The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-04

the political fire of our opponents,
the Workers Party found 1t necessary
twice to change its tactics. This was
no easy matter And the fact that
our party succeeded in carrying out
these quick and sudden changes, in o
disciplined and organized way, is
proof that we are well on the road to
become real Leninst party.
What were these changes? You
win recall, comrades, that at the time
of the third party convention (Janu-
airy, 1924 we were in the midst OF
what designate as our northwest
ern orientiation." We were then pre-
pairing the ground. politically, and or
ganizationally, for a new national
farmer.labor center, which resulted
later in the formation Of the organizta-
ton committee for the st. Paul Con
vention. The proposition of the third
party alliance was a result of this orr
entation on the agrarian northwest
and basic part of our general STRAIT
egg pursued in those days. 1t is now
clear that had 1t been known to the
farmer-labor parties Of the northwest
that the Workers Party will eventully
be compelled to fight the LaFollette
candidacy even after he was nominal
ed, we would have never succeeded In
bringing to life the organization
committee for the St. Paul Conven
ton.
The third party alliance was i'm
piled in every move we made between
August, 1923, and May, 1924. Attic
the matter was referred in January tC
the G. /. for advice and remained pend
ing until May, the c. e. G. continued
TO base it's everyday tactics on the pol
icy of a third party alliance. And II
could not have been otherwise. Events
were moving. The c. E. c. had tC
act almost daily. And to act meant
to apply policy, a policy which the @
E. c. believed in, which was the policy
of third party alliance.
Then came the change. 1t was II
May. First came LaFollette's attack
on the June 18th Convention, and
then the advice of the G. I. A quicl
change in tactics was necessary. W.
were compelled to change positions
under the enemies fire, the worst sit
uation imaginable.
1 maintain, comrades, that under thS
leadership Of the G. E. c. the part,
executed the maneuver in a most sat
isfactory manner. We retained the in
; itiative and continued on the offensive
against the gLaFollette movement
until this very day. It was critica
, situation such as our party has hardl.
ever experienced before. But W
passed over it, in good trim and OF
) derly formation and thus reached tn
Convention Of June 18th.
When we got there, we alread.
, knew that the bulk Of the farmer-la
Dor movement in the northwest wa
{ with LaFollette and wanted him to b
its standard bearer in the elections
We struggled against it. We sue
ceeded, without compromising any
thing of Importance, in preventing al
open split. But the tide outside o.
the convention was going against US
The then existing farmer-labor move
lment, enormously considered b.
some of us a class movement. differ
emit in theology from the LaFollettt
movement, was already crying for La
Toilette. On July 4 he made known
his decision to run as an Independent
candidate and thereby assumed
charge over the farmer-labor move
ment.
Again a new situation calling FOL
new tactics. Quick action was neces
sary, because the arrangements per
/ fected at the June 18th convention
Committee and Candidates) were los
ing their foundation and were goinl
to pieces. On July s, the @. u. G
! came to a decision. 1t withdrew iii
support from Macdonald and Boucl
and nominated it's own candidates.
Another quich change in tactics
! forced upon us by change in thu