New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
''Committee of Forty-eight''
Is Planning Conference i'm
St. Louis to Discuss the
Proposal for a Change
Hope to Gain Labor Aid
Plumb Plan and Other
Issues Are Expected To
BE Keystone of Backers
Ne,c York Tribune
WASHINGTON Buyscu

Washington Bmreau
; WASHINGTON, Aug. 16.-A meeting
of 5000 American "liberals" will be
held in st. Louis in December. it was
learned here to-day. with view to
determining, if possible, the sentiment
in the country favorable to new
party composed of those who now be-
lieye that both the Democratic and Re
publican parties stand for the same
thing.
While the conference of liberals" +"
which is being worked up by the "com-
mittee of forty-eight." with headquar-
ters at Is East Fortieth Street, New
YORK City, has as yet formulated no
definite line of political action, its
leaders hope that the sentiment it dis
covers will strike responsive chord
IN the heart of organized. labor, and
that ultimately new party, with labor
AS its nucleus and including the Glib
erals" will DE formed.
The Plumb plan for the railroads is
expected to be the keystone of the
new party's platform 'if the labor
movement develops.'
The tendencies of the followers of
the Committee of Forty-eight" are sug-
gested by tabulation of returns now
being received by the committee on
twenty questions submitted throughout
the country.
Hhe Questions Asked
Prominent among the questions are
the following:
DO you favor the Plumb plan for
The operation of the railroads ,"
DO you favor super taxes on prof
its?'
DO you favor compulsory military
raining?"
"Are you in favor of organizing a
rev political party?"
When complete returns from the
QUESTIONABLE arc in they will form the
basis of programme which will be
submitted to the conference Accord
ing to Allen w. McCurdy. of the execu-
tive committee of the "Committee of
Forty eight" the QUESTIONABLE is re-
sulting i'll almost 100 per cent returns.
From the missionaries already re-
turned 40 per cent favor the Plumb
favor general government ownership
and 18 per cent are for private owner
ship" said an announcement of the
committee to-day.
Would Cut Presidents Power
The programme of the Nonpartisan
League of North Dakota found favor
with 96 per cent. Ninety per cent voted
10 take absolute control of foreign re-
iations out of the hands of the Presi-
ient. Eighty-eight per cent voted for
the gradual and progressive transfer of
taxes from Improvements to land
values.
On the question of forming a new
political party, 80 per cent voted in
favor of forming a new party, either
Independently or, if possible, as fed
Grafton with the labor and farmer
movements, and 20 per cent favored
non-partisan organization
Prominent among the leaders of the
Committee of Forty eight" are Robert
W. Bruere, Lincoln Colcord. Otto Cul-
man, Will Durant, William P. Evarts,
ellison Gardner, John Haynes Holmes,
]: A. II. Hopkins, Mary II. Ingham,
Horace NJ. Kallen, Oswald w. Knauth,
Allen M. Curder, Robert Morse Lovett,
Dudley Field Malone. George Nay
smith, Mary Pattison, Mary X Simkho-
witch, Gilbert f. Roe, George P. West,
Arthur G. Wray, Charles Zuebin and
William F. Cochran.
The committee has thousands of
mailing lists, it is stated. and is send
ing out literature at the rate OF 100000
pieces week.