The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1925-03-06

sion convened to organize the new
party, the alignment was clear.
There were two distinct forces at
work. The socialist party fighting
for its skin in Hillquit's demand for
an American labor party, and the
progressives trying to launch a lib
eral movement to pick up the loose
political ends of the LaFolette cam
paign
Then the Fun Began.
The "progressives" fired the first
gun. They submitted a resolution
favoring a national progressive poll
teal party based on Individual mem
berships. The socialists re-introduc-
ed Hillquits proposal for a labor par
ty. Then the fun began. First a
socialist speaker would arise and
boast Of the good behavior of the S.
P. in the LaFollette campaign and
say that the socialist party had no
intention of capturing he convention
for socialism.
Then a progressive would get I'D
and say that he would have nothing
to do with a party anything like the
socialist party. And so it went.
Hillquit was asked a direct ques-
ton by one of the delegates as to
the willingness of the socialist party
to lose its identity in the new party.
Hillquit smiled and said the social
ist party lost its political identity
three years ago and that it wishes to
continue merely as an educational
medium.
The "progressives" were plain
spoken, McKaig Of Idaho said, 1.-THE
socialists have got to forget their
party if they want progressive par
ty. The moment you stick this class
conscious stuff over, you lose Idaho.
Delegate tombstone, a doctor of di-
vinity from Maryland, charged the
convention with organizing a move
ment away from LaF'ollette and pre-
dicted its downfall.
The further the debate advanced,
the more complicated matters became.
tombstone was in a quandary. AS
chairman, he very seldom knew what
was before the house. AS a matter
of fact, nothing was. Motions were
made, seconded and forgotten only tc
be succeeded by other motions. No
| IGllGl was III olBllJs II Wdo man.
proposed that a committee be APP
pointed to bring in a report on the
character of the future party.
Submit Two Reports.
Two reports were brought in Sun
day morning, after Johnston, presum
ably suffering from the effects of Z
lery bad night, had thrown another
pail Of cold water in his opening adj
dress.
One, the majority report, submit
ted by Hayes of New York, reiterat eC
the progressive demand for a party
based on individual memberships anC
geographical lines with the compro
mise that the executive committee C,
the new party could use its discretion
in admitting labor groups. Georg,
Roewer, Jr., for the socialists, sub
mitted Hillquit's labor party propos
al as the minority report.
Debate Takes on Blue Tinge.
The fight began all over again
The same speakers arose and said thu
same things they had said the da!
before, but more briefly and discon
solately. Both sides seemed to sens
that an agreement would be reached
Hlllqult arose and made his las
stand. owe socialists have beer
charged" he said, with moving to,
fast. It requires a lot of magma
ton to think that. We have beer
procrastinating for three years."
Praise for Communists
Mrs. Meserow, socialist delegat
from New York, was the only on
who made mention Of the Worker
(Communist) Party. She spoke o
the great mass meeting the w. 7
held in Madison Square Garden o.
the occasion Of Lenin's death. Sh
said the Communists know how t
organize. They are the real party o
the left. The socialist party was ia
to the right and very close to tn
progressives, for which reason she di
not see the necessity of the socialist
and progressives meeting on any bu
common ground.
A motion was finally made t
table the minority report, Hillquit'
resolution. The motion carried by
vote of SO to 60. The motion q
Hayes to organize a progressive pal
ty on state lines leaving the afilis