The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-09

declarations of labor and various agri-
cultural and political organizations, a
motion for independent political ac-
ton by the agricultural and industrial
workers thru party of their own"
was defeated by vote of only So to
81. According to figures published in
the Labor Herald, almost twenty
state declarations of labor endorsed a
labor party in 1923, in addition to
hundreds of local and national unions
In 1924 the farmer-labor majority
in the lower house of the legislature
of North Dakota, was increased from
one to eleven. New Republic, Nov
rs, 1924. Ayres received over $4,000
votes for United States senator on a
farmer-labor ticket, and Putnam re-
ceived 20,S76 for governor. Two years
ago the vote for the farmer-labor can
didate for governor of Minnesota was
295,479 as compared with 309,75S for
the republican candidate. In the re-
cent election the farmer-labor candi-
date polled 365,000 votes as compared
with 100000 for the republican candi-
date. AS farmer-labor candidate for
the U. S. senate, Magnus Johnson re-
ceived about 375,0O0 votes against
$4,000 for Schall, his opponent. True
the Minnesota party is part of the
LaFollette movement, which we must
severely criticize as such and demand
real labor party, nevertheless the
results indicate that the farmer-labor
party slogan still retains it's popu-
Iarity.
In Denver the farmer-labor vote for
LaFollette was 4,951 in spite of the
fact that there was separate LaFol-
lette-Wheeler ticket.
In Montana an energetic campaign
was waged by the farmer-labor party.
These facts and figures show that
the farmer-labor party movement is
not mere bubble, which has for
some unexplicable reason appeared
and suddenly disappeared from the
political horizon, but rather that it is
movement which has years of
thoro-going organization behind It and
that its roots are sunk deep in the
economic struggle of the industrial
and agricultural workers.
LaFolIette Movement and F. L. p.
1t is true that the LaFollette wave
has for the time being engulfed it.
Can such movement, however, be
swallowed for long by the present
nondescript shadow of an organization
headed by LaFollette? Can this vague
vacillating, purely temporary alliance
Of conflicting elements hold the work
ers who have Enthusiastically expressed
their determination to have a real.
independent political party? Are eco
nomic conditions at this time for the
Capitalization of third middle class
party which can retain its hold on
the workers who desire class party?
Unless we are blind to facts we
must admit that the LaFollette hodge
podge will not be able to hold the
workers and farmers who, in the face
of increasing exploitation and oppres.
sion Ia prospect admitted by the ma
jority), will be forced to defend them
selves thru the aid of their own politi-
cal weapon, a labor party. Under
these circumstances let us examine
for moment what will be the prob
able results if we as active trade
unionists were to put the majority's
policy into effect. i. e., not to PRO
mitigate the slogan of 'farmer-labor
party at the present time" calling
upon the workers instead to Join the
Workers Party. The value of a slogan
can well be tested by its applicability
in the trade unions.
In Practice.
Under this policy the members of
the Workers Party will then have as
their major political task in the labor
movement flor political. propaganda
In the unions must be prime activity
there), to force the acceptance of the
complete program of the Workers
Party. In the most reactionary or
CARNATIONS, where workers only yes
terday were blindly following LaFol-
lette. Davis, yes. and even Coolidge,
you will ask the workers to come out
or the dictatorship of the proletariat
md to join the Workers Party. (See
statement on c. P. P. Al Those mill
ants who have been partially sympa-
-hetic with your work in the union,
but who are political still confused
will be squarely confronted with the
ssue to accept or reject the complete
program of the Workers Party. There
will be no other alternative. The re-
suit of such foolhardy policy can
only be to prejudice the very elements
whose support you can ultimately win
and to make it easy for the reaction
aries to expel you without a murmur
OK protest from your fellow workers.
IL is cardinal principle OF strategy
that you must not. expose your weak
ness to the enemy whom you are fight.
ing. When the issue of supporting