New-York tribune., 1919-03-21
Radicals Plan ssPolitical
Revolt i'm United States


combined with the lack of any intelli
gent and far-sighted budget system
swell the public debt, dcvouring loan:
and revenues before they can be col
lected. and sending prices always be.
yond the reach Of 100000 families
whose physical and intellectual we'll
being are the final test of our collec.
tive development and survival
1T is he privilege of America, pro
tected by its yestige of Biographies
seclusion. to profit by the experiences
of Europe. Europe, too. has had it's
reactionary ruling minorities, its in
dustral autocrats it's financial olop.
arches, it's massive ornaments, its
hated conscription, its corrupt and fu-
tile politics, its suppression of dissent
its judicial frghtfulness, its bursting
budgets, its toilers broken in BODY and
bitter Of soul And Europe has rcvo-
luton.
Military Revolution Opposed
as this what Americans want? We
do not think so,
eve believe that there is intelligence
enough in this country, if 1t will but
come together, to catch control of the
I current OF things and cooperate di-
rectly with the inevitable forces Of
.
luton we oppose reconstruction; not
as catchword and pretense, but as an
organized effort to find some new ad-
justment Of the changing powers that
constitute society.
"Many of us believe that these re-
adjustments demand new political
alignment, that the old parties are de-
termined to withhold that which the
american people are determined to
have. Day by day men come to see
more clearly that these organizations
maze lost that spirit TO serve the peo-
pie which was embodied once in JEFF
fcrson and at another time in Lincoln.
that the shell has hardened and stitled
the growth within.
with exceptions lost among the in
stances, the politicians whom we have
elected nave mlsrepfesented our desires
and lGughed at our hopes; thew have
opposed with cynical accord all that
we have set our hearts on as vital to
the renovation of American life. There
are times when by the vigor of a per
sonallty the old machanisms are driven
TO some efficacy and result; but the
MECHANISM soon overcomes the man.
pushes him aside and undoes his little
work. America cannot grow much moro
IN these old skins.
Nather must reconstruction derive
its impetus and direction from the no
llsIc&l organization of the manual and
mental workers Of the country. The
future belongs not to the inheritors
and manipulators OF great wealth, but
10 inc men and women who live by
Ihelr work If hand or brain and know
by hard experience the needs and as
plrations OF the common life.
"Liberals' to Be Summoned
1T is the purpose of the Committee
of Forty eight to summon from all
parts OF the cttlntry The leaders Of its
liberal thought and of it's forward
looking citizens to meet in conference.
We hope that out Of this assemblage of
the hltherto scattered forces Of Amer
lcanlsm will come a flexible statement
of principles and methods that will
permit of effective cooperation with
organized labor and agricultural work
ers IN the tasks Of social reconstruct
ton.
SO we send out th:s call 1t is not
such an opportunity as comes with
every day. The world is fluent now,
and responds readily to every mould
ing force; but let it find a form and
1t Will CONCEAL again into resistance
and immobility. All minds are awake
day as seldom before, all hearts are
astir with hopes and open to large pur-
poses; but these minds will shrive
once more into their grooves, these
hopes Will lose their glow, If we miss
TINS chance to organize the liberal in
telligence of America into coherent
voice and form 1t may be the final op-
portunlty Of our generation.
Leaders of the new labor parties and
or the organized farmers are looking
TO us and expecting our cooperation,
We need your time, enthusiasm, advice
and money.
"WILL YOU JOIN Us:v
For the committee-Allen T. Burns,
Lincoln Colcord, Mary Pattison, Gilbert
e. Roe, John Haynes Holmes, Charlotte
P. Gilman, Dudley Field Malone.
Otto Cullman, Will Durant, George
Nasmyth. William p. Everts, Mary K.
Simkhovitch, Charles Zueblin Arthur
6: Wray, Mary H. Ingham, Carl D.
Thompson.
write to-day for further informa-
ton to the Committee of Forty eight.
10 East Fortieth Street, New York"
in addition to the names signed
above. it was learned yesterday that
among other signers are the Rev. DR..
Percy Stickney Grant, rector Of the
Church of the Ascension, and the fol-
lowing, most of whom will be dnnti.
fled as writer's and propagandists Of
radicalism as typifed by such putli-
cations as "The New Republic and
"The Nation:
Charles F. Weller, DR.. Horace NJ.
Ka!len, Robert D. Towne. j. A.. II.
Hopkins, Prof. Robert y. Leigh.
Charles +. Hoffman, Waiter f. Weyl,
John +. Sinclair, William i. Cochran,
Ruth Robinson. II. r. Mussey, Clar-
ence d. Halbcrt, Martyn johnson,
Harry A. Slattery, George Schilling,
David c: Coates, Porter f. Sargent,
Gllson Gardner Lawrence Todd, Rob
ert Morse Lovetts Hiram Moderwell.
Albert Jay Mock, George f. Hooker,
Prof. Ellen Hayes.
The letter which Mr.. Hopkins wrote
under date of February /, 1919, and en-
closed with the initial copies OF the
call when they we're sent out follows:
ut is some time since we have had
the pleasure Of sitting down together
and in the meantime the opportunity
for realignment in American politics
has been deepening and widening every
day. The National party, as you know
was formed to bring about this result,
entirely irrespective of any selfish in
| tercsts on their mart