New Britain herald., 1922-12-02
LaF ollette Declares There is a Mandate For Such an Organization Crow ing Out of the Election
Those in Charge Explain
 Movement Is Non- Par tisan-Is Legislative But Not Political, It Is Said.

Washington, Dec. 2.-The purposes
 Of the new progressive" movement
 inaugurated yesterday by the organi-
 zation of the progressive bloc" in congress were declared formally to be legislative and not political in resolu- tons adopted at general public con- ference.
 Senator LaFollette, republican, Wis consin. who with Representative Had dleston, democrat. of Alabama, called the conference under the auspices of the peoples legislative service, pre- sided over the general public gather ing today which was attended by moro than 100 members of congress, gov- crnors and other leaders Represen- tative Woodruff, republican, Michigan. was elected secretary of the confer ence which will close with dinner tonight.
 Non-Partisan Move
 The first resolution adopted by the convention declared that the move- ment was non-partisan and would de- vote itself to consideration of devising methods and means for cooperation and support of the general legislative program adopted yesterday by the rev progressive congressional boo At the suggestion of President Com pers of the American Federation of Labor, the resolutions had been amended to declare the movement partisan instead of mon -politi- cal"
 In opening the conference as chair man of the. peoples legislative serv- ice, Senator LaFollette said the time appeared opportune for the progress sive movement and that there seems to be a mandate growing out of the election," for movement to "ad- vance the interests of the people" He declared yesterday the new bloc was the greatest and most encouraging thing in his experience.S ss9
 Tt is proposed" said Senator la Toilette, that each legislative step shall be well grounded and not all at one stroke.'
 Committee Named
 A committee on resolutions was ap- pointed, headed by Frederic c. Howe, former immigration commissioner at New York Other members designat- d included President Gompers of the 'ederation of labor who retired in avor of Andrew Furuseth, president ,f the international seamen's union: ( Miss Elizabeth Hauser. secretary of he National League of Women Vot- ITS; Amos Pinchot of New York: Seorge L. Berry. president of the ,ressmen's union; William H. John- ton of the international machinists lnion; D. R. Robertson of the fire- nen's and enginemen's brotherhood nd Miss Ethel Smith of the Women's 'rade union league.
 A special committee to draft sep ration resolutions declaring for na- ional movement to favor the direct rimary was headed by former Repre- entative Heating of Colorado.
 Speeches urging aid for farmers fere made by Senators-elect Wheeler f Montana and Frazier of North Dakota.
 Declaring that the present admin ,tration is trying to forestall any ction by the progressives and steal heir thunder on the question of \ armer relief, Mir. Wheeler said the Torthwest wanted results and was ot particular about the form of rcdit received.
 Scores Party Loyalty.
 To the "unquestioning allegiance to arty by which that obligation is laced abovep principle and above ountry is to he attributed much of 1e political evil Of the nations past nd present life" Samuel Gompers. resident of the American Federation [ Labor declared in an address to- ay before the conference of progress yes.
 The time has come, Mir. Gompers id, when we are entitled to hope" lat this blind adherence" to parties
 being broken. for in that he added, ns the only hope of restoring con- o of our government to tho peo- e" and abrogating those assunnp- pms of power that have cost them SO 'arly."
 Largely because of this 'unthink- z loyalty" to party. MT. Gompers id. the courts have been able to cal away powers which 1t was yer intended they should have" Id which. he added. was one of the ost important causes of the losses
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