The Labor Party of the United States convened a national presidential nominating convention in Chicago, Illinois, on July 11, 1920. On July 13, the convention voted to merge with the Committee of 48 to form a new party, which the convention voted the following day to name the Farmer–Labor Party.
The convention nominated Parley P. Christensen (Utah state representative) for president and Max S. Hayes (party chairman and newspaper editor from Cleveland, Ohio) for vice president.
Background
The Labor Party had held its founding convention in November 1919 at the same venue it held its 1920 national convention. The party as established as a merger of several political groups.
Committee of 48
The Committee of 48 opted to also hold their own 1920 convention in Chicago at the same time that the Labor Party held their national convention. The Committee of 48 was hopeful of merging with the Labor Party, while the Labor Party largely desired to remain independent. No working agreement had been reached by the two party's on a possible merger framework prior to the start of their conventions.
The national chairman of the Committee of 48 was J. A. H. Hopkins. The chairman of their convention was Parley P. Christensen. Other leading figures of the Committee of 48 included Dudley Field Malone and Allen McCurdy. Amos Pinchot was a major leader of its more right-wing grouping. It convened at the Morrison Hotel.
Merger discussions during the convention were prolonged.
Convention logistics The convention was called by the Labor Party for the purposes of nominating a presidential ticket for the 1920 United States presidential election. It was held at Street Car Men's Hall in Chicago. Its sessions convened July 11–14. The venue was described to be poorly-ventilated.
Beyond the Committee of 48, various other groups held coinciding gatherings in Chicago during the convention. This included a group of more radical labor activists (who opposed the American Federation of Labor), Single Tax Party, and the National Grange.
Convention officers When the convention first convened, Max S. Hayes presided as temporary chairman. At the first session, a vote was held to elect the permanent chairman. Nominated as candidate for the role were Francis J. Dillon (of the Indiana Labor Party), James Duncan (president of the Central Labor Council of Seattle, and a past candidate for mayor of Seattle), and John H. Walker (president of the Illinois Federation of Labor). Three rounds of balloting were held, with Dillon being eliminated on the second ballot. Walker prevailed over Duncan on third ballot, by a vote of 237–158. After this, Duncan was unanimously voted the convention's vice chairman.
During the evening session on July 13, after the members of the Committee of 48 formally joined the convention, J.A.H. Hopkins was voted to serve as joint-chairman, alongside Walker. Mary Tudor Garland was thereafter elected joint vice chairman.
Deliberations leading to merger with the Committee of 48 On the first day of the convention, conference committees of the Labor Party and Committee of 48 held hours of discussion and adopted three resolutions which recommended merging the two organizations. Discussions were launched about a name for a merged organization. Deliberations for a merger with the Committee of 48 were ongoing during the early days of the convention, with agreement being struck by July 13 to such a point that the conventions merged and the delegates of theLabor Party and Group of 48 agreed to form a political party under a single name.
Trade unions and organizations represented at convention Sixty trade unions and organizations were represented at the convention. These included: American Union Against Militarism Chicago University Liberal Club Farmers' Education and Co-operative Alliance Farmers' Organization Friends of Freedom for India Kansas City Yardsmen's Association Loyal Star LEague National People's League Nonpartisan League Nurses' Association of Chicago Organization for World War Veterans Plumb Plan League Single Tax Party withdrew from convention after July 13 evening session Welfare Association of Washington Women's Trade Union League Young Democracy
Convention schedule July 11 call to order at 11:15 AM local time welcoming address by John Fitzpatrick, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor address by Max S. Hayes presentation of report by Frank J. Esper, secretary of the national party introduction of resolution by Committee of 48 to develop a common agreement for a merger, presented by Clemens J. France of Washington on behalf of the Committee of 48 debate, and vote on resolution from the Committee of 48 election of Robert M. Buck as permanent chairman of Resolutions Committee election of John H. Walker as permanent chairman of the convention election of James Duncan as convention vice chair vote passed thanking Max S. Hayes for his work on behalf of the party address by Tarak Nath Das, revolutionary activist of India (representing Friends of Freedom for India)
July 12 address by Lester Barlow, national organizer of World War Veterans principal afternoon address by Frank P. Walsh presentation of report by Frank J. Esper, secretary of the national party address by F.A. Moeller, on behalf of the Non-Partisan League address by Carl Thomas (former national secretary of the Public Ownership League), on behalf of the Public Ownership League address by Robert W. Bagnall, representing the NAACP address by Maude McCreery (former Milwaukee Leader journalist), on behalf of the Federated Press address by Winnie Bransetter, on behalf of the Prison Comfort club address by Rafeale Mallen, on behalf of Cooperative Wholesale address by Katherine McCullough, on behalf of the National League of Women Voters address by H. Austin Simmons, secretary of the Freedom Foundation debate and deliberation on concessions demanded by the Committee of 48
July 13 (morning session) several resolutions adopted
July 13 (afternoon session) Committee of 48 members join convention election of J. A. H. Hopkins (of the National Executive Committee of the Committee of 48) as the convention's joint-chairman Mary Tudor Garland elected joint vice chairman addresses by officers of the Committee of 48: address by J. A. H. Hopkins (chairman of the national Executive Committee of the Committee of 48; joint-chair of the convention) address by Allen McCurdy (secretary of the National Executive Committee of the Committee of 48) address by Amos Pinchot (member of the National Executive Committee of the Committee of 48) address by O.M. Thomasson (of the Non-Partisan League) motion unanimously ratified to merge the Labor Party and Committee of 48 into a single political party report of the Education and Organization Committee presented by Lillian Herstein (committee chair) resolutions endorsing the co-operative movement introduced by Robert M. Buck (chairman of the Resolutions Committee); are objected to by Melinda Alexander (acting secretary of the Committee of 48) on the grounds that they were authored by the Resolutions Committee before the party merger, and motioned for the Platform Committee to newly reconvene along with members from the Committee of 48. The convention thereafter allowed for the Platform committee to reconvene in this manner. address by Dudley Field Malone Parley P. Christensen reads convention a message from Robert M. La Follette (U.S. senator from Wisconsin), in which La Follette declines to be party's nominee session adjourned after it became clear that the Platform Committee would not be prepared to issue its report that evening
July 14 (morning session) resolution adopted that convention vote allocation to state delegations be made in proportion to their number of electoral votes, and not the unit system previously to be used announcement made that the Platform Committee would be prepared to make its report later in the day (at 2:00pm local time) Bastille Day recognized with a singing of La Marseillaise John H. Walker (convention co-chair) announces to convention that LaFollette had more definitively declared he would not make himself available as a candidate for the party's presidential nomination; Lester Barlow (organizer of the World War Veterans) reacted by alleging underhanded intrigue seeking to prevent LaFollette's nomination. Several delegates demanded for LaFollette's own platform be read before the reading of the convention's own proposed platform, while other delegates unfurled banners calling on the convention to draft La Follette. It took Walker approximately 30 minutes to calm the convention before business could be resumed motions to present LaFollette's own platform (or any other platform) before that of the Platform Committee ruled out-of-order presentation by Robert M. Buck (chairman of the platform committee) of the Platform Committee's report presentation by George L. Record (member of the platform committee) of a minority report authored by dissenting Platform Committee members deliberation on platform adoption of the platform that had been endorsed by the majority of Platform Committee members remarks by Gilbert E. Roe (New York attorney, former law partner of Senator La Follette) plank on education introduced as an amendment to the platform, adopted after debate
July 14 (afternoon session) discussion and vote on name of the new party; debate on whether or not the Committee of 48 should remain a separate organization walk-out by approximately 100 Forty-Eighters balloting for presidential nomination balloting for vice presidential nomination Convention adjourned at 4:00 AM local time on July 15
Presidential nomination
While Robert M. La Follette was a popularly supported name for the nomination. However, he declined to accept it if nominated by the party, viewing the platform of the party as being too radical. On July 13, while the general session of the convention was largely passing time as the Platform Committee privately reconvened, Parley P. Christiansen read a message from La Follette. In the message, La Follette stated that he would like to lead their new party, but would ultimately decline their nomination because he felt he could better serve the United States in a different way. La Follette's son, Robert M. La Follette Jr., spoke on July 14 to deliver a more clear message to the convention that La Follette would not accept their nomination.
Eugene V. Debs was initially put forward as a candidate, but his name was withdrawn per the request of the Socialist Party of America (which had already made Debs their nominee at their own convention). Otto Branstetter took to the floor of the Farmer–Labor convention to make the request that Debs' name be withdrawn. Despite his name being withdrawn, he still received 68 votes in the first round of balloting. Lynn J. Frazier had not wanted the nomination, but was put forward as a candidate against his own wishes.
Dudley Field Malone's candidacy for the nomination received backing from many labor leaders.
Notably for the era, a woman (Jane Addams) had her name placed for the convention's balloting. However, her name was withdrawn after the convention was informed that Addams had declared she would not accept the party's nomination.
Candidates for presidential nomination Names placed for nomination Herbert Bigelow, minister from Cincinnati, Ohio Parley P. Christensen of Utah, John Fitzpatrick of Illinois, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor and 1919 Chicago mayoral candidate Lynn Frazier, governor of North Dakota Dudley Field Malone of New York Henry Ford industrialist from Detroit, Michigan Louis F. Post, United States assistant secretary of labor
Withdrawn Jane Addams of Illinois, Eugene V. Debs, presidential nominee of the Socialist Party Robert M. La Follette, U.S. senator from Wisconsin and former governor of Wisconsin
Balloting for presidential nomination