The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-05-21

The election of IIilquit was test
case which indicated tie comparative
strength of the two factions and all
questions before the convention
brought ont nearly the same vote
upon the floor. For the first time in
years the conservatives had everything
their own way. Having eradcated
from the Socialist Party practically
all opponents to their long loved
principles of compromise and political
trading, fhey proceeded to spread a
path of bright yellow before the feet
of the American workers.
Fight on declaration of principles.
AS might have been expected, the
real fight of TIE two groups centercd
upon the declaration of principles. A1
cording to decision of the conven-
ton ,of last wear committee was ap-
pointed to draft Declaration OF
Principles for submission at this time.
This draft was brought in by Morris
lIilquit, who after reading it moved
its adoption. A minority declaration
was submitted by the opposing group
thru Louis Engdahl backed by the j.
linois delegation and scattering sup
port of radicals A bitter fight ensued
taking up some five hours of debate
before the final vote adopting the
ililquit draft settled the matter
Declaration, "vote catcher.
Referring to the mildncss of the
Hilquit draft. which declares only fcr
political action, supplemented by IN
dustrial action by the workers. Eng
dahl charged that the purpose of those
who had framed the report was iC
create something that would appea
to the Non-Partisian League and the
Labor Party and that some of it,
sponsors would even 90 forther Il
catch votes and response from "syn
pathetic" groups. II was in the pa
ragraph of Engdahl's substitute de
claring in n some what miled form 70
"the dictatorship of the prolctariat
as transitional tactic of the worker
against the bourgeois, that the artiler
of the majority was directed. "Th
dictatorship of the proletariatli, dc
clared lIilquit is not Socialist doe trim;
besides being inconsistent with tn
rest of the preamble, we cannot speal
20 the workers vaguely Of the elias
struggle, wage slavery etc.
The platform, declared Samuel Hol
land of Chicago. contains nothing
hut nice Phrases, while anothe
member of the minority faction state,
his opinion that it read like higl
school essay lIilquit s rcjoinder wa
that the platform was being opposes
not because it was too academic hu
because of the absence in it of certai,
well beloved phrases. lie claimed tha
the basis for the platform was tn
assumption that the Socialist Part
was party of political action an
intimated that it was criticized be
cause its opponents found in it II
Suggestion of more "violent" methods
No dictatorship for Berger.
The fight for declaration 70
bourgeois democratic" methods {
be pursued ny the workers during n
transition stage from capitalism I
SOClallSm was SOoh DIoupht W cIon
when Victor Berger arose and enlarge
upon the possibilities of success for
third party in american politics. 90
don't believe in dictatorship of an
kind" he said, az am for democracy.
Why do we have convention ever
lyear for anvhowl To sprout wings.lei
wings. | belong TO the center myself
Tucker, who argued that the lIilQui
ieport was evidently framed to get b
the Department of Justice, urged tn
necessity Of dictatorship Of the pr
letariat in order OF conquer the bou
geois with as little violence and blood
shed as possible Irving NJ. Weiss, q
New York, declared his opposition I
dictatorship Of any body whether
he that Of the Bolsheviki in Russi
or of the capitalist class of Amcrici
Tor this statement he received hissC
from the gallery.