1919 Emergency National Convention facts for kids
The 1919 Emergency National Convention of the Socialist Party of America was a very important meeting. It happened in Chicago from August 30 to September 5, 1919. This event was a big moment in American history for groups who wanted major changes in society. During this convention, a group called the Left Wing decided to leave the Socialist Party. They then formed their own new group, the Communist Labor Party of America.
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What Was the 1919 Convention About?
The Socialist Party of America (SPA) held this special meeting because of pressure from its "Left Wing" members. These members wanted the party to take a stronger stand on the socialist revolution happening in Russia.
A Big Disagreement in the Party
Instead of just discussing Russia, the convention became a major face-off. It was between the "Regulars" (the main leaders of the party) and the "Left Wing" group.
- The Regulars were led by people like Adolph Germer, James Oneal, and Julius Gerber.
- The Left Wing was led by Alfred Wagenknecht and L.E. Katterfeld.
About 117 delegates (representatives) from 22 states attended the meeting.
Opening the Convention
Adolph Germer, a leader of the Regulars, gave the first speech. He said that disagreements over how to achieve their goals were part of the problem. But he also warned that too much fighting could tear the party apart. He also mentioned that some people were spreading rumors and false information about the party's leaders.
Choosing a Leader for the Day
The first thing the delegates did was choose a chairman for the day. Seymour Stedman, a Regular, won easily with 88 votes. The Left Wing candidate, Joseph Coldwell, received 37 votes.
After being chosen, Stedman gave a speech. He talked about the past five years, which had been full of war and arguments. He also said that the Socialist Party was already divided even before the meeting started.
Who Got to Vote?
The outcome of the convention was pretty clear from the start. The "Regulars" had more delegates. This was partly because the Left Wing members had trouble agreeing on their own plans.
A key moment was when the convention decided which delegates could vote. For example, a committee chose a different group of delegates from Minnesota to attend. This was instead of the delegates who had been elected by the party members in Minnesota. This decision caused a big debate about fairness and rules. In the end, the elected Minnesota delegates were not allowed to vote.
Changes to the Party Rules
The convention also looked at a report about problems with some of the party's language groups. These groups were accused of breaking rules. The convention agreed with the report. This meant that the results of the 1919 party election were set aside.
However, one important vote was kept: a vote for the Socialist Party to join the Communist International in Moscow. This idea had passed by a large margin (more than 6 to 1). This showed that many members wanted to connect with the global socialist movement.
The convention also confirmed that the party leaders had been right to:
- Cancel the 1919 party election.
- Suspend seven language groups that disagreed with the party.
- Remove the state organizations of Michigan, Massachusetts, and Ohio from the party.
New Rules for the Socialist Party
The 1919 Emergency Convention made big changes to the Socialist Party's rulebook, called its Constitution.
- From then on, the party would hold yearly national conventions.
- These conventions would elect the members of the National Executive Committee, which runs the party.
- The committee would be smaller, with 7 members instead of 15.
- A new Board of Appeals was created to handle complaints about the committee's actions.
These changes to the Constitution were later voted on by all party members and approved.
The Convention in a Movie
You can see a creative version of the 1919 Emergency National Convention in the 1981 movie Reds, directed by Warren Beatty.
