The daily worker., 1924-11-13
TALLENTIRE IN
DEBATE HITS AIT
LAFOLLETTEISM
Seattle Labor College
Hears Communist
BY AARON FISHERMAN.
Especial 70 the Daily Workarl

Norman H. Tallentire, Communist. dis
trict organizer of the Workers Party
of America, and U. G. Moore, repre-
senting LaFollette and the progressive
party held under the auspices Of the
Seattle Labor College, on the subject,
Communist vs.. Progressive Candi-
dates" the Communist speaker, in a
most capable manner, presented the
Communist position and unmasked
and shattered LaFolletteism. 1t was
the first time during this election cam.
paign that an opportunity presented
itself and made it possible for the
Communist Party in this district to
meet the LaFollette forces face to
face. Each side was given twenty
minutes to state its position, and ten
minutes for rebuttal.
Gives History Of Communism.
In opening the debate, Comrade Tai
lentire stated that Communism is not
a new philosophy insofar as it was
enunciated seventy five years ago by
Karl Marx and Frederick Engels in
the Communist Manifesto printed in
184S, and that it is a science based up
on the materialist conception Of history
and the theory of the class struggle.
This philosophy" stated the speak
er, 'is cosmic philosophy, dealing
with all written history and is fire.
Quently misunderstood and misinter-
preted even by its friends"
LaFolette and Macdonald.
In comparing political parties of the
present day, Tallentire stated that the
LaFollette party in America, just the
same as the labor party in Great Bri-
tain, the social-democratic party OF
Germany, and the Herriot party in
France, has no permanent solution for
the problems of the working class. In
referring to LaFollette's attempt to
dominate personally American labor
politics, Tallentire quoted an article
written by r. d. Cramer, editor of the
Minneapolis Labor Review, previous
to the St. Paul convention last July,
which convention called for the pur-
pose of launching a labor party was
subjected to vicious attack by LaFol-
lette himself This convention" said
Cramer, sis not called to crown king,
but iscalled for the purpose Of launch
ing an independent political party OF
labor"
The speaker dealt at length upon
the political party Of the workers
which the Communists advocate and
stated, if the workers are to win. they
must have a real labor party OF their
own controlled absolutely by the rank
and file of the working class and root.
ed in the economic organizations of
the industrial workers and working
farmers. Referring to, and compar-
ing the Communist and progressive
presidential candidates-W William 2.
Foster and Robert Marion LaFollette
the speaker emphasized the fact
that Foster is a worker, who has de-
voted all his life to the cause OF the
working class, while the latter has
been and still is republican politi-
clan, representing the wealthy farm
ers and the small business interests.
LaFollette Role in Labor Party.
The speaker charged that LaFol-
lette was largely responsible for kill
ing the attempt to form real farm
er-labor party in America by his at.
tack upon the ST. Paul convention. He
further stated that among the support
ers of LaFollette and Wheeler are sew
eral multi-mlllionaires, such as Ru-
dolph Spreckels, the California sugar
king" and Frank Vanderlip, one time
president of the National City Bank Of
New York; also by labor leaders OF
the type OF Samuel Gompers and Will
lam H. Johnston, who have consist
emily Tough against any real forma.
tion of labor party for many years.
Worst Open Shops in Milwaukee.
Moore, stating his position in a mild,
quiet manner. laid stress upon the
good qualities of LaFollette, the in
dividual, and also upon two main
planks of the LaFollette platform
national ownership Of railroads and
prevention Of war by referendum vote,
In rebuttal the Communist speaker
showed the utter fallacy of both pro
posals and the poor record OF LaFol'
letteism in Wisconsin, where the
worst open shop conditions to be
found in any part Of the country OBJ
tain in Milwaukee, the metropolis Of
the state where LaFollette reigns su'
prcme I'm state politics.