…Of all the accusations and slurs that have been thrown at me, the one I most resented was that after my defeat in the 1920 election I considered launching a military coup against Premier Debs. Leaving aside the ridiculousness of the idea that such a coup would have been possible, to do so against the clear will of the American people would have been a betrayal of everything I had fought for. I had my disagreements with Debs, enough that I broke with the SLP and ran against him, but he was no less devoted to the Revolution than I…
…Three days after Debs was inaugurated, I came to see him at Wall Street. After I congratulated him again on his victory and we exchanged pleasantries, I explained that I had no desire to sit idle after losing the election. I wanted to show my loyalty to the new government by returning to the Red Army, having resigned as its commander only in order to focus on the campaign…
…Debs began his reply by assuring me that he was not concerned about my loyalty. However, he felt that it would be unseemly for a senior military commander to be head of the opposition. One of the few strengths of the old United States had been the apolitical nature of the military. Retired generals might seek political office, but as it was a given that I would continue to coordinate my political activity, it would be inappropriate for me to return to active duty…
…I considered promising to refrain from interfering in politics, but I held my tongue. I could not promise that. Anyone who has ever met me knows that I cannot help but speak my mind on any topic that comes up. Debs certainly knew it and would not have accepted my promise even if I had offered it. I only asked for his assurance that if a great war were to threaten the American Socialist Union, I would be allowed to return to active duty. Debs gave me that assurance, and we parted on good terms. The scenario I envisioned did eventually come to pass, although Debs would not live to see it…
- From My Life by General Leon Bronstein
…The 1921 election is sometimes called the first “regular” election of the ASU. The 1920 election was fought over broad statements about the future of the American Socialist Union. No one knew what a socialist government or nation would actually look like. But by the end of 1920, the picture was clearer. The practical relationships between the Premier, the Central Committee, the House, the Chamber, the industrial unions, and the commonwealths were taking shape. And there had been plenty of actual politicking for people to run on or against…
…A total of 100[1] seats in the Chamber were up for reelection, along with a single House seat formerly held by William Vincent Allen[2] (P-NE), who died in January 1921 of pneumonia. A significant number of Chamber Delegates who had served these abbreviated terms declined to seek reelection, often citing dissatisfaction with political life. Unsurprisingly, many who ran to replace them were candidates who had been defeated in 1920. This category included Leon Bronstein, who successfully sought a seat representing the Military and Defense Workers. His former running mate, Vincent St. John, made a similar run but was defeated by Arthur E. Reimer[3], in part due to Reimer’s support among arms industry workers…
…The 1921 election did not produce any massive shifts. Most seats were won either by incumbents or another member of their own party. The SLP increased their majority from 187 to 191, winning five seats from the Progressives but losing one to the RSP…
- From A New Union: A Political History of the American Socialist Union by Hillary Rodham
[1] The Chamber of Labor Delegates has 300 delegates total, while the House of People’s Representatives has 500.
[2] IOTL, Allen (who served two terms as a Populist senator from Nebraska) died in 1924. His earlier death is due to butterflies.
[3] IOTL, Reimer was a member of the IWW and the SLP’s presidential candidate in 1912. ITTL, he was a brigadier general in the Revolution.