The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1916-04-13

the cities, declare that we shall bend
all our energies to the defeat of their
plan to saddle the odious burdens Of
mllitarism upon us.
&.
1t is in this period of capitalist
chaos that the Socialist Party of Ore
gon meets and witnesses confirma-
ton of its claim that capitalism uev-
itably leads to war. Capitalism is
bankrupt. 1t is revealed as the most
sangunary period in human history.
7.
In our own country the Federal
Government has made little effort to
aid the millions of unemployed, the
millions of people upon the land who
live in direst poverty and abject mis-
cry. The Federal Government has
done nothing for the farmer or the
wage worker, 1t has continued as in
the past to serve the interests of the
robber barons of Wall street. In this
State thousands of people have suf-
fered and are now being denied nor
NAL human existence, because the Re
publican and Democratic parties who
divide the political power of the State
between them, pay no heed to the
needs of the exploited ON the land
and in the cities.
We again reiterate our fundamen-
tai position, which is sustained by the
world events of the past year, that
capitalist society rests upon private
ownership of the land, natural re-
sources, machinery, and great plants
for producing and distributing wealth.
that this ownership, ever centering
into the hands of smaller groups of
capitalists, enables them to exploit
the men, women and children Of our
class and deprive us of the larger part
of the wealth we produce. Repeated
Investigations by experts have more
than sustained our position.
Working Program
As measures calculated to strength
en- the working class in it's fight for
the realization of its ultimate aim, the
cooperative commonwealth, and to in
crease its powers of resistance against
capitalist oppression, we advocate and
] pledge ourselves and our elected Of
ficers to the following program;
Industrial Demands
1.-The enactment of legal maxi
mum workday of eight hours and
maximum work week of A hours, and
its gradual shortening in keeping with
the increased productiveness of mod
ern machinery, and a rest period of a
day and half each week for workers
in all industries.
2.-Prohibition of the employment
of children under Is years of age in
gainful employment, provided that
this shall not be Construed to apply to
voluntary employment upon farms and
in homes, or such other places as are
not operated for profit.
3.-Laws providing proper protec-
ton for the safety of the lives and
health of the workers. Factory in
spectors elected by the workers in
their respective unions shall see that
these laws are enforced.
A system which shall provide
State insurance to all workers against
unemployment, sickness, invalidity and
old age, without contribution on the
part Of the workers. The compensa-
ton act of the State to be amended to
include all workers and to provide
compensation equal to the full eco
nomic loss.
5.-Public works for the unemploy-
ed; free employment agencies under
labor organizations to be provided
with public funds for the purpose of
relieving their unemployed members.
Such employment to be at union
wages.
6.-Prohibition of employment of
women during three months before
and after childbirth, the State to re-
imburse the mother for loss of earn
ings during such period. State pen
slons to dependent women whose chill
dren are under the age of Is years.
7.-Statutory recognition of the UNI
restricted right Of the workers to
strike and boycott and to employ all
peaceable means in furtherance of
such struggles. The exemption of
Tunion funds from damages to the en-
ployer.
8.-Prohibition of the use of mill
tary and police force against the
workers in labor disputes Prohibi-
ton of the importation of strike
breakers and suppression of private
police and agencies for breakers
and labor spies, No person shall be
appointed deputy sheriff in connec-
ton with labor disputes, unless he has
been resident Of the county at least |
one year.