Evening star., 1934-04-15
FUSION TICKET MAY OPPOSE FARMER FORCES IN MIDWEST
THIRD PARTY PLATFORM
ATTACKED In MINNESOTA
Democratic Leaders Hurl Challenge to
Constitution Supporters"- of
''COmmunistic Document" Raised.

CT. PAUL. Mimi. April 14-A
controversy already has arisen
in Minnesota over the new
- platform of the Farmer-Labor
party. Using it as a campaign
target, the Republicans have begun a
steady fire on the third party pro-
posals to socialize industry. Joining
in the barrage, some Democratic lead
ers are hurting sharp challenges to
"Constitution supporters" Added to
the confusion is movement, backed
by certain Republican and Demo-
cratic factions who seek to present a
fusion ticket to oppose the Farmer
Labor forces.
Emphasis at present seems to be on
q true Interpretation of the Farmer
Labor platform. The Republicans
and certain Democrats have wasted
little breath in branding it as Com
munistic document" designed to have
Minnesota mimic the Inflated Nom
partisan League State-ownership pro-
gram in North Dakota.
Gov. Floyd B. Olson, who described
himself as a radical instead of a
mere liberal just before the conven-
tion advocated peaceful and lawful
routing of capitalism, heads the de-
tense of the pronouncement. Re
turning from Washington to find the
battle raging over analysis of the
platform, the Governor said he sup
ported it wholeheartedly with ''rea-
sonable Interpretation"
There will be no hedging or
change Of front on my part" he said.
"I expressed my views at the conven-
ton before the platform was adopted.
believe I made myself plain and
clear. If the people of the State
wish to amend the Constitution in
order to better protect their interests
and promote their general welfare
that is exclusively their business and
not the business of the vested inter-
ests or political parties
Howard Y. Williams, executive di-
rector Of the National Farmer Labor
Federation and the League for Inde-
pendent Political Action, has taken
the stump to explain" the platform
which he helped draft. He insisted
that the proposal would provide for
Government ownership only in cases
where there was exploitation of
labor and the people through indus
trial profits" He added: Reaction
aries among the Republican and
Democratic leaders who attack the
Farmer-Labor platform and defend
the present order with their cry of
liberty are the foes of liberty and
democracy.
THE only ones who really want lib
erty and democracy are those who are
striving for a cooperative common
wealth where all those who are willing
to work will enjoy full share of the
good things of life and have every
opportunity for leisure and purchasing
power to develop their creative and
constructive life. BY getting the ex-
ploiters off our backs a cooperative
commonwealth could give every fam
lily willing to work an income of SIS, 200
a year at once and increase the
amount rapidly"
A. j. Rockne, veteran Republican
member of the State Senate and a
champion Of economy in State govern
ment, said the question was whether
Minnesota would "secede from the
Union and exist as mongrel among
State government" or preserve in
dividual rights and support the Con-
stitutiOn. He declared the Farmer
Labor platform proposed "to destroy
or take over all banks, machines of
production, all power companies,
telephone companies, street car lines,
railroads, bus lines, packing plants
and iron ore mines"
He compared the coming political
crisis to that of the Civil War since,
he said, ''in 1860 our forefathers were
required to say whether the State of
Minnesota, though far from the re-
gion of slavery, should be loyal to the
Union and send troops to defend it,"
Their answer" he asserted, sis writ
ten in the blood of the men who were
later thrown into the breach at
Gettysburg to successfully stem the
Charge of Pickett's brigade.
mo law that the Minnesota Legis-
ture has passed since that time has
altered or materially changed the
course OF the people. Today the peo-
pie OF Minnesota must decide whether
they will permit through confscation
and taxation, the destruction of the
State of their fathers and grandfath-
ers. 1t is the second big moment in
the history of Minnesota
Representative Albert Pfaender.
Democratic candidate for Governor,
said the big question is: Just what is
meant by the Governor and the plat
form?" He said the document would
create a cooperative commonwealth,
managed partly by government and
partly by individuals"
IF the Farmer-Labor party becomes