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i The Commoner
-;r WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR " -
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VOL. 21, NO 2
Lincoln, Nebraska, February, 1921
Whole Number 742
Reorganization
2f
A National Legislative Program
Chairman White has appointed a special com-,
mlttee and called" a meeting for .February lTttr.
Another group has asked lor a meeting of the
full committee to bo held about March 1st at
come central point such as St. Louis. "These
meetings may mean something or nothing ac
cording to the action taken. If the members
have no higher purpose than to give some presi
dential candidate the inside track it- would be
better not to get together! If they meet to plan
a constructive program the value of the meet
ing will depend onilie wisdom of the plan formu
lated. The nation needs a Democratic party;
but the party cannot be Tun with the water that
has passed over the dam. Neither can-it be
made, a tail to anybody's candidacy. The dif
ferences of the past can be forgotten, and should
be, forgotten, by those who agree .upon the thingir
to be done now. The party must DESERVE
success before it can hope foir success. It must
take the people's side of every question-and
courageously defend the beople's interests J
s must purge, the -organization of the preventa
tives of the special interests so that the people "
will believe in the party's sincerity and trust it
with the government. 'The Republican organiza
tion might bo autocratic, but the Democratic
organization must solicit the opinion of the rank
and file and be responsive to the will of-the
voters. The Democratic pyramid must- rest' .up
on its base-it'ean'not He balanced on its apex.
7 -VV J. BRYAN..'"
A .forward-looking Democratic legislatlvfc pro
gram prepared with tjje advice and approval of
students of" governmental needs, and represents the
consensus of opinion of progressives Democrats
throughout the country. The program is not com-
filete, and will be added to as means for deal
ng with other questions are worked out. The leg
islative remedies -are only briefly outlined, and will
be more elaborately- set forth and discussed here
after. The program as thus far doveloped is as
follows:
PEACE PROGRAM
- A league of nations or an association of na
tions providing for arbitration of all disputes
that can be arbitrated and an investigation of all
others as provided for in the plan of the thirty
peace treaties, each nation reserving the right
to accept or reject the findings. ' .
DISARMAMENT
-- The United States should immediately en-,
deavor to assemble the representatives of the
leading nations of the world in a sincere effort to
bring about disarmament.
-
REFJERENmnM.ON,lWAR
Atl nV fakfAimi rntTYi -ftfi xxr n iiof n
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DEFEAT MBLITARISM
Two hundred and seventy-one to 16, or a litr
tie more than 16 to 1, wjis the vote by which."
the House passed the army reduction resolution
over the President's veto. Ninety-two Democrats
voted with the Republicans to reduce the army.
The Senate passed the same resolution over tho f
President's veto of 67 to 1. .. "
Once more congress even aJRepublican con- .
gress has stood with the p.ebple against the
President It is unfortunate for the country that
the chief executive should so inexcusably jgnore
the growing antagonism to militarism but it is
fortunate for the Democratic party that the
Democrats in congress repudiated the President's
leadership on this question as they did on prohi
bition and compulsory military training. During -the
next two years the Democrats jn the Senate '
and House must make the record on which to
fight the campaign of 1922. W. J. BRYAN.
BEGIN NOW
On this page we present the national legis
lative program. This program is intended to
bring about world peace, curb the profiteer, pre
sent the extravagance and waste In the admin
istration of governmental. affairs, and to restore
"people's rule," We desire to hear, immediately
from everyone who approves this legislative pro
gram and will assist In crystallizing public opin
ion to write it into the law of the land.
i
itift w,-,o
wur &. t- r- i -- (VM lbu .' ir-iKnii -. w i --; ". .
e ravor a 'national referendum von.war before
a declaration of war can be made by congress,
unless the country is invaded by a foreign foe.
LIMIT TERM OF PRESIDENT
T&e president of the United States should be
limited to one term of not more than six years
by making him ineligible for re-election, and tho
inauguration of the president and the assembling
of the new congress should be set for January
.following the November, election.
A MAJORITY SHOULD RATIFY
We favor an amendment to the federal consti
tution permitting a majority of the United
States senate to ratify a treaty.
PROHD3ITION
The national prohibition amendment should :
be enforced by the national state and municipal
officers Without fear or favor.
MBLITARY TRAINING
We are opposed to universal compulsory mili
tary training in time of peace. .. :
PROFITEERING '
" The Democratic" party pledges the natiocT'to
rid it of the profiteer and to close the door
against his return. It will endeavor to eliminate
all unncessary middlemen by the encouragement
of organizations among producers that will bring
those who produce and those who tfse nearer to
gether. It will enact and enforce laws that will
effectively prevent excessive charges by such mid
dlemen as. are necessary. To this end it wjll
demand legislation subjecting to the penalties of
tho criminal law all corporate- officers and em
ployees who give or carry out instructions that
result in extortion; it will make it unlawful for
anyone engaged in Interstate commerce to make
the sale of on artlclo dependent upon the pur
chase of another article, and it will require such
corporation to disclose to. customers the differ-,
ence between cost price and selling price or limit
tho profit that can be legally charged as the
rate of interest Is now limited.
RECOGNIZE THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS v
We favor a liberal policy in providing for sol
diers, and sailors who made sacrifices In tho
world war. -
A NATIONAL BULLETIN
Wo favor a national bulletin, tiotta newspaper,
but a bulletin, issued by. the federal government,
under the fair and equitable control of the two
leading parties, such bulletin to furnish infor
mation as to tho political issues of tho campaign.
ARBITRATE DISPUTES
In the settlement of disputes between capital
and labor we favor a board of conciliation patterned-after
the tribunal created by the thirty
peace, treaties, the board to have power to Investi
gate all disputes but no power to bind the parties.
PROHIBIT GAMBLING '
Gambling in food stuffs should be prohibited
by national .onaqtment. '"','
'-' BANK DEPOSITS
WK favor natlbhal and stete legislation guar
anteeing the people's deposits in nati'o'nal ' and
state banks against loss through bank failures.
' LD3ERTY BONDS
Wo favor federal action that will maintain
the price of liberty bond3 at par. -
v FEDERAL RESERVE. BANK SYSTEM .'
We favor the federal reserve banking law but
.insist' that it must not be used to squeeze, the
debtor by deflation processes. -
FARM LOAN BANK
The farm loan bank law should be maintained
"and' strengthened to extend credit to the farmers
and to protect them from high interest rates
u MONOPOLIES
A private monopoly is indefensible and intol
erable, All necessary monopolies should be-taken
over, by the. government, national, state and .mu
nicipal. -
ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY
We favor the reorganization of the administra
tive and executive departments of the federal
government "on an economy and efficiency basis,
including the establishing of a budget system and
a reduction in the number of departmental em
ployes to the minimum needs of the government.
EXCESS PROFITS
We are opposed to the repeal of the excess
profits tax law, and are opposed to tho enactment
of a sales tax law.
REDUCE TAXES
For the purpote of lightening the people's,
burdens we favor an immediate return to. a peace
footing baa's to bring' about a reduction in taxes,
and that in reducing taxes consideration
should be shown to those least able to pay.
VOTING BX MAIL
Wo favor a legislative provision for voting
by mall for Voters away from home and for collecting-ballots
in order to accommodate women
and" men who are disabled or "distant froml the
'polls. -
NATIONAL PRIMARY LAW
We favor a national primary election law.
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