Evening star., 1920-07-14
THIRD PARTY NEAR
DEAIHFEWHOURS
AFTER ITS BIRTH
SPLIT Over Platform Widens
as Conferees Fail to
Agree.
48 COMMITTEE PLANS
TO MEET SEPARATELY
Extreme Radical Stand of Labor
Nearly Brings End Before
Conference Close.

Nearly Brings End Before
Conference Close.
CHICAGO, July 14.-Hopes for the
survival of the new fusion party were
at ebb tide, as the all-night confer
ence of the new body's resolutions
effort to get together on a platform
acceptable to Senator La Toilette.
Little progress was made by the
new fusion party during the first two
hours of its convention today, and an
undercurrent of dissatisfaction was
IN evidence throughout the meeting:
1t once more required the pleas of
the leaders and constant conference
to keep open breaks from cropping
out.
At 11:45 am. the platform confer
ence ordered the tipping of a third
version of fusion party platform,
and sent word to the convention that
it would report at 2 pm. The con-
vention adjourned until that time
The committee of .forty-eight at an
early morning caucus decided to con-
tnue its state and national organi-
present convention and to meet sep
arately tonight to consider the con-
vention action.
The extreme left, which yesterday
controlled the amalgamation and
forced its platform desires on the
more conservative elements in the
convention, struck snag when it met
the veto power of the probable presi-
Dental nominee of the new party.
Forty-eighters, who constitute the
right wing group of the fusion move
ment. are bitterly opposed to the more
socialistic ideas Of the radical labor
faction. In this stand they have the
support not only of La Toilette. but
Of several minority organizations sub
scribing to the political combination.
The first evidence of a possible
breaking up of the new party move
ment followed last, nights session.
when the single takers withdrew.
adopted their one plank platform and
nominated presidential candidates.
For President they chose Robert C.
Macauley of Philadelphia, and for
Vice President they selected r. G.
new party. Jerome c. Refs. a single
tax leader. said. because it was not
only apparent they could not obtain
their platform desires and can
did4te committed to them, but also
cfalistIc ideas" OF the dominant la
n2y Eroup. 3! gss4
81 = THhtAttye RIatfofm.
Two plAnks of the platform being
drafted by the conference committee
Of the labor party and the committee
Of forty-eisht still were in dispute.
when word was received that Senator
La Toilette objected to certain
planks in the tentative draft.
Inclusion of the Plumb plan and
declaration for government owner
ship of mines were said to be the
points in dispute.
The unofficial version of the tenta-
tive draft. which did not meet sena-
tor La Fol1ette's approval. follows:
/. Repeal of all sedition and crimi-
nal anarchy statutes.
2. Amnesty for political prisoners
jailed because of religious belief or
Industrial activity.
workers, including government en-
ployes, to strike and stripping of the
courts of powers seized" in dealing
with industrial disputes and injunc-
tional proceedings.
a. Recognition of right Of free
speech, free press, free assemblage
and the right of asylum.
S. Declaration against war except
in case of invasion, without refer
endum vote.
g. Recognition of Irish repub-
lie" and the new government in Rus
sia and immediate lifting of trade
restrictions with Russia.
Z. Denial of military or financial aid
to any foreign government invading
Ireland or Russia.
8. Declaration for government own
ership of utilities generally.
to and all obligations to soldiers,
sailors and marines in the late war
by means of a graduated capital tax
levy, imposed especially on profiteers.
/ Other planks in the unofficial YER
sion favor the referendum and recall,
| 4 all % n fnA fof fnc
should not aid in exploitation of
weaker nations "for the benefit of
money masters" refusal to go to war
with Mexico "for the benefit of Wall
street" and abandonment of Ameri-
cas- 'imperialistic platform with re-
Guam and Santo Domingo"
Labor Party at Helm.
The birth of the new party yester-
day, after five days of conferences,
was attended by tumultous scenes, in
which more than once the fiedgling
movement faced shipwreck on. the
rocks of jealousies and group antag-
onisms. In the very beginning the
labor party organization grabbed the
helm and steered the course until con-
sideration of the platform resolutions
was begun. Several planks had been
read and approved. when forty
Fighters began to interpose strenu-
GUS objections to their reIegation to
the backgrounds
There followed quickly demands for
revision of the procedure by which
the resolutions were being passed.
Leaders of the forty-eight deIega-
tion insisted on a more prominent
position in the proceedings. In an
effort to placate the angry delegates
chairmanship to Farley Christensen
of Utah. who presided over the orig
inal forty-eight convention.
The concession failed utterly. how
everi to iron out the widely divergent
views on platform planks. AS a re-
placed in practically the same posi-
ton in which it had been during
more than fifty hours Of backing and
pulling in conference committees.
Play Up La Toilette.
Forty-eighters then played their
trump card. when they brought Sem
ator La Follette's influence to bear
and demanded platform concessions
before their presidential candidate
would consent to make the race.
Questions of naturalization of es-
sential Industries and a plank deal
| ing with foreign relations were
the principal stumbling blocks. La
strongly against inclusion Of these
planks as dictated by the labor party.
Two possibilities. therefore, stood
out today: First. that for the sake
Of harmony the labor leaders may
| permit changes in their platform
| drafts, and. second. that they may
| remain, steadfast in their determine
| ton and demand a candidate who
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