New-York tribune., 1919-04-13
Demands Removal of Post
office Head Because of
Attitude Toward Labor,
Free Speech and Press
Urges National Movement
Platform Contains Many
Socialist Planks, Includ-
ing Ownership of Mines

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, April IA
statement and platform was issued at
to-dav's aession of the convention of
the Labor party of Illinois, and reso-
lutions were adopted demanding the
removel from Office OF Postmaster Gen.
eral Burleson "beeause Of his alleged
reactionary attitude toward labor, free
speech and free press"
The convention by resolution also de-
nounced Harold F. Mccormick, of the
international Harvester Company, who
was accused of employing conwaiescing
soldiers from Fort Sheridan on his
lake Forest estate to break strike of
landscape gardeners, and asked for an
investigation by the War Department..
Endorsement was given by the new
party to "a league of nations which
will protect the peace which has been
won
Against Daylight Saving
Other resolutions demanded restOra
ton of standard time, employment of
soldiers and sailors in road construc
tion, lifting OF the Allied blockade
against the Central Powers, and that
public utilities taken over by the gov
eminent shall not be returned to pri-
vate ownership.
Secrecy at the Paris peace confer
ence was denounced.
A vote of thanks was extended to the
Non-Partisan League and to trades
movements in North Dakota for their
interest in the new Illinois party.
The convention voted in favor of
forming a national labor party.
The following is an abstract of the
statement and platform issued:
Labor is the primary and just basis
Of political responsibility and power.
1t ia not merely the right but the duty
Of the workers, by hand or brain, to
become a political party.
The Labor party is destined TO usher
in the new day of freedom in the
United States-freedom from the grind
of poverty; freedom from the owner
ship of government by big business;
freedom from the. save-drtving of
workers by ,profteers and freedom of
the men and women who buy food and
clothing and pay rent. from exploita-
tion at the hands Of the money kings
Of "kingless" America.
Only Workers in Party
Organized workers are members of
It. Unorganized workers are members
Of it. Clerks, housewives, newspaper
men. farmers. school teachers, store
keepers belong TO it. Such heads of
organizations and business concerns as
are not exploiters or profiteers belong
to it. There is no place in the party
for those who are not workers. There
is room within it for all who perform
service to society.
The Laboy party was organized to
assemble into new maj ority the men
and women who work, but who have
been scattered as helpless minorites
in the old parties under the leadership
of the confidence men of big business
The first convention Of the new party
enunciates the following programme of
issues to which it pledges itself, its
members and its candidates:
Leisure in which to enjoy happiness
and improve the mind and body by the
institution of maximum working day
OF eight hours and maximum working
week OF forty-four hours, both for
men and women.
Equality of men and women in gov
enfranchlsement of women and equal
pay for men and women doing similar
work.
Reduction Of the cost Of living to a
Just level, Immediately and as ~
manent policy, by the development of
cooperation and the elimination of
wasseful methods, middlemen and all
pronteerng in the creation and dis
Tioutlon OF products.
PUBLIC ownership and operation of
al public utilities, including grain
st,o;r. rtiss;ators. warehouses, stockyards, ab-
atlolrs, Insurance and banks.
Abolition Of the State Senate.
complete restoration at the earliest
possible moment of all fundamental
political rights--free speech, free press
and free ,assemblage; and the libera-
.ion OF all persons held in prison or
indicted under charges due to their
Championship Of the rights Of labor or
their patriotic insistence upon tn.
rigass guaranteed to them by the Con-