Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-25


tive from New York, was one Of the two
Congressman who voted against the HAY
measure Thursday night. He declared that
the "imperialist elements of capitalism are be-
hind the preparedness movement" ST con-
slider a big army" he further said ito be a
menace to the welfare of the working people of
the United States and an obstacle in the way
of international peace" But the peace.plan
resolution adopted by many Socialist locals"
throughout the country is the most interesting
expression of the party's attitude toward the
war problem.
1t was written by Benson and was first
adopted by the Philadelphia local" By a.
referendum, now in progress, It will become
incorporated in the Socialist platform 1t de-
mands that the Constitution be SO amended
that war shall not be made without previous
reference of the question to the people women
included, and without their approval The reso-
luton is too long to reprint here, but Benson's
comment on his own proposal is explanatory.
I'VE either want war do not want it," he
says. THE presumption is that we do not.
The presumption is that the average man
would rather stay at home with his family
than go out and kill or be killed. The whole
peace movement is predicated on the idea that
the world is tired of war. If it be true
that the people do not want war; the fact that
we now have the biggest war of all palpably
indicates that it was started by a minority
So it strikes me that il we take the war-making
power away from the minority and give it to
the people war will be ended.
Responsibility and Choice
I'VE all know that the Car has power to
declare war for many millions of subjects
But we fail to realize that in our own country
the same power rests with tiny minority OF
1856 men. I refer TO a majority of a quorum
of both houses of Congress and the President
They have no physical responsibility for war
The rest of our 100 900 have the physical
responsibility with no right either TO declare
war or peace. My idea is: Let every one vote
as to whether he or she wants an aggressive
war, but balance the vote with responsibility.
Every time the people have asked for a
larger share in government they have been
told the request was absurd In the eonstitu.
tional convention nobody believed at first that
the people ought to vote for President. Madi-
son said the wise and the good could attend to
that. And now we are even talking about pref
erential primaries TO nominate our President
We are still being told, however, that we are
too stupid to vote for Justices OF the Supreme
Court of the United States. Every extension
of the franchise has been fought at first. This
is one OF them"
On Benson has fallen the mantle of Debs as
party leader. 1t is the first time in 16 years
that Debs has not been the nominee. He said
IL was only just that the nomination should
go to some one else and withheld his own
name. Charles Edward Russell was eliminated
from the list OF possibilities by his preparedness
address in Philadelphia. Benson's distinction
lies not only in his career a writer and his
selection as presidential candidate, but also
in the manner OF his selection, He is the first
presidential candidate in the history OF the
country TO be nominated by direct vote Of the
rank ana file OF his party, Final returns In
the primary gave Benson 1900 votes out OF
$4,000 His majority sets record for close
contests in the Socialist party
Allan Louis Benson was born at PIainwell,
Mich. November g. 1871. His father in early
hfe was factory worker, later a country mill
Ter, Allan's mother died when he was an IN
FAINT ana he lived with bis sEandfather's fam
ily on farm until he vas lz years Old He
attended the district school, ana nnally got a
job working oa a farTa at IS month. when
he was IS bis fathers mill burned ana he was
e foreeo his ambition q 50 % col