The daily worker., 1925-08-29

OF farming elements over the elements
from the industrial centers. That was
one feature. The second feature was
that nearly everybody in the conven-
tion, with the exception Of our own
delegates was IN favor OF LaFollette
being the presidential nominee. And
when we came there and established
for ourselves these main facts, we
realized that there is hardly o chance
to fulfill or reach our main objective
And during the convention (the whole
Central Executive Committee was In
st. Paul. a meeting of our committee
was held and this question was raised
by Comrade Foster.
rs there any use of our continuing
4 with this convention? Would it not
be better perhaps to right here real
ize that we cannot form this farmer
labor party, that the basis is not
here, that the forces outside this
convention are so strong and powerful
against the realization of our PROPOSE
ton that it cannot be realized? The
proposition was that we establish this
fact right there and do not proceed on
the basis that we can form such
united front. But the majority of the
committee, and by the way, on this
proposition the factional lineup broke
up completely, the majority of the
committee, which included comrades
from the majority and the minority,
decided that If eventually we must
give up the idea of forming united
front for the elections, this should
not be done at the convention. This
should be postponed until after the
convention and particularly after the
July 4th conference of the c. P. P. A.
will not go into detail as to the
arguments. The fact of the matter
is that the Central Executive Commit
tee decided to go thru with the con-
vention and watch developments fur
ther. But when the July 4th conven-
ton was over and our delegates came
back from there to report to the Gen.
trail Executive Committee, 1t then be-
came clear, at least to some of us,
that the Workers Party might be COM
PEELED to enter the election campaign
under its own banner on its own pro-
gram and with its own candidates.
And that, comrades, was the decision
of the Central Executive Committee
it was neary unanimous, l think, two
or three comrades voting against it.
Why did the Central Executive Com
mittee make the decision. 1t made
the decision for: two reasons. One
reason was that inasmuch as the for
nation of labor party, or its continu-
ance is justified only II 1t is a real
united front between our party and
wider masses of workers, and mas
much as this primary condition for a
united front was lacking, therefore
there is NO reason why we should pre-
tend that we have a farmer-labor
party, there is no reason why we
should pretend that we do have a
united front and base our policies on
wrong basis.
THE Central Executive Committee
4 was determined not to fool itself
and not to fool the workers. When
we realize that the objective condi-
uons being stronger than our party
defeated our main objective, we drew
the only possible conclusion, and the
conclusion was that our party WIN
take the field In the elections as the
Workers Party. on its own program
and with its own candidates. The
Communist International found that
this decision was correct. 1t found
that that was the only possible decis-
ion to make under the conditions as
they existed then.
Now, comrades, as to the election
campaign. You are already familiar
with how we carried on the campaign,
and what 1t resulted in. Some COM
rades Of the minority, think the min
ority as a group, have found it pos
sible months after the election cam
paign tn hrino fo,.ruard a r,,r,hn- -