Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-07-11
THIRD PARTY
GETS name
American Commonwealth
Political Federation is
Chosen at Meet.
Will Decide Later as to Ad-
visibility of Launching
National Ticket.
BY HENRY G.. TEIGAN

BY HENRY G. TEIGAN
A National Third Party was
launched in Chicago on July 6. The
launching was done by several hun
dred delegates representing variou:
economic and political groups from
80 states.
The National Farmer-LabOr Fedora
ion which was responsible for callins
the conference, decided to take on &
new name-the American Common
wealth Political Federation. 1t ap.
pears that a number of delegates from
Eastern states opposed the use of the
term ''Farmer-LabOr," and those from
the Middlewest did not favor the
term Labor" as the sole designation
of the federation or the new party.
Good Program.
The program of the new party fed
GRAFTON is something of compromise
between the platform of the Progress
sive party of Wisconsin and that OF
the Farmer-LabOr party of Minnesota
The following constitutes the chie1
planks of the platform:
1. A constitutional amendment tC
stop the Supreme Court in up-settine
acts OF Congress.
2. Social security legislation.
3. Operation of factories by unem
ployed to provide their own neces
stiles and thus remove them from
public relief rolls.
TO Of inn N
heritances, and excess profits.
5. Immediate payment of the Sol
diers' bonus.
6. Government ownership of mines
munitions, public utilities, banks, anC
basic industries.
Convention Next Spring.
The National committee chosen by
the conference will call a conven-
ton next winter or spring to select
candidates for president and vice
president
The selection of the name is, ir
the writer's opinion, not happy one
The name "Farmer-Labor," though
Objectionable to the labor people ir
industrial centers and in those state
having small rural population, is
nevertheless a name of psychological
value. 1t is doubtful whether a bet
ter name can be found. AS far as the
term american Commonwealth" is
concerned, it is, in my opinion. little
if any better than the term PRO
greSsive" Neither term conveys 6
nnI ino 70 a n
the producing class today.
Fine Executive Committee.
The committee i'm charge is good
one. | doubt very much whether q
better group of persons could have
been chosen to carry on the work
for a new National Third Party
Thomas Amlie, chairman of the exec.
utive committee, is an able, cOnsci
entious worker in the cause. He be-
gan his work with the Farmer-LabOl
movement back in 1919 as an or
ganizer for the Non-Partisan League
i'm wisconsin. Later he studied law
at the University of Wisconsin ant
took up the practice of that profes
sion at Elkhorn in that state. He
has been affiliated with the Progress
sive movement in Wisconsin evel
since he became resident of thai
state.
The other officers of the Fedora
ton and members of the committee
are high grade men and women.
John Bosch. president of the Mir
of
is vice-chairman. Alfred Bingham
secretary. and Prof. Paul Douglas
University of Chicago. treasurer.
The members of the committee
with the officers named above, are
as follows:
Congressman George Schneider
Wisconsin,: Judge John F. Wirds
Iowa: F.. r. Rosembloom. Illinois
Judge John Jeffries. Michigan: How
ard Y. Williams. Minnesota: Harr,
Fairchild. New York; Lillian Herstein
Illinois.
State Organization Important.
Whether the spring of 1886 will jus
tify the launching of national ticke
remains to be seen. The launchin.
of state third parties in northwestern
and western states is importan:
WASHINGTON. Idaho. Montana. the tw,
DakotaS. and Iowa, appear TO be tn,
most fertile field for the launchin:
of Farmer-Labor or third parties a
present