Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-04-12


Labor is the primary and just
basis of political responsibility
and power. 1t is not merely the
right but the duty of the work
ers 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; free
dom from the ownership of gov
ernment by big business; free
dom from the slave-driVing of
workers by profiteers and free
dom of men and women who
buy food and clothing and pay
rent, from exploitation at the
hands of the money kings OF
'Kingless America"
Party of Workers.
1t is the party of the workers
with hand and brain. Organized
workers are members of it. Un-
organized workers are members
of it. Clerks, housewives, news
paper men, farmers, school
/ teachers, store keepers, belong
to it Such heads of organiZa-
tions 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 labor party was organiZ-
ed to assemble into a new ma
jority the men and women who
work. but who have been scat
tered as helpless minorities in
the old parties under the lead
ership of the confidence men OF
big business.
These confidence men by ex-
ploitation rob the workers or
the product of their activities
and use the huge profits thus
gained to finance the old po-
litical parties, by which they
gain and keep control of the
government. They withhold
money from the worker and use
it to make him pay for his own
defeat.
Determined on Change.
Labor is aware of this and
throughout the world the work
ers have reached the determine
tion to reverse this condition
and take control of their own
lives and their own government
In this country this can and
must be achieved peacefully by
the workers uniting and march
ing in unbroken phalanx to the
ballot boxes. 1t is the mission of
the labor party to bring this to
pass.
The state of Illinois is es-
pecially unfortunate in having
been bound by the exploiters
and profiteers. Corruption in
politics and government has
been created and fostered by
big business.
In the city which is the cap
ital of Illinois, on the day fol-
lowing that in which the lower
house of the general assembly
denied working men and women
relief from the servile injunc-
tion judges who unlawfully de-
prive citizens of their consti-
tutionaI rights at the behest of
the bosses who control nomina-
tions and elections to the
bench, the Labor Party of Illi-
nois springs into being to
strike from the state govern
ment the shackles which pre-
vent our state from becoming
great.
This can not be accomplish
ed longer with the old parties.
The day has passed when for
ward-looking citizens can hope
for progress. aid or sincerity at
the hands of Republican or
Democratic office holders. The
time has come for the workers
of Illinois to force a clear line
of cleavage and disengage
themselves definitely and per-
manently from old party ties
and henceforth support only
those who will openly espouse
the cause of the workers who
constitute the large majority OF
our citizens and do it under the
banner of the workers own
party.
Hence the organization of the
Labor Party of Illinois, to join
together the local branches or
the Labor Party that have
sprung up spontaneously in
many sections of the state and
to call with clarion voice other
workers to unite with these to
work and vote for a free Illi-
nois. with the iron heel of the
exploiter removed from the
neck of the producer and con-
Sumer
Party's Pledges.
The first convention of the
new state party enunciates the
following program of issues to
which it pledges itself, its
members and its candidates:
l. Democratic control of in
dustry and commerce for the
general good of those who
work with hand and brain and
the elimination of autocracy
domination of the forces of
production and distribution
either by selfish private inter-
ests or bureaucratic agents of
government
2. The unqualified right of
workers to organize and to
deal collectively with employ
ers through such representa-
tives of their organizations as
they choose.
3. - The freedom from eco
nomic hazard which comes
with n min irn1rr,n unun hnrnd