The daily worker., 1925-08-29


presidential elections was compelled
to refuse to continue along these lines
which resulted in the June II con-
vention in St. Paul
Now comrades, it is very import
ant for the party to know that dur
ing the months of January to May,
1924, when our party was preparing
and building the June IL convention,
there were very serious difficulties OF
opinion within the Central Executive
Committee on the methods and tao
tics to be pusued in preparing the
June II convention.
Those of you who think that the
Central Executive Committee in those
months was united on this question
will be greatly surprised to learn that
the meetings of the C. E. C. In those
months were far from being peaco-
ful on the question of how shall we
prepare for this convention. The
basic tactical principle that the ma
jority of the Central Executive Com
mittee was insisting upon during
those months was that we do not
repeat again the mistake Of July 8:
that we do not go to the St. Paul
convention with the same tactics that
we brought with US in the convention
Of July 8; that we take all necessary
measures to prevent splits on issues
md bases as compelled them in July
3.
TiHE first question as l remember.
question of Importance, that
arose in connection with the June
u convention, was its date, There,
was very serious disagreement be-
cause our party, the Workers Party.
and our allies of the farmer labor
parties in the northwest, particularly
he leaders Of the Minnesota farmer
!abor party. Differences of opinion on
policy and tactics and objective. And
Il one period in the DEVELOPMENT of
our work, the question arose as to
rostponing the convention until after
me July convention of the C. P,
= A, Our opponents, the so-called
progressives in the farmer labor move-
ment, were very much determined to
make this convention postponed and
he question was, can our party com.
promise on this point? So our party
made efforts to come to an agreement
With these so-called progressiyeH AN
other question that created in the
Central Executive COMMITTEES very
heated and serious debate was under
what conditions our party would de-
mand the immediate formation of a
farmer labor party. And again we saw
IN the Central Executive Committee
two main tendencies. One was that tha
main task of the Workers Party in
the labor party policy is to create a
farmer labor party and to seize lead
srship, irrespective Of whether the
party created is a mass party with
mass support or is only our own marty
and a little group Of sympathizinp or
ganizations. The other tendency in
1t was that in our labor party policy
our main objective is to get a mass
party, And there is no use to be inn.
patient about 1t. A labor party which
does not bring us into contact with
large masses, does not really satisfy
our main objective in the policy. It
Is true and 1t must be said now, that
while we were fighting in the Cen
tral Executive Committee between
Januray and May, 1924, on these ques-
tions, some comrades of the minority
one or two. Comrade Ruthenberg, one
of them were at times taking the Do
sition OF the majority. agreeing with
them on the tactics to be pursued in
connection with the convention. But
this. comrades. is not an important
thing. OF at least not the most i'm
portant. The most important thing
Is that during these months the strug-
gle between the majority and minor
ity was along this central line, 1. Q.
what kind of labor party we are go
Ing to fight for. This was the main
substance OF every political discus