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Show ' LABOR'S POLITICAL PLANS. ' V v Less ambitious than the organization of a separate party with a platform of its own are the political plans of the American Federation of Labor in the 1920 campaign for f urthenng labor s interests. Its policy is to be frankly bi-partisan. Between Democrats Demo-crats and Republicans its choice will be governed as it may judge candidates of either party to be friendly or unfriendly to organ- - ized labor. Against both parties it proposes to bring to bear all the pressure it can exercise. ' In supporting such candidates as it approves and opposing other candidates that it regards with disfavor, organized labor will do only what Americans have always done. In places where the issue is clearly drawn it may succeed in turning the balance ' one way or the other. But under the system of merely indorsing . candidates, Democratic or Republican, according to special circumstances, cir-cumstances, its actual influence and strength will not be fairly revealed, re-vealed, whatever the outcome. As party ties lie heavily or lightly upon individual voters they are reluctant or ready to change sides from year to year from personal motives. In effect the American Ameri-can Federation announces that its purpose is to encourage independent inde-pendent voting. - How organized labor .will respond to the orders of its leaders in the heat of a political campaign where many issues are raised we shall know better next November. It. is not a disciplined army, - accustomed to act at the word of command like a political machine. ma-chine. In theory it may "be stolidly disposed of in advance'- hut can it be done in practice? Not alllab6r by any Queans is organ- - ized, not all organized labor, is affiliated with 'the 'Amenca.n Federation of Labor or bows to its leadership. In, no country js V organized labor as a whole more intelligent than in the United States, and no class, of voters anywhere has been less inclined to surrender the right of voting according to its personal opinions in obedience to instructions from the headquarters, of an organi-zation, organi-zation, social or political.' 1 ,' . |
