The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-27

40 delegates TO attend.
A resolution was then unani-
mously adopted demanding
withdrawal of the democrats,
headed by Governor Charles
Bryan, filed for the coming pri-
maries, on the Progressive par
ty ticket.
The state law of Nebraska provides
that legal political party such as the
Progressive Party shall hold its reg
ular annual convention in the month
Of April. But because of the mixed
political situation in the state, due to
the fusion efforts of the democrats
and the confusion tactics of the re-
Gently organized Conference for Pro-
gressive Political Action, prominent
members Of the Nebraska Progressive
Party felt obliged to call this Febru-
airy conference.
c. P. P. A. Gets the Gate.
The Grand Island conference was
attended by over one hundred dele
gates from various counties. These for
the most part represented the poorer
farmers, with a small sprinkling
of rank and file trade unionists. The
element which had tried to break into
the conference, headed by the State
Conference for Progressive Political
Action, was composed mostly of trade
union officials, rich farmers and pro-
fessional politicians -appointees of
Gov. Bryan. The purpose Of this
40 -, fho
ference-was so apparent that even
prior to the opening Of the confer
ence great indignation was shown
amongst the dirt farmers and the
rank and file trade unionists. And
as soon as the conference opened, the
fight was on.
The Credentials Committee recon-
mended that only those belonging to
or affiliated with the Progressive
Party, and who intended to support its
candidates, should be admitted to the
conference. A substitute to this mo-
ton was proposed by Joseph Gilbert,
late of Minnesota and the Non
Partisan League, now editor of
newspaper at North Platte. This
substitute motion said that the only
qualifications for participating dele
gates should be that they believed in
maintaining a third party movement
in Nebraska. There was bitter and
prolonged debate on this point-Gil-
bert and Orion, State Chairman Of the
Conference for Progressive Political
Action, taking prominent part in the
discussion. In the course of the de-
bate it was argued that if the original
motion were adopted this would pre-
vent members of the Progressive
Party from supporting good men"
in the old political parties, if they
might desire to. And that argument
seemed to SETTLE the hash" of the
Conference for Progressive Political
Action group-with the farmers,
particularly-because when the vote
was taken, shortly afterward, only
nine delegates supported the sub
stitute motion. The original motion
carried, with Gilbert, Orion and sew
eral others voting against it. Follow
ing which, these members withdrew
from the conference; and with their
withdrawal went the only note of
disharmony that had been heard
there.
Turnout all the discussions that
followed, on the various matters
brought before the conference, there
was apparent the finest spirit of
friendship and cooperation between
the remaining delegates, of the dirt
farmer and rank and file trade union
ist constituencies. The two excep-
tions to these classifcations con-
sisted of Delegates Bigelow and Paul,
the first lawyer from Omaha, whose
practice is mostly amongst the trade
unionists; and the second a farmer
who is now practicing law, among the
farmers locally.
Brother of Darwin's Foe Banned.
William H. Green, of Omaha,
Executive Secretary Of the Progress
sive Party, was chairman of the COM
mittee that brought in the resolution
demanding withdrawal of the names
of Bryan and the other Democrats as
candidates of the Progressive Party.
In supporting this demand, speaker
after speaker vigorously denounced
the attempts at fusion. One of these
"a farmer, 80 years of age-recalled
the old Populist Party, which had
been Swallowed" in a similar man.
ner by the Democrats. All were
strongly for getting the Democrats
off the Progressive Party ticket, at
all costs. All the committees
recommendation we're unanimously
adopted.
d, Great enthusiasm was shown for
the May 30th convention, and the
growing farmer-labor movement. The
writer, as National Secretary Of the
Federated Farmer-Labor Party, adj
dressed the conference and appealed
for support Of the St. Paul conven.
ton on May Both. The conference
elected eight delegates from each OF
the six Congressional districts to at
tend that convention and elected Rev
j. L. Beebe, State Chairman Of the
Progressive Party, as a delegate al
large-thus completing the delega.
ton Of forty-nine.
In addition, resolution was passed
providing that upon return to their
L. - A L. =