The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-10-15
International Labor Unions
Excluded From LaFollette
Convention All Except
Own Followers.
RADICALS IN POWER
BAN SOIL TILLERS
Blacklist Includes Their De-
tenders in Congress.


The public, and particularly the farm.
-, had no voice whatever in his SO
enlled nomination. There has existed
hr over three years an organization
krOTn as the Conference for Progress
h7e Political Action, composed of 16
~ 10 national and international labor
-.a, the majority of them railway
hbor organizations.
re officers Of this Conference for
Progressive Political Action are on
Ehe whole the national and information
n officers Of the labor organizations
composing the conference. The chair
non or president Of this conference
b William Johnston. president of the
International Machinists' union. and
enc director Of the railroad strike in
t922. Mr. Johnston was recently can
sidate for governor of Rhode Island
OF TIC Socialist ticket. The headquar-
9prS Of this conference is in the Ma
PhIn.stS' building, Washington. D. c.,
> huilding owned by the International
Aaciinists.
thus conference held It's annual
meeting in St. Louis in February, 1924.
adopted a platform, pledged itself to
launch a third party, and adjourned
30 meet in Cleveland July I for that
purpose. The convention in Cleveland
o. JJly 4 was therefore nothing but
ibe adjourned meeting Of the Confer
sDce for Progressive Political Action.
The delegates TO the Cleveland cOnven-
zion were merely delegates from the
labor organizations comprising the
Conference for Progressive Political
Action. plus a few scattering dele
Eates from the Socialist party and a
few radical organizations such as the
league for Industrial Democracy. The
Conference for Progressive Political
Attan established Its own rules re-
garGing whom it would admit as dele
gates and these rules were so framed
shat no One not in hearty accord with
She views Of the labor organizations
comprising the conference was admit
ed. Out OF approximately 1000 del
Sgatos, less than p were farmers or
representatives. Of alleged farmer or
CARNATIONS.
The officers Of the Conference for
Political Action were the officers Of
ne convention. William Johnston, So
elaliSt leader, was the temporary and
also the permanent chairman. After
organizing the convention, a resolution
was drawn up and sent to Senator La
Toilette asking him to lead In q fight
for a third party. Not a single farmer
er representative of a bona fde farm
Or organization signed this petition.
The sO-Called platform adopted at
mis- convention offers absolutely moth
mg to the farmer. 1t consisted prac-
tically altogether Of q recital of the
alleged grievances OF organized labor
and 4 demand for the enactment of
their legislative program. Not a farm
pr was q member Of any of the com
mittCeS OF this convention, neither the
committee on resolutions nor Creden-
halls, nor organization, nor nomina-
lions. The chairman Of each OF these
committees was an official Of some in
t%ernatiOnal labor organization. The
personnel OF these committees were
either officials high in international
ra!iw2y labor organizations or officials
nigh In the Socialist party, and other
udical organizations.
The convention went on record in
Seualf Of the candidacy Of LaFollette.
LaFollette was officially notified Of his
nomination by a committee appointed
by Samuel GOmpers Of the American
Federation Of Labor and no member OF
his committee was a farmer. LaFOl
lette acknowledged his nomination In
III form of u letter addressed not Ia
the people of the United States OF
She farmers OF the United States, but
20 the American Federation of Labor
The campaign committee handling
She Wheeler movement j.,
ne National Committee of the Con
ference for Progressive Political Ac
llOn. plus a number Of Socialists. TIL,
addition OF Socialists to this commit
see was demanded by the SocialisI
party rs the price OF their support al
she ticket. This demand was mad,
Rt a meeting of the committee held il
Washington July 81, at which time
representatives Of the Socialist party
were present n insisted that thel
Be given 10 per cent of the commit
zee. Their demand was granted
There Is an executive committee Of II
handling the inside stuff Of the La
FolIette-Wheeler campaign. No farm
er is on this committee. The cam
paign headquarters Of the LaFollette
Wheeler movement Is 4OS M~achlnists
building, Washington, ID. c.
The Conference for Progressive Pc
Htical Action issues a weekly publica
tirn known as Labor. The farme
mas no part In It. 1t is managed ant
edited wholly by representatives o
labor organizations. II Is their on