The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-31
READING LABOR
PARTY BLOCKED
BY S.P.LEADERS
Second Labor Confer
ence Will Reopen Issue

Especial 70 TIE Daily wsrksrl
READING, Pa.-Sociaist Party
headers here halted action for the
formation Of labor party movement
at q conference Of 20 delegates from
local labor unions, working class po-
htical parties, co-operatives and
other organizations, but the dele
gates viii reconvene shortly to con-
sider the question anew.
The United Front conference of
Jan rs, was brought together thru
the local branch of the Federated
Farmer Labor Party for the express
purpose of the formation Of q labor
party.
Practically every labor union in
the City Of Reading was represented.
IN addition there were representa-
tives from the Socialist Party, the
Workers Party, from the Co-opera-
tive Society, from the Paine Memo
rial Foundation and from Workmen
Circle branches and sick and death
benefit societies. The conference
was opened by VIM. Gundrum, a
member Of the American Federation
of Railway Workers.
Socialists Losing Strength.
Charles F. Sands, who followed,
pointed out that the workers in
Reading instead of making progress
on the political field, were retrogres-
sing. He pointed out how recently
the vote of the Socialist party in
the city of Reading was every year
becoming smaller and smaller in
: proportion to the entire vote being
cast He urged the necessity of a
political organization in Reading
that would unity the workers behind
common program for a united
fight on the political field. He point
ed out that the unions in Reading
were demoralized and weak, and
that in order to build them up, it
was necessary to organize the work.
ers not only industrially but also
politically. His appeal for the for
nation of a labor party in Read
ing was well received by practically
all the delegates present.
Gitlow Speaks.
Benjamin Gitlow was then invited
to take the floor and speak on the
question of the Labor Party. At
first some of the delegates Of the
Socialist Party tried to object but
the conference unanimously granted
the invitation.
Gitlow pointed out that the move
ment for the organization of labor
party in the United States was
born from the experiences Of the
, MgapT,eers md was not due to the
ganize a political party for them
selves. The workers in their strug
giles against their bosses have dis
covered that they must combat the
opposition of the United States gov
eminent, the speaker showed.
Concrete examples he gave were:
the government suppression of the
steel strike, the Coronado decision
handed down against the unions by
the United States Supreme Court,
the case of Alexander Howat and
the Industrial Court Act of Kansas,
the numerous injunctions issued
against workers out on strike and
finally the smash up of the railroad
strike by the interference of the
United States government thru the
Daugherty injunction. He then ex-
planned that a Labor Party in the
United States, if it hopes to be sue
cessful, must include not only all
economic and political organizations
of the workers but must also include
in its organization the millions of
exploited farmers.
Many Delegates Support.
Delegate after delegate from the
Reading labor unions took the floor
and emphasized the necessity of or
ganizing a labor party. The Social
list Party delegates, sensing that
the Labor Party idea was making
progress among the union delegates,
made a counter attack against the
possibility Of the conference going
on record in favor of the Labor
Party.
J. Henry Stump, delegate from the
Socialist Party, manager of the Peo-
pies Printing company, accredited
leader Of the Socialist Party in
Reading, and their last candidate for
4mayor, took the floor and made a
speech in opposition to the Labor
Party and in favor of the Socialist
Party.
He accused the provisional com
mittee Of trying to put something
over on the conference and explained
that the conference was called by
the Workers Party for the express
purpose Of injecting themselves into
the Labor movement in Reading
He accused the Workers Party of
trying to disrupt the Labor move
ment, declared that a Labor Party
would be party seeking votes and
not party Of principles, and ended
up by loudly declaring that he was
opposed to the idea Of the dictator
ship Of the proletariat and would
certainly oppose the organization Of
a Labor Party such as is proposed
because the Workers Party would
i To All Party Branch
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