The League for Independent Political Action (LIPA) was an American political organization established in late November or early December 1928 in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. The organization, which brought together liberals and

socialists Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the econ ...

, was seen as a coordinating agency for a new political party in the United States. No such party was forthcoming, however, and the group remained in existence as a small

membership organization A membership organization is any organization that allows people or entities to subscribe, and often requires them to pay a membership fee or "subscription". Membership organizations typically have a particular purpose, which involves connecting pe ...

into the middle years of the 1930s, when it was gradually rendered obsolete by the move to the

New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Con ...

by Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democratic Party. The organization was terminated in 1936.

Organizational history

Establishment

Within a month after the

1928 Presidential election The following elections occurred in the year 1928. Africa * 1928 Southern Rhodesian general election Asia * 1928 Japanese general election * 1928 Persian legislative election * 1928 Philippine House of Representatives elections * 1928 Philippin ...

which saw the election of

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gre ...

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

, a number of prominent liberals and socialists gathered in New York City to assess the American political situation."League for Independent Political Action," in Nathan Fine (ed.), ''American Labor Year Book, 1930: Volume 11.'' New York: Rand School of Social Science, 1930; pg. 126. Those gathered agreed on the need for a new political party in America bringing together progressives around a common program. Additional meetings were subsequently held at which a platform was written and a name given to the new organization — the League for Independent Political Action (LIPA). This name appears to have been borrowed wholesale from the official organization back of the 1924 independent Presidential campaign of

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

progressive Senator Robert M. La Follette, Sr., the "League for Progressive Political Action." The group soon published an initial leaflet entitled ''Wanted: A New Political Alignment'' which elucidated the principles of the new organization."League for Independent Political Action," in Fine (ed.), ''American Labor Year Book, 1930,'' pg. 127. This document proclaimed that "a political awakening is coming" which would cast aside the "Republican-Democratic alliance." The 1928 election had "revealed the fact" the Democratic Party had "not one fundamental economic issue to distinguish them from Republicans," according to this LIPA founding document. The LIPA founding declaration announced the need for a new "

political realignment A political realignment, often called a critical election, critical realignment, or realigning election, in the academic fields of political science and political history, is a set of sharp changes in party ideology, issues, party leaders, regional ...

" to correspond with the "general and far reaching industrial transformation" which the United States had experienced. It further called upon "forward-looking people in existing political parties and independent of existing parties" to join together in a "new party based on the principle of increasing social control" over industrial production and

product Product may refer to: Business * Product (business), an item that serves as a solution to a specific consumer problem. * Product (project management), a deliverable or set of deliverables that contribute to a business solution Mathematics * Produ ...

distribution.

Program

General principles which the group espoused included government takeover of "strategic industries which are now being grossly mismanaged by private interests," including public utilities, coal mines, and the transportation system. LIPA was critical of the unequal distribution of wealth in the United States, declaring that the present system allowed "some to have so much more than they need and often without working for it" and declared the intention "to skim off through

progressive taxes A progressive tax is a tax in which the tax rate increases as the taxable amount increases.Sommerfeld, Ray M., Silvia A. Madeo, Kenneth E. Anderson, Betty R. Jackson (1992), ''Concepts of Taxation'', Dryden Press: Fort Worth, TX The term ''progre ...

on unearned incomes,

inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Of ...

, and the increase in land values those surplus gains which are not necessary to induce effective service" or which were the byproduct of

monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situati ...

."League for Independent Political Action," in Fine (ed.), ''American Labor Year Book, 1930,'' pg. 128. The LIPA also declared itself in favor of "social insurance from the hazards of accident, ill health, unemployment, and old age." A new party was necessary for the achievement of these ends, the organization declared:

"The employers are not going to protect against these evils in any adequate way. They must help pay the cost and will never do it, speaking generally, until forced to do so by legislation. The leaders of the old parties will not work for the enactment of these laws because the Republican and Democratic parties are merely the political expressions of the great business organizations.... If we want social insurance, we must help to build up a new party."

The organization also opined in favor of low

tariff A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and p ...

s, emphasizing that the Democratic Party had abandoned this historic principle and that farmers and consumers would see their tax burden reduced as the country steadily moved toward "the eventual goal of

free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econ ...

, as an aid to the soundest prosperity and international good-will, and for the purpose of reducing special privilege,

political corruption Political corruption is the use of powers by government officials or their network contacts for illegitimate private gain. Forms of corruption vary, but can include bribery, lobbying, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, parochialism, patronage, i ...

, and exploitation by favored interests."''Wanted: A New Political Alignment,'' quoted in Fine (ed.), ''American Labor Year Book, 1930,'' pg. 129. Despite its repeated insistence that a new party would be necessary for the achievement of these ends, the LIPA officially declared that it "does not intend itself to become the new party but rather to act as a coordinating agency bringing together all those groups which ought to unite in the formation of such a party.""League for Independent Political Action," in Fine (ed.), ''American Labor Year Book, 1930,'' pg. 129. Included in its sites were the Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota, the

Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...

, so-called "progressive elements now working in the old parties," trade unionists, progressive farmers, professionals, liberal journalists, and

religious activists Religion is usually defined as a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, trans ...

. The executive committee of the organization subsequently adopted a rule prohibiting the endorsement of candidates of either the Republican or Democratic Parties whenever third party candidates representing the general principles of the League shared the ballot with them."League for Independent Political Action," in Nathan Fine (ed.), ''The American Labor Year Book, 1931: Volume 12.'' New York: Rand School Press, 1931; pg. 157. Although this prohibition was binding upon all officers and members of the governing national and executive committees of the league, local branches and their officers were merely "requested to conform to the same rules," while individual members were "free to follow their own judgment" on such matters.

Development

The LIPA made its first political endorsements in the election of 1930, recommending the entire ticket of the Farmer-Labor Party of Minnesota, Socialist candidates in New York state (including

Heywood Broun Heywood Campbell Broun Jr. (; December 7, 1888 – December 18, 1939) was an American journalist. He worked as a sportswriter, newspaper columnist, and editor in New York City. He founded the American Newspaper Guild, later known as The Newspap ...

, Frank Crosswaith,

Samuel Orr Samuel Orr (July 11, 1890 – August 29, 1981) was a socialist politician from New York City best remembered for being one of the five elected members of the Socialist Party of America expelled by the New York State Assembly during the First Red ...

, Jacob Panken, and

Norman Thomas Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was an American Presbyterian minister who achieved fame as a socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. Early years Thomas was the ...

), a pair of Socialist candidates for Congress from Wisconsin, and a pair of candidates from the Niagara Falls Labor Party and New Bedford, Massachusetts Labor Party, respectively. Following the 1930 election, the League attempted to organize its supporters into functioning branches, with a goal of holding state conferences of progressive farmers, trade unionists, and political activists. In states with no functioning third parties already in the field, these state conferences were envisioned as the catalyst for the formation of new state political parties. The Chairman of the LIPA from its earliest days was philosopher

John Dewey John Dewey (; October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. He was one of the most prominent American scholars in the fi ...

. Dewey attempted to jumpstart the political power of the organization by bringing in sitting

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and power ...

George W. Norris George William Norris (July 11, 1861September 2, 1944) was an American politician from the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. He served five terms in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican, from 1903 until ...

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

, writing the progressive Midwesterner on December 23, 1930 and asking him to renounce both of the "old parties" and helping to give birth to a new political party based upon the principles of planning and control. This new organization would be instrumental "for the purpose of building happier lives, a more just society, and that peaceful world which was the dream of Him whose birthday we celebrate this Christmas Day," Dewey wrote. Senator Norris was not inclined to go to this political extreme, however, writing Dewey back that "the people will not respond to a demand for a new party except in case of a great emergency, when there is practically a political revolution.""League for Independent Political Action," in Nathan Fine (ed.), ''The American Labor Year Book, 1931: Volume 12.'' New York: Rand School Press, 1931; pg. 158. This exchange between the scholar and the Senator received wide coverage in the popular press. The appeal by Dewey to Norris had the additional effect of alienating

A.J. Muste Abraham Johannes Muste ( ; January 8, 1885 – February 11, 1967) was a Dutch-born American clergyman and political activist. He is best remembered for his work in the labor movement, pacifist movement, antiwar movement, and civil rights movement ...

, head of

Brookwood Labor College Brookwood Labor College (1921 to 1937) was a labor college located at 109 Cedar Road in Katonah, New York, United States. Founded as Brookwood School in 1919 and established as a college in 1921, it was the first residential labor college in the co ...

, who resigned his position on the LIPA executive committee, declaring his belief that "we must build our political machinery for a genuine labor party down on the ground first" by energizing masses of workers rather than by "inviting such figures practically to form a new party."Muste Drops Out of Dewey League: Resigns from Executive of Third Party Group," ''Revolutionary Age'' ew York vol. 2, no. 5 (January 3, 1931), pg. 2. In resigning, Muste stated that "for the present it is of the utmost importance to avoid every appearance of seeking messiahs who are to bring down a third party out of the political heavens." Despite Dewey's widely publicized failure, the LIPA still managed modest organizational growth, ending 1930 with approximately 4,500 dues-paying members and local branches in about 20 states. Average paid membership for the entire year was 3,756 for all of 1930, which grew to 6,062 in 1931, according to a report by the Executive Secretary of LIPA, Howard Y. Williams."League for Independent Political Action," in Nathan Fine (ed.), ''The American Labor Year Book, 1932: Volume 13.'' New York: Rand School Press, 1932; pg. 100. By the beginning of 1932, there were a total of 11 state committees, 51 local branches, and 43 local representatives intent upon organizing additional branches of LIPA."League for Independent Political Action," in Fine (ed.), ''The American Labor Year Book, 1932,'' pg. 101. The League made use of dinners and banquets to promote the organization, while Executive Secretary Williams delivered dozens of addresses to trade unions, women's groups, farm organizations, community forums, and other organizations. The LIPA was formally governed by annual conferences of its members. The May 1931 gathering determined to hold a joint conference of third party groups in an effort to wield unified action in the 1932 election campaign. Late in 1931, with the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

sweeping America and the ranks of the unemployed swelling with no end in sight, the LIPA invited a number of economists and progressive political activists to assist in formulating a platform for the group for the 1932 campaign. In January 1932 those participating gathered to draft a formal document called "A Four Year Presidential Plan, 1932-1936," which the League executive committee finalized and released to the press. This document again asserted the necessity for an independent political party to solve the nations ills, declaring:

"We are in the midst of a tragic breakdown of industry, employment, and finance, with all the attendant human suffering. The Republican and Democratic parties cannot meet the emergency for they are the tools and servants of the forces and the men who have promoted the very policies which have in large measure brought about the crisis. Only a new party can restore the agencies of government to the service of the people.... This party will restore reality to democracy by attacking the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few and by preventing the insecurity, disproportionate risk, fear, and loss of vital
civil liberties Civil liberties are guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by constitution, legislation, or judicial interpretation, without due process. Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties ma ...
which are the lot of many.""A Four Year Presidential Plan, 1932-1936," reprinted in full in Fine (ed.), ''The American Labor Year Book, 1932,'' pp. 102-112.

The 1932 platform advocated higher progressive income taxes and inheritance taxes, lower tariffs continuing the process towards eventual free trade, public ownership of utilities, coal, oil, and railroads, and reform of the banking industry to eliminate "extra-banking activities" as well as "investment trusts" and "trading activities." Provisions were included for the restoration of civil rights through the abolition of syndicalism laws, the

Espionage Act The Espionage Act of 1917 is a United States federal law enacted on June 15, 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I. It has been amended numerous times over the years. It was originally found in Title 50 of the U.S. Code (War ...

, and the use of unlawful searches and so-called "Third Degree" tactics by the police. Equal economic, political, and legal rights were demanded for black Americans as well as an end to legal laxity towards

lynching Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor, punish a convicted transgressor, or intimidate people. It can also be an ex ...

. "Drastic cuts, approximating 50 percent" were demanded for military expenditures on the army, navy, and air force while the abolition of

military conscription Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...

through a constitutional amendment was insisted upon.

Dissolution and legacy

The election of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the inauguration of the liberal social policies of the

undermined the political impetus driving the League for Independent Political Action. Early in 1933, the group's official ''Monthly Bulletin'' was merged into ''Common Sense'' magazine. It was formally terminated in October of that year. With its members engaged in other political activities during the kinetic years of the middle-1930s, the League for Independent Political Action rapidly lost members. It continued to limp along as a shell of its former self until it was formally terminated in 1936. A partial run of the monthly organ of LIPA, the ''News Bulletin,'' is available on microfilm with the master negative held by the

Cleveland Public Library Cleveland Public Library, located in Cleveland, Ohio, operates the Main Library on Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland, 27 branches throughout the city, a mobile library, a Public Administration Library in City Hall, and the Ohio Library for th ...

Footnotes

Conventions

Prominent members

Devere Allen Devere Allen (1891–1955) was an American socialist and pacifist political activist and journalist. Allen is best remembered as the main editor of ''The World Tomorrow'' following the departure of Norman Thomas from the magazine in 1922. Alle ...

* Harry Elmer Barnes *

Paul Brissenden Paul may refer to: * Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

* Jane P. Clark *

Paul H. Douglas Paul Howard Douglas (March 26, 1892 – September 24, 1976) was an American politician and Georgist economist. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois for eighteen years, from 1949 to 1967. During his Senat ...

W. E. B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American-Ghanaian sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up i ...

* Sherwood Eddy * Helen Hamlin Fincke * Nathan Fine *

Sidney Hillman Sidney Hillman (March 23, 1887 – July 10, 1946) was an American labor leader. He was the head of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America and was a key figure in the founding of the Congress of Industrial Organizations and in marshaling labor' ...

* Hannah Clothier Hull * Harry W. Laidler *

Corliss Lamont Corliss Lamont (March 28, 1902 – April 26, 1995) was an American socialist and humanist philosopher and advocate of various left-wing and civil liberties causes. As a part of his political activities, he was the Chairman of National Council ...

* John A. Lapp *

Robert Morss Lovett Robert Morss Lovett (December 25, 1870 – February 8, 1956) was an American academic, writer, editor, political activist, and government official. Background Lovett was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard University i ...

* Archibald MacLeish * William Mahoney *

James H. Maurer James Hudson Maurer (April 15, 1864 – March 16, 1944) was a prominent American trade unionist who twice ran for the office of Vice President of the United States on the ticket of the Socialist Party of America. Biography Early years James H. ...

Lewis Mumford Lewis Mumford (October 19, 1895 – January 26, 1990) was an American historian, sociologist, philosopher of technology, and literary critic. Particularly noted for his study of cities and urban architecture, he had a broad career as a w ...

* A. J. Muste *

Reinhold Niebuhr Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (June 21, 1892 – June 1, 1971) was an American Reformed theologian, ethicist, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. Niebuhr was one of Ameri ...

Joseph Schlossberg Joseph Schlossberg (May 1, 1875 – January 15, 1971) was a Belorussian-born Jewish-American labor activist. Life Schlossberg was born on May 1, 1875 in Koidanovo, Minsk Governorate, Russia, the son of Max Schlossberg and Bessie Feldman. He immi ...

Oswald Garrison Villard Oswald Garrison Villard (March 13, 1872 – October 1, 1949) was an American journalist and editor of the ''New York Evening Post.'' He was a civil rights activist, and along with his mother, Fanny Villard, a founding member of the NAACP. ...

* Charney Vladeck * Howard Y. Williams

Publications

The official organ of the League for Independent Political Action was the ''News Bulletin of the League for Independent Political Action.'' This was established in June 1930 and merged into the magazine ''Common Sense'' in April 1933 and terminated in October of that same year. (''Common Sense'' continued publication through 1943.) The organization also published a number of political pamphlets, including: * ''Wanted: A New Political Alignment.'' New York: League for Independent Political Action, 1929. * Paul H. Douglas, ''Why a Political Realignment.'' New York: League for Independent Political Action, 1930. * Henry Raymond Mussey, ''Unemployment: A Practical Program.'' New York: League for Independent Political Action, 1930. * Oswald Garrison Villard, ''The Tariff Scandal.'' New York: League for Independent Political Action, 1930. * John Dewey, ''Democracy Joins the Unemployed: Address.'' New York: League for Independent Political Action, 1932. * ''Audacity! More Audacity! Always Audacity!'' New York: United Action Campaign Committee of the League for Independent Political Action, n.d.

933 Year 933 ( CMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Hugh of Provence, king of Italy, launches an expedition to Rome to remo ...

* ''Why the League for Independent Political Action.'' New York: League for Independent Political Action, n.d. . 1934 * ''Fascism.'' St. Paul, MN: League for Independent Political Action and the Farmer Labor Political Federation, n.d. . 1934

External links

"League for Independent Political Action Executive Committee Agenda, October 4, 1929,"
W. E. B. Du Bois Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries. {{DEFAULTSORT:League for Independent Political Action 1928 establishments in New York City 1936 disestablishments in New York (state) Organizations established in 1928 Organizations disestablished in 1936 Progressive organizations in the United States