Document # 35 - 1, 'SOCIALIST PARTY PLATFORM. The Socialist Party of the United States, representing the workers of America, declares that capitalist "^^^.".fS^B and that the irresistible march of human progress now ^ars witness to this fact. The time is near when the capitalist s^® /^t collapse in the most advanced countries. The great ?ar *a* ^f^f this system as a menace to the peace of the world. It feJ®^ed tne furies of capitalist and imperialist greed. It has devastated tue world with sorrow, destruction and death, IVaS-d8~! *^ iSvenUon the treasure of centuries. It has transformed science and jnvention into means for the wholesale slaughter of mankind. It has Pi™e£ . worker against worker in a murderous combat - a quarrel ^°£ ™!1X own choice and the issues of which have their origin m capitalist rule. The world-war is evidence that capitalism has entered a stage of development wherein it can no longer maintain xtse-Li ex^epj uy brutal military might. The larger participation in Prog!r^„;£?? formerly kept the majority content, the more numerous °PP°*™nities d ve ffi that formerly existed, are disappearing before the f ^P ^p^nff machinery and the concentration of industrial control; the ^jening of the gulf between the owning class and the working class and tne increasing class consciousness of the workers has left _ tne capi *<*•«• ist class no assurance against the demands of the working peopxe, except in the exercise of vast military power. It has now become certain that until the end of the Wal­ let system, the workers will be face to face with a military regime, which must be met by the fullest industrial and political organiza­ tion possible. The intellectual, political and industrial bankruptcy of the capitalist system is eloquent testimony to the need for complete transformation of capitalist society.

as ra d The economic development of the United States 5 +J ™^J^ it into a great work shop, the product of which goes to the maricets of the world. Following this came the export of capital to countries in a lower stage of development through concessions, 0?nJra°is *V;L political intrigue. Consequently a spirit of imperialist expansion took root and now assails the cherished traditions, personal liberties and democratic institutions of this country. Not omy are our own people subjected to this new imperialism, but tne me ana liberties of the peoples of Mexico and other Latin-American count­ ries are threatened in the same way. This system of exploitation and class rule is now placing added burdens on the working class by the introduction of a Srea^ military establishment and increase of naval armament. Development of a military caste, conscription of the youth of the country, censorship of the press, restriction of free discussion and assem­ blage are now being imposed on the American people. As a result all the forces of reaction are acquiring dominion over the public life and institutions of America, The fundamental basis of these conditions lies in the system of-age labor and production of commodities for profit. This system developing from small planless and competitive capital has developed Document Ho. 35 - 2, large capital with corporate ownership and scientific management. ^ It has largely abolished the chaos of this early stage in the nation only to spread chaos and (destruction over the world. Private ownership of natural resources, mills, mines, factor­ ies, railroads, etc., has created two main classes. These classes, the workers who produce and the capitalists who appropriate wealth, instinctively seek to protect and advance their separate interest. Their conflicting interests are expressed in the class struggle, which we emphatically declare to be the meet vital fact in modern life. Just as the capitalists organize employers associations and commercial bodies* citizens alliances, and maintain political parties, so the workers organize industrial and agricultjjraj^ and form their p'oIii'loaT^^ TneJ" fbf81'fB iiiastT develop their party and their unions into a militant army, fighting the capitalist system and the oppressive social conditions that are a part of it. All other classes, even in their apparently most progressive actions, consciously or unconsciously, will safeguard the capitalist system, which exploits, degrades and enslaves the working class. Therefore, the working class has no interest in the mainte­ nance of this system. It is the most important class, the entire life of society being based on productive labor. Hence, the workers constitute the only class which of necessity is interested in and is able to overthrow capitalism. In this mission, the working class of the world has a common interest. The workingmen of one country- have more in common with the workers of other countries than with the ruling class of their own country. The exploitation of the working class is evident in the immense fortunes of the non-producing capitalists, extracted from the producers of wealth. These great accumulations of wealth represent the unpaid labor of men, women and children of the work­ ing class. The owners constitute a powerful, economic autocracy which extends its rule over the legislative, executive, judicial, police and military powers of the government, It limits or suppress* es the fundamental rights and liberties of the workers. We call the attention of the workers to the history and experience of labor in America. The denial of free speech and the right of organization, the employment of private armies by employers, the use of injunctions, industrial accidents and diseases, the destruction of home and family life, child labor, much of the insanity, sickness, prostitu­ tion, and the high cost of living is evidence of this truth. The capitalist political parties cannot cope with these evils while reform parties have always proven barren of results for the workers, as demonstrated by the Populist party, the Union Labor parties, the Progressive party, and other so-called reform parties* The support given "friends of labor" has also proven a sad dis­ appointment to the workers. Such "friends of the workers", accepting nominations and appointments from the capitalist parties, must support the parties they are allied with and betray the interests of the working class* The history of American politics is strewn with the wrecks of reform parties and non-partisan political ventures* They represent the buried hopes of visonaries, possessing little knowledge of the economic interests that form the basis of politics and society. rocuTFxnt No. 35 - 3, ,•«... '* The party of labor is the Socialist Party, a militant fight­ ing partv of class-sonscious working people. Its scope ^ tne llbera 1 entire social life of society. Its aim is the ^ ^p°^-ng class from the servitude of wage labor. It representjj*« ^f1* masses in politics and in all other struggles on the }*^J££e8 field. It supports the right to strike and boycott, ^ Jf^^nd the injunction, the conspiracy to cripple labor by ^ legal ana d e illegal murder and imprisonment of its leaders ^ woal ^ sSiues police powers of society to help and not to crush labor, J^ for knowledge that will xelp in cur struggles and J^cip_—^ will make us a compact Try in the ciass war. It ee«« "^ oro the struggles of worki.^ en and working women J11^ a consc*ooa, revolutionary fight against the causes of f?cia\0P^^0.^ are whl economic slavery: The tremendous changes through ^ "t are e r passing mean that the workers must have a program, a °°* ^ditions' of action, a definite policy. In the midst of the great conditions c ose u y that face the workers of the nation, we urge their J ;. ?;L re in shop, factory, mine,_ and farm, as jell a8/ at ,the ballot bo-. _^_ • mm^mmmmm^>,mm0^ *" *" T*l«vi« o-n^ T-5 t'' Glial— s a urge the workers of both sexes, of all creeas, °°i°f , „^illedi ities, the workers of brawn and brain, the skilled and ™£*^ea' the organized and unorganized, to unite for the welfare 01 H toilers to the end that we may acquire power and use it iox emancipation of the 7/orking class. The world-war into which this country has been criminally plunged is breaking up the foundations of the old. oraer auu fronting the working class with new problems. Forced to ^e last extremity, the various warring governments have been J°-Pe^®J ° expropriate large sections of the capitalist class out ox ™be interests the war arose. Vast systems of railroads have °een nationalized; public utilities have become public property on a scale never dreamed of before; the food supply of nations ^a jeen seized by the various governments and the markets have ^een nation. alized; the mines have been taken over by the nations, ana tne e s manufacture of war supplies, employing millions of P °P;°' ^ haq become a public enterprise. On every hand private enterP^^,^s been brought within the scope and power of government regulation. A collectivism which the ruling class hoped to escape by tne precipitation of war, has come as a product of the war. The entrance of America in the war confronts this country with the same condition of so-called state Socialism.

re hereby affirm that the change from private capitalism to state or government ownership is inevitable. The position 01 re lv the working class is however, that the workers cannot °® ® ™Ln full benefits of public ownership until they wrest from the capital­ ist class the control of government.

Therefore, the attitude of the Socialist party ^"J.^jJ* p new state socialism is that the workers should prepare to eiiective- ly resist the return of any of these state controlled exi-texprise^ to private hands, and that they should spare no efforts to the ena of building up a working class power for the control of government. Documsnt No. 3 F; _ Never before in the history of labor has the industrial organisation of the workers become so urgent as in the fade of the steady on-coming of state Socialism. While our ultimate goal is the complete collective owner­ ship of the natural resources and industries for the common good of all, which will also abolish the system that makes for militar­ ism and war, we pledge our elected representatives to support every measure of immediate advantage to the working class, and amogg such measures we enumerate the following: Immediate Program!! The following are measures -hich we believe of immediate practical importance and for which we wage an especially energetic campaign: Political Demands. Complete adult suffrage by the elimination of all sex, residential and educational qualifications, by the abolition of all registration fees, poll taxes, or other impediments to voting. En­ franchisement of those who have declared their intention to become citizens and have resided in this country one year. Democratic control of the government through a constitution­ al amendment providing for the initiative, referendum and recall. Proportional representation of all representative bodies. The abolition of the powers of the courts to make and unmake laws because of alleged unconstitutionality or other grounds. Rigid maintenance of the right of free press, speech and assemblage in peace and in war* Resistance to compulsory military training and to the con- scription of life and lab<7fT Repudiation of war debts. Economic Demands. National ownership and democratic control of the railroads, telegraphs and telephones, steamship lines, and all other social means of transportation, communication, storage, and distribution* Nationalization of banking and of socially beneficial kinds of insurance. Direct loans to municipalities and states at cost, Further Demands. The following measures do not exhaust by any means the ways by which the workers can be helped to freedom, They are compiled as suggestive of further activity to that end. Document No* 35 - 5.

Abolition of the Senate and the veto power of the President. Direct election of the President and Vice-President, Immediate curbing of the power of the courts to issue in­ junctions. Direct election of all judges of the United States Courts for short terms. Free administration of law and the creation of public defenders. Industrial Demands. Complete abolition of child labor. A legal minimum wage based on the ascertained cost of a decent standard of life. Full protection for migratory and unemployed workers from oppression. Abolition of private employment, detective and strike break­ ing agencies, and the extension of the Federal Employment Bureau. A shorter work day in keeping with increased industrial productivity. An-uninterrupted rest period of one and a half days in eaci? week. Freedom of industrial and political activities of the workers. General Demands, Taxation to be raised from graduated taxes on incomes and inheritances and from site values. Adequate higher educational facilities for the entire youth of the nation, and such contribution to family resources as will enable the youth to remain in contact with such facilities until they are fully equipped for their economic and social careers. Government support, bjp loans and other methods, to farmers and workers1 co-operative organizations. The retention and extension of the public domain and the conservation and full development of natural resources by the nation. Pensions for mothers, for invalidity, and old age.