Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1923-08-03
ACTION
CONFERENCES HELD
DURING PAST WEEK
Massachusetts, and West Virginia Start
Work Of Organizing.

A meeting to form New York
state branch of the Conference for
Progressive Political Action was held
at Albany, Sunday, July 20, with
morning and evening sessions sched-
uled in Union Hall, corner of Hudson
avenue and Eagle street There was
a large attendance Of representatives
from labor and farm organizations.
Among those who we're present and
made addresses, assisting in the work
OF organization, were William H.
Johnston, chairman of the national
committee and president Of the Inter-
national Association of Machinists;
Arthur e. Holder, executive secretary,
and D. B. Robertson, president of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen.
Two state branches Of the Confer
ence for Progressive Political Action
were organized recently in Massachu-
sets and West Virginia, and a third
was formed Sunday in New York
These meetings are in conformity with
the program adopted at the national
conference held at Cleveland last De-
cember, with official delegates in at
tendance representing farm and labor
organizations.
Attempts of small groups of men
calling themselves representatives Of
the Workers or Communist party to
participate in both the Massachusetts,
and West Virginia meetings were de-
feated. In each instance the bona
fide delegates made 1t clear that no
sort of recognition would be given this
wrecking element.
The Massachusetts conference was
held Sunday, July %, in Faneuil hall,
the cradle of American freedom, and
was attended by "a registered dele
gates. In addition, a larger number of
friends and observers we're present,
among them clergymen, liberals, writ
ers, and others interested in progras-
sive and economic subjects. 1t was
a representative meeting of those who
want to see the government restored
to the people.
Robert Fechner, chairman of the
local committee, presided, and George
Clark acted as secretary.
William H. Johnson, chairman of
the national committee, and Arthure
E. Holder, national executive secre-
tary, addressed the conference. giving
detailed history of the movement for
progressive political action and the
many really great accomplishments
during the past year.
A committee on permanent organi-
cation and finance was chosen and
authorized to report at a later meet
ing. The report of the committee on
program and resolutions favoring
adoption of the Cleveland platform
was agreed to, after a motion to es-
tablish an independent party had been
voted down.
West Virginia Conference.
The West Virginia conference was
held in Moose Hall at Clarksburg, on
Thursday, July 10, with $50 delegates
in attendance. At this meeting it was
unanimously voted to organize for in
dependent political action on state
lines, similar to the Farmer-Labor
party in Minnesota.
The meeting was called to order by
w T. Harris, acting president of the
State Federation of Labor, with H. L.
Franklin, secretary of the State Fed
Grafton, as temporary secretary.
Addresses were delivered by John
M. Baer, the cartOonist, former Con-
gresham from North Dakota, and
Fred Hewitt, editor of the Machinists'
Journal. Ned Sims of Wheeling was
temporary chairman of the convention
and A. d. Lavender chairman of the
committee on organization.
Having voted to form a state Far
mer-Labor party. c. ]. Nassau of
Montgomery, a locomotive engineer,
was elected permanent chairman, and
Vance Palmer Of Clarksburg, a coal
miner and president Of the Clarksburg
Central Labor union, was elected as
secretary.