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The Commoner
DECEMBER, 1919
9
xllrvi
The New Labor Party
The platform of the new labor party con
I might he expected, some demands
iX?i'. will be abandoned when light is thrown
w fiiom by public discussion. A new party
Til brii sb. together those dissatisfied with
ffod parties and this dissatisfaction, ex
Z Jig itself in many ways and .against
Ey existing laws and methods, is sure to
So the platform agreed upon a patchwork
Xr than a consistent statement of principles,
recessions have to beNmade to many elements
In "X to effect a union -of forces. This is to
be expected.
The new labor party organized at Chicago
has however, succeeded better than new parties
qu'ally do in framing a platform of demands,
it contains a number of planks that will ulti
mately find their way into the platforms of
the older parties, just as many planks of the
Populist platform 'were afterwards adopted by
Democrats and Republicans and finally enacted
into law. Other planks will suggest reforms
which will in a more conservative way remove
the difficulties complained of. Take the first
plank, for instance; it demands the abolition
of the United States senate. This demand ex
presses the indignation quite generally felt at
the senate because of the prolonged discus
sion of the treaty and the league of nations.
The parliamentary bodies of other countries
acted while the senate talked and talked and
talked. But the senate's sins, grievous as they
are, do not justify capital punishment. The
chief fault of the senate is that it permits a
minority to obstruct the will of the majority,
a thing repugnant to our theory of government,
as well as disgusting to the good sense of the
public. It is not quite so. bad today as it
used to be. Until a few years ago a handful
of senators much less than one-third had the
power to prolong debate indefinitely by fili
bustering. Finally the senate became so
ashamed of .itself that it adopted a rule per
mitting two-thirds of the seriate to close de
bate. The change did not go far enough, but
It makes easier the next step, namely, the
adoption of a rule which will permit a majority
to close debate. This will come in time the
sootier the better because even the senate can
not always be indifferent to ' public opinion.
The platforms of all the parties next year should
0 demand majority rule in the senate and then
the indignation now felt will subside and the
senate will enter upon its duties under condi
tions that will enable it to live up to its re
sponsibilities. Until within ten years ago the
speaker of the House was almost as autocratic
as the Kaiser, but the people demanded a
change and that change has revolutionized the
House in the direction of democracy.
The second plank demands the election of
federal judges by popular vote for a term not
exceeding four years. This reform will come
eorne day, although the term will doubtless be
made longer than four years, but the people
are not ready for this movement now. As it
takes time to educate the people to any need of
reform, it will bo some years before the de
mand for the popular election of judges be
comes a dominating issue in the campaign.
Another plank demands the eight hour day
With a forty-four hour week that is a Satur
day half-holiday. There will bo no serious
objection to this from any quarter. The eight
hour day has come to stay; opposition to it
diminishes daily, and the Saturday half-holiday
, will find strong support from those who de
sire Sabbath observance. A forty-eight hour
Week gives the laborer no day but Sunday for
recreation and amusement while the Saturday
naif-holiday takes the strain off of Sunday and
Permits a larger portion of it to be devoted
to religious and spiritual things.
A minimum wage for workers is not so well
understood, but it is just an1 will come, as
U also old age pensions and pensions to those
Who without their fault have become disabled
or are brought to need through sickness.
Government banking is not necessary if we add
o the Postal Savings Banks, which we now
lave, a law to compel the banks to guarantee
jaeir depositors. , What people need is absolute
security for deposits. Comptroller Williams
nas recommended the guarantee of bank de
posits up to $5,000.00 and several states have
aready given to their people "full and complete
guarantee of bank deposits.
u is nthing revoluntionary in the nation
alization of unused lands or in the limitation of
Incomes. The right of the people to act
through government to protoct themselves by
prohibiting the with-holding of needed lands
will not bo denied; the only quostion is whether
the time has come to exercise the right. That
is for the people to decide.
The same is true as to the limitation of in
comes. Plutocracy itself would hardly contend
that the limitation of incomes whenever actual
ly needed is beyond the province of government.
Even the most ardent believers in individualism
will not put the property rights of the individ
ual above the public welfare and who is to de
termine what the public welfaro demands ex
cept the public itself? If, however, our gov
ernment can succeed in abolishing privilogo and
favoritism it is not likely that anyone, relying
purely upon his merit, will accumulate enough
to make his fortune a menace to the country.
The Initiative and Referendum are no longer
new. Twenty-five years ago they wero tho
subjects of witticisms, one paper describing
them as new democratic drinks, when they wero
first included in tho Democratic platform in
Nebraska. But now with states like Illinois,
Ohio and Missouri and Massachusetts
using both the Initiative and Referendum
they passed beyond tho mirth provoking
stage and have become a part of tho
progressive movement of tho country. Tho
late President Roosevelt became a convert
to the Initiative and Referendum and ad
vised the incorporaton of these reforms
in tho constitution of Ohio. President Wilson
also became a convert to the Initiative and Ref
erendum some ten years ago. Of the two, tho
Initiative is by far the most important, because
it embodies also tho idea of tho Referendum
a law passed this year can bo brought up for
a vote at the next election by tho Initiative.
The Recall is not so popular because not so
necessary, although there is no logical argu
ment that can be made against it. Tho peo
ple's right to have an official acceptable to
them is moro important than the official's
right" to a salary.
The home rule plank will have to be ex
plained before judgment can be passed upon
if. If it means that the liquor interests in a
city or county shall be permitted to over-rido
state prohibition or that the liquor interests In
a state shall be able to over-ride national pro
hibition, it will not stand, and exposure of tho
real meaning is all that is necessary to cause
tho rejection of that plank.
The new labor party condemns universal
military training and conscription, and in so
Uoing has struck a popular chord. Frontier
methods cannot survive when frontier condi
tions are gone. The people will not BuPPort
any military system unless convinced that its
burdens are necessary and the' world is now
tilkine of peace, secured through a league or
nationl, instead of the old method- that make
war the only means of settling international
dI Toman's suffrage is approyed-a reform al
ready accomplished, and equal pay for men and
women is demanded the justice of which no
mo wUl dispute. The tendency too is toward
tbe doing of government work by day labor in
stead of by contract. The demand for tho re
lease of political prisoners only affects a few
Sons and the situation with which it deals
S?m iase to he a practical one when peace
ta inaTly established! except in case of those
is nna ' au lutionary methods no sym
who advocate revomuonay revolution.
o1SmmaH-?cutIon of profiteers and
thlJ'rs 0f labor is a demand that will
of basic ulefl,Xa In tho first place
advanced in .Seen public ownership
it raises the Question! jetween pu
and private monopoly. TJpon tnat
people are not yet uiiyinro
are private XKy interested In the ex
side of those PfunJaW in national
ploitation of the public. i d,fl.
Station raises , an fZton government
tinction must nalizatioii, for there can
ownership and nation! iiwai gg thQ
be Puhlic ownership by otnewnership of
nation. We hJJe 55 jikbting plants. There
city water-works and ngnmgveirnment fl
is no reason why the Q logIc win uiti
KfyoS' the public ownership of telephone
CAMPAIGN YIBAIt
Iloadora of The Commonor who hollavo
in tllo principles advocated by Mr. Bryan
and his papor. and who want to onaot
tlioie principle Into law, now have an op
portunity to assist. The Commoner wflt
make a strenuous effort to secure a pro
gressive platform and a progressive can
didate at the democratic national conven
tion next nummor to lead the light against
the demands of tho special interests of
the country. Your help is noedod to edu
cate, organize and direct the efforts of tho
masses to curb the greed of the profiteer,
to perpetuato the People' Rule, and to
proserve Jefforsonian democratic principles.
Will you help td extend Tho Commoner's
sphere of influence by extending its cir
culation among tho free democrats and
free republicans in your community? A
spocial campaign rate of 76 cents from
now until after the presidential election
next year is made for that purpose.
Suggestions as to platform and candi
dates from Commonor roadors are also do
sired. There are so many vital Issues to
be settled during tho coming four years
that every cltizon should bo alert. Cam
paign subscriptions will bo accepted In
clubs or singly at 75 cents. Kindly lot
us know at once what part you will take
in tho all-important contest now at hand.
CHARLES W. BRYAN, Publisher,
exchanges by tho municipalities and also tho
municipal ownership of street car linos. It will
take t,irao to bring about those changes but
they are In tho lino of progress. Tho telegraph
lines and tho long distance telephone linos will
in time bo operated by tho national government,
but thero Is no reason why tho national govern
ment should operate all tho local tolophono ex
changes. And so with railroads. Public ownership of
railroads is not only possible without national
ization of all tho lines, but a dual ownership
Is moro practical and moro desirable than na
tionalization tho federal govornmont owning
a system of trunk lines and tho states owning
tho not work of lines used In collecting and dis
tributing freight and passengers.
Tho words "All Basic Industries" aro a little
general and will have to bo defined before tho
plank can be discussed.
It will be seen by a review of The Labor Party
platform that there is much in it that will ap
peal to tho progressive sentiment of tho country.
On somo propositions thoy aro ahead of tho
times and must wait. On others public senti
ment may never support them, but tho party
will bo an educational Influence and, like all
new parties, will contribute to a better under
standing of tho issues that tho older parties
have failed to take up.
It is natural that a party In power, and par
ties hopeful of winning, should avoid new ques
tions for fear of disturbing tho harmony that
exists among tho members of tho party. A now
party is not restrained by such fears and, there
fore speaks moro boldly, and, by speaking,
helps to drive tho old parties to now positions
where the positions taken are supported by a
growing sentiment.
The Democratic party, being the progressive
party of the nation as shown by the splendid
record of reform which it has made since 1912,
will take up new issues as rapidly as the people
aro ready for them; to go faster than the peo
ple would bo to forfolt public confidence and
lose the opportunity that it now has to aid in
tho settlement of Issues ripe for decision.
The people of a republic not only believe in
freo and full discussion, but welcome it as tho
best means of hastening tho triumph of that
which Is right and of exposing tho weakness of
policies that are unsound. W. J. BRYAN.
THE RAILROAD BHiI
Democrats can safely vote against both tho
Bsch bill and the Cummins bill. They aro built
on the plan of the advocates of private owner
ship, and private ownership means control by
railroad magnates. Regulation cannot be effi
cient because the railroad Interests are in poll
tics all the time trying to select the regulators,
and as long as the republican leaders are in
control of the" government just so long will the
railroad magnates get what they want.
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