The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-07-29
Opp. A.
FAVORS BUSINESS
BUT NOT WORKERS
Neglect Negroes; Fail to
Nominate Governor
BY KARL REEVE.

ship of the proletariat. The petit
bourgeois terms, revolution of senti-
ment," representative democracy
and unrestricted competitive bust
ness" repeatedly rang through the
hall.
There was a brief outburst of re-
bellion after the report of the Plat
form and Resolutions Committee was
read. The single tax delegation in
sisted that "the single taxer who is
anxious to support LaFollette wants
the platform to favor taxation on land
values rather than taxation on ma
chinery and labor"
Weak on War.
The ex-service mems group wanted
to know why the resolution denounc
ing Mobilization Day was omitted
Chairman Charles MCGOWAN explained
that the resolution was omitted by
error, and it was incorporated in the
resolutions. The negroes got their
usual dirty deal from LaFollette, no
mention being made of the race prob
lem in any part of the conventions
deliberations. A motion for a special
womens section was finally defeated.
MCGOWAN squelched another threat
ened outburst when the Committee on
Organization reported that nomination
of state candidates would be turned
over to the State Executive Commit
tee. MCGOWAN had his hardest work
of the day in steam-rolling this part
of the committees report, but 1t
finally went through and MCGOWAN
said complacently, That's the spirit"
Committee to Decide Governor.
Len Smalls name was not men
toned on the floor of the convention,
but it was uppermost in the minds of
most of the delegates. IF we nomi-
mated candidate for governor" Nc
Gowan was heard to say, "at least
four of the most influential groups
would withdraw from the conference"
Even in the report of the Organization
Committee no mention was made of
LaFollette nominee for governor.
The committee reported; 'We COM
nit to the incoming Executive Com
mittee, in conjunction with the Ma
tional Committee of the Conference,
and the National LaFollette Campaign
Committee, with power to act, the
question of the nomination or indorse-
ment of candidates for United States
Senator, members of Congress, state
and other offices, as they may deem,
upon full consideration, best promo
tive of the progressive cause and
the candidates. of LaFollette and
Wheeler"
Many of the delegates objected to
this ruling, the delegation from Gales
burg declaring that they had already
voted to indorse Newton Jenkins for
Senator.
For Small and LaFoIlette.
This was the closest MCGOWAN came
to mentioning that the convention did
not dare to run LaFollette candidate
for governor for fear the Federation
officials endorsing Len Small would
withdraw support. Many Of the dele
gates were enthusiastic Small sup
porters. AL Green of the Painters
Union, who was pardohed by Small
after being tried on graft and murder
charges, said: Gee, it would be great
if the convention would indorse both
Len Small and LaFollette."
LaFoIette bitches Negroes.
Henry SHERIFF., the lone Negro pres
ent, was finally granted credentials
as an individual, although originally
placed in the colored group. SHERIFF.,
Lwho in 1920 was a candidate for
alderman of the Third Ward on the
Farmer-Labor ticket, told the DAILY
WORKER he didn't hope for LaFol-
lette to do much for his race. "As
far as l know" said SHERIFF., "LaFol
lette has never taken definite stand
on the Negro problem. In 1920, when
the Farmer Labor convention was
after LaFollette's support, LaFollette
sent word that there were two planks
in the Farmer-Labor platform he OBJ
Ijected to. One was the declaration
against large monopolies; the other
was the anti-discrimination against the
Negro plank. LaFollette has changed
his stand on the business issue, but is
still afraid of losing the Southern
white vote and takes no stand on the
Negro question. He does not wish to
incur the enmity Of the Ku Klux
Khan"
Don't Recognize Negro.
When asked whether there was any
declaration in the platform on the
Negro question, Dennis Mccarthy,
state secretary of the Conference for
Progressive political Action, asked;
What Negro problem? Is there
Negro problem? We don't recognize
any necessity for a Negro problem
After further questioning, Mccarthy
said the G. p. p. A. did not recog.
nize the necessity for discrimination
against the Negro.