Laski Urges American Socialistic Labor Party

Harold J. Laski returned to a Harvard auditorium last night, in one of his few appearances at the University since he left under strained circumstances in 1921, to deliver a strong plea for trade union socialism. He addressed an overflow crowd at Sanders Theater in the last Law School forum of the year.

But the British subject, sometimes referred to as the philosopher of England's labor party, saw a need for revision of union activity in the country if a complete democracy, awake to social needs, is to be realized.

Return to Trade Unionism

"You, like we, have tried a government of the aristocracy," with its interest in the aristocracy," he said. "The time has come to restore power to the American people, and the one valid organization of the American people is found only in trade unionism, which here, unfortunately, has too often failed."

The political scientist found himself faced by a four-man board of interrogators, drawn from the Economics and Government departments, after his 40-minute unprepared speech. Tempers sometimes flared as Professors William Y. Elliott, Wassily W. Leontief, Samuel Beer, and Seymour E. Harris alternately attacked and supported his views.

Laski called for a union of workers "by hand by brain" to form a lasting third party. He foresaw no powerful political group except a party formed on the mass basis provided by Trade Unionism. But, he emphasized, these trade unions must gather about them those sharing their ideals.

GOP, Democrats Alike

There is no difference between the two major parties today, Laski observed. He called them "essentially brokers of ideas, the only difference between them being that when the Republicans get into power, their members get the offices, and when the Democrats get into power, Democrats get the offices."

Political action of labor organizations in the United States were raked by the speaker. Labor groups have had easy political decisions to make during the New Deal, he asserted, but he asked, "What will happen when labor groups must choose between a Harding and a Cox?"

Laski saw only weakness in "labor pressure groups," as he called them, attacking them from four standpoints.

Four-Fold Attack

(1) Political pressure can only be equal to the amount of money spent, and here, the speaker said, labor groups do not have the resources of antagonistic groups.

(2) He saw danger in the "private pressure" which must be applied to achieve labor's goals. "There can be no real educative effect on the American nation," Laski declared.

(3) As constituted today, labor's political groups do not bring into play all who will be affected by what it may achieve.

(4) Labor unions have failed to realize their complete democratic responsibility.

Hits Witch-Hunting

Laski-was firm in defending the rights of admitted Communists to teach, and hold other positions of employment. "As long as the Communist Party is legal in America, and has not been declared unlawful by an act of Congress, Communists, if efficient, have as much right to hold a job as anyone else," he declared.

The Briton decried "witch-hunting" of Communists in this country, and said, "In ten years you will be as ashamed of it as you were ten years after the Mitchell-Palmer affair in 1919-20."