The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-14

organization of labor except
the 16 standard railroad unions
in the conference.
The representatives Of these
unions, together with a fringe
of farmer and labor political
organizations, which have
sprung up in various parts of
the country, composed this
conference.
The Socialist Party was rep
resented by seven delegates,
but its only influence is the in
fuence which its leader, Morris
Hillquit, Yields, in conferences,
upon the leaders of the railroad
unions. AS an organization, the So
cialist Party means nothing in the
conference.
Why Railroad Workers Are In
Politics.
It is not at all surprising that the
railroad unions, as organizations,
should be the first to enter into the
political arena in order to make their
political power felt. 1t is the expert
ence of the workers in the industries
where there is governmental inter-
ference which develops their politi-
cal consciousness. The railroad
workers are just those who have
had to meet government action most
often in the industries in which they
are working.
During the war period the rail-
roads were government controlled
and these workers again and again
felt the power of the government
affecting their wages and working
conditions. Since the end Of the
war they have had to deal with the
Legislation Of the Railway Labor
Board, a government institution con-
trolling wages and working condi-
tions on the railroads. The fact
that the sixteen standard railroad
unions are engaged in politics and
are drifting toward the organization
of political party is the best proof
of the correctness of the Commun-
ist viewpoint that it is the develop
ment of capitalism in the form of
governmental interference in indus
try which develops the mass politi-
cal movement of labor.
These railroad unions, however.
express an attitude of what is close
to CONTEMPT so far as other organ
izations of workers and farmers are
concerned. At the st. Louis con-
ference they refused to consider the
great mass movement for a farmer
labor party expressing itself in the
call for the May Both Convention.
Their attitude was that their con-
ference was the only thing worth
while or which mattered in relation
to POLITICAL action by farmers and
workers and they were going to
run the thing as they saw fit, re-
CARELESS of the desires of any other
group working toward the organiza-
tion Of the farmers and workers for
political action.
They made their control absolutely
secure by re-adopting and also MAX
ing part Of the call for the Conven-
tion which thew have set for July 4th
at Cleveland, the provision that upon
roll call each organization repre-
scented shall have one vote for each
10 000 members. This means, under
existing circumstances, that the mil
lion and a half organized railroad
workers will absolutely dominate any
conference in which thew take part.
The observer at the third confer
ence could not help but be impressed
by the fact that the organization
had made some progress since the
Cleveland conference. They were not
vet ready to commit themselves to
independent political action but they
were drifting in that direction even
against their will. The fact that the
hero of the railroad brotherhoods.
McAdoo. had been splattered with
Teapot Dome oil was a big feature
in developing the tendency toward
independent political action.
Socialists Support Anderson.
In connection with the decision of
the conference as TO what is to be
done at the July 4th convention, the
part played by the Socialists cannot
he iVnored In the Organization
Committee. which drafted the plan
for the July 4th Convention, the de-
cision was that the convention be
called for the purpose Of nominal
, ing candidate for president and
vice-president on a new party ticket.
When this report came before the
conference and the question was
raised as TO whether it committed
the conference to Independent polisS-
cal action, it was Morris Hillquit,
leader Of the Socialist Party, who
was the first on his feet to deny
that the conference was committed
by the report and to interpret II to
mean that the conference could en-
dorse an I'D party candidate on
July Ath or nominate Independently,
as the circumstances warranted.
Thus the Socialist leader, Hillquit,
played the part Of preventing clear
cut decision and leaving the way
open for the endorsement Of Nc
Adoo, Smith or some other old party
candidate on July 4th. This action
by Hillcuit again puts the Socialists
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