The labor world., 1918-07-20
SOCIALISTS RECONSTRUCTION
PLAN AID TO HUN AuT0CRACY
Program Calls For Measures Clearly Drawn to Pro-
tect Pan-Gemanism While Remainder Provides
Typical TelltOnic "RefOrm' Proposals.

NEW YORK, July 19.-The "recon-
struction' program of the German
majority or government Socialists has
reached this city and is here made
public in substance for the first time
outside a section of the German Ian
guage press.
The program, virtually a. rehash of
the Erfurt program, and no more in
keeping with the spirit of the civilized
world, is only what has previously
been put forth by the government So
cialists, a weakened program of DO
lltlcal demands for domestic use, cou-
pied with a typically German array
OF provisions for the protection of
pam n-Germanism after the war
The principal demands are for fran
chlse reform, including equal suffrage
for both sexes, a parliamentary sys-
tenn of government, war to be declared
by the Reichstag, ratification of treat
ies abolition of secret diplomacy and
creation of an International court of
arbitration-all of them measures of
a glnd that, in modern civilized 81
clety appear almost primitive.
Kaiser Dictates 1t,
The program was drafted by a COM
mission appointed by the government
socialists in convention at Wuertzburs
year ago. The commission con-
tained no members of more than local
note. Its report was made public ori-
ginal1y through the Berlin Vorwaerts.
The program for the transition per-
lod from war to peace contains pro-
visions recommending temporary con-
tlnuance of food regulations, at least
SO lar as the poorer classes are con-
cerned, regulations for food transpor-
tatlon and for distribution and export
OF raw materials, and for supervision
or the entire German TRANSPORTATION
system, including land and water tran
sit.
Government regulation of the labor
market after the war is recommended
to prevent congestion of labor in any
given industry or in any given point.
1t is recommended that soldiers and
the1r families receive compensation
for at least a month after emobiliza-
ton and for longer period if en-
ployment cannot be found
In matters of commerce and indus
try, the program differs but little from
the typical German socialist program.
1t calls for state ownership of mono
poles and for supervision and regu-
lation of industries that remain under
private ownership. This, it is declared
is for the purpose of preventing un-
wholesome competition.
In connection with peace negotia-
tlons it is set forth that action must
be taken for immediate discontinuance
of economic welfare, doubtless with
the idea in mind that economic war
fare can be discontinued by the adop-
tlon of resolutions. Theaters are asked
which would make impossible the
"blockading and isolating' of German
inland commerce through high tariffs.
The program contains a series of So
clal and political recommendation
which have no international bearing
and demands increased taxation on
lnherltances and tares on incomes
graduated according to the size of the
income and according to earning capa-
city, including what is described as a
tax on nourishing foods.
Bait For The Allies.
The whole program is a rambling.
disconnected collection of more or less