The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-14

OO,VVO NOIS6 lOI llo CduuludlC
for governor.
Oklahoma City, among other things,
houses the Oklahoma Leader, So
called cooperative printing institution
organized and dominated by Oscar
Ameringer, John Hagel and Dan Ho-
gan, former leaders of the right wing
of the Socialist Party, who, when the
split came, went into real practical
politics." and with their paper, 1.-THE
Leader" backed and helped to or
lganiEe the Farmer-Labor Reconstruc-
| ton League with its non-partisan poll
cy and its candidate for Governor,
Jack Walton. Like all groups having
for its goal-immediate political spells
to be gained by the worst kind of OPP
portunism, this group is now at dag
gers drawn. And the Leader crowd
are looking for new place to light.
In the heart of this welter of poll
teal confusion, treachery and shake
down." met a convention of exploited
farmers and industrial workers, less
than one hundred in all, mostly farm
ers, ostensibly to form Farmer-Labor
Party. It had been called by COM
mittee organized largely thru the in
strumentality of ]. e. Snyder and D.
Cobb, both of whom had been active
in former years in the left wing of the
state Socialist Party. The call reads
for a State Farmer-Labor Party in sup
port of the June II convention at st.
Paul.
Hold Sessions In Church.
The convention went into session on
Friday morning in the Auditorium of
the Baptist Church, the pastor of
which pronounced the benediction. ].
w. Houchin, temporary chairman of
the committee that called the conven-
ton, announced he was very sorry
that the Mayor was too busy to adj
dress the convention.
1t was plain from the outset that
Dan Hogan, Ernest r. Chamberlain
and George Wilson, all of whom are
commonly referred to as the Leader
bunch" were in complete control of
the convention. Following the opening
Of the convention George Wilson de-
I livered an Grafton typical of democrat
ic Fourth of July gatherings. He is,
or was until recently, progressive
democrat. And his fulsome praise of
La Toilette appeared incongruous
alongside of his glorification of James
Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
Temporary chairman Houchin, in
his keynote speech said: "There was
no motive behind the Third Party or
ganization but to allow us to cast our
suffrage untrammelled." And that
"the main purpose was to perfect an
organization to put Bob La Toilette in
the White House"
A credentials committee was ap-
pointed by Houchin and its minute ex-
animation of all credentials caused
much delay, and impotence of dele
gates at the loss of time that was ex-
hibited. The committee finally report
ed at the afternoon session and it de-
veIoped that their report refused to
recommend seating j. F.. Snyder, "Be-
cause he was not resident of Oklaho-
ma" This caused an uproar and charg-
es Of Communism" and Moscow"
were hurled thick and fast. The tenn
porary chairman Houchin refused to
entertain an amendment to the report
Of the committee, that Snyder be
seated" and rammed thru in true
steamroller style the report Of the
committee.
Says Hogan Looks Like Cop.
The dullness of the afternoon ses-
sion was little enlivened by the cleo
ton of Dan Hogan, editor of the Lead
er, as permanent chairman. Hogan
looks like a disappointed policeman.
He unwound himself of long perora-
ton which he said, was an explanation
of TIE platform Of La Toilette. He con-
cluded with the striking statement
that: I'VE must strip capitalism of
it's power and give the right of ex.
preston TO the people" In what man
ner this was to be accomplished he
did not indicate or say, except to
vaguely hint that something could be
accomplished by making La Toilette
President.
Immediately following the adjourn
ment of the evening session, learn
ed why the Leader crowd gave me
such black looks as / sat in the con-
vention. On seeing the front page Of
the newspapers, learned that one
Joseph Manley, high in national Com
munist circles, was closely watching
the convention" This news travelled
fast and / at once became a center Of
both fear and curiosity. even on the
streets.
The night session threatened to be
tame and perfunctory affair. But
the report Of Ernest Chamberlain, an
other editor Of the Leader, as chair
man Of the policy committee spilled
the beans. His proposal on policy
carried a clause that provided for al
lowing Of "the endorsement Of other
party candidates wherever II would be
benefit" AS this proposition OF non