The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-12
Majority Report to Conven-
ti0n Calls It Crime
Against Nation.
URGES OPPOSITION
WITH ALL RESOURCES
Spargo and Minority, How.
ever, Assert Obligation to
Defend Rights.
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
st. Louis, April 1.-THE national
convention of the Socialist party.
in session here, adopted a basis
report tonight voicing unalterablc
opposition to the action OF the
United States In declaring that n
state Of war existed between tho
nation and Germany.
Leaders among the delegates
said the report virtually was cer-
tain to be adopted tomorrow. with
out restriction.
The vote was 14O for the major
ity report of the committee on war
and militarism, 81 for the minority
report. which is even more radical
In it's denunciation Of war and five
for the report introduced by John
Spargo Of New York. which virtu-
ally declared that every Socialist
should support the United States
in the present war.
A. ~. LOUIS, NpTH H. Inc oOClauS'
party national convention spent al
most all of today's session In debating
the three reports sumbitted by tho
resolutions committee concerning the
attitude the party should take as to
the war between the United States
and Germany.
I'm Al In nrt tur INNr I
members OF the committee condemned
the entrance of the United States into
the European war and said that the
action OF this country had been "in-
stigated by predatory capitalists"
spargo in Minority.
minority report. signed by John
Spargo. praised the patience shown by
the American government, but urged
that this country could make the
largest contribution to the defeat of
Germany by mobilizing its economic
resources and placing the greatest
possible amount Of munitions and food
supplies at the disposal Of France and
Belgium. rather than by sending an
army to Europe.
A second minority report called on
the Socialist party to oppose the wal
with all the power at it's command.
The majority report said In part:
"Thc -ar of the United States
! against Germany cannot be justified
even on the plea that 1t Is war in de-
Tense OF American rights or American
honor Ruthless as the unrestricted
submarine war policy of the German
government was. Is 1t not an invasion
Of the rights Of the American people
as such. but only an interference will
the opportunity of certain groups o
American capitalists to coin cold prof
! it's out of the blood suffering Of ou
fellow men in the warning countrlc!
OF Europe?
"crine Against People,"
I'VE brand the declaration OF war b.
our government as a. crime agains
the people OF the United States an,
I'VE recommend to the workers ant
pledge ourselves to the following
course Of action:
Continuous, active and public op
position to the war.
"Unyielding opposition to all pro
posed legislation for military or In
dustrial conscription. Should sucl
conscription be forced upon the peo
efforts for the repeal OF such laws an
to the support Of all mass movement
In opposition to conscription.
vigorous resistance to all reaction
ary measures. such as censorship 9
press and malls. restriction OF tn
rights of free speech, asscmblage an
organization Or compulsory arbitra
tion and Limitation of the right t
strike"
The minority report signed by job
Sparso said In part:
I'VE repudiatc the claim made b
some that loyalty to this nation is n,
consistent with internationalism.
"Intcrnationalism pre-supposes ma
tionalism. The maintenance Of ma
tional integrity and Independence Is a
essential condition of international
ism.
Right Of Defense.
From this point of view. the wanto
invasion of Belgium In this war was
crime against Sosialist principles {
fundamental importance.
"As internationalists we unequiv(
cally assert the right of nations to d.