Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-10-09

RADICALS IN POWER
BAN SOIL TILLERS


alonai Rnd international labor unions.
The public and particularly the farm
uer. had 90 voice whatever in his 90
called nohshlagion. There has existed
gor over three pears an organization
&newn as the Conference for Progress
a@iSe Political Action. composed Of 16
or Is nstioaal and International labor
unions, the majority Of them railway
Aabor organizations.
The etiicers Of this Conference for
Progressive Political Action are on
4he whole the national and information
Il Officers OF the labor organizations
-cornposlng the conference The chair
aaAan OF president Of this conference
d. Wiliiam Johnston. president Of the
Enbesnafioaal Nachinists' union, and
che director Of the railroad strike In
H822 Mr Johnston was recently can.
sTldste for governor Of Rhode Island
On the Socialist ticket. The headQuar-
&exs OF this conference Is In the Ma
-<hlnlsts' Building. Washlngton. d. c..
= building owned By the international
Hzachinlsts
This conference held It's annual
meetlng In st. Louis In February, 1924.
-edopted q platform. pledged Itself to
zannch a third party, and adjourned
30 meet Ia Cleveland July for that
purpose The convention In Cleveland
on July was therefore nothing buk
ne adjourned meeting OF the Confer
ence for Progressive Political Action
The delegates to the Cleveland conven-
4loa were merely delegates from the
labor organizations comprising the
Conference for Progressive Political
Acfion. plus few scattering dele
gates from the Socialist party and
sew radical organizations such as the
Eeague for Industrial Democracy. The
sCouferemce for Progressive Political
Action established isa own rules re-
karding whom Il would admit as dele
@m&aa and these rules were so framed
&Asaf no one not In hearty accord with
2he views OF the labor organizations
~comprislng the conference was admit
ed. Out OF approximately 1000 del
egates. less than Is were farmers or
Representatives OF alleged farmer or
gnnizafions
The officers Of the Conference for
Pulitieat Action were the eGElesrs Of
sAse csnvention. william Johnston. So
esalist leader, was the temporary and
aaae the permanent chairman After
srsanlalng the conventiOn, resolution
was dxawa 90 and ssmt to Senator La.
pssl<Ass asklns him % lead IN 3 nght
s0r a tAsrs party. Not single farmer
e. repFeSz4s 8kive eg<a boas Ade farm
ar er@anaxsal0M signed khla petition
U'hs ss-cmiaed platform adopted al
fhls rgmvemea0R offers absolutely moth
lng 20 the farmer. Il consisted prac-
ideally aseosethes Of q recital OF the
alleged grievances OF orSanizsd labor
and q demand Zoe the enactment Of
lhelf ieesssstlVe program. Not farm
or was q member Of any Of the com
mlEfee@ 81 this convention. neither the
on resolutions nor ereden-
lialn. uor organisation. nor nomina-
ions. Tue chairman 0f each Of these
was an 0tilciaI OF some IN.
tabor organisation. The
Of these committees were
sill1er ofseials high In International
railway labor organizations or officials
high In the Socialist party. and other
radical organizations
TEe convention went on record In
behalf Of the candidacy OF LaFoIletfe
E.aFollette was officially notified Of bis