The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-04
WHAT a SOCIALIST
CONGRESSMAN COULD DO

ed, Socialist congressman to make |
national issue out Of the abolition of
poverty.
If there were at least one Socialist |
congressman in Washington, he could
do more to make the country and the
powers that be sit up and take active
notice than any number of Bull Moos- |
ers, Progressives of the Democratic /
or Republican stripe.
But what could Socialist congress-
man do? Could he be of any earthly
value? Would it be worth the time
and energy necessary to get one elect
ed? Here is the way Washington
Socialist has doped out what a brave
congressman, albeit playing lone
hand, could do.
What could one brave man in the
house Of representatives do, to make
the ABOLITION OF POVERTY an
immediate issue in congress?
WHAT HE COULD DO.
He could introduce a resolution call
ing for the creation of a standing COM
mittee on the Abolition of Poverty.
He could insist upon a hearing on
this proposal before the Rules COM
mittee.
He could get publicity for his argu-
ment before that committee from thou
sands Of newspapers and magazines,
through the press associations and
special correspondents at the capitol.
He could answer the ridicule of the
434 other members of the house by
presenting the great petition in be-
half of his resolution, which would
come in from all sections of the coun-
try when his plan was published
He could force a definite acceptance
or rejection Of his measure from the
party spokesman on the Rules COM
mittee.
He could publish in the press every
where the names and excuses of these
party leaders, with his own views as
to the social effects of poverty.
AND THEN SOME.
He could introduce bills providing
for special commissions of economists
and scientists to report on the best
means Of doing away with poverty as
social nuisance; he could make his
argument for these bills before house
committees interesting, and could so
strikingly illustrate it by presenting
living proofs of the effect of poverty
upon children that every newspaper in
America and Europe would print the
story
He could address an open letter to
the president of the United States, to
the chairman of the national commit
tee of each political party, and to the
leaders of each party in congress, chal-
longing them to declare: (a) Wheth-
er they believe the abolition of pow
erty within generation to be pos
sible; (b) whether they desire such
abolition, and Co what definite legis-
lative and administrative steps to that
end they will initiate and support.
He could then call the attention of
the people to their replies or their sill
ence, and ask the people to write let
tiers to their representatives in con-
gress, and to the president and his
cabinet, demanding that constructive
action for the abolition of poverty be
undertaken at once. He could force
upon the attention of the house every
day some new argument, protest or
demand bearing directly upon this one
point.
He could, in a few weeks of such
agitation, frighten the party leaders
into holding conferences on the "pov-
erty problem"
Anyway, Let's Try One From sour" /
District.
He could drive them, in their fear
of the resentment of the aroused
farmers organizations, labor unions,
social workers and forward-looking
citizens generally, to make platform