The Washington times., 1922-12-05
THIRD PARTY Of
. WORKERS|S
Morris HilIquitt Outlines Pos.
sibiIities Of Gathering In
Cleveland. -

|
Morris Halquit, New York
laVyer and long regarded as a
leader of tho Socialist party Of
America, in the following article,
discusses the possibility Of third
party in America composed of the
,Oorkers "by hand and brain" on
the model of the English Labor
party. He poirts oat that the third
party, il formed, may proUe a
large factor IN determining tho po-
ltical fate of the country IN the
Presidential election of 1874 and
BY NORRIS HILLQUIT.
Written for Cosmopolitan News Service.
NEW YORK. Dec. 5.-A meeting
will be held in Cleveland. Dec. IL,
which may prove epoch-making In
the political history Of this coun-
try.
The call for the gathering was
issued by the National COMMITTEES
Of the Conference for Progressive
Political Action and IL addressed to
all national trade unions, State fed
erations and local central labor
bodies of the country, all farmer
organisations Of progressive ten
denotes, cooperative societies. the
Socialist party. the farmer-labor
party, the single takers. non.parti.
san leaguers and q number Of In
diyidual liberals.
Aim 70 Aid Producers.
1t IL expected that several hun
dred delegates will attend, repre-
lion voters, all gathered with the
avowed purpose of organizing a
nationwide movement for the pur.
pose of securing the nomination
and election Of United States SEN
ators. Representatives in Congress,
members Of State legislatures and
other State and local public off,
GERS, who are pledged to the inter,
ests Of the producing classes and
to the principles Of genuine de.
mocracy in agriculture. industry
and government"
The Cleveland meeting 10 the
equal Of a movement initiated
about ten months ago SO quietly
and unostentatiously that It almost
escaped public notice. On February
20, last, about $50 persons assem-
bled in Chicago to discuss the po-
litical situation from the progress
sive and labor points Of view. II
was an informal conference ar.
ranged primarily by the sixteen
standard" unions of railway work
ers. The conferees were men and
women definitely affiliated with
farmer organizations, labor unions.
liberal or radical political parties
and groups, or social workers OF
known liberal views. but they were
invited as individuals and came
without official credentials from
their organizations.
Named Committees Of Is.
The conference took the first
step towrd organizing the move
ment on definite and permanent
lines by providing for the creation
of a national committee of fifteen
members charged with the duty OF
supporting all movements for the
election of progressives to tho Sen.
ate, the House and to local offices
In the recent election. In the past
nine months the committee has
actively participated in the political
fights in q number of States. The
committee claims substantial credit
for the astounding success OF the
proxressives in the last election.
The coming, meeting In Cleveland
will be q meeting Of accredited rep
resentatives Of organized bodies. 1t
will speak for . large and powerful
constituency and will. In the langu.
are of its initiators, "solidify and
give direction" to the progressive
forces in American politics.
Hone IL for Third Party.
VIII It result In the creation Of o
third party7 1t Ii the fond hope
of some of the organizers and active
workers of the movement that 1t will
eventually crystalline In an indie.
pendent political party of the work.
ers "by hand and BRAIN" Industrial
and AGRICULTURAL, on tho model Of
the English Labor party. which
lust scored such q decided success In
the parliamentary elections. The
moro conservative leaders OF the
conference discountenance the idea
of O third party. at least for the
time being. They see greater chance
Of IMMEDIATE. practical achievements
in the method Of participation in
the old party primaries. and point
to the results Of tho recent election
as O vindication Of their policy.
In the fall elections Of this year
both methods were tolerated and
followed. The chances are that the
same dual policy will be continued
in tho local elections of next year.
Must Unite In 1874.
But In tho coming Presidential
election, a different problem will
face the millions of workers and
progressive united In the conference
for progressive political action. The
powerful and we'll organized political
body win then DO forced to choose
between splitting its forces In three
directions, thus neutralixing its In
fluence. or centraliztng its whole
power upon one objective, II II
chooses the latter course II may
prove q larger factor in determining
the political fate of the country In
1924, and ever thereafter.
L.. C. c. AUTHORIZES RAIL
BOND ISSUE OF $4,000