ers in February, 1915, by A. C. Townley, a former organizer of the Socialist Party. It aimed to capture the Republican Party machine of the state, and, in the Fall of 1916, elected Lynn J. Frazier, the Nonpartisan candidate for governor, with a vote of 87,665, as against a total of 22,966 for his two opponents; and won all the state offices except that of state treasurer, 81 of the 113 members of the lower house, 18 of the 25 members elected to the senate, and the 3 judges of the supreme court. In July, 1916, it sent John M. Baer to Congress as its first representative.

The League Idea Spreads. The results in this election led to the formation of the league in other states, and, not long after the election, organizations were effected in 13 states of the union. By the fall elections in 1918, the league had enrolled some 200,000 members who had paid $16 each for their two years dues. In North Dakota it made another clean sweep, this time defeating the left-over senators who had prevented the enactment of the farmer's program; sent three of their members to Congress, and passed ten amendments to the constitution, which, among other things, permitted the state to engage in almost any industry it desired, and to exempt improvements and personal property from taxation. Thirty-six league candidates were elected in Minnesota to the legislature, one congressman and one state officer; fifteen legislators in South Dakota, and others in Nebraska, Montana and Colorado. The vote for the league totaled about 600,000.

The Nonpartisan Program. The league program included a demand for state terminal elevators, warehouses, flour mills, pulp and paper mills, stockyards, packing houses, cold storage plants, state hail insurance, rural

credit banks and exemption from taxation of farm improvements.

During the session of the state legislature in North Dakota ending March 3, 1919, laws were enacted for the establishment of a state bank as a repository for all funds held in the state; the building of state terminal elevators, flour mills and other distributing, buying and selling agencies; a state home-building association, to aid farmers to purchase their own homes; a system of taxation exempting improvements up to a certain limit from taxation, and other measures. An Industrial Commission, consisting of three members - the Governor, the Attorney-General, and the Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor was authorized to conduct and operate any and all industrial enterprises the state might establish.

Local Labor Parties.— During 1918 and 1919 also a number of local labor parties made their appearance. Throughout the history of the labor movement in America, numerous attempts have been made to organize labor parties distinct from the Socialist Party. During the eighties the Knights of Labor entered the political arena, but with disastrous results. This "horrible example" of the possible dangers to labor of concerted political activity; the antagonism in the nineties between the Socialist Labor Party, with its competing unions, and the American Federation of Labor; the fear on the part of oldtime trade unionists that labor politics would lead to socialist control; the existence of the Socialist Party, the political expression of labor; the racial heterogeneity of the American labor movement, and the antagonism by extreme radicals to all political action, were among the factors which, for the past generation, kept labor in this country from developing an independent labor party.

Rewarding Labor's Friends. The logic of events, however, forced the American Federation of Labor, more than a decade ago, to adopt the policy of "rewarding labor's friends and punishing its enemies." In 1906, the Federation conducted a vigorous campaign against Congressman Littlefield, of Maine, and other anti-labor candidates, and since then it has frequently taken sides in campaigns as between the candidates of the old parties. Labor has employed its members as lobbyists in state and national capitals, and, in a few instances, as in Wisconsin, the local trade unionists have officially allied themselves with the Socialist Party. Tens of thousands of trade unionists have also as individuals supported the socialist ticket.

Formation of Labor Parties.- Prior to the war, considerable dissatisfaction was manifested with the lack of militant political action on the part of labor as a whole. Discontent increased during the war, particularly following the educational offensive of the reconstruction program of the British Labor Party, and local labor parties began to spring up in many centers of population. The most significant move toward a labor party was the formation, on November 17, 1918, of the Independent Labor Party of Illinois and the United States, at a regular meeting of the Chicago Federation of Labor, and the adoption by that body of "Labor's Fourteen Points."

Indorsements.-The Labor Party idea was indorsed on December 2, 1918, by the Illinois Federation of Labor. The central unions of Greater New York organized another labor party in January, and, during 1918 and 1919, no less than two score such parties were started in various parts of the United States, despite the opposition and threats of Mr. Gompers and the members of the Executive Committee of the A. F. of L. The

a strike broke out at the Vasena Ironworks near Buenos Aires. In attempting to break it up, the authorities killed several men. A sympathetic strike ensued on January 8, involving the police, firemen, street cleaners, tramway workers and other municipal employees. Machine guns were used against the workers, a number of street battles took place, and, on January 11, martial law was declared and General Dellepaine appointed military dictator. The strike was later declared off, but not before a number of concessions were made to the workers.

Harbor workers refused to return to work for a number of weeks, completely paralyzing the work of loading and unloading vessels. The strike was finally settled, the strikers obtaining their chief demands.

Pan-American Socialist Conference. The Argentine socialists were instrumental in arranging a Pan-American Socialist Conference, on April 26, 1919, for the purpose of securing greater unity of action among the socialist forces in the various countries. The conference was attended by socialists from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Peru. Delegates from the United States were denied passports. The party was also represented at the Berne Conference by two delegates - Drs. Tomoso and Justo. These presented a resolution for a Society of Nations, based upon free trade, disarmament, abolition of international diplomacy, and popular control of international action on international questions.

A small group seceded from the party in 1918, because of the actions of its officials in voting for military protection for the Argentine ships against submarines.

Strikes in Other Countries. During the summer and winter of 1918 also general strikes broke out in Montevideo, Uruguay. Here likewise the military power was used to break them up. In December, grave labor dis

turbances were reported in Chili, among the miners. The president was given power to declare martial law with a view of putting down disorders "provoked by Bolsheviks who have managed to reach the country."

In Lima and Callao, Peru, on January 13, 1919, a general sympathetic strike was called in behalf of the cotton mill workers who struck for an eight-hour day and fifty per cent. increase in wages. Practically all stores, offices and factories in both cities were closed, business between Lima and Callao was suspended, and the city for awhile was placed in darkness. Here again the cavalry were called in and several strikers were shot and others arrested. A conference was finally arranged which ended in the establishment of an eight-hour day by government decree and the designation of the Supreme Court as arbitrator. A further general strike of a week's duration occurred in May.

Mexico. In the Summer of 1919, the Socialist Party of Mexico held its first convention. Dissension between the delegates first arose in the seating of the secretary of the Pan-American Federation of Labor and an alleged spokesman for Samuel Gompers, as a delegate, this controversy continuing during the sessions. Toward the close of the convention, the more conservative groups obtained control and the election of delegates to the Moscow International was left to the Executive Committee. This ended in the bolting of the radical element and the subsequent formation of the Mexican Communist Party.

In Brazil, where the socialist and labor movement is weak, the socialists, in 1916, elected a member to the National Congress.

In Cuba, a general strike took place in December, 1918,