The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-05-04
SOCIALISTS IN
WRANGLE over
LEAGUE POLICY
Berger and HilIquit
Lead Opposing Forces
BY J. LOUIS ENGDAHL
(Edltor Of The DAILY WoRKRE).

Roof Garden, Chatham Hotel, Pitts
burgh, Pa, May 1-(5y MalD.-on
this international May Day, Morris
HllIqult, Of New York, International
secretary and recognized leader Of the
socialist party, sought to put the or
ganlzation on record in favor Of de-
handing that the United States gov
eminent join the league Of nations.
He failed. But it was only tenn
porary failure. When the convention
storm rose aaginst what even the So
cialist party, in 1919. condemned as
the black capitalist international"
Delegate James Oneal, also of New
York, acted as lightning rod and urged
that the convention take no action,
but that the matter be studied until
the next convention. This was later
formulated into a motion by Lena
Morrow Lewis, of California, and car
ried by the close vote of Is to Is.
Berger AssaiIs HiIIquit.
HilIquit and Congressman Victor L.
Berger led the opposing forces, with
Berger comparing the New York
lawyer to ''the intellectuals who left
us during the war, like Charles Ed
ward Russell and John Spargo, to fol
low the live Woodrow Wilson to win
the world for democracy"
Berger charged that Hillquit was
now following the dead Woodrow Will
son to win the world for the league of
nations. But on the voting they both
ballotted to hold the matter in abey-
ance until the next convention, which
Hillquit pointed out will be two years
from now after the next world con-
gress Of the Second Socialist Inter
national. $3.50
"study" World Court.
Having pigeon-holed the question
of the league of nations, the conven-
ton dealt like treatment to the affili-
ated subject of the world court, while
the problem of theswa debts was re
ferred to the resolutions committee.
The convention adopted resolutions
OF sympathy with the Chinese work
ers, protesting against the use of
American gunboats against the Shang-
hal strikers; sent fraternal greetings
to the Gales government in Mexico,
protesting against the support given
by the United States government to
those who would exploit the Mexican
people; demanding the recognition of
the Union Of Soviet Republics and the
opening of trade relations with the
Workers Republic.
Bitter Battle Over "The League"
While all of these matters went
thru unanimously, 1t was an artificial
calm that settled down after the bit
ter battle over the league of nations.
While Berger denounced Hillquit with
attempting to ally himself with the
dead Wilson, other speakers charged
Berger with rubbing too close shout
ders with the Washington politicians
1t was charged that he had thus for
gotten his Marxism and his socialism.
The speakers evidently intended to
infer that in opposing the league of
nations, Berger was merely playing
the role of political opportunist, hav-
ing an eye to the recent primaries in
the neighboring state of Illinois,
where U. S. Senator William B. Nc
Kinley, one of the league senators,
was disastrously defeated by Frank
L. Smith, who took an anti-league po-
sition. Berger has half an eye on the
United States senatorship from Wis
consin, where the LaFollette organ
ization, that admittedly controls most
of the votes, is anti-league.
Box Propaganda.
The discussion, therefore, did not
get down to class basis, but, on the
HiIlquit side, might have been some
Of Edward Bok's propaganda, while
Berger used the arguments of Sena-
tors Borah and Jim" Reid.
Hillquit's parting fling at Berger
that closed the discussion, went off
something like this, paraphrasing the
debate in congress:
VIII the gentleman from Wiscon-
sin yield to question: asked Hill
quit
mo. l won't YIELD" replied Berger.
I'VE are not in favor of the league
itself" continued Hillquit, neverthe-
less, "but we want to go into the
league and change 1t, just as Berger
is in congress to help change the gov
eminent of the United States.
That was much of the trend OF the
pro-league argument The socialists
hope to win power in the United
States peacefully thru the ballot.
When they get in power in the United