Saturday, August 2nd, 1919.
THE REVOLUTIONARY AGE 13 cialist Party of America would ruin the or you will have no representation fight in a con Committee would make a motion to Adolf ganization rather than turn the control of it vention in which it is not as yet known that Germer to call the in session, and if over to you. The reason for the expulsion of you will even have a voice fight against such he would refuse the newly elected E: the Socialist Party of Michigan is plainly ap contemptible creatures as Victor Berger, would meet in spite of Comrade Germer. This parent when you consult the votes taken on Adolf Germer, Morris Hillquit, Seymour Sted newly elected Executive Committee, the majore the National Executive referendum at the man and a few others. They have demon ity of which are Left Wing delegates, would last election. The vote went overwhelm strated, in my estimation, beyond the perad proceed to function as the regular National ingly for what is commonly called the red venture of any doubt that they are not going Executive Committee of the Socialist Party, slate or the Left Wing slate Wm. Bross to allow the control of the Socialist Party of issue a declaration to the membership, and try, Lloyd of Chicago, John Keracher of Detroit, America slip from their fingers. They have, to a large extent within its power, to take over and myself. The expulsion of the state of Mich since the expulsion of Michigan and the sus the actual official work of the organization.
igan excludes those three candidates who were pension of the language federations they have The four Left Wing delegates elected to the duly elected. Keracher and myself are exclud turned the property of the Socialist Party of International Congress would meet in July, ed, of course, by our expulsion from the party, America over to trustees elected for long and issue a declaration to the party member and Wm. Bross Lloyd of Chicago loses all terms of years so that there will be no chance ship as the delegates to the International Conchance of being a member of the Executive of any Left Wing element getting control of gress of the American Socialist Party. We Committee because the loss of the Michigan it. And some some would ask us to continue would furthermore try to take over the arrangevote puts him behind Victor Berger of Mil a vascillating policy of fighting within such ments for the convention and bring the final waukee. So, you see, they very conveniently a corrupt organization of that sort. Some fight to the Emergency Convention of August defeated the slate of the Left Wing in that would even hesitate to strike now once and 30. We furthermore suggested to the comdistrict to which we belong. Their cry of con for all for a real Socialist movement in Amer rades of the State of Michigan that they refuse stitutionality, their cry of living up to party ica. Some of you would prefer to fight this to recognize their expulsion by the National rules, etc. is here plainly shown as just so much thing out within the party, but I, for one, have Executive Committee. We recommended to them that they stay within the party, and send camouflage. They don propose to perform given up all hope of fighting it out in the Party.
all kinds of extra constitutional acts in order considered, and we have considered speak contesting delegates to the emergency conto maintain their committee membership. in the name of the Socialist Party of Michigan vention at Chicago. And we furthermore reYou are invited to attend a convention in we considered that by this act of expelling commend the same procedure to the expelled August in the city of Chicago. You are insome forty thousand members from the So locals and branches of New York that they vited to go like hell you are. Laughter. cialist Party of America, the National Execu organize independently of the Right Wing You are not going to be represented there.
tive Committee has thrown down the gauntlet Party as the official Socialist Party in New The state of Michigan has been expelled. In to the Socialist within the Socialist Party, York State, send their delegates to the conall probability, other states will follow. The and for one will not hesitate to pick it up and vention, and then at the convention, we would language federations which have formed a very applause. hurl it into their teeth. Prolonged and hearty decide whether we have got the Socialist Party, or whether we have to follow some other strong part of the Left Wing movement has been suspended, and none of its membership Mr. Paul: Comrade Chairman and Comcourse of action. Great applause. will be represented at the national convention rades: The question he (delegate Zucker of Ballam: Comrade Chairman and Comin Chicago in August. You are going to be New York) brought up was a resolution that rades: As Chairman of the Convention of the tried, convicted and sentenced by whom? By was submitted by the Resolution Committee State of Massachusetts, which Convention the Right Wing of the Socialist Party of last Sunday, that the City Convention of the elected its State Secretary, Comrade Sproule, America. And if know anything about the Greater City instruct its delegates to the Naand the Chairman of the Convention, who is activities of that Right Wing in the past, the tional Left Wing conference to organize a also editor of its official organ, to represent the fact that the suspension of the language feder Communist Party. The question was debated State of Massachusetts in this Left Wing Conations will be changed to expulsion is a fore thoroughly on all sides, and the resolution was ference, want to say speaking for its delegone conclusion. And as for any repudiation finally adopted by a vote of 62 to 51. The gation, that it has gone solidly to the Leftof the acts of the Executive Committee of the matter was then left for a referendum to the decidedly to the Left that it does not intend to quibble or treat with this proposition that Socailist Party of America, as for their repu members of the branches and locals representdiation of those acts, there is absolutely no ed in that convention last Saturday. Outside it has wiped out the Centre recognizes no Centrist position; and in making this report hope on your part. We considered these things of that, the Secretary of the City Committee in the convention in the State of Michigan last has not received any reports from the various want to make that plain. appreciate, and Sunday afternoon, and we arrived at a conclu branches or locals. think every delegate here appreciates the sion a conclusion which am going to offer outraged feelings of the comrades of Michigan, Mr. Ferguson: Comrades, at the time of the and of the various Language Federations ilto you in the course of the convention to consider a conclusion which think you ought Comrade Ruthenberg, Comrade Fraina, Commeeting of the National Executive Committee, legally suspended and illegally expelled by the C. We have made our propaganda to to agree upon if you view the conditions right rade Keracher came in, and an informal meetly. We drew up a manifesto of the Socialist ing was held remember these delegates, and the rank and file of the Socialist Party, and the rank and file of the Socialist Party has Party, and we intend to send it broadcast, with all of the Translator Secretaries, and perhaps accepted the Left Wing position. We have or without the endorsement of this Left Wing have forgotten two or three, some of the conference. We drew up a manifesto laying comrades from Chicagoma group of about Wing. It is now in our hands. So that the captured the party of America for the Left down what we have believed for the last five twenty comrades met and informally organized position of the delegates from Massachusetts years to be the basis upon which the Socialist a provisional committee, to carry on what Party should be organized. We have laid as the position of the Socialist Party of Masdown that basis clearly and concisely as a tencampaign could be carried on until the time sachusetts, is that we will stay in the Party of the meeting of this conference. In view of and fight this thing out, not allowing the tative program upon which the Socialists withwhat has been said, might state the point of to expell us, but that we will expell the in the Socialist movement may unite in a con view the policy of the members there gather and every member connected with vention and draw up a program and platform ed, and that was decidedly that it was up to for a new Socialist Party in America. Hearty them (applause) that we will prefer charges the Left Wing to make the fight for control against everyone implicated in illegal acts such and prolonged applause. within the party, in spite of all the suspensions as they have performed, and throw them out We have set the date for that convention as that had been made. So there you have another of the Socialist Party of America, capture it September first 1919 in the city of Chicago. angle. The committee was unanimous in that for revolutionary Socialism first throw them And I, as the Secrtary of the Ways and Means respect. There was no proposition about or out, and let them take their places in America Committee of the Socialist Party of Michigan, ganizing a new party. The proposition was together with the other social patriots that have charge of the arrangements of that con that we had enough strength within the party left the party during the war of their own vention. Before this conference is over, you that the rank and file is so thoroughly dis accord the Spargos and the rest of them.
are going to have an oportunity to endorse gusted so thoroughly permeated with the Now, that is the position of Massachusetts.
that call. You are going to have an opporideals of revolutionary Socialism, that We do not want to get out because they want tunity of urging the Lefts in this country to there is question that if we do us to get out. They cannot throw us out beline up on their tentative program for the or some measure of propaganda work, some cause they have not the power to throw us ganization of a real Socialist Party. know measure of organization, we the out. But if it should be proven after the Consome of you don want to do that. know overwhelming majority of the newly elect vention in August that in spite of the fact you would prefer to follow the middle ed Executive Committee on the vote which the that by every demonstrable proof, by a countcourse of fighting it out within the Socialist old C. refused to recognize. We decided ing of noses and votes, that we have the Party, Party. know some of you would want to that at the appropriate time one of the newly but through their machinations they hold the sit in and fight fight in a convention in which elected members of the National Executive (Continued on page 16)
no have some