Weekly report of the activity of District Eight (the greater Chicago area) of the Workers (Communist) Party for the summer of 1923 as it prepares for the Labor Party convention, urging the Party’s headquarters to Chicago, summer picnics, and labor defense plans among much else.

‘News of District Eight’ from The Voice of Labor (Chicago). Vol. 11 No. 601. June 2, 1923.

All City Central Committees in Dist. 8 are now preparing to elect delegates to the coming Labor Party convention to be held in Chicago July 3, to which the Workers’ Party with all others workers’ political and economic organizations have been invited. Simultaneously an energetic campaign has been started to bring this issue to the attention of all wage workers throughout the district, Delegates are being elected by city conventions so as to make sure that all our members are in a position to fully recognize the importance of this first real step toward independent political action by the workers and become posted on all developments ready to carry the message further in an effective manner.

It is not the intention to send a large delegation from our party; but only as far as possible establish a direct connection from all units. After all, the singers intentions of all organizations participating in this convention will count more than the number of delegates, and will be the factor which decides the issue. Yet it is of importance that all organized trades unions and political fractions be adequately represented; and this is what our members must work for in all such organizations where they belong. The outstanding issues are: The recognition by the workers of the necessity of independent political action by the workers on a class basis; and as alt of this recognition, the formation of a Federated Labor Party. When this foundation has been laid, questions of programs and tactics can easily be worked out.

The Chicago United Front Conference, which was originally formed the initiative of our party, has shown its sincerity in working for Labor Party by issuing an appeal to the local organization of the Socialist Party, the Proletarian Party, the Bohemian Labor Council, the Hebrew Trades Council, and various local unions and fraternal organizations, which have not as yet come in, to cooperate in carrying on publicity and arrange a mass rally to promote this issue. It states in its appeal: We believe that as a basis upon which such United Front can now be attained are the questions of the need of (1) Amalgamation of trade unions, (2) The formation of a National Federated Labor Party, (3) Solidarity with the International labor movement by recognition of class interests, (4) Energetic combat of Fascism, (5) Protection of the rights of the workers, organized and unorganized, foreign born as well as native born, (6) Removal of all governmental obstacles, (7) The ultimate establishment of a workers’ government.

Funds are being collected to further this campaign, and all our members are called upon to assist in this work, both in the unions and by helping distribute the publicity material.

The vigorous appeal made by D.E.C. No. 8 for the removal of our party headquarters to Chicago is finding response throughout the party. Even the Young Workers’ League at their national convention, held in Chicago, went on record recommending to the C.E.C. that this removal be carried into effect. There is no doubt of the soundness of this proposal, not only by its geographical advantage, but political as well. Although important political decisions are made in accord with objective conditions in the country as a whole, particular conditions of immediate surroundings are always apt to have a large influence. This would be true of Chicago as well as New York. Yet conditions here are more typical of America.

The new Voice of Labor press committee has worked out plans to make this paper a more effective local organ. To this end a series of articles on Chicago industries will appear. The needs of a labor party and amalgamation of trade unions will be treated in a series of articles based on local conditions. The present department of short articles on the “open shops” and letters on union and shop conditions will be especially developed. Short novels will appear, and our various international union magazines will receive proper attention.

This is expected to result in a much more energetic support from our membership, that they make the extension of the Voice of Labor their particular task. The press committee intends to visit unions, a progressive character to ask them to subscribe to a bundle order. To get commercial advertisements our women comrades are especially called upon to form clubs to get retail dealers to advertise. All comrades are also called upon to extend the circulation of the Voice of Labor on Chicago newsstands. Of course our comrades throughout the district are expected to work just as energetic ally for these measures as in Chicago.

Two new Polish branches have been organized in Lake County, Ind. The Northwest English branch in Chicago has contributed $5.50 to the Labor Party fund.

The new pamphlets, For a Labor Party, Underground Radicalism, The Foreign Born Worker in America, The Fifth Year of the Russian Revolution as well as the book The Government Strikebreaker are on stock  in the district office and can be had at the regular price announced by the national office.

CHICAGO WORKERS PARTY

The Cannon lecture on Russia for the Voice of Labor was well supported by W.P. members. Over one thousand new three months subs, or renewals will come in as a result of this affair.

The following night comrade Cannon gave an inspiring and enlightening talk to party members on the 4th Congress of the C.I.

Wednesday night party members in unions packed the hall at the T.U.E.L. meeting and were stirred by Foster’s report on the progress of the League and the Herald and of the Amalgamation and Labor Party movements.

Street meetings by the W.P. started last Saturday night, four of five were held with a good sale of pamphlets and papers.

The new pamphlets, For a Labor Party, Russia in 1923 (Cannon) and “Underground Radicalism” (Pepper) sell readily and are being pushed. Many comrades have anxiously awaited Lovestone’s Government Strikebreaker and now that it is here look out!

Next meeting of City Central Committee, Tuesday, June 5th at Workers’ Lyceum.

Next meeting of Labor Defense Council, Saturday, June 2nd, 3:30 P.M. at 166 W. Washington St., 6th floor.

Coming Events:

May 30th, Decoration Day, T.U.E.L., Picnic at Chernauskas Grove. June 16th, City Convention, W.P. of America.

June 17th, Sunday, Picnic Jewish branches, and for L. D. C. at Chernauskas Grove,

June 24th, Sunday, United Workers Sunday Schools, picnic at Bergers Grove.

July 4th, Second Annual Picnic, Local Chicago, W.P. of A.

July 21st, Scandinavian Workers’ Picnic.

July 29th, Annual Y.W.L. Picnic.

Aug. 19th, Annual National Defense Picnic.

August 26th, International Press Picnic at Riverview Park.

Chicago Readers, Help!

The L.D.C. needs your service Chicago Office of Labor Defense Council needs you to help mail out 30 or 40 thousand circulars within the next ten days or 2 weeks. Phone State 5959 as to what evening you will come. Labor Defense Council, Room 307, 166 W. Washington St.

Chicago Conference L.D.C. Next meeting Saturday, June 2nd, 3:30 P.M. at 166 W. Washington St., 6th floor. All W.P. branches and unions are invited to send delegates.

The Voice of Labor was a regional paper published in Chicago by the Workers (Communist) Party as the “The American Labor Educational Society” (with false printing and volume information to get around censorship laws of the time) and was focused on building the nascent Farmer-Labor Party while fighting for leadership with the Chicago Federation of Labor. It was produced mostly as a weekly in 1923-1924 and contains enormous detail on the activity of the Party in the city of those years.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/vol/v11n601-jun-02-1923-VOL.pdf