The Washington times., 1924-06-19
CONGRESS
!. RECORDS
CITED
Organizations Power Shown
In Recent Elections,
Official Declares

The conference for progressive
political action is a comparatively
new organization, and its COM
position, purposes and methods
are not yet clearly understood by
the general public. It is primari-
~ an organization Of the produc-
ing classes, the formers and
workingmen, who have become
convinced that financial control
is so powerful in the old parties
that their most effective method
of exerting political influence will
be through building up new or
ganization Of their own.
These groups have the support
and co-operation Of progressives
everywhere.
:, Composition Of Conference.
The conference is composed Of the
sixteen railroad brotherhoods, the
Farmers National Council, many
State declarations of labor, the Non
Partisan League, the Farmer. Labor
unions of Oklahoma and Texas, the
Earmer.Labor parties of several
States, the Progressive party, Of
Idaho, many oranges, Farmers
Equity societies, cooperative organi-
cations, and numerous other organi-
cations.
Working in close cooperation with
the conference are committees Of
women which have as their pur.
pose the linking together Of wom-
ems auxiliaries or the farm and
labor organizations Of women and
individual voters.
The conference began It's career
on Washington birthday, 1922, at
a meeting in Chicago attended by
q number Of men ana women prom
inent in the labor movement and in
farm organizations. It was decided
at that time to exercise strictly
non-partisan influence in the politi.
cal campaign Of 1922, and to start
early by naming in the primaries
candidates who were pledged to the
peoples interests.
Congress Watched.
It was also decided to open a
campaign against the voting Of
straight party tickets.
The conference was well informed
as to the records Of the members
OF Congress, particularly those who
were candidates for reelection. IT
determined to eliminate from public
life wherever 1t was possible such
Senators and congressman as had
espoused class legislation directed
Against labor and farDnapo
"In every state and congressional
district" said an official Of the con.
erence today" where it was possible
to educate the people to their in.
terests the influence Of this new
organization was exerted. The re-
suits were Unexpectedly successful.
There was tremendous oyerturn
In Senate and House alike.
Such conspicuous Senate reac-
tionaries as Poindexter, ,McCumber,
Kellogg, Myers, Townsend, Pomer-
enc, Sutherland, New, Frelinghuy-
sen, Calder and DUPONT were elm
mated, and the equally reactionary
aspirants for the Senate in several
states--notably Mondell and Bever-
idge-were defeated
In their places there came to the
Senate such public-spirited and pro.
gressive men as Dill. Brookhart,
Shpstead. Wheeler, Frazier, Ferris,
Ralston, Howell, Copeland, Ed
wards and others. In addition a
number Of Senators who had made
satisfactory records - conspicuous
among them La Toilette, Ashurst,
and Reed of Missouri, were reflect.
cd. Henry Cabot Lodge very
narrowly escaped defeat, and would
probably have been defeated except
that the candidate who opposed him
offered little in the way Of choice.
OvertuFn In House.
I'm the House Of Representatives
1877 new members were elected
ninety-three undesirables were de
feated and thirteen saw the hand
writing on the wall and Quit, amons
the latter being Phil Campbell
whose record was about as un
satisfactory to the producing class
as it could have been. Later. at q
special election, Mangus johnson
was triumphantly elected to the
United States Senate over the re
dictionary Republican candidate
Preus.
During the past session OF
g Congress these new members ot
Senate and House have shown ur
an almost unbelievable mass 81
corruption for which the Republi
allI-u1S'