Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-07-11
LA TOILETTE
IN THE RACE
Selection Of Running Mate Left
to Committee
PLATFORM SILENT ON KlAs
Cleveland Convention Provides For
Organization OF New Party In
January--Adopts own
Platform.

Cleveland. - After indOrsing
Senator Robert NJ. La Toilette,
Of Wisconsin, as Presidential
candidate and providing for the
organization of a new political
party next January, the Confer
ence for Progressive Political
Action wound up its convention
here.
The conference empowered its Ra-
-tional committee to select a Vice
Presidential candidate after confer
ence with the La Toilette for Presi-
dent Committee"
La Toilette was indorsed as a can
didate on his own platform.
The convention then adopted for it.
self platform embodying the ideas
contained In the Wisconsin document
and in the statement Of principles
issued at the st. Louis session Of the
conference last February.
The final day of the gathering
worked out strictly according to plans
Of the leaders and without appreciable
opposition. But. just before adjourn.
ment some OF the delegates, dazed by
the rapidity of events, had to be as
eured by the chair that La Toilette
sctually had been nominated" and
| that definite provision had been made
for the new party.
The confusion arose from the fact
that the report Of the committee on or
ganization recommended this action
and that no separate motion Of in
dorsement was offered. The report
Itself was adopted without a dissent
ing vote, but the significance of this
action did not dawn on either dele,
gates or galleries. and there was a
total absence of demonstration.
Repeatedly the name La Toilette"
was the signal for an outburst Of
cheering and applause. Yet the cul-
mination of the conventions work
coming in the form OF committee
recommendation, did not draw even
a pattering Of handclapping.
All elements in the convention were
intent on showing they were back Of
La FolIettes candidacy After losing
a fight before the organization com
mittee for immediate formation Of a
new party. the Socialists, led by Nor
ris Hillquit, Of New York, were the
first to second the Endorsement report,
The Farmer-Labor party elements
who backed Perley Christensen in the
1920 campaign and who also had
urged the 'third-party idea" then raj
lied to the support Of La Toilette as
an independent.
Speaking for the women of the con-
vention, Mrs Harriet stanton Blatch.
daughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
pre-ciyil War suffrage advocate, urged
all members of her sex to work for
the election Of the Wisconsin Senator.
The railroad brotherhoods and other
trades-union delegates spoke through
the chairman of the committee. e. J.
Manion. president Of the Railway
Telegraphers. and reinforced his word
with mighty AYE" when the report
was adopted.
No sooner was the convention ended
than the National Committee and the
State delegation groups gathered to
plan for the campaign The convention
decided to rely upon popular subscrip
tion for its campaign fund
BY the organization committee re
port, the National Committee Of the
conference was continued in office, di
rected to enlarge its membership to
at least so and empowered to act as a
campaign committee.
The committee was definitely in
structed to meet and organize for the
campaign on July is, and on Noyem
Der 20. to issue a call for the January
new party convention.
"The object of this convention" said
the report, shall be to consider and
pass upon the question Of forming q
permanent Independent political party
for national and local elections upon
the basis of the general principle lait
down in the platform adopted by this
convention and for the transaction Of
such other business as may come be
fore the convention"
The platform approved was in ac
cord with the expressed views of Sen
ator La Toilette on the political situa
ton. The initial plank pledged "uss
of the power of the Federal Govern
ment to crush private monopoly. moi
to foster IT," Another sharply eriti
cized the foreign policy under recenl
administrations.
There was no specific reference e
prohibition or the Ku Kiux Klan
There was plank, however, for "un
qualified enforcement of the constitu
tional guarantees OF freedom o.
speech, press and assemblage."
| Just at the close Of the convention
the organization slapped the Com
| rnunista again bv refusfnor IN enfartair