Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-26
A|fange Declares ALP
Is Prepared 10 Enter
Slate in 1913
Will Take Field if Both
Major Parties Nominate
Reoctionories, He Says
BY GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Staff Correspondent.

1HAA oAlSC, tIic OipuldI Iledu Vi Int
American Labor party by reason OF
the party nOmina ton for Governor
of New York in 1912, served notice
on the two old major political parties
shat If they both nominated anti
New Deal reactionary candidates fo1
President next year they could ex-
pect an American Labor party can
dldate in the field.
Sitting in his law office II stories
above the heart of Manhattan, he
discussed his plans for bringing
about the formation of the Amerl-
can Labor party in many of the big
industrial States, along lines similar
TO New York.
The American Labor party holds
the balance of political power ir
New York, Mr. Alfange said imply
ing that it could grab a similar posi-
ton of power in States like New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michi-
gan and Massachusetts. He is keen
ly aware, he said. that unless the lib
eral forces in this country and labor
organize now to prevent it, there is
grave danger that the country may
return to the 'toryism' of the Hard
ing administration after the last
war.
He discussed his personally con-
Quoted campaign to awaken the
working people to this danger and
to persuade them to organize their
own political party IN each State.
He made his first appeal in Pennsyl-
vania, speaking in Philadelphia on
March IA.
The reaction among labor leaders
IN the Keystone State has been good
Mr.. Alfange declared. although this
has been disputed by Senator Guffey
Democrat. of Pennsylvania. Indeed
Mr. Alfange said, leaders in both the
American Federation Of Labor and
the CIO in Pennsylvania have given
him ENCOURAGEMENT.
Mr.. Alfange is to speak in Newark,
N. J., to a labor mass meeting the
first week in April on the subject OF
forming an American Labor party IN
that State He plans later to 60 TO
Michigan, Illinois, Ohio. MaSSachu-
-etts, Connecticut and other States
to forward his crusade for a labor
party of national proportions.
Il am not doing this at the lnSn-
cation of any particular group, he
haStened to say. Il am mot gulded
by any resolution adopted by the
American Labor party in this state.
IT. is a personal matter with me, AL
though ] have strong support for
the idea of a National Labor party.
It is obvious. however, that If the
movement is TO gain headWaN. soon
or or later there will have to be an
organization formed. and that IN
turn will have to be financed. 1t is
clear that at present Mr. Alfanee
is hoping for the cooperation OF
labor and liberal leaders in the in
djvidual States to go ahead with
the forma ton of the proposed Or
ganization,
Fourth-Term Move Seen.
While Mr.. Alfange was talking
principles and not candidates ycster-
day the campaign for the establish
ment of the American Labor party
in States has been interpreted AS a
drive in the interest Of a fourth
term nomination for President
Roosevelt.
The American Labor Party was
launched in New York to help rally
liberals for the reelection of PreSi-
dent Roosevelt in 1886. The Demo
Gratis looked upon it as an adjunct
of the Democratic party-and so 1t
has been as long as New Deal Candi-
dates we're put forward by the
Democrats. Now that it is differ
ent. Mr.. Alfange insists the Labor
Party holds the balance of power in
New York. It did in the guberna-
torial election of 1888 when Mr.
Dewey was defeated by Gov. Leh-
man by the Scant margin of $4,000
votes-and the Labor Party con-
trihuted about 100000 Of Gov. Leh-
mans total vote. II did again in
the principal election of 1910 when
II again polled about 100000 votes
for Mr. Roosevelt and the President
r2frlC0 ne" 01k DN some LOu.uVu
votes over Wendell Willkie
Naturally some Of the Democrats
have resented the effort of the
Labor Party to dictate nominations
of the Democratic party in the En-
pire state.
And very likely the Democrats il
other States will oppose the forma-
lion of wings of the American Labor
party in other States and on 2
national scale They do not relish
the idea Of having a minority party
dictate to them in the matter OF
candidates.
II is clear that if the American
Labor Party was in a position to put
candidate in the field Of its OWr
for the presidency next year. anC
did so, it might we'll ruin the
chances of any Democratic nominee
that did not have the backing OF
the Labor Party. That's where the
pinch will come when the time ar
rives to nominate Mr.. Roosevelt. or
another New Deal Democrat next
year.
Three Possibilities
AS Mr. Alfange sees it. three things
could happen next year in regard tC
the presidential nominations. Both
the Republicans and the Democrats
might nominate liberals Second
the Democrats might nominate a
liberal and the Republicans a con-
servative. Third, the Republicans
might nominate a liberal and tbs
Democrats conservative. If the
American Labor party was organized
nationally it would be in a position
to go along with the liberal candi-
date of either one of the old parties
or. If both candidates were ConSerVa-
tives. it could place candidate OF
it's own in the field.
AS practical proposition. what
is likely to happen is that the Demo
Gratis will nominate President Rose
welt or another New Dealer, like Vice
President Wallace. or the American
Labor party will bolt the Democratic
oroo tioo and ,lare candiGat r