The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1919-12-12
4 LIBERAL PLATFORM FOR
US. AMERICANS IN 1920
While Old Line Politicians Seek In Vain For Leaders
and Dodge Vital Issues, Many Americans Are
Doing Their Own Thinking

IufC00E Lldu GulS. 1uEOuSA Gull
troll of railroads natural resources, the
channels of credit, the press, the pull
pits, and even the processes of educa-
ton they seek to strengthen their pow
er by intoxicating distrust of all move
ments and men who come under their
disapproyal.
All citizens who keep their faith in
our popular form of government must
unite to assert their power against these
abuses of our institutions,
We hold that the right to political in
dependence presupposes spiritual and
economic freedom; that without these,
political independence is an empty |
phrase; and that this country owes to |
it's citizens such liberty from spiritual
and economic domination as will make it |
in fact as we'll as in theory a government |
by consent, of the governed.
Our program is, therefore, an econo- |
mic program; for our dependence is |
| based on economic facts. We aim to de- |
stroy the vast power over the life OF the
| nation which rests on the concentrated
| control by private interests of our nee
essities, and to place this control in the
hands of public servants; to the end that
all our ciizens may be free to determine
for themselves their political, economic
and spiritual destinies.
| TRUSTS
The high cost of living and the attend
ing exploitation of the public, i.e., of the
farmer. the wage-earner and the small
business and professional groups, are
largely due to artificial price-fixing by
monopolies and trusts. The main founda-
ton of this power lies in private con-
.rol of TRANSFORMATION and natural re-
sources.
| We, therefore, demand public owner
shin of the railroads and of all pubic
utilities and natural resources such as
pipe lines, terminal food warehouses:
stockyards. large abattoirs, refrigerator
| cars grain elevators, .our oil and metal
denosits. water powers and timber lands
I to the end that these basic necessities be
made accessible to all on equal terms.
We further demand a change IN the
patent laws providing that any one may
: use manufacture or sell any article cover
ed by a patent on paying to the owner
ROYALTY fixed by the government.
i We favor joint manaeement of the rall- All
| roads BY representatives of the public,
the management and the workers.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Racent history has shown the tremen-
dons dangers to, democracy and to peace
| that are inherent in secret international
a. relations We, therefore, demand:
The participation of the Senate in
the initiation and negotiation, as well as
? the ratification, of all treaties and I'M
, derstandings with other nations;
. The submission to the Senate OF
: all documents and written communlca-
= +ions relating to the initiation and nego-
: tiation of treaties or understandings IN
0 terchanged between responsible of1lclals
of I. s. and representatives of other
nations. such submission to be at the
: time such treaties or understandings are
in process of initiation or negotiation;
2 The abolition of all executive ses
sions of the Senate;
e 4. The requirements of vote OF th'
neople before Congress shall declare ina
war or a state of war exists, except IL
: case of invasion by force.
= We further hold that the military ant
naval forces of the q. S. shall not o
used to guarantee Or protect Amef1cal
:, Investments in foreign countries untl
h after declaration of war by vote OF th'
y people.
We oppose universal military training
, and favor universal disarmament by IN
n ternational agreement.
IS. LABOR
We demand the application to all Id
tionalized basic industries OF the prln
l. ciples of joint management by represen
t. tatiyes of the public, the management an
"a the workers..
We demand the right of wage-earner
N +o organize in trade and labor unions [
r. bargain collectively and to be represent
ed by representatives of their own choos
:. ing in adjustments with employers an
l. in respect to wages, hours OF labor an
e. rules and conditions of employment.
re6 We hold that the use of the lnJunctlo
in labor disputes bears unJustly upo
Organized labor for the reason that
DESTROYS the power of one side VIII
he leaving the strength of the other ntac
I'm We demand a maximum working da
n of eight hours for industrial workers.
ur concluded on page 12)