The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 29, 1919, Page 5

= - True Americanism Is League Platform National Committee of Nonpartisan League, in Annual Meeting, Adopts E, THE national committee of _the Nonpartisan -league, repre- senting _ 250,000 organized farmers in 13 states, meeting in - annual session, again affirm country, and to that American polity on which flows liberty and self-government. At this time especially, in the midst of unprecedented na- tion-wide ‘unrest and serious dissatisfaction with industrial and economic conditions, with a wave of hysteria obscuring the real issues and preventing dispassionate consideration and adjustment of grievances suffered by the great masses of the people, it is fitting that we renew our allegiance to and reaffirm our confidence in those great truths and principles which are the essence of Americanism. Ours is a nation founded on the principles of gov- ermment by the people. Our laws and constitutions provide a means for adjusting grievances and elimi- nating political and economic abuses. Americanism primarily means the right of the majority to change laws and amend constitutions, in accordance with the will of the majority, to meet and eradicate grievances of the people. So long as the channels of reform are kept open through the ballot box, no evils can long fester, and the republic will be safe from civil war, revolution and anarchy. FREE SPEECH We believe that the present unrest is a result of the failure of our government and people to apply the remedies and principles of fundamental Ameri- canism to our public problems. The times call for dispassionate discussion and .calm consideration of issues and problems, the application of well-con- sidered legislation, state and national, and above all —without which all else is impossible—a return to enforcement of the sacred liberties of the people, as guaranteed by the Constitution, the rights of free speech and peaceful assembly. FARMERS’ PROGRAM In the year since we last met great progress has been made by the cause of the farmers, workers and common people whom we represent and who have built this great organization. The legislature of North Dakota has enacted into law, and the people of the state have approved at a referendum, the program of the Nonpartisan league, and the farm- ers’ administration has made a big start in puiting our undivided loyalty to our - Ringing Resolutions the program into actual operation. We again af- firm our belief in and loyalty to the program of the Nonpartisan league and recommend its enactment into law in every state. We congratulate the farmers and people of North Dakota, who, under the leadership of Governor Lynn J. Frazier, are showing the people everywhere the light of the New Day. LABOR Again we extend the hand of fellowship to.or- ganized labor and pledge our co-operation political- ly and otherwise to assist labor to a realization of its just aspirations. We believe in the right and necessity of organization and collective bargaining for labor, as well as for farmers. ‘We believe that labor is entitled to a voice in the control of indus- try, the same as farmers are entitled to a voice in the handling and marketing of farm products. We believe that labor as well as farmers—together the producers of all wealth and constituting as they do two-thirds of the population—are entitled to a larger voice in politics and government, and should organize and co-operate for the purpose of obtain- ing it. We condemn the use of governmental power and courts to coerce labor, and the intervention of government officials and departments on the side of . capital in disputes between labor and capital. FARMERS’ VICTORY IN CANADA We congratulate our brother farmers in Canada on the magnificent victory they have won at the polls and wish all success to the members of the new provincial government of Ontario, controlled by the farmers, and to individual farmer legislators and officials in other provinces. RAILROADS ‘We learn with astonishment the evident purpose ' of congress, if- not immediately checked by an aroused public opinion, not only to restore the rail- roads immediately to private ownership for re- newed exploitation for private profit, but to restore them with concessions which amount to huge public subsidies. ~ Transportation is a public utility. It should be conducted for public service, without profit. Sooner or later nationalization of the rail- roads will be accomplished. No civilized people will for long permit private power and gain through exploitation of their common necessities. The railroad brotherhoods have worked out the only progressive and constructive plan now. before congress: for solving the railroad problem. The * a voice. Plumb plan contemplates ownership of the railroads by the people and their operation by a commission on which the railroad workers themselves will have This plan, we believe, will work, and we demand that congress give it careful consideration, working out amendments which a careful investiga- tion and discussion may show are needed. If con- gress will not authorize public ownership and oper- ation of the roads on the Plumb plan, we insist that they work out and adopt some other plan which will prevent the transportation facilities being returned for private exploitation, and in order that this may be accomplished we recommend that the present government operation be extended for a period of not less than two years. COAL We specifically condemn the use of court in- junctions in the present coal strike and point out that such action amounts to exerting the authority of government against one side in the dispute and in faver of the other. The part of statesmanship was to seize the mines for government operation, not only that the miners may have a fair deal in hours, wages and working conditions, pending set- tlement of their grievances with the mine owners, but to assure the people a supply of. fuel, which the government-injunction so miserably failed to pro- duce. i Furthermore, the coal deposits are a national heritage of all the people, and the mining and sup- plying of coal a public utility which should be con- ducted by the government at cost, not exploited by financial barons for huge profits. We demand the nationalization of the coal mines, giving labor a voice in their management. In this connection we point with pride to the fact that the farmers’ administration of North Dakota, made possible by the great organization which we represent, has by its statesmanlike policy in seizing the coal mines pending settlement of the labor dis- pute, assured the people of North Dakota a supply of fuel, and at the same time given justice to the coal mine workers, operators and general public. . SOLDIERS’ BONUS The North Dakota legislature has taken the lead in legislation for the benefit of returned soldiers, enacting a relief law that, besides being the first of its kind in the United States, is recognized also as the most liberal and sensible. The question of compensation, however, is more properly one for (Continued on page 14) S GOOD WORK; BROTHER - / Wl ) "f‘ “ () ) ( { Y v i i f ) Oé\ ;,v 1, c‘l 1 i ) ¥ 0 ) l/l ! N ~N 1 ~ A ~ X ~ —Drawn expressly for the Leader by W. C. Morris. PAGE FIVE ; T A 3 B T AT A A Y P L1 A o T R R Wiy PR R~