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Contrasted with this limited membership is the large Socialist vote cast at the polls. The rapid growth of the movement is illustrated by states in the following table, which appears in the American Labor Year Book for 1917-1918:

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The Vermont vote of 547, in 1908, was for the State ticket. No electoral ticket was in the field. The vote in New Mexico and Arizona, in 1910, has never been compiled by the State authorities.

APPENDIX

CHAPTER II

Official Documents

1. National Constitution Socialist Party of America. 2. State Constitution of Socialist Party of State of New York. 3. By-Laws of Socialist Party, New York County.

4. War Proclamation and Program, Socialist Party adopted at St. Louis Convention, April, 1917.

5. Manifesto of Socialist Party - Chicago Convention, September, 1919.

6. Majority Report rejected by Membership of Party by Referendum after submission to the Emergency National Convention held at Chicago, September, 1919.

7. Minority Report adopted by overwhelming party vote on Referendum after submission to Emergency National Convention held at Chicago, September, 1919.

Document No. 1

NATIONAL CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY

"The Socialist Party of the United States is the political expression of the interests of the workers in this country, and is part of the international working-class movement.

The economic basis of present day society is the private ownership and control of the socially necessary means of production, and the exploitation of the workers who operate these means of production for the profit of those who own them.

The interests of these two classes are diametrically opposed. It is the interest of the capitalist class to maintain the present system and to obtain for themselves the largest possible share of the product of labor. It is the interest of the working class to improve their conditions of life and get the largest possible share of their own product so long as the present system prevails, and to end this system as quickly as they can.

In so far as the members of the opposing classes become conscious of these facts, each strives to advance its own interest as against the other. It is this active conflict of interests which we describe as the class struggle.

The capitalist class, by controlling the old political parties, controls the powers of the State and uses them to secure and entrench its position. Without such control of the State its position of economic power would be untenable. The workers must wrest the control of the government from the hands of the masters and use its powers in the upbuilding of the new social order the co-operative commonwealth.

The Socialist Party seeks to organize the working class for independent action on the political field, not merely for the betterment of their conditions, but also and above all with the revolutionary aim of putting an end to exploitation and class rule. Such political action is absolutely necessary to the emancipation of the working class, and the establishment of genuine liberty for all.

To accomplish this aim, it is necessary that the working class be powerfully and solidly organized also on the economic field, to struggle for the same revolutionary goal; and the Socialist Party pledges its aid in the task of promoting such industrial organization and waging such industrial struggle for emancipation.

The fundamental aim of the Socialist Party is to bring about the social ownership and democratic control of all the necessary means of production to eliminate profit, rent and interest, and make it impossible for any to share the product without sharing the burden of labor -- to change our class society into a society of equals, in which the interest of one will be the interest of all.

As subordinate and accessory to this fundamental aim, it supports every measure which betters the conditions of the working class, and which increases the fighting power of that class within the present system.

CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Socialist Party, except in such States where a different name has or may become a legal requirement.

ARTICLE II
Membership

Section 1. Every person, resident of the United States, of the age of eighteen years and upward, without discrimination as to sex, race, color or creed, who has severed his connection with all other political parties and political organizations, and subscribes to the principles of the Socialist Party, including political action and unrestricted political rights for both sexes, shall be eligible to membership in the party.

Section 1. (a) Political action within the meaning of this section is participation in elections for public offices and practical legislation and administration work along the line of the Socialist Party platform to gain control of the powers of government in order to abolish the present capitalist system and the substitution of the co-operative commonwealth.

Section 2. No person holding an elective public office by gift of any party or organization other than the Socialist Party shall be eligible to membership in the Socialist Party without the consent of his state organization; nor shall any member of the party accept or hold any appointive public office, honorary or remunerative (civil service positions excepted), without the consent of his state organization. No party member shall be a candidate for public office without the consent of the city, county or state organizations, according to the nature of the office.

Section 3. A member who desires to transfer his membership from the party in one state to the party in another state may do so upon the presentation of his card showing him to be in good standing at the time of asking for such transfer and also a transfer card duly signed by the secretary of the local from which he transfers.

Section 4. No member of the party, in any state or territory, shall, under any pretext, interfere with the regular or organized movement in any other state.

Section 5. All persons joining the Socialist Party shall sign the following pledge:

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE SOCIALIST PARTY

"I, the undersigned, recognizing the class struggle be tween the capitalist class and the working class, and the necessity of the working class organizing itself into a political party for the purpose of obtaining collective ownership and democratic administration and operation of the collectively used and socially necessary means of production and distribution, hereby apply for membership in the Socialist Party.

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"I have no relations (as a member or supporter) with any other political party.

"I am opposed to all political organizations that support and perpetuate the present capitalist profit system, and I am opposed to any form of trading or fusing with any such organizations to prolong that system.

"In all my political actions while a member of the Socialist Party I agree to be guided by the Constitution and platform of that party.

"Upon the acceptance of my application for membership in the Socialist Party, I promise within three months, wherever possible, to make application for citizenship." "

Section 6. Any member of the Socialist Party, elected to an office, who shall in any way vote to appropriate moneys for military or naval purposes, or war, shall be expelled from the party.

ARTICLE III

Section 1. (a) The affairs of the Socialist Party shall be adininistered by the National Executive Committee and national officials, the National Committee on Appeals, National Conventions and the general vote of the party.

(b) The National Executive Committee shall be composed of seven members, elected by the National Convention at its annual sessions; not more than two shall be from one state. The Committee shall take office immediately following its election and

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