The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-02-11
EXPERIENCE COUNTS.

National Nonpartisan league, has at
asst clipped page from the political
history of tho American. Federation
# Labor. He has learned what Mr..
5ompers learned early in life, and
what many labor men and farmers
'ail to learn until they, too, have gone
through the school of experience, and
hat is there is precious little chance
N America for political party to
succeed which is organized to promote
The interests of particular class or
group.
It is all very we'll to thcorizc about
the power of the wage Garner and
the farmer when they pool their
strength, but somehow and for some
reason the combination docs not pan
out. 1t never gets 100 per cent ef-
fective and rarely reaches so per cent.
Such a combination may win an cleo
ton or two, but it does not last. That
was true in North Dakota as it has
been everywhere. in the country. A
class POLITICAL movement has fingered
with some success in but one, large
American city, Milwaukee,, and there
other than class prestige has kept
the Socialists in power.
Mr.. Townlcy revealed in Minneapo.
lis the other night the futilitX Of at
tempting to get and hold power by a
distinct farmer-labor political party.
He would organize the labor-farmer
vote so that it would be the balance
of power in Minnesota and other
states, to throw it's strength one way
o. another in behalf of candidates for
office who would "promise to give US
the things needed to make life worth
while and save our civilization and
to oppose all candidates who would
refuse to make such a pledge, or
whose public records are against
= them.
His speech created CONSERVATION
among the advocates Of class partisan
political action. Carl 0. Parsons, Of
Minneapolis, national organizer of the
World War Veterans, and we'll known
as Socialist, lost no sime In taking
Fl exception to Mr.. Townley's latest
plan. Men Of his thought will con-
tinue to stick to the class party idea.
They cannot get away from it, no
matter how many times they may be
! defeated or how slowly such a party
nay grow.
I The political policy of the Ameri'
| can Federation Of Labor has stood
\ the test Of time. The support-our-
| friends and defeat our-enemles" plan
brought US at least measurable success
which cannot be said Of our class po-
litical party experience. The recent
! setback which labor has received in
congress and in state legislatures is
due largely to the fact that when
thS workers set up an independent
p6rty and lose, as was done to con-
Siderable extent in the last campaign,
the winning party, fought by the
-workers, is disposed to ignore or OPP
pose the claims of labor for legisla-
tive relief. Indeed, many Of them
have become boldly vicious.
The "balancc Of pqwer' idea now
advanced by Mr.. Townley, and which
has been advocated by the A. F. Of l..
- for 40 years, is the time-proven
shortcut way to beneficial legisla.
tion. Labor has Jared better under
it than it has done by independent
political action. The farmers and
wage earners working together, throw
ing their combined strength to candi-
.- dates favorable to the measures adj
vanccd by their economic organiza-
tions, and opposing in the same man.
ucr candidates who arc unfricndly to
labor and the farmer, will in the long
run get farther at less cost than by
bitter and acrimonious partisan con-
- tests, into which enter so many for.
,ign matters that blind and mislead
the voters.
There is hope for Minnesota through
rownlcy's "balance Of powcr' plan.
It will bring more supporters to labor
and farm measures than will be lost
- through the dcscrtion Of those who
Will continue to cling to the class po-
itical party idea. Indeed, farmer and
labor organizations will be in safe,
Xands if both arc ridden Of the wild
.mpossibilities that have done so much
% discrcdit them in North Dakota and
- Minnesota during the past five years.
e Mr.. Townley can convince his fol-
DIVERS of the wisdom of his latest
,lan, it will spell the end of those
servants Of privilege who now rule
he state.