Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-03-16
New Presidential Nominee

A LIAM L. BENSON OF Yonkers has Just been
"A chosen, by a mail vote OF the rank and file OK
his party as the presidential candidate Of the
socialists reporter for the New York World inter-
viewed him in his home No. Arthur street. Yonkers.
pretty. comfortable cottage high hill overlooking
long sweep Of the Hudson and the snOw-covered Pal
sades MIR Benson IL sturdy. straight-talkng' fear
Iess-gazns American Of not quite IS years His blue
eyes blaze fIercely beam kindly from behind gold
bowed spectaces He has been reporter and editor OF
newspapers and for years has been a leading con-
tributor Magazine and the Appeal TO Rea
hair silvered. but his cheeks are pink from
the open air Ills family OF children almost Roosevelt
tisn size about solemnIy the leather library
chairs and listened to his talk
DO look for larger socialist vote than next
fa7' repeated Mr. Benson after question. Indeed.
yes really think that throughout the United States
we will receive than $4,000 votes. and possibly
1000 900 this year"
''whyY' asked the interviewer what is the espe-
cial appeal Of socialism now7
1T IL very simple" Mr.. Benson said. The Eu-
ropean opening the eyes OF the working people
TO the fact that the competitive systematic private
ownership OF Industrial organiSationscreates an own"
ing class That owning class which has the trade at
present must struggle TO keep IT, and must struggle TO
extend TO other countries That owning class which
hasn't the trade IL bent upon getting IT, matter
how. And there Is the cause OF the
THE soldiers in this war; I think, realizing
more and more that they are not fighting for them
selves their country but for their Industrial mas
More soldiers reading and learning the truth
in this than before. They learning that
fighting r. business should take part in ex-
cept for self-defense.
MY campaign win be an effort TO save the United
States from the fate Of Europe forty Euro
pean socialists have been warning the old countries
that this OF owning classes would take place
But their warnings went unheeded Now propose
to the United States Our nation has come 20
state where II is what the call exporter
OF capital 1t has so much money that it must seek
space beyond it's own borders to invest that
Look at Mr. Frank Venderlips concern. the Amer
lean International corporation. which charter
go anywhere in the world TO seek any sort OF con-
cesson investment II IL organizations Of that sort
which create the demand for great American army
and navy DO not believe we are In any danger OF
being attacked. I do not believe President Wilson
| thinks we are facing that danger. II he did.
wouldn't he be pushing the completion OF the two
perdreadnoughs. authorized In March. 1875 years
ago which were to be the biggest things in the word7
Why their keels haven't laid yeti believe that
is capital which is stirring all this business of
preparedness.
Il purpose in my campaign TO show wnat brought
about this European war and to demonstrate that
the same forces at work here and will in
evitabiy plunge this country into I do not mean
war this year. OF in ten years in twenty think
Europe is sick Of fighting. and nation or combina-
ton of nations has the stomach attack U.S. But II
our owning classes keep reaching out like those
! did, we will eventually be at war with someone.
| Then purpose to argue that IL the people owned
the nations industries (which IL the socialist plat.
form) and II those Industries operated for use
not for profit-there would be Peoples them
selves would never so to war unless urged by mon-
archal or industrial rulers There would be nothins
under socialist rule but kindness spirit Of heir
the other fellow
Aii natural resources. all industries would be 81
| the hands of the government The government would
be In the hands OF the peopie-whch certainly Is
not now-and the people, therefore would truly and
actually govern themselves their work and thor
4, production"
The socialist candidate expects to swing around the
northern section of the United States from September
| on going from coast to coast The candidate 20,
vice president George r. Kirkpatrick Of Newark will
| tour the southern states at the same time