The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, September 29, 1919, Page 4

i i } § } { e | ! i ¢ - easily won by BIG MINNESOTA LABOR MEET THAT AUTHORIZED POLITICAL ACTION A New Force in Minnesota Politics Workers’ League, Now Organizing, to Unite With Farmers at Next Election—Union and Nonunion Labor Joining in Fight BY CHESTER W. VONIER OR the first time in the history of the state workers of Minne- sota will go to the polls at the next general election and cast their votes, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as workers. Together with the organized farmers of the state, the work- ers will seek to put into office representatives of the producers of the state rather than the candidates of any political faction, owing allegiance to big business interests. Z The change in the attitude of the workers has been of rapid growth. Last year labor almost everywhere depended: upon persuasion to obtain beneficial legislation. Next year they will enact, rather than request. the legislation they want. The decision of the organized workers of Min- nesota took definite form at the annual convention of the State Federation of Labor at New Ulm last July. By an overwhelming vote the delegates at the convention adopted a resolution to make la- bor an active force in state politics. There was ratified the plan to organize the Minnescta Work- ing Peoplé’s Nonpartisan Political league, an exec- utive committee was appointed and 2 platform adopted. The most noteworthy part -of that plan, next to the overturning of the traditional policy of labor, is that which proposes a political union with the crganized farmers. The two forces, the workers and the Nonpartisan league farmers, will combine for their mutual interest. Most significant is the strength shown by labor when it was concerted upon a political object. Shortly before the New Ulm convention a special congressional election was made nec- essary in St. Paul by the death of the incumbent. Both the Democrats and the Republicans nominated can- didates who framed high-sounding platforms to catch votes. Running azainst- them was Oscar E. Keller, a labor man and then St. Paul city commissioner. Supported by the work- ers of the city and running on a plat- form that included public ownership of public uti'ities, Keller was elected by a big plurality over both old-party opponents. Labor had not yet or- ganized its political league, but the" political solidarity of labor had been attained to such an extent that it concentrating its strength. UNORGANIZED WORKERS . ARE JOINING LEAGUE Organization of the political league has now begum in earnest. Not only the organized workers are joining, but , unerganized workers who recognize the need for a new deal in politics also are coming into the association. A campaign is now going on among the labor unions and among work- ers outside the. unions. Adhermg 23 to the new party, too, are pro- s gressives of all kinds who have despaired of obtaining reforms through the machinery of .the old parties, controlled by dominant busi- ness interests. The plan of organization differs widely from the plan of the Nonpartisan league, largely as a re- sult of the fact that different conditions confront the organization of the workers. The workers’ league already has a framework on which to build, the various craft unions. The Nonpartisan league was, of necessity, from the first founded on the individual.- As a result of this the unions them- selves will be the basis of the league. There are 500 individual craft unions in Min- nesota. Each of the unions will enroll as a body, paying a nominal sum for the membership, based on its own membership. Each of these unions elect delegates to the zeneral council. The number of delegates alloited to each of the unions varies. All unions are given one delegate, but in the larger unions a delegate will be elected for each 100 mem- bers, but in no case can the number of delegates from a single union exceed three. This general council forms the governing body of the workers’ league. That body will hoid the league conventions and will indorse candidates. Because of the unwieldiness of such a large or- ganization, however, there is behind this general council another smaller body, the executive council. The executive council or committee is answerable in all things to the general council, but through this body is passed all proposals to go before the | ' LABOR MEN READY FOR FIGHT | At left, Oscar E. Keller, elected to congress by St. Paul labor forces o_vei' reactionary Republican and Democratic candidates; at right, William H. Mahoney, chairman of executive committee of Working People’s Nonparhsan Political league, which expects to ald in" state-wide vlctory\next year. PAGE FOUR general council, and all executive matters are in their hands. : : Besides representing their respective bodies on the general council, the delegates from each of the trades unions will form local councils, and will direct the work of the league in their own districts. They will form other committees to work in the smaller political subdivisions. There will be ward and county organizations. These delegates also will conduct the organization work in their loealities. MOVE IS ATTRACTING PROGRESSIVE CITIZENS In addition to enrolling the local unions as bodies, the league will carry its campaign to the indi- vidual members of the unions. Although their unions are enrolled, the action does not make the union men and women- members individually. Therefore each one of these men and women will be askad to join. These individual memberships . will not be confined to organized workers, but will include nonunion workers and business and pro- fessional men who are tired of the tactics and the hypocrisy of the reactionaries. There will be an intensive campaign carried on for these members. Every city and town will be covered, every ward and precinct be invaded by organizers for the league. The fee, of course, will be used to cover the campaign costs and the payment of the organizers. But it will go farther than that by bringing home to the members their individual responsibility in making the political league a success at the next elec- tion. Minnesota workers have learned from long and bitter experience that they have nothing to hope for from the old parties. Lobbies have been maintained in the state capitol at every session, but opposing them have been other lobbies, more powerful, with more money, who helped’ defeat almost all the laws proposed by the workers. The last session was typical. State industrial insurance has come to be recognized in many states of the- Union as a necessity to ‘insure the worker against loss by reason of any injury in the pursuit of his employ- ment. Nowhere are such laws consid- ered “radical,” but they are opposed by big insurance companies, who make millions of dollars through liability insurance for employers. To obtain redress for injury sustained through his work the workman must start suit. The insurance company shoulders the - suit and fights it through the courts. If the workman °hould win, much of the money he vecovers must be paid to - lawyers in fees. If he loses, although the employer is morally responsible, the worker receives no compensation _ whatever. Under state insurance, such accidents are adjusted by state commissioners according to a fixed scale. There is no red tape, no de- lay, no lawyers’ fees to.pay. The worker is paid a fixed sum. A fund