The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-04-14
By Charles M. Kelley.

campaigns alreduy lduIShSu W VIZ
national committee of the conference
! for progressive political action at it
| first session in Washington. Activ
| ity in many congressional district:
| was also reported from other states
In several states complete ticket!
have been put up by progressive vot
ers to be voted for at the approach
ing primaries. Control of the dom
INFANT political party will be the OBJ
| iect of producers, but attention vii
also be given the minority party, u
simplify matters as far as possible
at the general election in the fall.
Reports brought to the conference
by members of the committee and by
others indicated that there is to be
determined effort to send larg,
group of progressive representa-
tives to congress, to form a "peo
pies bloc" and as the only way tt
secure needed legislation.
This was the first meeting fol
| lowing the conference at Chicago
when a program for political actor
was outlined. 1t was devoted main
ly to laying plans for conducting {
nationwide fight. Arrangements
were made for financing the work by
per capita assessments upon the al
filiated organizations for IL months
Efforts will be made to identity
local trade unions and central coun
ellis, cooperative societies, and farm
err organizations with the movements
now taking form in the various
states and with the activities of the
national committee.
Frederic C. Howe, secretary of the
committee, authorized the following
statement:
Producers Flag to Mast
81 was amazed at the bigness OF
vision and determination manifested
by the committee. Instead of taking
steps to elect some men to congress
and defeat others, the committee was
unanimous in its projected plans for
permanent organization, represen-
tative of the producers of the ma
ton.
"The workers and farmers have
nailed their flag to the mast. They
have entered the political arena. They
are determined that the 100000
workers and 100000 farmers who
produce the wealth of the country
shall be adequately represented In
congress and in the state leglsla-
lures.
"There was no suggestion of a fug-
iticve organization. The ambitious
budget adopted, the calls being made
out to railroad men, miners, and the
farmers all over the country, look
to the organizing of millions of dor
mapt workers to the political fight.
"The responses reported from all
over the country exceed expectations.
In Ia states movements are already
under way for state organization, IN
many other states workers and farm
ers are joining hands to retire re-
dictionary congressman and to replace
them with men who will honestly
represent the public.
Will Extend Movements Scope
"Plans were made by which state
officials of the railroad organizations
would work in the field on behalf OF
candidates, while the national com
mittee determined to put out field
men of it's own. Steps were also
taken to affiliate labor organizations
not represented at the Chicago con-
ference and to bring into the move
ment fraternal societies, co-opera-
tives, mad individuals in sympathy
with the program of the conference.
"a bulletin is being prepared out
lining in great detail just how labor
can enter the political field, how it
shall cooperate with other organiza-
tions, methods of financing the cam
paign and other details. This pamph-
let will be ready for distribution in q
short time.
members of the committee went
back home more inspired than ever
with the response that the conference
has met with and determined to de-
vote their energies in their respec-
tive localities to the bringing about
of a merger of the new non-repre-
sented millions whose potential pow
err is utilized would capture the po-
litical state in interests of the pro-
ducing classes"
New England cotton manufactur-
ers have sent the specter of south
ern competition" to the mill once too
often. They marshaled it in full
force against the lower house of the
Rhode Island legislature when the
lS-hour law for women and child
workers was being considered prior
to it's adoption. When it's covering
was removed it was discovered to be
made of sawdust.
1t was then proven that the New
England cotton manufacturer owns
the largest number of spindles in
the South.
The Consolidated Textile Corpora
ton of New York, now the worlds
largest cotton goods manufacturer,
and few other big concerns have
provided the spectacle of DR.. Jekyll
of Rhode Island crying out against
the pernicious practices of Mr.. Hyde
of North Carolina. The ghost of
competition they have raised is then
own other self.
When the 48-hour bill was coming
to a vote in the lower house of the
legislature Nwe England spinners ad-
vanced the plea that the southern
mills, through cheaper labor, less re-
strictive legislation, and their near
hess to the cotton fields, are under
selling the northern mills. The only
remedy they could see is to reduce
wages and increase working hours to
the southern level.
They overlooked the fact that
more than half the cotton mill spin
dies in the United States are in
Massachusetts,, where a statute es-
tablishes a 48-hour week. For two
years between 1917 and 1921 Fall
River, Mass. mills made profits equal
to their total capitalization on A.
hour week. The great Amoskeag
mills at Manchester. N. H., operating
voluntarily on 4S-hour week, d.
clared stock dividend of 100 per
cent.