Debate on Seating the Minnesota Delegation [Aug. 31, 1919] 1 Debate on Seating the Minnesota Delegation at the Emergency National Convention of the Socialist Party of America: Chicago, IL — August 31, 1919. From the uncorrected Proceedings of the National Convention of the Socialist Party at Machinists’ Hall, 113 S. Ashland Blvd., Chicago, IL. State Historical Society of Wisconsin, micro 2094, reel 1, pp. 163-226. * * * locals who were known to oppose the contesting del- egations. He further stated that, even if your [creden- Comrade [Jacob] Panken [NY]: As I reported tials] committee recommends the seating of the del- this afternoon, there are 2 delegations from the state egation represented by him, and for whom he spoke, of Minnesota. The situation in Minnesota is a rather such delegation would not accept a seat in this con- involved one. The State Executive Committee of the vention. Your committee— state and the State Secretary [Charles Dirba] evidently Comrade [William] Kruse [IL]: A point of or- did not work in agreement and accord, and the del- der. Would that really come under a report on a con- egation was elected by referendum vote. The State test? Executive Committee then met, and they elected a new Chairman [Algernon] Lee [NY]: this is not a delegation to supercede the other, and they charge as question to the committee. I supposed you rose for follows: That the Secretary [Dirba] permitted the some question to elucidate the report. The committee Ukrainian local of Minneapolis to nominate delegates will proceed. and sending their nominations to vote on. Second, Comrade Panken: Your committee finds that that the suspended locals and federations were per- the documentary evidence submitted to your commit- mitted to participate in the balloting of the candidates tee justifies the position taken by the State Executive and their vote was tabulated with those of the other Board, and recommends that Comrades Charles S. locals. Third, that the Secretary [Dirba] systematically Wells, Andrew Hanson, T.E. Latimer, George Hoff- failed to send ballots on the nomination and election man, S. Friedman, J. Soltis, and H.L. Kramerman be of delegates to locals who were known to oppose the seated as the duly accredited delegates from the state contesting delegation. Fourth, the canvassing board of Minnesota. was not convened to count the ballots and tabulate Chairman Lee: You have heard the report of the same. the recommendation of the committee. Are you ready Comrade Friedman appeared for the delegation; to vote? he is a member of the State Executive Board, and con- Comrade [James] Oneal [NY]: In order that testing the seating of Comrades Jack Carney, Charles we may be able to better discuss this entire case, it Dirba, Carl Haglund, H. Holm, C.A. Hathaway, Carl would be well for the chairman of the committee [Pan- Skoglund, and Joseph Ungar. Comrade Carney ap- ken] to tell us what these documents are upon which peared for the delegates whose seats were contested, they base their recommendations. He merely men- and admitted the truth of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th com- tioned that he has documentary evidence. We want to plaints stated in the charge, and denied the 3rd. The know what they are. third is that the Secretary systematically failed to send Chairman Lee: The committee will give the an- ballots on the nomination and election of delegates to swer. 1 2 Debate on Seating the Minnesota Delegation [Aug. 31, 1919] Comrade Panken: We have before us the Min- they informed us that no ballots were sent to them for nesota Bulletin, showing a tabulation of the vote. In the purpose of making possible their voting on the the Bulletin, it appears that the South Slavic Federa- election of delegates to the convention. Another tion voted, the Ironton Language Federation branch affidavit was submitted to us from comrades who are voted, the Minneapolis Lettish [Latvian] Federation members of the Canvassing Committee, the commit- voted, the Russian branch voted, the Scandinavian tee that is to count the ballots, in which they informed branch voted, and the Ukrainian branch voted. us that they were never informed nor were they re- We also had this question as to whether the State quested to appear and take part in the canvassing board Executive Board had been recalled, and it was submit- to canvass the votes as they were sent in to the State ted to us, and it was not denied that the State Secre- Office. These documents are in our possession, and tary [Dirba] sent out the following: “The next meet- they have been submitted to us. ing of the State Executive Board will be held Monday Comrade [Rose] Weiss [NJ]: I would like to ask evening, July 21st [1919], at 8 o’clock, and every mem- whether this delegation that the committee recom- ber and alternate is urged to attend, regardless of the mends be seated has been elected by the membership recall. The State Executive Board is in duty bound to of Minnesota or whether it has not. carry on the current business of the state organization, Comrade Panken: No, it has not. It has been even if the recall is carried.” So that they admitted or elected by the State Executive Committee. conceded that the State Executive Board continues to Comrade Weiss: Has it been elected or ap- act as the duly constituted and authorized State Ex- pointed? ecutive Board for the state of Minnesota. Comrade Panken: Appointed by the State Ex- In addition to that, there were two affidavits; ecutive Committee. They had no time to send out and one affidavit from 4 comrades, who were secretaries of call for nominations on the referendum vote, and we branches in Minneapolis of the Socialist Party, in which follow the same policy in the Minnesota case as we “Comrade Chairman!” The New York delegation: Assemblyman Louis Waldman, Alderman Algernon Lee, Ex-Assemblyman Abraham Shiplacoff, Judge Jacob Panken, Assemblyman August Claessens, Alderman Abraham Beckerman, Assemblyman U. Solomon, Alderman Alexander Bronstein. Debate on Seating the Minnesota Delegation [Aug. 31, 1919] 3 did in the Utah case. taries whose affidavits were submitted to us — these Comrade [Oliver] Wilson [IL]: I would like to ballots may have been sent through the mail, add they ask the chairman of the Credentials Committee [Pan- may have been mislaid somewhere or gone astray. ken] what reason the party gave for stating that if the Comrade Henry: I am not in favor of seating delegates were seated in this convention, they would any delegates where the rank and file have had a chance, not take the seats? as was reported to the committee from Comrade Car- Comrade Panken: I don’t know whether Com- ney of Minnesota, where quite a number of comrades rade Carney would want me to state just what reason — I forget just the number — did participate in the he advanced. election of delegates. If I heard the facts in this case, I Comrade Wilson: I think the convention ought understand that a great majority of the comrades of to know. Minnesota were active and participated in the referen- Comrade Panken: But, it is a matter of public dum, which leads me to believe that the referendum record. There was a great number of comrades and was more or less honest. I don’t know that there was delegates at that hearing. The hearing was very crowded any small holding up of the ballots by some few locals all the time. I must say everybody was vitally inter- or branches or not, but the facts are, from what I heard ested in what we were doing in the committee room. in the committee room, that there was a large number He said that he would not take a seat in this conven- of comrades in Minnesota that did vote, that were in tion because it wasn’t a proletarian party, and because favor of the original position of Comrade Carney and the Left Wing delegates had been excluded from the the rest of these comrades that they should represent convention. them in this convention; and I am not in favor of seat- Comrade Wilson: Was there anything developed ing the [replacement] delegation from Minnesota, since in the hearing before the contest committee about the a large number of the membership have signified their State Convention held in Minneapolis last— desire for another set of comrades to represent them Comrade Panken: No. here. Comrade Wilson: These others you recommend A part of the Executive Board, as it was there — be seated were appointed by the Executive Board of as it seems they didn’t all agree and didn’t all function the party in Minnesota. Did anything develop about together — a part of an Executive Board appointed a Comrade Germer going to Minnesota and getting that delegation to come here that is not in harmony with Executive Board together and having these delegates the feelings of the comrades in Minnesota, if I can appointed? judge the statement that was given before this com- Comrade Panken: No. All we got in the hear- mittee, and I am not in favor of seating these delegates ing was that Germer did go to Minnesota and had a that were appointed by this Executive Committee. meeting with the State Executive Board; that he got Rather would I see that the comrades be seated that them to appoint delegates was not brought out. the membership voted on, regardless of some of the Comrade [William] Henry [IN]: I would like things that might be brought up that will tend to throw to ask the chairman of the committee [Panken] if sand in the eyes of the comrades in regard to this case.