The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-04-14
Labor in Illinois Must
Displace Chaos With
Unity in Ballot Struggle
BY J. LOUIS ENoDAHL.

ILLINOIS labor goes to the polls today. Stress is put
Labor" because if the workers didn't cast their votes,
cas opened them in the evening begin the count The
capitalists and their middle class allies cast small percent
age Of the ballot total on election day;
Yet abors strength political factor is squandered
the Winds There has never been greater political chaos
in Illinois in the ranks of the working class.
Instead of having labor party Of its own rally all
workers thru drawing them away from both the capitalist
parties working is being cajoed by its reactionay
ocadom the republican ticket here the democratic
ticket there or to scratch his ballot here there and every
date who is supposed by freak stunt Of the imagination
to be his friend"
John Fitzpatrick and Edward N. Nockes president and
secretary of the Chicago Federation of Labor who naugur
ated the drive Of the farmer-abor movement in 1912 are
pretty much of the picture this week. The Chicago Fed
GRAFTON of Labor politically STERILE has no definite position
It the victim of all the cashing old party elements wthin
Its official organ, the Federation News is being used to
boost the Cook County Wage Farmers League that back
ing the bipartisan deal between some
of the corrupt and labohang elements in the CITY,
Fitzpatrick and Nockels thus give laid and comfort to the
Open shop regime in the states attorneys office that has
sent its back hundreds with orders raid and arrest against
host of Chicago labor unions.
Margaret Haley, formerly active political leader in
the Chicago Federation OF Labor denounces the CroweBa
outfit the republican sde She is equally vndicve
against the Brennan crowd But she now supports among
Others the Deneen gang against whom she previously hueo
all the vtrio of tongue pen of which she capable
This is Miss HaIeys disastrous political method OF lighting
for the teachers She allowed herself to be drawn
into the farmer-abor movement.
While Miss Haley confines her attentions to Cook
County, at present. refusing confuse her local fight with
national politics. the Wage Farmers League sup
ports the anMcKiney candidate Frank l. Smith, Tor the
United States senate.
Yet the powerful Street Garments Union which has
practically 100 per cent organization on the Chicago sur
face and elevated nes officially goes record against
Frank l. Smith, denounces him bitterly abors enemy and
hires huge blocks space the capitalist press to bazon
its charges before other workers. These divisions are re-
Elected turnout the whole oiciadom of organized labor
may truthfuy be said that practically all the old party
candidates. both the democratic and republican tckets
can put up of claim to abor support in Tuesdays
primaries This that abors vote will be spIntered
into as many pieces there old party office seekers
means that Iabors will be completely neutrazed by
labor ITSELF which permits the continued division and dIsspa
ton of its political strength 1t that the capitalist
enemy laughs its candidates march into political
office while labor is minus any representation at ALL
Half dozen "abor leaders" paraded before senate in
vestgang committee last week to give their views on the
LIQUOR problem "BI" Roberts, ex-eporter for Hearst but
now professional lobbyist in the pay of the Green regime
in American Federation of Labor appearing as SUBSTITUTE
for Green claimed speak in the of 100000 organ
lied workers. This claim made by labor officials so often
that it has been worn shoddy and threadoare
No one can claim to speak for labor politically until
abors political strength organized and then labor will be
able TO speak for itself The workers must organize their
labor party to present united labor front to the parties OF
the bosses The disgust that will inevitably follow this
weeks primary election must drive masses OF workers INTO
independent political action under working class standards
That the only victory that workers in Illinois and Chicago
can win in this weeks ballotting.