Fusion Debated at New Leader Dinner
Fusion Debated at New Leader Dinner Hillquit and Thormas Define Party's Position, as LaGuardia and Schieffelin Urge Anti-Tammany Fusion Successful Dinner Sends New Leader Off on Its Tenth...
...No economic interests...
...while Norman Thomas and Morris Hillquit made telling speeches declaring that in these tragic days a mere defeat of Tammany Hall is a matter of such minor moment that it is scarcely worth while bothering about...
...And why...
...So long as public utilities are privately owned there will always be a partnership between racketeering, politics ar.d business...
...Even if a fusion movement might win more easily than a Socialist movement, of which I am by no means sure, would it last longer than the Mitchel administration...
...Our main energies must be concentrated on policies that must be determined nationally...
...Who are they...
...But Tammany Hall is not a villain in a play but an institution in many Republican and Democratic cities...
...The party haa cooperated in labor atruggles and to obtain social legislation for the masses, and for anti-war programs...
...Comrade Thomas explained our views of government...
...McKee's record during seven years of office when he went down the line with Tammany, including the Equitable Pus deal, despite his failure to use his power as Acting Mayor to remove incompetent officials, despite hia refusal to approve a program which would have done a little to give employment and to relieve the housing situation by applying R, F. C. loans to housing projects...
...Our immediate concern is with a changed system, not a changed city...
...We are going on from campaign to campaign as the only way eventually to emancipate the masses in the city, state and nation, to instill the working classes with faith and hope in themselves, until we create an invincible force that will end the whole system of exploitation...
...That's why we Socialists must stick to our job...
...Whatever may be true about individual Republicans, the Party as a whole is worse than Tammany in the sense in which a jackal is worse than a lion or s tiger...
...It was a high-grade discussion...
...You say very frankly, you represent nobody but yourself...
...But so far as he is concerned, in city elections party labels must disappear...
...William Jay Schieffelin argued for a fusion of alt anti-Tammany forces — although each in a different vein...
...Now then, what else do you represent...
...He agreed that wt should have a real platform to change the system, and that Socialists have a following who will not permit conditions to continue...
...Do we not have the same things in the city...
...It Is meeting the desire of the real estate and banking interests for economy, no matter at what cost to social services...
...They are first the great movement of taxpayers, the movement which has arisen within the past year, and has become a powerful voice throughout our public life...
...Capture the City Hall and the rest is easy," he concluded...
...We are aware, however, that the heightening crisis has diminshed, not increased, what we can reasonably expect any city government to do in line with Socialist purpose...
...We have economic groups and classes, the exploiters and exploited in city and nation...
...Algernon Lee, who gracefully presided as toastmaster, first introduced' Jame* Oneal, editor of The New Leader, who spoke briefly, recalling that in the nine years •t The New Leader about five years were the dismal period of prosperity illusions, and the remaining period one of awakening masses to Socialism . He was unable to mention all who had given generous aid in helping get out the paper but believed he was justified in mentioning one, inconspicuous and unknown to many comrades, but for several years Henry Halpern had given many hours of devoted labor as auditor...
...What is our common ground of cooperation...
...A great many fuaionists have so little conception of the realities of city government, the record of th ; last seven years, or what we ought to hope, that they went off into extravagant praise for Joseph McKee...
...I am concerned in warning Socialists that we do not want lightly to undertake the task of being receivers in bankrupty for American cities without the essential power to do what must be done...
...It is absurd, of course, to say that in this drive on broad policies municipal affairs are unimportant...
...These taxpayers, landlords, who in the fat years have made tremendous fortunes and unmercifully squeezed the people in their rents now in the lean years turn around and set up a howl about taxes...
...LaGuardia Supports Fusion Congressman LaGuardia said that Thomas had left the door open so that he could come to him, and he was also glad to near from "Comrade" Schieffelin who apparently had "got religion" since he associated with John Haynei Holmes and Rabbi Wise...
...Schieffelin, head of the Citisens' Union and chief promoter of the projected City Party, took a strictly political anti-Tammany position...
...To you economy is an end itself...
...You are —and I say it with great pleasure —I think the greatest and most widely progressive force in Congress...
...We cannot afford to weaken our organization, divert our energies or becloud our purpose by disproportionate attention to city reforms even though we admit that some of them in themselves may be desirable...
...William L. Strong end Tammany came back...
...and Tammany came back—Seth Low and Tammany came back...
...This in spite of Mr...
...Both non-Socialists are men of standing, integrity and intelligence, and they were listened to with respect But Thomas and Hillquit were greeted with tremendous enthusiasm when, each in his own way, laid down the principles upon which the Socialist Party conducts itself...
...All we-can do is to unite in demanding from the Legislature proportional representation of an effective sort...
...And Al Smith is far more likely to run on a Democratic ticket than on any fusion ticket...
...To represent LaGuardia means something...
...Whom Do You Represent...
...Every realist knows that tho uprising, such as it was, at the polls last November came first from disapproval, especially the disapproval of powerful forces in the Roman Catholic Church, of Mayor Walker's private life...
...Congressman Fiorello H. La(Juardia and Dr...
...Tammany has met the desire of the chinch for respectability...
...This would be next door to impossible under any kind of fusion that I Cati imagine...
...What are the issues in politics...
...The advocates of fusion in Now York have not presented us with any platform...
...But this proposed cooperation is different...
...Ha said it was interesting that the various interests and the "good people" who used to combine to defeat us In districts where we were strong now come up ua asking our cooperation...
...This action defeated Low, although Tracy ran a bad Jhird . This brought so much odiurrf againut the Republican machine, which was charged with being an ally of Tammany Hall, that two years later the Republicans tried to redeeem themselves and took part in the fusion which nominated Low and triumphantly elected him...
...We are up against a trained force...
...Tiger and Jackal "The backbone of the fusion movement is likely to be the Republican Party...
...Turning to LaGuardia Hillquit aaid: "Assume that you come to us at the head of a committee...
...Forty years ago he had supported Parkhurst...
...Speaking of Major LaGuardia personally, Hillquit said, "Whom do you represent...
...Schieffelin Says— Dr...
...He was willing to head a committee and come to the Socialists if necessary to get unity of action...
...A great many of those who talk about fusion would vote for Al Smith on any ticket...
...Does your ability to do good work in Congress sanction your disguise as a Republican and the credit you reflect upon individuals like Samuel Koenig...
...certainly not a cause for which the Socialist Party should surrender its independence...
...The workers do not want the same things as the real estate owners so economic issues do not stop at the gates of the city...
...but economic issues in state and nation have no place In the city...
...The Socialists during the past years have seen planks in their platform adopted by the other parties and have gained respect nationally for their arguments and ideas, but when they refuse to cooperate in a non-partisan campaign to turn out Tammany they are putting themselves in the unenviable position taken by the Republicans in the first Low campaign...
...Hillquit said that in his "The Shame of the Cities," written many years ago, Lincoln Steffens diagnosed the disease when he wrote that corruption followed a trail into the doors of big business and finance...
...We see in Socialism the only hope of a sore distressed world which nears the end of the capitalist epoch...
...The Socialists say, 'We are in entire agreement with you on the question of Proportional Representation ;' and we reply, 'That's finejoin with us now in the quickest way to get Proportional voting.' "The argument that the Socialists must remain Socialists, and nominate separate Socialists, appears naive and academic when the election of the Socialists does not occur...
...Fusion Debated at New Leader Dinner Hillquit and Thormas Define Party's Position, as LaGuardia and Schieffelin Urge Anti-Tammany Fusion Successful Dinner Sends New Leader Off on Its Tenth Year...
...Hillquit asked...
...And it is even more absurd to say that there is a philosophical difference between what constitutes good government in the city and in the nation...
...It becomes merely a gesture to nominate these candidates...
...estate interests more than Mayor O'Brien is offering...
...But you do not represent your party...
...This esquires a Socialist vision, a Socialist plan, and Socialist organization...
...What may be roughly called municipal Socialism is still very important ia New York OHy...
...A Villain...
...lis asked...
...We must be in a position to integrate our city program with <Kir state and national program...
...Schieffelin's optimism...
...they have not presented us with any leader...
...f LOSE to six hundred men and women, friends and supporters ^ of The New Leader, Socialists and others interested in public affairs, gathered at a delightful and highly successful New Leader dinner at Webster Hall last week, rededicated themselves to their cause, celebrated nine years of this paper's existence, contributed Onerously to The New Leaders funds, and listened to an enlightening discussion on the subject, "li Fusion the Way Out...
...The type of good govern* ment advocates, who by good government mean cheap governmen*, is going to be hard put to it to offer to the bankers anJ the real Six Hundred Friends and Comrades Hear Stimulating Discussion by Four Experts...
...He instanced Cincinnati as a perfect example of a nonpolitical city government, and added: "A generation ago, just after the greater city was created by merging the Ave boroughs, the Citizens' Union and the independents nominated Seth Low, who was a Republican...
...Stop dreaming...
...Hillquit marvelled at Dr...
...It was understood and expected that the Republican organization would also nominate him, but instead they nominated Benjamin F. Tracy...
...And there is always a reasonable fesr that fusion cannot deliver the goods us well as Tammany...
...Second it came from an overwhelming desire to reduce taxes...
...But with all that, what do you represent politically...
...And experience has shown that sitting in a corner and saying, 'What a bit* boy am I,' doesn't attract votes or increase the prestige of a party...
...John Purroy Mitchel and Tammany came back...
...Of course we want a different city here in New York...
...He believed that much of the talk of fusion was amateurish, as the first essential task of all independents is to reform the election laws and provide for non-partisan elections and an honest count of the votes...
...The question then is, Fusion with whom and for what...
...They are not asked to sacrifice their membership in the Socialist Party, for men and women of all parties are joining the City Par'.y on the ground that city affairs are best conducted when national questions are kept entirely separated from them...
...Now, that is a lot...
...On the other hand, there is a chance of an enduring and genuine good government movement if and when the masses of New York's workers, employed and unemployed, workers with hand and brain alike, get to realize that the city can do more for them collectively than district leaders can do for them individually...
...Thomas Presents Socialist View Norman Thomas, greeted with enthusiasm, laid down the Socialist position in clean, incisive terms...
...You represent the fusion forces...
...Whereas, if it joins with others and supplies the needed number of votes to bring a victory, it will receive the acclaim of the friends of good government and have a better hearing for its program...
...How will the Socialists destroy this old order if they go by themselves...
...To us we think of its effect on the masses...
...So delists are not dogmatic about such matters...
...The answer is, down Tammany Hall...
...Socialists/' he said, "want above all things a changed society, a class-less society, a cooperative commonwealth...
...All antiTammany forces must unite...
...What, then, is left for fusionists to offer Socialists?—A vague dislike of Tammany, a desire for vengeance for the past...
...So long as the capitalist system i -lasts' this, will not be changed...
...Hillquit Concludes Symposium Morris Hillquit was warmly cheered when as last speaker ha rose to speak...
...now what is the fusionists' aim...
...Long ago we worked out in detail a program for New York City applying, so far as our laws and circumstances permit, Socialist principles to the government of the city...
Vol. 15 • February 1933 • No. 7
