the Stuttgart resolution. No action was taken by the Congress and the committee was continued. In 1901 the Unity Convention adopted resolutions on the Negro question containing the following: "Resolved, that we declare to the negro worker the identity of his interests and struggles with the interests and struggles of all workers of all lands without regard to race or color or sectional lines;-that the only line of division which exists in fact is that between the producers and the owners of the world-between capitalism and labor-that we, the American Socialist Party, invite the negro to membership and fellowship with us 6. THE LIQUOR PROBLEM. The Socialist Party. The following resolution was adopted at the National Socialist Convention, 1912. "The manufacture and sale for profit of intoxicating and adulterated liquors leads directly to many social evils. Intemperance in the use of alcoholic liquors weakens the physical, mental and moral powers. "We hold, therefore, that any excessive indulgence in intoxicating liquors, by members of the working class is a serious obstacle to the triumph of our class, since it impairs the vigor of the fighters in the political and economic struggle, and we urge the members of the working class to avoid any indulgence which might impair their ability to wage a successful political and economic struggle, and so hinder the progress of the movement for their emancipation. "We do not believe that the evils of alcoholism can be eradicated by oppressive measures or any extension of the police powers of the capitalist state-alcoholism is a disease of which capitalism is the chief cause. Poverty, overwork and overworry necessarily result in intemperance on the part of the victims. To abolish the wage system with all its evils is the surest way to eliminate the evils of alcoholism and the traffic in intoxicating liquor." 7. WOMAN SUFFRAGE. The Platform of the Socialist Party demands "unrestricted and equal suffrage for men and women." In 1912 Congressman Berger introduced in the House of Representatives a joint resolution including the following: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.' 8. MILITARISM AND WAR. The General Problem. Of several manifestoes issued by the National Executive Committee we give extracts from that adopted by the National Committee, May, 1915, and later ratified by a referendum of the members of the Party. I. "Terms of peace at the close of the present war should be based on the following provisions: 2. No transfer of territory except upon the consent and by the vote of the people within the territory. 3. All countries under foreign rule be given political independence if demanded by the inhabitants of such countries. II. International Federation. Special commissions to consider international disputes as they may arise. The decisions of such commissions to be enforced without resort to arms. 1. 2. III. Disarmament. Universal disarmament as speedily as possible. a. Abolition of the manufacture of arms and munitions of war for private profit and prohibition of exportation of arms, war equipment, and supplies from one country to another. 1. b. No increase in existing armaments under any circumstances. C. No appropriations for military or naval purposes. IV. Extension of Democracy. policies. Political democracy. a. Abolition of secret diplomacy; democratic control of foreign b. Universal suffrage, including woman suffrage. 2. Industrial democracy. In 1915 a referendum was passed by a vote of 11,041 to 782 expelling any elected official of the Socialist party who should give his vote for war or war credits. On the opening day of Congress, in the fall of 1915, Meyer London introduced a resolution calling upon President Wilson to convene a congress of neutral nations to attempt to mediate between the warring nations of Europe. This resolution was afterwards introduced in the Senate by a Democratic Senator. a. Socialist Party. Preparedness. The extracts already given from the Manifesto of September, 1915, contain the following demands: "a. No increase in existing armaments under any cir cumstances. " "b. No appropriations for military or naval purposes.' Congressman Meyer London was the only member of the House of Representatives to vote against the Hay Bill, of March, 1916, which increased the size of the regular army from 100,000 to 140,000 men.—(N. Y. Call, March 24, 1916.) In the vote of the Socialist Party for candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States in 1916, the highest figures were given to Allan L. Benson and George R. Kirkpatrick respectively, who were known chiefly as opponents of war and preparedness. Benson received 16,639 votes as against 12,265 for the next on the list, and Kirkpatrick 20,597 as against 11,118. Message from Benson. "Yonkers, N. Y., March 12.-To the members of the Socialist Party of the United States: The campaign of 1916 opens at a time when the world is passing through the blackest period of modern history. What the civilization of the future is to be or indeed, whether there is to be any civilization, is beyond the power of the human mind to know. Humanity having sown. in ignorance, is reaping in agony. It is for us in this dark hour of the world's need to consecrate ourselves anew to the principles for which we stand. It is for us, who know what it was that unloosed upon Europe titanic forces of destruction to proclaim to all men that upon the capitalist system lies the guilt. In the United States the sun is still shining, but its rays are coming through a rift in black clouds that may at any time shut off the light and turn on the lightning. If ever there was need of devotion to a just cause, it is now. If ever there was a time when our philosophy should be convincing it is now. Yesterday, we were dismissed as unpleasant theorists, to-day Europe is writing in letters of fire and blood athwart her midnight sky: "This war was caused by the greeds and hatreds engendered by the capitalist system." Great groups of capitalists fell out over a matter of trade and plunder-wherefore millions were made to die." b. Socialist Labor Party. The resolution on Preparedness, 1916, contains the following: "We recognize in the military 'preparedness' program of the owning class a movement hostile to the interests and lives of the working people and maintain that the only 'national defense' program worthy of the workers' attention is the kind that contemplates defense of their own class interests against the only real enemy, which is the capitalist class, irrespective of country." The following extracts are from the Irreducible Demands for Unity: "1. That the navy, the army, and all other militarist establishments, advocated under the pretext of "preparedness' against foreign invasion, are maintained in reality for the twofold purpose: a. To protect the capitalist class against rebellious workers. b. To secure for the capitalist class of various countries a better opportunity- to realize cash on the wealth they have robbed from their workers at home. 4. The acceptance of the International principle that so-called national defense, at this late day of international capitalism, is an anachronism, and that the proposed united party go on record as being utterly opposed to this theory of national defense War with Mexico. The National Executive Committee of the Socialist Party issued a proclamation on March 23, 1916, containing the following: "American citizens have been murdered by Mexican mercenaries. This outrage upon American citizens was doubtless inspired by the same capitalist interests who have so freely hired gunmen to kill to break strikes in the past. Workers, you have the power to prevent all wars. You have no enemy but the same enemy which the Mexican workers seek to overthrow. Use that power to prevent not only war with Mexico, but to prevent that preparation for war which leads to war.Use every power at your command to prevent war with any nation. Serve notice on the masters that you recognize in them your only enemy. Protest against war and preparedness.' (N. Y. Call, Mch. 24, 1916.) 6. SOCIALIST PARTY REFERENDA. The following are important decisions of the membership of the Socialist Party during 1915 and the early part of 1916: Referendum A: Amendments to the national party con stitution. The chief amendment is Article II, Sec. 7, which is given in full: "Article II, Sec. 7. "Any member of the Socialist Party elected to an office, who shall in any way vote to appropriate money for military or naval purposes or war, shall be expelled from the party.' Aside from this, the referendum provides for the suspension of the national convention (Art. IV, Sec. 3); some changes in the method of selecting the National Executive Committee (Art. VI, Sec. 1); and the Executive Secretary (Art. VII, Sec. 1); the abolition of the Woman's National Committee (Art. XIII and Art. VII, Sec. 1); the expulsion of any party member advocating candidates other than Socialist party candidates (Art. X, Sec. 3); for a referendum to settle controversies within state organizations (Art. X, Sec. 11); for a referendum to nominate candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency (Art. XII, Sec. 2); and some changes relating to foreign language groups and translator secretaries (Art. XIV, Secs. 3, 4, 5). All of these sections were carried by large majorities. Referendum B is an Anti-War Manifesto and Peace Program. It reviews the conditions existing in Europe, and explains the causes of the war as Socialists see them, and proclaims that the supreme duty of the socialists of the world, therefore, is to summon all labor forces of the world for an aggressive and uncompromising opposition to the whole capitalist system, and to every form of its most deadly fruits -militarism and war; to strengthen the bands of workingclass solidarity; to deepen the currents of conscious internationalism; and to proclaim to the world a constructive program leading towards permanent peace. The referendum was carried by large majority. Referendum C referred to the suspension of the National Convention in 1916, authorized the National Executive Committee to draft a platform and provided for the election of a campaign committee by referendum: All three sections were carried. Referendum D provided for the abolition of the Information Department. This failed, 6,786 against 7,588. Referenda 1916. Referendum A provided for the election of a joint committee of the Socialist Party and the Socialist Labor Party to consider terms for unity, and to report agreement, if one were reached, to the respective national organizations by June, 1916. This was carried by a vote of 20,650 to 4,495. The second referendum of 1916, was that referring to the election of a National Executive Committee, and an Executive Secretary. Berger and Hillquit were chosen on the first ballot, Anna Maley, John M. Work and John Spargo on the second. Adolph Germer (14,486) was elected National Secretary over Carl D. Thompson (11,900). On the third referendum, Allan L. Benson and George R. Kirkpatrick were nominated as candidates of the Socialist Party for President and Vice President of the United States respectively. 7. FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEDERATIONS AND TRANSLATOR-SECRETARIES. Affiliated with the Socialist Party. Bohemian Translator, Joseph Novak, National Office. |