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

OL the Letter Carriers delegate as to
whether the officers had voluntarily
given the impression that their action
was Official. It was brought out that
there had been no meeting of the exc.
cutive board at which the indorse-
ment Of Davis had been decided upon,
altho one delegate claimed that cards
had been sent out for such a meeting
to few picked members.
Lefkowltz Aided Smith.
Lefkowitz of the Teachers Union
then defended himself against the
charge that he had betrayed the CEN
trail body by making a public state
ment denying his Endorsement of
Smith. He admitted, however, having
been responsible for drawing up the
statement of the legislative commit
tee, which Endorsed AL Smith, even tho
he said he had always stood for 'in-
dependent political action"
He denied having worked for his
friend Norman Thomas, saying that
the LaFollette forces had kept strictly
to their agreement to work for the
national ticket only. He pointed out
that the action Of the officers set a
bad precedent which established the
supremacy of the executive board over
the central body and its right to over
rule the decisions Of the larger body.
1t also established the precedent, he
claimed, whereby the executive board
could at any time make public its de-
cisions without referring such decis.
ions to the central body for approval.
Machine Closes Debate.
The Gompers' machine then brought
up its heaviest artillery against the
insurgents. Coughlin, the secretary in
confused speech, during which he
was heckled vigorously, charged the
LaFollette forces with having betray-
ed the labor movement by nominating
Thomas against its friend AL Smith.
He mentioned the fact that the social
list party had supported republican,
Littleton, in Brooklyn. Costello bel
lowed a demand for Feinstone.
Where is FeinstoneY" he yelled, Il
| don't see him here!"
Finally the last and heaviest gun
was brought forward-Jim Holland,
president of the New York State Fed
GRAFTON of Labor. In stentorian tom Z
Holland denied any charge of having
sold out. He excoriated the socialist
party and said, "They nave been shot
/ to pieces since the war. They would
tear down this government If they had
the nerve. But they haven't got the
nerve. The labor movement was fool
ed into indorsing LaFollette and
Wheeler, but 1t will never be fooled
again. They put this thing across
when the old man (Gompers) was flat
on his back" Holland promised a
day Of reckoning at the next conven-
tion Of the American Federation of
Labor for those responsible for the
LaFollette Endorsement. Holland also
mentioned mysterious conference at
1851 Broadway, recently attended by
himself, Sullivan and representative
of the democratic party, which may
have determining influence upon the
recent action OF the executive officers
OF the Central Trades and Labor Coun-
Gil
AS soon as Holland concluded, there
was a loud demand for the question.
The approval OF the action of the
members of tho executive board, was
carried by a loud and decisive ma
jority. A great many OF the bona
fde delegates rushed up Immediately
and demanded that they be recorded
in the negative. Il remains to be
seen whether the insurgent group will
take any further action as a result
OF the high.handed action OF the Off
GERS OF the body.
What II Means.
AS q meeting OF one of the strong.
est sections OF the Gompers' machine
just before the national convention
OF the American Federation OF Labor.
this gathering is most significant. It
seems likely that the ultra-oonserya-
tive bureaucracy, the Gompers' group,
have decided to come back solidly
into the democratic fold and leave
the LaFollette. progressive ranks. In
case OF the formation OF a third par
ty, II could therefore look for sup
port to the small minority Of the on
cialdom OF the American Federation
OF Labor, the Johnston group. The
big battle OF the convention apparent.