The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-09-09
MRS. AXTELL FAILS
LAMPING CHOSEN

The following letter is sent out
by the Washington State Feneration
of Labor announcing change of can
didates:
Six days remain before the pri-
mary election.
Unfortunately. despite our best
efforts, the campaign to secure the
republican nomination for United
States senator for Mrs Frances G..
Axtell has proven dismal failure.
The workers generally have failed
to respond to her candidacy.
We are now confronted with a
critical situation which is not alto
gether hopeless for the forces which
are seeking the defeat of Miles
Poindexter. The elimination of two
Of the three progressive candidates
for the Republican nomination would
have insured success next Tuesday
Despite my hest efforts, and the
best efforts Of the officials of the
State Federation. his has not been
accomplished. First, because Judge
Austin +. Gl;ffiths has consistently
refused to consider any conferences
which might result in his own elimi-
nation, and secondly, because at the
last moment Mrs. AXtell and her
immediate following withdrew the
Ctfer to submit themselves to any
plan which might bring about unity.
Faced by this situation, confer
clceS were called IL Spokane, Seattle
and Tacoma, and Archie w. john
sion came to Seattle as the rep,e-
sentative of the Spokane Conference
for Progressive Political Action with
authority to assist, if possible, inI
finding a solution to the problem. 1t
was agreed everywhere that Mrs.
Axtell should be withdrawn from the
race.
At a conference last Sunday with
George Maston and others of the
campaign committee of Mrs. Axtell,
the results of these meetings in the
largest cities of the state were made |
known Despite this overwhelming
sentiment for the withdrawal of Mrs. |
Axtell, the personal adherents of her |
slider any proposition which might |
involve withdrawing her name.
Later in the same evening, a con-
eral vice presidents of the Fedora
ton and persons prominent in
labor's ranks who are working to |
defeat Miles Poindexter.
A canvass was made of the relative |
strength of the various candidates |
This showed George Lamping to be |
strongest. None the les, knowing
that Judge Griffiths would not with
draw, it was decided to make an eff
fort to secure the withdrawal of
George Lamping and he was called
into the conference and asked to |
withdraw. This he firmly refused
to do. saying that he had given much |
of the time of his campaign to a |
sincere effort to bring about elimi-
nation and had offered to sacrifice
his own candidacy in the interest of |
unity. But, he added, he had de-
veloped more strength than either
of the other candidates and could, |
under no circumstances, consider
withdrawal now. He expressed him |
self as opposed to compulsory arbi-
tration in industrial disputes and
pointed to his record as evidence of |
the fact that he was worthy the
support of organized labor and all
the progressive elements in the state.
He said that his campaign east of |
the mountains had convinced him
that with this support he could Sc
cure the Republican nomination next
Tuesday.
Colonel Lamping was asked to
leave the room and the situation was
discussed by those present at length. |
1t was finally agreed, after every
angle had been thoroughly discussed, |
that the only hope of securing the
defeat of Miles PoindeXter would be |
to throw the support of labor and
liberals to the strongest candidate.
No way seems available today to
secure this much hoped for result
except through the individual initi-
ative of the members of organized
labor and other organized liberal |