Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-19
STORM On HORIZON
AS FARMER-LABOR
CONVENT TON OPENS

Charlie E. Taylor. of Montana, was
elected permanent chairman of the
Farmer.Labor Progressive conven-
ton here today, receiving us votes.
William Mahoney, OF st. Paul, the
temporary chairman. received 115
votes, and A l.. Putnam, of South
Dakota, IA votes.
The convention swung into action
this morning with about 400 dele
gates attending and with a factlonal
fight in sight and growing more IN
tense hourly.
Efforts to pour oil on the troubled
waters and bring the opposing tac-
tons together for a harmonious SEES
sion were made during the night ana
previous to the conventions opening,
but both sides acknowledged that
the storm probably would break
when the work of organizing the
convention is taken up, probably to-
morrow.
A whole section was set aside for
Minnesota delegates. A dozen rows
were assigned to Illinois and hah
that number each to South Dakota,
Pennsylvania and Indiana. Wlscon-
sin was represented by dozen dele
gates.
New York was given five rows in
which to seat % delegates. North
Dakota had three rows, but only
three of the delegates from that
state were in the hall and they were
not certain what had become of the
remainder of their delegation.
WASHINGTON found only IL seats
assigned for the sc individuals who
came from there. Three delegates
from Oklahoma, one from Texas. fiji
teen each from Missouri and Mon
tana, and a. score from Michigan
also were in evidence.
Other states assigned places In
cluded Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, Ala
hama, Louisiana, California, Oregon,
Iowa. Massachusetts,, Kentucky and
Colorado.
Women in Delegations
A goodly number of women were
scattered through the convention.
several wearing wide purple, white
and yellow sashes, indicating their
membership in the Women's Equal
Rights association. This organiza-
ton sent a lobby to the convention
seeking i,,1orsement of their pro
posed amendment to the national
constitution which would do away
with legal distinctions between
sexes.
Men In shirt sleeves, smoke from
numerous pipes and cigarettes and
repeated match flares as the smok-
ers lighted their tobacco were no.
ticeable as the temporary chairman
was making his speech.
Preconvention facts showed these
two elements in a bitter struggle for
control of the body They split yes
terday on the question Of definite
organization OF a national party
with a ticket to present to the
voters. The communists favored this
course but the more conservative ad-
herents of the movement preferred
that the convention indorse Senator
LaF'ollette as presidential posi-
bility and attempt a coalition with
the July 4 Cleveland conference.
Minority and majority reports of the
committee of arrangements, embody-
ing these divergent ideas. will be
presented to the convention and
fought out on the floor.
The adherents of the Moscow in
ternationale were in the minority of
the committee on arrangements but
were sufficiently strong to block an
attempt to have only the ma jority
report given to the convention.
Red Strength Feared
William Mahoney, st. Paul labor
leader, acknowledged head of the
faction of the Minnesota Farmer
Labor party, and temporary chair
nan of the convention, openly fear
ID that the ultra Reds had edged
INTO the delegations from various in
dustrial groups in sufficient number
to control q. majority of the delega-
tons. Their formal organizations,
the Workers party and the Federal
ed FarmerLabot party, are entitled
to only five votes each out of to-
tai convention voting strength of
977.
The convention cali gave definite
voting strength to each delegation,
but did not limit the size of these
groups. Members of some, there
fore, will cast only fractional votes,
but on the smaller delegations each
individual will have the privilege of
plural voting. 1t was this condition
which caused the conservatives to be
doubtful of the outCame OF the strug-
gle for control of t,ie body as a
whole.
The real test of strength between
the conflicting elements is expected
Wednesday, when the two organiza-
ton reports are presented. The
fight will center on the form of or
ganization and whether a presiden-
tial candidate shall be recommended
or definitely nominated.
The conservatives want loose
state form of Organization from
which a permanent national organi
cation may grow. The extremists
demand a centralized national body
that will function Immediately.
The communists said they were
not irrevocably opposed to La Fol
lette as a national candidate provid-
ed he would definitely accept NOM
nation ~ the hands of this conVen-
ton. Otherwise, they would have
the st. Paul gathering select it's own
ticket. Duncan Mcdonald, candi-
date for governor of Illinois on the
farmer-labor ticket, was mentioned
as possibility under this plan if La
Toilette persisted in his refusal to
recognize the present assembly.
A blockade in credentials commit
tee made for a slow assembling of
the convention. AT the hour set for
the call to order, only 100 delegates
were in their seats, but the Hobbies
OF the big municipal auditorium