The Bismarck tribune., 1918-09-17

| next said, what | now repeat,
which is, that House Bill "A and the
proposed constitutional amendments
are, in many particulars, pure social
ism, as for instance the amendment to
Section 1856, by which the state and its
agencies are authorized to engage in
an yindustry, enterprise or business
| whatever, and the customary debt lin
| it with respect thereto is destroyed;
| this is the most dangerous form of So
cialism.
l believe in cooperative enterpris-
es; the success of the Farmers Equity
in this state, the Federal Farm Loan
act. the Rochdale Cooperative Stores
Of Great Britain and other enterprises
are ample proof of their, usefulness,
but there is nothing Uncommon be-
tween them and state Or municipality
operated enterprises, stores, farms,
etc.
| Under these amendments any mu-
nicipality is authorized to engage in
farming operations; bonds could be
issued in any amount to buy up the
lands and then it could engage in
farming; the authority is amply suf
fcient; indeed. the legislature, by
amending the condemnation statutes
could authorize these subordinate
agencies to condemn the land and pay
the owners the amount fixed by a
jury.
l said, what | now repeat, that So
cialism is disloyal and u,lpatriotic and
that no true socialist. iissn hqr can be,
loyal and patriotic. o;rK sg.r.s
said this, among other reasons,s
because OF the st. Louis platform
adopted by the socialist party in April.
1917, after this country entered the
war; this platform was reaffirmed at
| Chicago by the socialists within the
last sixty days.
Space prevents quoting in full, but
among other things in that platform
the socialist party declared:
/. Its unalterable opposition to
the war" and it calls upon the work
ers Of this country "tO refuse to sup
port their government in this war"
2. Our entrance into the European
war was instigated by the predatory
capitalists in the United States * -"
3. The war of the United States
against Germany cannot be justified
even on the plea that it is a war in
defense of American rights and Amer
lean honor"
a. "It is rot a war against the
mlitarist regime fthe Central Pow
ers u Il"
5. "They (the American people)
have been plunged into this war by
the trickery and treachery of the rul-
ing class of the country Il * st. We
brand the declaration of war by our
government as a crime against the
people fthe United States # *;
in all modern history there has been
no war more unjustifiable than the
war in which we are about to en-
gage *''
7. "And in harmony with these
principles the socialist party emphat-
ically recommends &c ~tinuous, active
and public opposition to the wal and
to conscription," and pledges its men,
money for the payment Of war eX-,
pense by taxing the necessaries of life
or issuing bonds, etc,
This platform was adopted before
the enactment of the sedition laws,
otherwise those who promulgated it
would have been sent to the peniten-
tiary.
And it is because they have persiste-
ed in carrying out this platform and
teaching these principles that SO many
Of the leaders and organizers Of the
NOnpartisan League have been con-
victed both under state and federal
laws and sent to the penitentiary.
And it is because of these princi-
pies adopted by the socialist party
and the fact that the socialists are in
control of the Nonpartisan League that
We find every pro- German and dis
loyal citizen either a member Of, or
associated with the League.
When the farmers and the people
of this state awake to this fact, the
leaders of the League will be repudi-
ated and the League itself will enjoy
period of success such as it cannot
have with these men in control.
Respectfully,
FRED BARTHOLOMEW.
-BuY W. s. S.