Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-03-21
LABOR|TES
READY TO REBUILD
English Unionists Offer Radical
Political Program to Recon
struet Society.

4
Declaring that RECKLESS Individual
ism with it's protlteering and wage
slavery has received its death blow,
the British Labor party has just for
INFLATED a splendid plan for recon
struction after the war which prom
ises vast social changes in England.
The British Labor party proposes
to adopt this plan as its platform and
to place candidates for the House of
Commons in the field in every con-
~stifnency in Great Britain. 1t al
ready is predicted by shrewd politl-
cal observers that the Labor Party
may carry the next election even
though the Liberals and Conserva.
tives combine against them.
People Must Make Plans.
The British Labor party believes
that a vastly better civilization will
arise PhoeniX-like from the ruins of
war, but it also believes that unless
the people begin now to work out the
right plans for construction, that
the great capitalists and other selfish
interests will endeavor to abolish gov
ernment ownership and to restore In
dustrial autocracy. The British Labor
party wants more than certain speci-
fc reforms; 1t wants a new founda-
ton for society.
The New Republic, one of the most
thoughtful magazines of America,
calls the British Labor plan "the most
mature and carefully formulated pro-
gram eve put forth by a responsible
political party"
Like Nonpartisan League Program.
In this connection it is interesting
to point out that the proposals Just
announced by the British Labor party
are substantially in accord with the
program adopted by the National
Nonpartisan league which vii, be
voted on in at least eight states at
the coming elections. 1t is plain to
all thiniiiag men that the war has
marked the commencement of a new
era in society, that the whole world
is in q state of social ferment, and
that this new wine Of democracy
cannot much longer be contained in
the old casks of outworn political
and industrial institutions.
The people will be extremely fool
ish,' says the British Labor party.
III they ever allow their indispen-
able industries to slip back into I'M
fettered control of private capital.
lists" The platform demands govern
ment ownership of the means of com
munication and transportation. includ-
ing the great steamship lipes and the
same management of coal and power
production. 1t wants the great es-
tates that levy tribute On the people
and industry of the nation broken
up. 1t proposes better housing condi-
lions.
All Entitled to Happiness.
Every man willing to work should
be provided with work, and his life
and health should be protected in that
work. There should be accident,
health and unemployment insurance.
There should be a constructive plan
for demobilizing the munition work,
ers and troops after the war that all
may obtain the employment for
which they are fitted. Every member
of the community should have a Ger.
tain minimum of the requisites for
healthy life and citizenship. The tax
burden on labor and industry should
be lightened and that on vested
wealth and special privilege greatly
increased.
A World Wide Demand.
This platform of one of the mos,
powerful parties in Great Britain, has
more than local application. In
every country wnere the voice of the
people is heard, practically the same
measures are demanded. They are
demanded not only by labor but by
the small business men and profes
sional men and by farmers, in fact
by all who lose by the monopoly OF
transportation and natural resources
and by the domination which these
~monopolies exercise over the gov
eminent. They are demanded BY
those who see that we must have
industrial democracy or be ruined b,
the burden of the war. They are
demanded by those wao insist thai
the lessons learned 90 far from thu
] war shall not be lost
E5.M