, 1924-10-08
International Labor Unions
Excluded From LaFollette
Convention All Except
Own Followers.
RADICALS IN POWER
BAN SOIL TILLERS
Blacklist Includes Their De-
tenders in Congress.

n public, and particularly the farm.
er, had no voice whatever in his so.
called nomination. There has existed
for over three years an organization
known as the Conference for Progress.
sive Political Action, composed of 16
or IS national and International labor
unions, the mi .jority of them railway
labor organizations.
The officers of this Conference for
Progressive Political Action are on
the whole the national and information
al officers Of the labor organizations
composing the conference. The chair
man or president Of this conference
Is William Johnston, president Of the
International Machlnists' union, and
h director Of the railroad strike In
1922. Mr.. Johnston was recently can.
didate for governor Of Rhode Island
on the Socialist ticket. The hesdquar-
tiers Of this conference 10 In the Ma.
chinists' building. Washington. D. c.,
a building owned by the International
Machinista
This conference held its annual
meeting In ST. Louis in February, 1924,
adopted q platform, pledged itself to
launch q third party. and adjourned
to meet in Cleveland July 4 for that
purpose. The convention In Cleveland
on July 4 was therefore nothing bat
the adjourned meeting Of the Confer
ence for Progressive Political Action.
The delegates to the Cleveland eonvsn-
ton were merely delegates from the
labor organizations comprising the
Conference for Progressive Political
Action. plus q few scattering dele
gates from the Socialist party and .
few radical organizations such as the
League for Industrial Democracy. The
Conference for Progressive Political
Action established Its own rules re-
garding whom 1t would admit as dele
gates and these rules were so framed
that DO one not in hearty accord with
the views Of the labor organisations
comprising the conference was admit
ted. Out Of approximately 1000 del
egntes, less than IS were farmers or
representatives Of alleged farmer or
g~anizatious-
The officers Of the Conference for
EOfitICdi aCtAoh WtHe lhS oinNCiS VI
the convention William Johnston. So
ciallst leader, was the temporary and
also the permanent chairman. After
organizing the convention, . resolution
was drawn up and sent to Senator La
Toilette asking him to lead In a fight
Tor a third party. Not u single farmer
nr representative of O bona fide farm
or organization signed this petition.
The so-called platform adopted nj
this convention offers absolutely moth
ing to the farmer. II consisted prac-
tically altogether of q recibal Of the
alleged grievances of organized labor
and a demand for the enactment OF
their legislative program Not q farm
err was q member of any a the com-
mittees Of this ~c0nveuaton, neither the
committee on resolutions nor creden.
fials, nor organization. nor nomina-
lions. The chairman Of each Of these
committees was an Official Of some in.
ternafionni labor organization The
personnel OF these committees were
either e~siciais high 10 international
railway labor organizations or officials
high In the Socialist party. and other
radical organizations.
The convention went on RECORD In
behalf OF the candidacy Of LaFolleite.
LaFoiiette WAS officially notified Of his
nomdnstion by u committee appointed
by Samuel 0ompers OF the American
Federation OF Labor and no member NJ
this committee was u farmer. LaFol'
lctte acknowledged his nomination in
! the form Of a letter addressed not TO
the people OF the United States or
the farmers Of the United States, but
10 the American Federation of Labor.
The campaign committee handling
/, the LaFollctte- Wheeler movement Ii
the National Committee Of the Con
\ ference for Progressive Political Ac-
! ton, plus a number OF Socialists. The
addition Of Socialists 10 this commit
tee was demanded by h Socialist
party as the price OF their support OF
the ticket. This demand WIS made
af a meeting OF the committee held In
Washington July 81. nj which time
representatives of the Socialist party
we're present and insisted that they
bc given 10 per cen OF the commit
tee. Their demand was granted
There Is an executive committee OF 10
hnndllng the inside stun OF the La
Toilette Wheeler campaign. No farm
" Is on this committee. The cam
pnign headquarters OF the LaFollette'
Wheeler movement is 40s Machlnlsts'
building, Washington, ID. O.
The Conference for Progressive Pc
iiiicnl Action issues a weekly puhiicn.
lion known as Labor. The farmer
hns no part In II. II Is managed and
edited wholly by representatives, OF
iaher organizations. u In their MI
eial campaign pm~bticsfiop.