French Language Federation History

FRENCH FEDERATION

French Socialist Federation of the Socialist Party of America

The French Socialist Federation was organized in January 1912, bringing together scattered groups who had previously been uanable to affiliate with one another. The founder of the organization was Joseph Ricard. Three distinct nationalities were represented in the organization — French, Belgian, and French-Canadian. The Federation published its own newspaper in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, l’Union des Travailleurs.

The organization was headed by a National Secretary-Treasurer and a National Organizer, and was structured around State Secretaries and Organizers and local officers.

From its origin, the French Federation showed the following pattern of growth:

1912 ——— 5 locals ———— 67 members

1913 ——— 7 locals ——— 187 members

1914 —— 13 locals ——— 291 members

1915 ——- 25 locals ——— 497 members

[Source: “The French Language Federation”in The American Labor Year-Book, 1916. (NY: Rand School Press, 1916), pg. 132.]