The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-18
BY LAURENCE TODD.
Federated Press STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Panic did not merely wipe out
half of the popular vote which
would have been cast for the
LaFolIette ticket If the election
had taken place in September;
it has destroyed the chance of
formation of a new party next
January when the conference
for progressive political action
is to meet to discuss the matter.
Fear of disturbing and anger
ing the men who own the in
dustries was sufficient, in No
yember, to elect Coolidge.
"cIean" Party Born Dead.
Fear, transmitted by means Of the
direct threats OF closing down fac
tories and mills, and by indirect
threats contained in forecasts of
chaos and general collapse, drove
millions of farmers and wage workers
and their wives to abandon their eager
resolves to throw in their lot with
the progressive movement.
This same fear, reinforced by the
fact that the republican and demo
cratic machines remain in the field
with ample money at their disposal
is now crushing out the last hope Of
progressive republicans and democrats
that their leaders will create a new
clean" party.
The Federated Press has questioned
spokesman of every element in the
progressive movement in the national
capital since the election, except SEN
ator LaFollette, who has been in wis
consin.
1t finds that the railroad labor
chiefs believe that they must con-
tinue to appeal to republican and
democratic voters and to the persons
whom these voters elect to federal Of
fees, and that instead Of creating an
Independent party they should build
up the conference for progressive DO
litical action for the purpose Of nom
mating their friends on the tickets of
the two old parties. The central idea
OF the non-partisan league appeals to
them as being more practical than the
idea of trying at this time to supplant
the democratic party. They saw
bluntly that they are going to play
safe"
Always Opposed "New Party"
There has never been any question
as to the hostility of the officers of
the American Federation Of Labor to
new party. They ventured in the
recent campaign to denounce the two
old parties as being in the hands
OF the enemies Of the people, but they
did not declare that the time for
launching new party was at hand
The Ell Paso convention is scheduled
10 declare for the old policy of non.
partisan action. Between the q.
Z. A. and the A. F. of L. strategy is
this diference-that the c. P. p. A.
proposes to establish organizations in
the congressional districts to pick ont
far In advance, the best men TO be
nominated and elected on one or the
other OF the old party tickets.
The A. f. Of L. has seldom taken an
effective part in primary campaigns
but has waited until too late to secure
the best representation of labor IN
congress.
Senator Borah, who with Senator
Couzens and Senator Hiram johnson
VIII hold a balance of power in the
new senate, has declared against anv
attempt to put Senator LaFoIlette out
OF the republican fold. The democrats
have intimated to Senator Wheeler
tnat they are ready to welcome him
back and to make their program pro.
gressive enough to attract his SIM.
port. Unless LaFollette shall decide
70 raise the standard of revolt. alone
q ms party group, the progressive
republican and democratic elements l
are likely soon to sink back into tbe.
party ranks from whence they came.
This will leave the socialists ana
the thin framework Of the farmer.
labor party as the reliable elements
upon which new party maybe based
The farmer-labor group is so nearly
AKIN 70 the socialists in its political
philosophy that its absorption bv the
socialist party is by no means Inn.
possible.
Tries to stralshten Socialists.
The socialists who appear ganar.,,.f
disappointed and impatient with ,hI
results OF the 1924 alliance, will % ~
tne 9. P. p. A. convention in Janud -,
with but one program-the extensIon
OF socialist teaching. II the q n p
A. rejects the essentials Of socialism
Inen the socialists will stand on their
own feet and resume the work Of
straight propaganda for the socIaliza-
ton OF the industries.
Railroad labor. the keystone in Tho
arch on which the new party was 70
rest, mas not fitted in with the 40.
ciaiists. II prefers to disturb the n.
Cd