The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-14
Fighting Leaders of June 18th

The st. Paul Farmer-Labor conven-
ton, which opens June II, will be re-
markable in many respects. Perhaps
its most outstanding feature will be
the number of workers and grass
roots" farmers representatives who
possess in pronounced degree, the var
ious qualities necessary to leadership.
Some of these-the men and wo-
men who have built the Farmer-Labor
movement, who have made it articu-
late, who have given it political di.
rection and furnished the general
leadership that will eliminate in the
formation of great class party of
workers and farmers-are of more
than passing interest. Because those
leaders will be intrusted with this
great task they may have to brave
the jails and penitentiaries in these
last desperate days Of American CAPT
talism.
Upheaval From The SubsolI.
The coming convention is an up
heaval from the very subsoil Of the
American farmers and industrial
workers. The more prominent figures
in the convention have gained their
standing by their sctual everyday
struggle as a part of the worker mass
es in which they themselves func-
ton. Speakers and writer's whose
words TEEN with knowledge of the
stark misery of the oppressed work
ers, will be in evidence in this con-
vention.
Most of these men and women need
no introduction in the country that
lies east Of the Mississippi and north
of the Ohio river. But all sections
of the country will be represented in
the st. Paul gathering and it is ap
propriate that mention be made Of q
few of these outstanding figures
Many others, with whom we are moi
yet so we'll acquainted, will be pres
ent who will have their part in max
ing this gathering great historic
event.
Tom Ayres, Cattle Puneher.
Among the foremost figures will be
Tom Ayres, from South Dakota, the
domain of the Last Great West,
where cowboys still wear theil
chaps" and ride the range" as they
did all over the west in the sos. Ayres
is one of the last of the old cattle
ranchers. He has led an adventurous
career on the plains and in the Black
Hills of South Dakota, his native
state. Always close to the pioneer
farmer who battled both the wild
country and the fast encroaching sys
tenn of capitalist exploitation, he was
at one time secretary of the first Pop
ulist Governor of South Dakota.
Ayres, the old time Pop" aftel
many years of service-some of which
were given to the old Non-partisar
Leagues today a confirmed Farmer
Laborite. Ayres has not alone studied
the farmer at the "grassroots," but he
has read extensively and writer
much. In 1921, he wrote: oval
Street is the Government of thu
United States. The Offices of thu
Government are not at Washington
/ They are at II Wall Street"
Tom Ayres is the candidate fol
United States senator on the tickle
of the Farmer-Labor party of Soutl
Dakota. And he is less anxious to b
elected to that office than he is Il
build a permanent organization tina
will serve the workers interests.
Alice Lorraine Daily.
Alice Lorraine DAILY, born on a Min
nesota farm, another prominent leader
lives at Mitchell, South Dakota. Sh'
was a high school teacher in Soutl
Dakota in the days of the war hys
terra, and lost her job for refusing t
line up with the old party politicians
Miss DAILY is a graduate of the Boston
school OF oratory, and on many occa
sions has used her oratorical power
quite effectively to "clean up" OF
some of the takers who attacked he
leadership. In 1922 Miss DAILY was |
candidate for governor of South Da
kota. She went thru with a killing
campaign, travelling hundreds of mile
in the battered Fords OF the poo
farmers, on the hot plains, swept b.
swarms of mosquitoes, flies and othe
pests. She spoke to thousands o
meetings, rolled up $4,000 votes ant
was beaten by only a narrow margin
dad" Walker.
Then there will be r. III. dad
Walker, from North Dakota. ono o
tho "old-timers" OF the Non-partisal
league In that state. He II Is VIII,
said that there are three kinds o
farmers: "The tired farmer; the re
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