The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-31
r. BAKER.

THERE is a tremendous fear
/ among the defendef9~of the mi
nority thesis that If we abandon, for
the time being, the farmer-labor par
ty slogan, (and that is all that re-
mains Of this great mass-class move
ment) we will remain naked and iso-
lated from the masses.
What do we mean by going to the
masses? We mean fighting side by
side with them on their many battle
fronts to improve their living condi-
tions, to ward off the attacks of the
employers, rallying them for strug-
giles against the mislead'ers Of the
unions, fighting the capitalist state
and its tyranny, and, in these battles
imbuing the workers with a revolu-
tionary theology.
A farmer-labor party, as we. know
it is an occasional conference of de-
legates from the unions, generally
party members, but, our real contact
with the masses is made in the un-
ions from which the delegates are
sent to a F. L. P. conference.
Let us not forget that our past
labor parties were successful only
insofar as we had prestige, influence
and leadership In the unions, and
now that these labor parties disap-
peared in smoke, we still remain in
the unions and our prestige and con-
tact with the masses remains un-
changed.
We have developed our leadership
there, not by talking alone, (this is
for the information of those comrades
who carry no union cards) but, by
participating in their strikes, and
that means our strikes as well, by
initiating movements to improve the
unions as fighting organs of the class
struggle, by discrediting the reaction
airy leadership; but, above all by
fighting side by side with the organ
lied workers when there wa fighting
to be done. That is how we did it,
comrades, and not by talking about
farmer-labor parties at a time when
wages are being slashed right and
left, at a time when unemployment
is scourging the working class, atIa
time when vicious and concentrated
efforts are being made to destroy
what there is of the labor movement
in America.
I have read plenty Of arguments
and heard them too, that you can
safely talk about farmer-labor par
ty In a union, but, when you begin
speaking about the Workers Party,
then you get kicked out of the I'M
ion. This may be true about those
who go into the union just to talk.
But we are still judged by what we
do and not by what we say. We can't
fool the workers into a farmer-labor
party, in the unions we are known
as Communists, and the workers
know that when we organize a farm
er-labor party, we are but organic
ing poor imitation of the Workers
Party.
Let me reiterate again; that the
workers win follow us into any unit
ed front movement only insofar as
they have confidence in us as Com
munists and by that time they are
ready TO follow us into the Workers
Party or at least to support It.
Locally, we notice that those COM
rades who could not be reached by
any means during the time we were
building the Philadelphia farmer-la-
Dor party are now violently in favor
OF II. Comrades, where were you
when we needed you; when we plead
ed for your support; when we sent
you mandatory letters calling for your
support? And, II we start another
II. l.. p. whore will you be? To you
comrades, who are not in the unions,
] am almost tempted to give you an
other one Of these parties. Perhaps,
you would take q little more interest
In IL, now that you are talking SO
much about It. there being. unfortun-