The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-03
LABOR'SATTITUDE
CAUSES CONCERN
IN THIRD PARTY
Speculation Already Leads
To Ell Paso, Texas,
Meet
(By Leased Wire to Age Herald)


WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.-The trend
of the election Tuesday as regards the
La Toilette vote-the size of it, as well
as it's nature-will have very i'm
portant bearing in certain respects ON
third party movement in this coun-
try.
Is permanent third party in the
making, or is the present movement
doomed to wither, as did the Roosevelt
revolt in 1912? This is the question
uppermost no win many minds.
As regards the election Tuesday. if the
iudcpendent movement polls large
popular vote, that in itaelf will provide
!, foundation for its leaders in attempt
ing to build permanent party. 1t
has been their aim to muster as large
popular vote as possible through
out the country, even, 1t appears, to
the detriment of capturing the electoral
votes of certain states by intensive
capturing the electoral votes OF GER
tain states by intensive campaigns
there.
Further. if the movement attracts
some of the rather solid republican and
democratic vote, in addition to support
from discontended elements, it will have
another stone to lay on its foundation
If both of these results are achieved.
The leaders of the present movement
arc sure to go with high hearts into
their conference in January, at which
the future program will be mapped
out.
Between now and the time of that
conference in January, there is another
event which will be affected by the
results of the election, and which, in
turn, will react on the January meet
ing. and have an effect upon the de-
cision of independent leaders This is
the annual convention of the American
federation of Labor at Ell Paso, open
ing November II.
The federation, which Endorsed
La Toilette probably will be called
upon to indicate its future aims. Will
liam NJ Johnston, who is president
of the international machinists and
whose voice carries weight in the fed
GRAFTON. is chairman of the Central
committee in charge of the La Fol-
lette campaign, and will be a prom
inent figure at that meeting.
UNSATISFACTORY lO ohOW
But this also must be considered.
The Endorsement of La Toilette was
voted by the executive council of the
federation, consisting of eleven heads of
affiliated organizations, without Il poll
Of the members. While labor generally
has been sympathetic to this action, it
must be remembered that those who are
closer to the rank and file will be
Al. 4 Il
there is any dissatisfaction along the
line, it will show itself, and must be
met. Labors part in the La Toilette
campaign has been of ma or signific-
ance. and thee meeting at FL PasO will
be closely watched, AS its decisions will
be supremacy important to the future
OF the independent movement.
Some believe that the, La Toilette
movement will die away after the
present campaign. They IpointN to the
the past but so further. in this in
stance. with the contention that the
independent movement is composed of
too many groups with conflicting aims,
which could never be moulded into one
strong party. In this connection they
cite the recent statement purporting to
come from the executive council of
the Central trades and Labor council
of New York. appealing for the 1000
members of the organization to switch
from La Toilette to Davis, which
La Toilette leaders claimed was the
work of eight "Tammany" members,
declaring that the rank and file re-
manned intact. Some observers are
pointing out that the defeat of the La
Dor party in England will act as u wet
blanket on the formation of third
party, similarly constituted, in this
country.