The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 23, 1918, Page 6

- These delegates were members of the The Articles of Association ciation of the Nonpartisan league as adopted by the dele- gate meeting at St. Paul representing the organized farm- ers in 13 states. The articles are in plain language and provide for a compact and democratic form of organization easily under- stood. They speak for themselves, but nevertheless it will not be out of place to discuss here_the considerations foremost in the ‘ THE Leader last week published in full the articles of asso- minds of the League delegates who decided on this form of organi-- zation, especially for the reason that enemies of the League in the past have attempted to make an “issue” out of the matter. The Nonpartisan league started to spread fo states outside of North Dakota two years ago, but has been in most of these 12 states for a period much less than two years. Necessarily, a ready- made, temporafy form of organization had to be used in these states until such time as enough members were secured to make it pos- sible to create self-governing state bodies and a national organi- . zation federating the various state organizations. The League now has a big enough organization in the various states to warrant the adoption of a permanent form of organiza- tion, and the framing of this structure was the work of the dele- gates who met at St. Paul December 3. farmers’ state committees now in charge of League work.in the various states, in most of these states having NEVER Do you know that:the a successor, who, however, must have the approval of the national committee of farmers before he can take office. : i This provision was adopted primarily to assure harmony on the national executive committee. If the remaining members of the committee nominate the man for the vacancy, that man -will always be in full accord with the remaining members of the com- mittee, and will ‘be a man with whom the committee members can work in full harmony and co-operation. : The League must put a united front to the enemy. There must be no internal friction or intrigue to weaken the League forces to-the advantage of the enemy. This provision assures the necessary harmony on the national executive committee. How- ever, the League membership is fully safeguarded and protected -and the interests of democratic government served by the fact that no man nominated by the national executive committee to fill a vacancy can hold office without the approval of the farmers’ national committee. ‘In the event of the choice of the executive .committee to fill a vacancy being disapproved, the executive.com- mittee must propose another man, and continue to do so until the national farmers’ committee is completely satisfied and ‘a man : satisfactory to the farmers’ commit- tee obtained; oM e AGAIN! common people of the prompted this procedure for been elected at state membership con- ventions - of the League during the last year. ™ : ‘ o * * * "N BRIEF, the articles of asso- ciation provide a procedure of League government in which all power of officers and committees, is derived directly from League members themselves assembled in township or voting precinct meetings. Such meet- ings of League members choose dele- gates from their own number to League conventions, and these conven- tions in the various states elect a League state committee of farmers numbering three or five. These state farmers’ committees are in charge of the organization in the various states. e chairman of each state committee “is a member of the League national committee, and the League national . committee is the supreme power in the national organization. The national committee, consist- ing of the chairman of each state com- i . mittee, approves of three men as mem- bers of the national executive com- mittee, and the chairman of.the na- tional executive committee is presi- BE dent of the League. The national exec- utive committee is the administrative (] ~and executive body of the national League and is continually on the job. The national committee to which it is i responsible meets once a year at least, questions arise to be decided. * * O J League membership are many and important. i THE features of this form of organization that pmtect\“the can become a member of the national executive committee and oftener if important world—the farmers, .the wage-workers, the pro- ducers-—will have to make the fight of their lives if the late war is to be made the last war? It is true. We told ail the world in our war aims that we were not only fighting against the kaiser but against war itself—against militarism and ‘the other things that cause wars. Yet, with the war over, men who want to extend trade territory, who want economic barriers 'favoring them be- tween nations, who want colonies to exploit, who want to profit as of yore in government contracts for warships, guns and war munitions, are try- ing to make us forget that we fought to end all wars—are trying to block the ideas of a League of Nations, of world disarmament, of freedom of the seas, of self-determination of .all nations, large and small, and of a peace of justice that will eliminate the hatreds and jealousies that cause wars. In the diabolical work of trying to prevent - the coming peace conference from making ar- rangements that will make future wars impos- - sible, these interests have the aid of junker states- men and jingo editors in America. - They are playing a strong hand. YOU must be heard, and in no uncertain terms, if these interests are to be defeated and the world made safe for peace and democracy. Think about it, write about it, talk about it, agitate about it!- The hope of humanity lies in the common people and in their making their demand plain for the ending of all wars: The rulers of the world can not ignore you if you assert yourself. There must never be another war. NEVER AGAIN! No man ing for democracy. It mu - the members of the army are concerned, there is no discussion as. . - - 1o the justice or necessity of the program the army is fighting for. : - That is not debatable-among League members—all are agreed on it. " As an army, thé League must meet in terrific battle the ar- st necessarily be an army. Q NOTHER coilsideration that filling vacancies on the national executive committee was this: TUn- less the remaining members of the executive committee had the power to nominate the candidate for an exist-* ing vacancy, there would be a multi-: tude of candidates, resulting in elec- tioneering, pulling and hauling and the creation of factions, not only on the national farmers’ committee,- but perhaps among the membership of the League. A victory for the friends of any one candidate might leave an open sore dangerous to the solidarity of the organization,-and furthermore might result in the eléction to the na- tional executive committee of a man not_in sympathy with or in harmony with the other members of the com- mittee. : - As it i8, no man can become a member of the national executive com- mittee without the approval of the farmers’ national committee, but at the same time factionalism in the League, destructive of the necessary solidarity-of the organization, and lack . of harmony on the national executive . committee, with attendimt evils, are - completely avoided. . ° Sk k% % IN‘ GENERAL, the ‘farmer delé- gates who framed the articles of association had one big point ‘in mind. The League is an army fight- So far as without the approval of the farmers’ national committee, consist- . ing of League members elected by the state conventions of the farmers: The national committee by a majority vote at any time can change or amend the articles of association, whereas most - associations provide for at least a two-thirds vote, The national committee of League members investigates and audits League ac- counts, instructs the national executive committee in any meas- ures it is desired»to carry out and is in fact the supreme power : in the League. e bl o) - One feature of the articles particularly was adopted only after | - much discussion, and in justice to the delegates who framed the { i articles their position in regard to it ought to be ‘stated in full. When there is a vacancy on the national executive committee due to expiration of a term of office or due to any other cause, the re- maining members of the national ‘executive committee nominate s oy SRR PAGE’ 51 mies of the forces opposed to the League program, at the present time more powerful and better financed than the League army. The one thing that would make the defeat of the League army sure would be a loose organization, without discipline and without cap- * tains and generals whose orders would be obeyed. If factions can be created in the League, if discipline is lost, if its enemies have a chance to become its captains and generals, the battle is lost: Without its solidarity the League would lose its efficiency. i The main point in the minds of the farmer delegates 'ivvhb; framed the articles of association was to provide,a form of or- ganization that would«ptgvent League enemies from getting co frol from the.inside, and would make it difficult for corrup Self-seeking men on ‘the inside to get -into positions of pow create factions threatening the efficiency of the organization. Th League must continue to be an army, fighting for a pregram