the nahe OF the
lrew party is regarded as OF great
importance by the laberites, and OF
minor consequence by the 4oers.
The labor representatives are ill
clincd to insist that the name of the
party should indicate plainly that
union labor men and women COM
pose large part of its membership.
The 48'ers are inclined to believe
that the word labor" i'll the name
of the new party might drive away
the farmer vote and those Of others
who are not particularly fond OF
iabor unions. They favor the name
american party" but are inclined
10 consider a compromise.
One that has been suggested is
that the name, Of the party should
be different in the various states,
For instance, there is possibility
that in North Dakota, where the
Nonpartisan league, which is afill-
lated with the 48ers, carried the
republican primaries, that electors
who will vote for the Third party
candidate for president will be des-
lgnated as Republicans" on the Of
fetal ballot. The situation in the
state is somewhat similar to that
in California in 1912, when the Roo
sevelt- Johnson electors were in the
republican column, the Johnson or
ganization controlling the republic
can party machinery in the state.
In other states the third party
leaders might run under the we'll
known name of the Nonpartisan
league, while in the industrial
states labor party" might be used
as their designation.
Support Main Essential.
The point made in favor OF this
compromise plan is that the name at
the head Of the ticket makes little
difference as long as it is known
that the electors will support the
third party candidates.
There is also suggestion before
the conference committees that the
candidate for president shall select
the name of the party. ...
On the platform the confcrees
are nearer together than they are
Oil the name. This was pointed out
at the labor party convention today
by Max Hayes, the temporary chair
!: man, who made the public an
nouncement that an agreement on
platform was near.
Both parties are agreed upon the
principal plank of the platform. This
is: !
Public ownership OF transporta-
ton. including stock yards; large
abattoirs, grain elevators. terminal
warehouses, pipelines and tanks.
Public ownership OF other public
utilities and OF the principal natural
resources. such as coal, oil, natural
gas, mineral deposits, large water
, powers and large commercial timber
tracts"
The disposition of the 4S'ers is to
keep the platform short and to treat
subjects not included in it with sepa-
rate resolutions. The labor party
conierees are inclined to favor deh-
mite planks on questions i'll which
labor unionists are particularly in
terestcd.
Little Business on Hand
The Committee OF 4S convention
is to be called together for 10
o'clock tomorrow morning bnt there
is little business that can be trans
acted. The labor party is also to
meet today. The single tax convcn-
ton at the Auditorium hotel is also
tied up. awaiting developments OF
the conferences.
The platform committee OF the
Committee OF 4S held a session this
. afternoon in the Hotel Morrison,
but it was periunctory one. Hear
, ings were given to various groups
with special causes to plead. inclad-
ing the Friends Of Irish Freedom
, 1t was impossible, however, for the
committee TO reach any agreement
upon any plank in the platform as
the platform is before the confer
ence committees.
. Senator La Toilette retains his
rndisputed lead for the presidcn-
tai nomination. No definite word
has been received from him as to
whether die will accept nomina-
: ton, but the leaders OF both par
tics figure that il the amal2ams-
/ tCon,inued on rass Two. Column NiyAl