The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-16
Statement by the CentraIE Executive
Committee of the Workers Party
TO THE DELEGATES AT THE
ST. PAUL CONVENTION:

, TFNOE CONVENTION
The gathering of delegates representing
the industrial workers and exploited farm
ers of this country meet in historic mo-
ment. If our convention fuIfiIIs its duties to
the workers in the industries and the work.
ers upon the land, it will mark the begin
ming of new epoch in the history of this
countryside epoch of the triumphant march
OF the workers and farmers toward the goal
of the abolition of exploitation by special
privilege and the establishments of Work.
ers' and Farmers Government.
We stand face to face with new situa-
ton in the life of this nation. During the
last half century there has grown up in this
country ruling group which has fastened
its grip upon the means of wealth produce
ton and distribution and which uses its
privileged position for the purpose of amass-
ing great wealth for itself at the expense of
those who produce the wealth in the indus
tries and upon the land.
During the great world war; this group of
exploiters consolidated its power. 1t made
the government of our country even more
completely an instrument to carry out its
will. 1t uses that government to uphold and
maintain its special privileges and to make
easier its exploitation of the masses who
work and produce wealth. Never before in
this country has the government been so
agent of Wall Street and the financial oil
garchy in all its legislation affecting the
internal affairs Of the country. II is the
agent of Wall Street in using the army and
navy for the purpose of safeguarding the
investments and securing new fields of in
vestment for the capitalist exploiters in
foreign lands.
America has become the most highly de-
veIoped example of a small exploiting privi-
IL al Al -
of millions of people and amassing great
wealth at the expense of their happiness and
weIl-being.
The ruling class has its political express
sion in the Republican and Democratic par
ties. The administrations OF both these par
ties serve special privilege alike.
The expIoiters carry on their schemes for
their own enrichment unchaIIenged because
the political power of the group which suf-
fers under this exploitation is unorganized.
The interests of the industrial workers,
the interests of the agricultural Iaborers, the
interests of the working farmers, are in
direct conflict with those of the class which
today is in power and has unchaenged con-
troll of the government. Yet, the industrial
workers, the agricultural Iaborers, the work.
ing farmers, have no political party thru
which they can challenge the rule of their
expIoiters and carry on the struggle to
establish their own power in the govern
ment
The great task which it is the duty of our
convention to perform is to create for the
industrial workers, the agricultural aborers,
and the working farmers, political party
which will fight their battles. Such poit-
ical party can only be created If its platform
expresses the economic interests of these
groups
It is not sufficient that the representatives
OF the industrial workers and farmers should
meet in convention, nominate candidates,
adopt platform and return to their homes.
Our work will not be done unless we build,
not only for the 1924 presidential elections,
but also for the future.
The work of wrestling power from the
ruling class in this country is not the work
OF one election campaign. Our victory can
not be won in the first struggle. We must
build powerful party which will fight today,
and it it does not win today, can 60 on to
new struggles until the day of victory does
come.
II we can build such party in our con-
venton, then indeed we will have served the
producers of this country we'll. We will have
taken the first great stride on the road we
will follow until the day comes when the
workers and farmers of this country will
establish a Workers. and Farmers Govern
ment and use the power of that government
for the producers of wealth and not to amass
wealth for the privileged class.
LA FOLLETTE'S STAND.