The daily worker., 1927-03-14
Ruthenberg's First Clash
in Socialist Party Was
Over Farmers Program
BY ]. LOUIS ENGDAHL.

THE days mail brings letter from Alfred Knutson,
4 secretary Of the United Farmers Educational
league at Bismarck, North Dakota with this opening
saragraph;
Gust got to Bismarck and saw copies of The DAILY
WORKER telling Of Ruthenberg's death. This thing
came suddenly upon that can hardly realize it
yet"
Militant farmers in the West as we'll as in other sec
tions of the country, like Dad Walker, of North
Dakota William Bouck, of Washington; E. R. Meitzen,
of Texas characteristic Of hosts of thinking agrarians
in multitude of states knew the keen interest that
Ruthenberg took and the great energy he displayed IN
unifying the struggle of the city and farm workers
Few know however that Ruthenberg's first struggle
in a national Socialist Party convention for mill
tant farmers program.
It was at the National Socialist Convention held in
Indianapolis, Ind in 1912. Ruthenberg had joined the
Socialist Party in January 1909 He not delegate
to the 1910 congress held in Chicago but two years later
he was sent to indianapolis as one of Ohio delegates
This was the most imposing convention held by the So
caist Party in this country marking the height of its
power The party membership had gone up 125000
Emil Sede had been elected the first Socialist mayor of
large city. Victor L. Berger had been sent the first
socialist to congress Fred D. Warren in his appeal to
Reason" predicting Socialism by 1881" Millions
of and host of congressman expected in the
approaching national elections.
This was the atmosphere that spawned the attack on
the extremist viewpoint held by William D. Haywood,
active in the Industrial Workers of the World resulting
IN the insertion OF section IN the partyS conSt
tuition demanding the expulsion of those who would not
the mark of political opportunism 1t into these
surroundings that Ruthenberg came after three years in
the Socialist Party, at 30 years Of age.
The convention was discussing the farmers program
that had already had an interesting history The
mittee to draw up the program had been originally
sttuted of Algernon NJ. Simons, former editor of the
Chicago Daily Socialist; Algernon Lee, of New York.
Oscar Amernger then from Oklahoma; Carl D. Thomp-
son, of the former preachers attached to the Mil
waukee Socialist movement; James H. Maurer, pres
ident of the Pennsylvania Federation of Labor and Clyde
J. Wright, of Nebraska. The composition of this
mttee had created furore in the gathering originating
among the farmers themselves. The farmers had de-
manded real farmer representation the committee
The convention surrendered and dirt farmers at
tached to the committee, including John G. Wills Okla
tbma; c. w. Sherman, Oregon; Edward w. Theinert
Rhode Island; Jay E. Nash, Minnesota; G. w. Belot,
Idaho; L. L. Rhodes Texas; Robert Grant, North Da-
kota; Dan M. Caldwell Pennsylvania, and Thomas j.
Joonrod, Idaho
do not remember any of these Socialist farmers as
still being active in the revolutionary movement They
have all disappeared from the Most of them had
been drawn into the Socialist Party protest against
the old parties. Practically all of them however, had
influence considerable In conjunction with
Simons, Lee and Thompson they brought in a program
populst than Socialist in which the revolutionary
struggle against capitalism carefully pushed into
the background.
The convention proceedings contain the following
delegate Ruthenberg (0hio): move the adoption of
y section, No. 10, as follows:
eve also point that the above should be considered
only immediate program and that demand the
ultimate collective ownership Of all the land used for
productive purposes
Delegate Noble (Texas): to lay the table"
Then the battle started But is not struggle
the issue raised by Ruthenberg. 1t resulted from an
effort to prevent this issue from being discussed.
Ruthenberg claimed that he had right to the floor
maker of the notion in spite of the motion table
Jim Carey the chairman, socialist member of the Massa
chusetts legislature claimed ignorance of any such
provision in Roberts Rules of Order
Delegate John spargo vermont then one Of the most
prominent leaders in the socialist party raised this
question: T should like to inquire in regard to the ex
ArONIII1T L INC Al