The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-07-25
BLACK REACTION
WINS VICTORY IN
MINI. F. OF L.
LaFollette Forces Knife
Farmer-Labor Party
Especial to The DAILY WoRKER)

FARIBAULT, Mimi, July PA
vicious assault against the Farmer
Labor movement was successful in the
State Federation of Labor convention,
in session here, coming from the most
reactionary elements in the labor
movement and acting with the assist
ance of the La Toilette forces.
The predictions of the Communists
that La Toilette, if allowed to run
independently" would destroy the or
ganized political movement Of the
workers and farmers, was justified in
every detail.
Each session of the convention has
been featured by a struggle between
the reactionaries, on the one hand,
and the left-wing on the other. The
reactionary forces are led by Frank
Starkey, of st. Paul, and Jean Spiel
man, of Minneapolis, ably assisted by
President Hall and Secretary Lawson
of the Federation The left wing is
| led by the Communists.
Fight Progressive Measures
The reactionary elements are bent
upon destroying all of the progressive
measures that have been established
in previous conventions. To this gath
ering they have brought not single
constructive measure.
The Communists, on the contrary,
have waged a clear-cut fight for mea-
sures that would strengthen the work
ing class of Minnesota in their strug-
gle against organized capital. Resolu-
tions were offered demanding the i'm
mediate launching of an organizing
campaign, demanding relief for the I'M
employed, equal wages for women
workers and their organization into
the labor movement, equal rights for
colored workers, the amalgamation of
the craft unions into industrial unions,
and, finally, resolution in opposition
to American imperialism and against
capitalist wars.
Reactionaries Follow Usual Tactics
The reactionaries have followed the
usual tactics of the betrayers of labor.
Instead of fighting against these
measures openly upon the floor of the
convention, they have referred them
to interim committees, and to the Elk
ecutive Committee, in order to knife
them quietly while no one is looking
on, while they hide their reactionary
faces as much as possible in the open.
A resolution, supposedly for the pur-
pose of endorsing the candidacy of
Senator La Toilette, was introduced by
| ri Errf tn ~.
resolution placed the convention on
record as opposed to independent
working-class political action, and en-
dorsed the non-partisan policy of
Gompers.
Communist Put. Up Fight
A bitter fight against the resolution
was made by the Communist delegates.
Emme, Hathaway, Johnson, Miner,
Frank and others, fought for a real
working-class political movement.
Delegates Virgins, of Minneapolis,
and others in the convention, tried to
amend the resolution so that they
could vote for La Toilette without re-
pudiating the Farmer-Labor movement.
They failed in this effort and then,
like good boys, voted with the reaction
aries.
The names of Foster and Gitlow
were presented to the Convention as
substitutes for La Toilette and Vince
Ter. La Toilette and the reputation of
the Farmer-Labor movement were
finally endorsed by the convention, but
not before five Communist speakers
had an opportunity to set forth their
opposition to this rank betrayal of the
workers and farmers.
Victory for Black Reaction
Judged by the measures adopted the
convention was victory for the black.
set reaction. But this is only the i'm
mediate result Actually it was VIC
tory for the left wing, because OF the
standing gained as the only construct
i've element in the convention. The
rank and file have been brought closer
to the Workers Party because Of its
clean-cut stand for the basic interests
of the workers both in its political and
industrial program.