The Washington times., 1924-06-18
REDS HOLD
CONTROL
N HOT
FIGHT
Farm Labor Conservatives
Give Up Hope and Get Ready
to Lock Doors Of Hall
BY KENNETH CLARK.
International News Service.


CONVENTION HALL, ST.
PAUL, Mimi, June 18.-The
third party Farmer-Labor Pro-
gressive convention here, which
has steered none too steady a
course on its maiden run, ap-
peared headed straight for de-
struction today upon INT mines
secretly strewn in the troubled
waters by the communists.
Az the convention entered its
second day amid scenes Of fever
| ish excitement, with communists
and anticommunists hurting VI
| tuperatiye oaths ct esch other
across the floor, it was clearly
evident that little short Of .
miracle could save the meeting
from wreck.
The communists admittedly held
the whip. They struck out with
q powerful offensive that vir-
tually took all control away from
William Mahoney, Of st. Paul,
who first decided to bar the rsdi-
Gals and then offered no objec-
ton to their being seated.
double Crossed" He Says.
Today Mahoney. q trim gray
| locked, mild manner man, looked a.
II he had aged two score years
over night. He was weary and
haggard and drawn from all night
conferences; his face, usually
wreathed in smiles. was flushed red
with anger. He had called the
convention and held control until
| the communists took 1t and was
fighting now with his back to the
wall to keep the communists from
completely dominating the conven-
| ton and going ahead with their
program that called for immediate
formation of q third party, with
a ticket that would exclude Senator
Robert NJ. La Toilette, Republican.
Of Wisconsin.
Boys, they double-crossed me-"
This final shot by Mahoaey 1T
the radicals was all but Q formal
admission Of surrender.
Making Last Fight.
"But we land he meant the
hope" Mahoney told International
News Service, I'VE are prepared to
| make the last fight on the floor
| we'll the convention IL over; we will
II - aIAntz khA hail and vHAlw
the DOORS"
Upon that program the farmer.
laborites were united.
In fact, the delegates would have
faced barred doors today had not
Mahoney demanded one more show
down with the. communists.
The st. Paul association Of Bust.
ness Men which has charge Of the
convention hall ~ went to Mahoney
and requested that the keys Be
turned back and the doors locked
because Of the conventions action
in seating the radicals.
Mahoney assured the hall man.
ayers that IL the farmerrlaborites
walked out, the communists, II they
did not leave, would be driven out
OF the hall by force, IL necessary,
ARRANGEMENTS were made for post.
ing special details Of police about
the hall.
RED" Trickery Charged.
| Mahoney admitted that he him
self would have to assume the blame
should the communists succeed
I'VE should not have allowed them
to get into the convention az Inem-
bers OF the communists party In
the first place. But they pretended
they would come into the convention
and follow the program we outlined.
We gave them ten delegates. They
packed the hall with communist dele
gates who travelled under false guise.
They practiced cunning and trickery
in trying to steal the convention
from U.S..
An indignation meeting that last.
ed into the early hours, was held
by the Farmer Laborites In Labor
temple. Mahoney pleaded for uni.
tied support against the radicals.
Down the atzsats ~ . hotel aining