The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-28

with the Folette-progressive move
ment was dictated by its policy OF
class peace and maintenance OF the
illusion of government Of the people"
and the fear of the labor bureaucracy
that farmer-labor party organized
upon the basis Of the class interests
of these two economic classes would
fall under the influence and prove an
ally to the Communists.
3. The great class conflicts OF 1918,
and the open shop drive OF 1922, in
which the government was openly and
brutally used by the capitalists
against the workers forced the work
ers to fight against a reduction in
their standard of life. The farmer
found that the government was serv-
ing the bankers. railroads, and mar
keting organizations. during the ag-
ficulturai crisis and using its power
against them. This movement for
farmerlabor party sprang up out of
these conditions and is not compar-
able to the development OF the British
labor party. The conclusion that it
will produce a similar party to that
which exists in England ignores the
fact that it is developing in differ
ent historical period-the period of
the decline OF capitalism and OF the
proletarian revolution.
The extent Of the movement was
shown in the first convention OF the
Conference for Progressive Political
Action, which, although diverted and
distorted by the trade union bureau.
Gratis was fundamentally an express
sion OF the desire OF the workers and
farmers for independent action. The
rank and file conference In which the
Federated Farmer Labor Party was
formed was able to bring together
representatives Of 100000 workers
and farmers. State and local farmer.
labor parties sprang up on all sides,
showing how wide spread Is the de.
mand Of the workers and farmers for
a means Of expression OF their polit-
ical strength and to enter the political
struggle in their class interests.
The development OF this movement
side by side with the petty.bourgeois
progressive movement led inevitably
to a struggle on the part of the petty
bourgeoisie to impose it's leadership
on it and to absorb II. In this, the
petty bourgeoisie was aided by the
betrayal of the labor bureaucracy.
which feared radical farmer-labor
party based upon the rank and fiie
organizations OF the workers and poor.
er farmers. One OF the most import.
ant factors which made this possible
was the error OF our Party after the
convention Of July Srd, 1898, In which
the Federated Farmer Labor Party
was organized, in not carrying on an
energetic organization campaign and
actually creating an organizationai
basis for the farmer-labor movement.
Had we orystallized and organised
the sentiment for farmer.labor party
at that time, before the LaFollette
had developed in definite
form, we would have undoubtedly
been successful in preventing the La
Toilette movement from establishing
its leadership over the farmer.labor
forces which stood for . class party
to such an extent az to leave us isol-
ated during the election campaign.
Opposition to the organization OF the
Federated Farmer Labor Party based
upon a misconception or the United
Front tactic on the part OF the Foster.
Cannon group in the @. u. O. OF our
party was responsible for this failure
4. The results OF the elections
have been to consolidate the political
power Of big capital thru the rule OF
the republican party. While the re-
publican party lost some OF its petty
bourgeois support In the western
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