Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-29
SOCIALIST PARTY
ADOPTS PLATFORM
Municipal Administration Is Con-
demned on Account of Its
Strike Legislation
Committeeman ARE NAMED
Trusts and CapitaIiStic Contro
Denounced-Meeting Held
in Labor Temple
Committeeman ARE NAMED

cialist party was called to order yester-
day morning in the assembly chamber
of the Labor Temple at 10:3O o'clock
by Chairman D. T. Johnson. Without
the loss of a moment the convention
was in business swing, and by the
time recess was called at the noon
hour committees on organization, Gre
dentials and resolutions were ap-
pointed.
With the opening Of the afternoon
session the organization was made per-
manent, credentials were Investigated
and the delegates seated.
After the organization was perfected
a platform was adopted and county
central committee elected.
The entire work, from the moment
the gavel had changed the opening OF
the convention in the morning until it
closed went along as smoothly as a
well oiled machine. Only once was
there even an occasion for debate, and
that was when someone objected to
the adjectives used in the resolution
criticising certain city officials, claim
ing that the adjectives were too strong
in their assertions. However, when
the resolution was put to a vote it
passed as it stood with but a few di-
senting voices.
The platform adopted by the con-
Vention Is as follows:
THE PLATFORM
"The Socialist party of Los Ange-
les county, in convention assembled,
declares itself the party of the work.
ing class, reaffirms it's allegiance to
the principles of international Social
ism and appeals for the support of the
worker and all citizens who sympa-
thize with the cause of labor
III FNP
all men to life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness. We hold that the pur-
pose of government is to secure every
citizen in the enjoyment of his right.
We hold that no such right can be en-
joyed under the system of economic
absolutism which now prevails.
with the founders of this republic
we hold that the true theory of poll
tics is that the machinery of govern
ment should be owned and controlled
by the whole people. Furthermore, in
the light of our Industrial develop
ment we hold that the machinery of
production, distribution, communica-
ton and exchange should likewise be
owned by the people.
TRUST OWNERSHIP
"By ownership and monopolization
of the means of life the trusts have
acquired the power to dictate the terms
by which we shall be allowed to live.
The trusts own the manufacturing
plants, they own the wholesale eStab-
lishments and the big retail stores,
they own the railroads, the street car
lines, the power plants, the electric
systems, telephones, the gas plants,
the banks, the valuable real estate in
the city, the large ranches in the
country-in fact, every industry that
reaches the resources of the general
public.
"By reducing wages and extending
the hours of labor they reduce the
wage worker to virtual slavery. By
controlling prices they reduce the small
business men into mere agents who
shoulder responsibilities without ade-
quate compensation. BY exorbitant
charges for transportation they take
the products of the farms and reduce
the farmer to penury and want. BY
eXorbitant prices, rents, rates of In
terest, charges for power, water, light,
gas, telephone, car fare, etc, they raise
the price of living and make final
sweeping of all that is left.
"Thus labor is robbed of the wealth
which labor alone produces, the worker
is denied the means of self-employ-
ment and, by enforced idleness or wage
slavery, is ever deprived of the neces-
stiles of life. The natural resources,
the forces of nature and human labor
power are wasted that plutocracy may
rule. The achievements of science and
invention are diverted from their
beheficent purpose to the enslavement
of the race
PEOPLE MISINFORMED
I"Through the influence of a venal
and debauched press the people are
misinformed while the forging of the
chains of their enslavement goes on.
'Through the baleful effects of cap
italism, the chastity of women and
the sanctity of the home are invaded.
Capitalism makes woman chattel ana
her chastity purchaseable commodity,
at the altar as we'll as in the brothel.
An organized system of brigandage,
a traffic in girls, kidnapped and en-
shaved for profit is the natural Sc
quel.
"With the monopolizations of the
means of life have come perVersion
and prostitution of our political IN
stitutions. Political parties are the
expression Of economic interests. The
Republican, Democratic and so-called
Good Government league parties are
financed, directed and controlled by
different groups of the capitalist class.
1.-THE courts, the legislatures, the eX-
ecutive offices are in their hands, and
all the powers of government are used
bv them in their own interest and
against the working class.
RESULTS HERE
"Recent events in connection with
the struggle between the Merchants
and Manufacturers association and the
workingmen of Los Angeles have dem
onstrated to the people the absolute
subserviency of the Republican, Demo-
cratic and Good Government league
parties to the capitalistic interests OF
the city.
1--WE condemn the above named po-
litical parties for corruptly using the
powers of government conferred upon
them by the people for the protection
of unjust corporate privileges and sor-
did gain.
1--WE specially condemn the Employ
ers' association and it's political satel-
lites for using, with the aid of their
subservient courts, the injunction for
the purpose of crippling the working
men in their struggle with the en-
ployers. by depriving the workingmen
of the rights of free speech and assem-
blage, hoping by so doing to place the
workers of Los Angeles at the mercy
of the employing interests.
CONDEMNS MAYOR
1--WE condemn the city government
of Los Angeles for passing an ordi-
nance to prevent the workingmen from
peacebly conducting their strikes, as
we also condemn the mayor for using
the police force of the city to assist
~ NEo.abao+s o,,d Mauufa pt1IrerS, O.