The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-10-05
The Garfield Labor Ticket

four similar lackeys for councilmen
The machine is so powerful that
Councilman Quinlivan, who might be
considered as a progressive" repub-
lican, did not dare to oppose him at
the primaries but nominated himself
as an Independent republican. The
democratic candidate, Councilman
Parrapato is more friendly" to la
Dor, due to the weakness of his party,
but he offered no resistance to the
present administration in the course
of the strike
I Learned From Strike.
Under normal circumstances the
election of Burke would be assured.
But the workers have learned a great
deal during the strike This political
education, and the successful cam
paign of the Passaic Communist
ticket last May, convinced them of
the necessity of organizing their class
party.
/ Leading members Of the textile
union decided to put up labor TICKET
for the coming city elections, headed
by Gus Deak, the president of the
union, Felix Panerisi, John Di Santo
and others. The putting up of a la
] Dor ticket presented several difficult
les. One was the lack of organiza-
lions and labor unions necessary TO
support such ticket. The trade
unions and the central body all meet
in Passaic, and their active partici-
patton i'm conference to put up the
labor candidates was an impossible
ity. The few societies and clubs of
Garfield are mostly vote catching
organizations controlled by the cap
italist politicians. The only move
left was, first to get on the ballot,
and then build up the necessary cleo
ton machinery.
Organize Labor Clubs.
Utilizing the support of the most
active union members and sympathiz-
ers, labor clubs were organized in
every ward, These clubs with head
quarters and regularly elected of
ficials, form the backbone of the
campaign in every ward Funds are
raised by the membership and meet
ings are held under their auspices.
They are also trying to get the en-
dorsement of other societies and
thereby winning them away from the
existing capitalist parties.
The labor clubs are not Just cleo
ton organizations They will con-
tinue to exist after November 1, car
rying on social and educational work,
serving as basis for Labor Party,
for the organization of the unor-
gained, and similar labor activities
This procedure, the building of labor
clubs, will have to be followed in
other cities as well.
Question of Candidate.
| Another problem was the question
!. of candidate for mayor. The danger
Z of electing Burke, who thanks to the
machine, would certainly get enough
votes to get himself elected while
the four other candidates would split
, the rest of the votes between them
selves, was vital factor The labor
candidates therefore decided to enter
into an alliance with the Independent
|, republican candidate for mayor, Mr..
Quinlivan, on the condition that he
drops the word republican and ac-
cepts a labor program. Mr.. Quin-
livan, typical small town polit-
ician, is a worker himself, and COM
ing from a purely workingclass dis
trict, seemed to be the most progress
sive with the least shady strike rec
: ord. A supporter of LaFollette in
1924, he also has the support of the
Passaic Central Labor Union and the
organized workers in general. Mr..
!, Quinlivan publicly accepted. the labor
program, endorsed Deak, Di Santo and
Panerisi, who in turn did not NOM
mate anybody for mayor and support
the candidacy of Quinlivan, This
labor ticket was endorsed by the
Central Labor Union, through it's
"nonpartisan political expression, the
Good Government Association.
Mild Program.
The Platform of the United Labor
Ticket is very mild one. We can
criticize them for their moderate i'm
mediate demands, which could be ac-
cepted even by many capitalist polit-
icians, the insufficient emphasis on
the Labor Party and many other
points. But in spite of these short
comings, it is real labor ticket, with
three militant union men, having a
broad popular support and the en-
dorsement of the Gu which last
May did not want to support any la
Dor ticket and endorsed the manufac-
turer Cabell and the detective-chief
Turner for commissioner. Vice-presi-
dent Starr of the United Textile
Workers who was campaigning last