Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-06-10
HUNTyS|IA
WASHINGTON fSiIiiiP
LETTE
By HARRY B. HUNT

but not least of the keynoters who
will sound their clarion calls for
the political battle of 1924 comes
William H. Johnston.
| Maybe you don't place Johnston
He isn't senator, nor a represeE-
tative, nor a governor, nor even
an assemblyman. He isn't as the
phrase goes, 'in politics" That is
he doesn't aspire to any office. He
isn't running for anything. Natur-
ally, he is interested IN things po-
litical, as we are told all good citi-
zens should be, but his interest CEN
ters around policies, not parties.
Johnston is the man who will call
to order, in the B. of L. E. Audi
forum in Cleveland on July A, the
Injecting which will launch the in
dependent candidacy of Robert NJ.
ILaFollette of Wisconsin.
The Cleveland meeting, it should
be remembered, starts off as IA
conference" not convention.
| Theoretically, it is called as an
occasion on which individuals and
organizations, who believe that both
old parties have gone to seed and
hold no hope for future growth,
! can talk things over and decide
what is to be done about it.
Actually, it is a meeting called TO
endorse as an independent candi-
date, opposing both old party tick
lets, the fighting progressive sena.
Cor from Madison, Wis. No organi-
cation which will send delegates,
and no individual representative
who will attend, expects any other
result
LaFollette's dominance over the
July 4 gathering will be more com,
plete and comprehensive even than
the dominance of Coolidge over the
Cleveland convention on June 10.
The meeting will be called to
order by Johnston, president of the
International Machinists' Union, in
his capacity as chairman of the ma
tional committee of the Conference
for Progressive Political Action.
Briefly, as his keynote for the
occasion, he will outline the situa-
ton that caused the gatherings TO
be called. He will analyze the plat
forms of the two old party conven-
tions, both of which will have been
completed before that time. He will
present for their dissection the two
old party candidates-provided the
Democrats have decided on one by
that date.
Then he will ask the Confer
ence" what it purposes to do about
lit.
That is as far as the proceedings
lean be pictured at this time. From
Shat point on it will be ''up to the
conference"
| A progressive independent plat
form, shaped to appeal to the aver
age individual, the white-collar
worker as well as the man in over
alls the farm worker as we'll as the
city toiler, viii be attempted. And
on that platform, LaFollette will be
asked to stand for election.
| Among the organization which
have been invited to send delegates
to the conference are the 16 raj
road brotherhoods, the most 'inf!u-
entail and numerically powerful
organized group in the country; the
Typographical and printing trades
unions, clothing workers, metal
workers, telegraphers and the whole
ifield of organized labor.
Farmers National Council, the
Progressive party of Idaho, the
Nonpartisan League of North Da-
kota and state farm bureau groups.
| Women will have a direct repre-
lsentation through the Woman's Ma
tional Trades Union League and
the Woman's COMMITTEES for Poll
Etical Action.
/