The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-05-07
SOCIALISTS TURN
BACKS ON drive
FORLABOR PARTY.
CONTINUED from page ~.

number of votes in the elections.
"In these states we do not there
fore exist as a political organization"
he said. I'VE are merely an educa-
tional organization"
Hopes added that only those who
voted the socialist ticket could be con-
sidered as engaged in the party's.
political activities and constituting
legally the party's political organiza-
ton. The regular branches, he de-
clared, with their dues paying mem
bers, did not constitute a political
This weird attitude is rapidly help
ing to develop the isolation of the par
ty, since it is not even organized to
carry on educational activities. Some
place their hope in the American Ap-
peal" the party's official weekly,
others in establishing a party broad
casting station, death benefits and
similar ideas.
Delegate William A. Toole, Of Mary
land, in discussing the resolution, de-
clared for "no compacts with other
labor bodies Gncluding trade unions)
for political action. We must work on
purely independent basis"
The declaration on this subject
presented to the convention by the
resolutions committee follows:
an the failure, during and after the
LaFollette campaign Of 1924 to launch
an independent political party of la
Dor backed by the labor unions, CO.
operatives and farm workers organ
izations Of the country; and in the
ridiculous collapse Of the so-called
progressives and their return to the
republican fold, the socialist party
recognizes the vital Importance of in
tensive propaganda among the Amer
lean masses to educate them for their
economic interests. without enlight-
ment upon fundamental economic
principles they will continue blindly
loyal to their exploiters or the ready
victims Of every political charlatan
who offers a shortcut out of the
wilderness; and meanwhile the rapid
collapse of private capitalism and its
inability to function are bringing
perilously near the crisis when moth
ing but a class conscious and thoroly
disciplined organization of the work
ers and consumers can avail to save
this nation from a bloody upheaval
of sheer despairSand ignorant hatred.
The historic mission of the socialist
party is the education of the American
working class, and the preparation for
such a labor party, If it is not itself
to be that party. To this end we urge
the socialist local and state organiza-
tons to cooperate, so far as possible,
with every genuine effort of labor to-
wards independent political action"
1t was out of this resolution that the
words "and the preparation for such
a labor party if it is not itself to be
that party" were stricken, and the
words independent political action"
at the close changed to industrial
Thus the socialists try to charge
the workers generally with their own
treason in completely surrendering to
the "LaFollette movement" and re-
fusing to make the fight for the labor
party, spending their time instead in
denouncing the Communists.
This means that the socialists will
refuse to cooperate in any labor party
activity this year. If the labor party
develops and shows vitality
then they may change their minds.
This policy, already in effect in
Pennsylvania, has resulted in the so
cialists putting their separate ticket in
the field altho there is a labor party
in the state and James
Fl. Maurer, member Of the retiring So
oialist national executive committee
is president of the Pennsylvania Fed
Grafton Of Labor.