The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-10-11
TALK OF LABOR
PARTY AR0USES
FIGHT PROSPECT
William Green Brands New
A. F. of |. Movement
as CommunlStIC.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times Special Writer

SDefldi hFiteF
WASHINGTON, oct. 1l.-Politi-
cally the weeks most important
question mark is the extent of sem
timent IN the American Federation
Of Labor for formation Of a ma
tional labor party.
For the first time in years a mill
tant fight is in prospect to over
turn the traditional federation
policy Of rewarding friends and
Furnishing enemies in both old
parties.
Two state declarations of labor are
on record for labor party, and a
number Of city central labor bodies
and international and federal
unions have joined the movement.
The International Ladies Garment
Workers Union has a resolution
ready for convention action direct
ing the federation executive coun-
Gil to study the question with a view
to initiating the new party
President William Green has
started a counter attack by brand
ing the new movement cOmmunistic.
The council, IN its annual report.
reminds the federation that IF
labor Is TO be successful this policy
support Of the non-partisan politi-
cal campaign committed must be
followed
Sentiment Widely Spread
The movement for a national
labor party comes from such widely
separated states as Oregon and
Connecticut In Oregon, Gov. Mar
tins drastic policy toward striking
lumber workers seems to have been
at least partly responsible for the
change in front
The Oregon Federation of Labor
at its annual convention denounced
both Republican and Democratic
parties as having betrayed workers,
and demanded establishment of
both state and national parties
dedicated to the welfare of the
producing classes
1t followed this with a resolution
condemning the profit system as
immoral as long as any man willing
to work is deprived of employment
by retention Of profits in the hands
OF a few.
State Group Formed
Connecticut labor unions went
even further and organized Con-
necticut Labor Party, naming as its
head William E. Kuehnel, president
OF the Hartford Central Labor
Union. The party platform includes
planks against wage cuts and COM
pany unions, for employment in
Surance at the expense of employers
and the wealthy, for a cash bonus
financed by taxation on wealth, for
30-hour week without pay cuts,
against the use of National Guard
and police in strikes, and against
taxation of workers and farmers.
The platform makes an obvious
bid for the support of veterans and
farmers. There are $4,000 A. F. of
l.. members in Connecticut, more
than half OF whom were repre-
sented at the meeting which
formed the party.
Danger Conceded
If the labor party group should
show considerable strength at the
A. F. of l.. convention in Atlantic
City, Democratic strategistS would
be seriously alarmed An unpre-
Cedented number Of dissenting left
wing groups are in existence today.
President Roosevelt acknowledged
the threat they constitute to his re-
election in his recent appeal to
them from California.
In addition to the EPIC Party
and the Utopian Society in Cali
fornia, the Townsend Clubs, the
Share-the-We Clubs, the Ma
tional Union for Social Justice of
Father Coughlin, the Farmer-Labor
Party III Minnesota and the Pro-
greSsive Party in Wisconsin. there
are the newly created American
Commonwealth Political Federation.
successor to the League for indie
pendent Political Action. and farm
er-labor, labor, or other left wing
parties in Iowa, Michigan. Kansas.
pennsylvania. New Jersey. Illinois
and New York.