The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-10-02
EDUCATION NOT
NECESSARY, SAYS
NORMAN THOMAS
Declines Challenge to
Debate with Cannon
Especial to The Daily worker)

Thomas, socialist and progressive
candidate for governor, in a letter
made public today, evades an offer
to discuss his support of LaFollette.
Mr. Thomas was recently challenged
to debate by James p. Cannon, Work.
ers Party candidate for governor, on
the following topic: Resolved that
LaFollette does not represent the in
terests of the workers" The reply
reads as follows:
To Busy to Debate.
"My dear Mr.. Cannon: If you will
get the candidates of the old parties
to participate in a general discussion
of the best way to promote the in.
terests of the workers of America,
shall be glad to take part in it. l will
not take part during this campaign
in any debate on socialist VS.. Commun.
ist tactics. The tactics of the socialist
party for this campaign have been
decided upon after pretty careful dis
cussion. For me to pause in an ag-
gressive effort to carry them out in
order to carry on kind of family
quarrel with you or the socialist labor
party candidate who has also invited
me to debate, would be, in my judg.
ment, an unwarranted expenditure of
time and energy.
Sharply as l disagree with you on
many very important points of tactics
and social method, l have felt that l
had more valuable service to render
at this time than by making public at
tacks on you or the Workers Party.
gather that your party has not
shared this view of herequirements of
the situation, for your speakers at the
street corner meetings, which l have
listened to, spend most of their time
not in any attack upon the present
social order but upon the socialist par
ty, Senator LaFollette, Ramsay Mac
Donald, and others.
After the campaign is over and
the demands on my time are less, 1
shall be willing to consider arrange
ments for general discussion on the
issues between socialists and Com
munists under proper auspices. Until
then ! suggest that you may well be
satisfied with the Nearing-London de-
bate. Even if thought the kind of
debate you suggest would be a useful
campaign measure, should think that
the Nearing-London debate ought to
cover the question so far as this cam.
paign is concerned.
Very truly yours,
NORMAN THOMAS.
Socialist Candidate for Governor"
Evades Important Issue.
Commenting upon the apparent IN
willingness of Thomas to meet the
issue, Cannon says: at is most
surprising that Mr.. Thomas as a
representative of the socialist party
cannot find the time during his cam
paign to discuss before working
class audience, the reason for its COM
plete disavowal of the policy it has
followed for. the last 20 years or more.
AS late as the year 1920, the socialist
party platform declared that the mid
die class, which LaFollette represents,
are "staunch upholders of the exist.
ing order of social inequalities
Mr.. Eugene V. Debs in the New
York Call of June is, 1912, declared:
What difference is there, judged by
what they stand for, between Taft,
Roosevelt. LaFollette, Harmon, VIII
son, Clark and Bryan? Do they not
all alike stand for the private owner.
ship OF industry and the wage slavery
OF the working clasp The last con-
vention of the socialist party came
out in favor of the recognition of So
Wet Russia. Lefollette excludes this
from his platform entirely. LaFolIette.
whom Thomas supports, has endorsed
reactionary candidates of both repub-
lican and democratic parties, altho in
1920 the socialist party declared that
both the republican and democratic
parties are the political instruments
Of the master classes In reference
to the Nearing-London debate, we pro-
pose to present to the workers our
position on LaFollette as expressed
by an Official representative OF the
Workers Party. Assuredly Mr..
Thomas has much to explain to the
workers. One can interpret his eyas.
ion of my offer only as an Indication
that both he and the socialist party.
cannot and will not defend their con-
duct before working class audi
ence."
Cannon will be the principal speaker
at mass meeting on Thursday eve
ming. Oct. 2 at Hunts Point Palace.
1853 st. and Southern Boulevard. On
Friday, Oct. he speaks at the Queens
County Labor Lyceum, 7s5 Forest
Ave, Brooklyn, and on Saturday. Oct.
4 at oddfellows' Hall, 70 North Broad
way, Yonkers.
THE CAMPAIGN FUND cAMPAtoNn
len dollars collected by each member