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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).

Ön the third referendum, Allan L. Benson ànd George R. Kirkpatrick were nominated as candidates of the Socialist Party for President and Vice President of the United States respectively.

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7. FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEDERATIONS AND

TRANSLATOR-SECRETARIES.

Affiliated with the Socialist Party.

Bohemian Translator, Joseph Novak, National Office.
Finnish Translator, J. F. Maki, National Office.
French Translator, Joseph Ricard, Elk Pt., So. Dak.
German Translator, A. Dreifuss, National Office.
Hungarian Translator, Armin Loewy, National Office.
Italian Translator, John La Duca, National Office.

Jewish Translator, I. B. Bailin, National Office.

Lettish Translator, Gerard Bernhard, 107 Cedar St., Roxbury, Mass.

Lithuanian Translator, Jos. V. Stilson, 229 6th St., Philadelphia, Pa.

Polish Translator, Roman Mazurkavitz, National Office.

Russian Translator, Alex. E. Menson, 77 St. Mark's Place, N. Y. City.

Scandinavian Translator, N. Juel Christensen, National Office. Slovak Translator, Paul Bruchtel, National Office.

South Slavic Translator, Frank Petrich, National Office. Ukranian Translator, Jacob Fedushko, 339 Lyman Place, Detroit, Mich.

Reports are here given from some of the larger foreign language federations affiliated with the Socialist Party.

THE FINNISH SOCIALIST FEDERATION.
By J. F. Maki, Translator-Secretary.

The beginning of the Socialist propaganda among the Finns in America dates back to 1899. During and after that year there sprang up quite a number of isolated Finnish branches, mostly in the eastern and middle states. Most of these branches were independent organizations, only very few being affiliated with the socialist party. The need of cooperation among the branches was keenly felt and therefore a convention was called to meet at Cleveland, Ohio, October 4, 1904, to discuss ways and means by which the branches in the different parts of a large country could be made to work unitedly, and the propaganda and organization work made effective. This convention did not, however, result in a permanent organization, but it did some very necessary preliminary work.

There were present in that convention fourteen delegates, some of them representing several branches. At that time there were about forty branches existing.

In 1906 another convention was held at Hibbing, Minn., where thirty branches were represented. In that convention plans were laid for a permanent federation and a secretary was elected to communicate with the branches in the different parts of the country and to effect the affiliation of the federation with the party.

In 1907 the office of the Translator-Secretary was established in the party headquarters. The growth of the Federation since that time can be seen from the following table:

Branches end of year

Average membership for the year

Year
1906.

1907.

1908.

53.

133.

150:

2000

2928

3960

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The industrial depression resulted in a substantial loss of members during the years 1914 and 1915. However, the disruption in the Federation in 1914 was the biggest cause for such a sudden decrease in the membership. As a result of the same, forty branches were expelled and thirty withdrew from the Federation. These branches had a combined membership of about three thousand. Most of these branches were in Minnesota, only very few being in Michigan and the Western states. The disruption resulted from a controversy over the question of economic organizations, the seceding faction advocating the doctrines of syndicalism and minimizing the value of political action. This faction also established a paper contrary to the decisions of the federation.

A great number of the branches own their halls, which almost without exception are equipped with stages. They also have dramatic, singing, and gymnastic societies, and orchestras. In the larger branches plays are presented, concerts, propaganda meetings and socials are held weekly. Thus the Socialist hall is made a social center where the Finns habitually go for their entertainment.

The Finnish Socialist Federation is divided into three districts, namely, Eastern, Central and Western Districts, these again being subdivided into propaganda districts with a view of making the propaganda work as efficient as possible.

The propaganda work of the Federation is carried on mainly by the District Committees, they keeping in the field two organizers continually and during campaigns as many as required.

The District Committees are also giving, in central points, courses of several weeks duration, where lectures on the various phases of socialism, on sociology, economics and other sciences are given. These courses are always well attended and have proved a most efficient means of bringing permanent results.

The socialist movement among the Finns in America is not purely a spontaneous phenomenon, but its progress has been greatly influenced and accelerated by the powerful movement in Finland. The Russian oppression of Finland rather proved a blessing to the Finns in this country. Because of political persecution many of the most active socialists were forced to leave for America where they continued

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