The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, March 18, 1918, Page 9

} ‘thus being in harmony with and supporting the new democracy of Russia in her declaration of these fundamental principles. / “We demand of no nation any concession which should be hid from the world. We concede to no nation any right of which we are ashamed. There- fore we demand the abolition of secret.diplomacy. The secret agreements of kings, presidents and other rulers, broken or kept, without the knowledge of the people, constitute a continual menace to peac relations. : “Vv¥%demand that the guarantees of human con- servatjon be recognized, and the standard of living be maintained. To this end we demand that gam- bling in the necessaries of life be made a felony, and that the federal government -control the food sapply of the nation, and establish prices for pro- ducer and consumer. OPPOSED TO EXCESS PROFITS FROM WAR “As a direct result of the war, private corpora- tions in our country have reaped unparalleled profits, The net earnings of the United States Steel corporation for 1916 were ~$271,531,780, as against $23,496,867 in 1914, an increase of $248,- 034,962. : “The Du Pont Powder company shows a similar . record. Its net earnings for 1916 were $82,107,693, as against $4,831,793 in 1914, an increase of $77,- 275,900. “We are unalterably opposed to permitting stockholders of private corporations to pocket these enormous profits, while at the same time a species of coercion is encouraged toward already poorly paid employees of both sexes, in urging -them to purchase government bonds to help finance the war. Patriotism demands service from all ac- cording to their capacity. To conscript men and exempt the blood-stained wealth coined from the sufferings of humanity is repugnant * to the spirit of America and contrary ‘to the ideals of democracy. “We declare freedom of speech to be the bulwark of human liberty, and we . decry all attempts to muzzle the public press or individuals, upon any pretext whatsoever. A declaration of war does not’ repeal the IConstitution of the United States, and the unwarranted interference of military and other au- thorities with the rights of individuals must cease.p - “The contributory causes of the present war are various; but above the horrible slaughter loom the ugly incitings of an economic system based upon exploitation. It is largely a convulsive effort on the part of the adroit rulers of warring nations for control of a constantly diminishing market. Rival groups of monopolists are playing a deadly game for com- " mercial supremacy. . BAER’S STATEMENT SET OUT IN FULL \ “At the close of this war sound in- ternational standards must be estab- lished on-the basis of -a true democ- racy. Our economic organizations must be completely purged of privi- lege. Private: monopolies must -be- supplanted by public administration of credit, finance and natural re- sources. The rule of jobbers and speculators must be overthrown if we are to produce a real democracy; otherwise this war will have been fought in vain. : “Only in this spirit do we justify war, and only thus can lasting peace be established.” ; : The last reference to the war in the pamphlet occurs on page 27 and is @ reprint in full of the statement made by Congressman John M. Baer, on his election to congress last year from the - first congressional district of North Dakota.— The Baer state- ment in full is as’ follows: When you read these resolutions and statements about the war published by the League nine months ago, one point will strike you above all others. That is, that nearly every thought expressed has since been expressed by President Wilson himself. These resolutions request a statement of war aims. President Wilson has since made such a statement. They condemn imperialism and war profiteers. President Wilson since did the same.™ They condemn secret diplomacy. President Wilson has since done the same. There are other striking points where they coincide with the president’s views—read them and make comparisons for yourself. Nonpartisan league I was elected by a majority over my six opponents combined, and I will abide by its principles and program. - “In this mational crisis, questions of partisan "politics and patronage are obliterated. The peo- ple are concerned for the firm establishment of human rights and human liberties the world over. My constituents, in common with the people of this nation, are ready and willing to pour out blood and treasure without limit in order to defend and pre- serve our country. They do not lack in loyalty and willingness to support the government in wag- ing war to make the world safe for democracys Patriotism, however, can not be stirred in a war for the destruction of German autocracy in Burope if it is begun by the suppression of democracy in America. BAER REQUESTS STATEMENTS OF TERMS “President Wilson well examplified the temper of the American people in his Flag day speech when he said: ‘Once more we shall make good with our lives and fortunes the great faith to which we were born.’ Congress has already pledged the lives of the men of this nation, and that without first securing their consent, but still refuses to conscript the private fortunes pledged by our chief executive, or even the war profits of our corpora- tions. It is my earnest purpose to support the president in the fullfilment of his pledge of Ameri- can fortunes to defray the cost of war. To con- script men, and at the same time allow monopolistic corporations to profit upon the world’s misery, is undemocratic and repugnant to American ideals of liberty and justice. It is a monstrous injustice to ask the survivors of bloody fields to come home and pay the money cost of war. It is equally un- just to permit lobbyists to oppose the conscription of wealth without let or hindrance, while making WILL IT COME TO THIS? orre oy : —Drawn expressly for the Leader by W. C. Morris The cartoon, of course, is a picture of the farmer and Big Business after -the i i i { | | it a crime for a mother to oppose the conscriptior of the life of her son. “President Wilson says, further, in the same speech: ‘We are about to give thousands, hundreds o1 thousands, it may be millions, of our men—the young, the strong, the capable men- of the natior to go forth and die beneath the flag on fields oi blood far away.” Very pertinently the president himself asks the question, what for? Something more than generalities are required in the answer- ing of that question. The president says the Ger- man_people are as peace loving as ourselves, anc that we are ‘devoted to the pursuits of peace. Then, why the millions of American manhooc sacrificed upon the bloody field of war? Is it nof because no means have yet been devised for bring- ‘ing to agreement these two peaceful peoples? ] believe it is possible these two peace loving peoples could and would agree to peace terms if their gov- ernments led the way by defining terms that] would serve as a_ basis for negotiations. 5 “Even now the German people are demanding o: their government that it declare specifically the terms upon which it will make peace. In ou country the National Nonpartisan league stands without reserve upon a demand ’“at our govern ment make specific declaration of its terms o peace, so that we, as a peopie, may know that th ideal for which we war is en expression of tru Americanism. To continue war when the peoples of the nations engaged are at agreement, is ar international crime. ' “While we are fighting to destroy German im- perialism, shall we ‘fight to support British im- perialism? Already, as a result of the war, Eng: land holds in Africa a million square miles of ter- ritory.- After an imperial council had been helc recently by the British and colonial governments of the British empire, the premier stated to the world that Great Britain would not relinquish its hold upon this territory. “While engaged in righteous wai against German imperialism, why should the United States aid Englanc or any other country in their im perialism, why should the Unitec States aid England or any other coun try in their imperialistic designs’ Let us drag these questions out be fore the whole world and settle then before the bar of world opinion. I the German people and governmen are now willing to settle this war o the basis of the demands of our gov ernment, we should no longer con tinue to war. We can not know tha we are not sending our young, strong capable men to die in the trenches not for democracy, but for imperial ism, unless the things for which the; fight be explicitly specified. Shal we deny to the patriotic young men the flower of our nation, whe go t suffer and to die in foreign lands, th reasons for which they die?’ QUOTES RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY LEAGUE “Today our people do not knoy what the demands, or what the re paration ‘which we require of the Ger man people to restore the condition of amity existing prior to the wa The practice of secret diplomacy, ut terly repugnant to the principles o democracy, keeps us in ignorance. can not improve on the platform o the League covering this feature o our national duty and our nation: needs; I therefore quote: “fWe demand of no nation any con cession which should be hid from th world; we concede to no nation an right of which we are ashamec Therefore we demand the abolition o secret diplomfacy. The secret agree ments of kings, presidents and othe rulers, made, broken or kept, withou the knowledge of the people, consti tute a continual menace to peaceft relations.’ b : /frfigram of the organized farmers has become effective—THE CONDITIONS \ "i]po_n the: plq.tform of the\ Nafional ARE JUST REVERSED AT PRESENT. But a better day is comiqg g ) s : ’ PAGE NINE o ; “The pinch of want is even now fel o 7 N O T VRGO N L R T I D T S an e i e L L e oot s O A R