The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-02-01

New York City.
John w. Davis, a fair guage of
strength of the protest vote against
the two major parties. Throughout
The state there exists a labor official
dom which is closer to the rank and
file than is true in New York, for
instance. Many of these officials
WORK at the bench, and carry on their
union activities in the evening. This
is particularly true in the small
factory towns, where unions are not
Dig enough to support their OWL full
time officials. We find this layer of
progressivism even among the of
ficials of the central labor unions in
The smaller cities. No one should
minimize the Importance of the role
If these central iaoor bodies in the
formation of an American labor
party.
Class Division Clear in Factory
Towns.
In these small cities, the political
| class lines are much clearer than
they are in the big cities, where
rival capitalist interests may parade
behind various opposing parties. Here
we have the party of the mill or fac
tory owners openly running the city
government in the name of the repub-
llcan or democratic party. There is
therefore less likelihood of confusion
on the part of workers in these small
cities as to the characteristics of each
OF the two major parties. Further
more, it becomes more difficult for
the bosses to corrupt labor officials
without completely compromising
them in the eyes of the workers. The
bosses place the issues before the
workers with Massachusetts brutality
and 1T is a harder job to dodge. While
it is true that this layer of lower
officials in the small cities and towns
lack the initiative that will make
them the driving force in the forms
ton OF labor party, yet no one can
MINIMIZE the important part they will
play as the spokesman and the front
OF such a movement.
Socialist Party in Massachusetts.
The die-hard and disruptionist ele-
ments in the socialist party of Massa-
chusetts are not strong enough to
prevent the growth of labor party
in that state. This was proved at the
labor party conference held last wear.
when IN spite of the splitting tactics
Of the socialist delegates, and the ire
mendous pressure brought to bear
by the official representatives of the
American Federation of Labor (al-
though the president of the State
Federation of Labor followed hands
off policy, which is worthy of careful
note) an excellent representative
committee was established.
1t is evident from this that neither
the socialist party nor the A. F. of
L. machine has enough support to eff
fectively head off strong movement
for a labor party, once it gets fully
under way. However, this committee
must be criticized for not having made
any progress since its inception. The
'ssues afforded by the Sacco-Vanzetti
Ease and the injunction against the
MIX Drivers Union, as well as other
local issues such as compensation.
etc., should have been capitalized
statements should have appeared in
he name of the labor party commit
rec on each of these issues, so that
the workers of the state might w.ke
up to the fact that new line Of de-
tense of their interests has been
erected.
Workers Party Must Supply Initiative
Upon the Workers (Communist)
Party rests the responsibility for sup.
| nlying the initiative and the MOVING
force for the labor party movement
Of Massachusetts. In this connection.
our Party members will have to break
down the spirit of sectarianism which
has kent them aloof from the general
political life of the state as we'll as
from those progressive forces in the
labor movement which will be our
most valuable allies in the near ~.
ture. The fraternal organizations Of
the foriegn-born will have to be
brought into the labor party CAM
na'gn, giving valuable material aid IN
the building of the labor party. as
their strongest weapon against the
employers, in the absence of the trade
union. The entire membership will
nave to realize that the labor party
campaign is the keystone upon which
the future of the party rests, par.
ticu'arly in Massachusetts.
To the workers of Massachusetts,
we look to take up the banner of the
labor party and take their proper
places as the courageous pioneers IN
the building Of that movement.