The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-07-09
COMMITTEE OF 48
MOVES FORWARD

Rapid growth of the Committee of
48's membership since the Republi-
can convention at Chicago is reported
by j. A. H. Hopkins, national eXecu-
tive committee chairman, who says
he is receiving letters from Re-
pubilcans all over the country declar-
ing they cannot support either the
nominee or the platform. Mr.. Hop
kins predicts there will be another
material increase in the ranks of the
forty Fighters" after the San Fran
cisco convention proves the Demo-
cratic party no longer represents
either ideas or ideals"
"Our membership has gained rap
idly since the Republican convention
at Chicago crushed the lingering
hopes of the progressives who hoped
that the party could be reformed
from within" said Mr.. Hopkins. THE
same salfish interests will be in the
saddle at San Francisco, and we con-
fidently count upon large accessions
from the Democratic party after the
bosses have hand-picked a candidate
and dictated a platform that lodges
most of the real issues.
"Our support is coming from all
kinds and conditions of men and
women in all parts of the country.
Farmers and wage workers of the
West already have united on the pol
itical field and are ready to get be-
hind US. Organized labor in the East
and South is equally dissatisfied and
sees it must make felt its political
power in order to secure economic
justice. All over the country indie
pendent business and professional
men are coming to realize that our
program offers the only solution of
the fundamental industrial problems
which both old parties have side
| stepped, but which must be settled
stability.
political parties are created to
express the desires of the people. To
justify a party's existence its lead
ers must keep pace with the progress
of events and provide intelligent
measures to cope with constantly
changing conditions. The war made
acute the problems of profiteering,
| the monopolization of natural re-
sources, inefficient management Of
transportation, increased tenantry
and decreased farm production, all
complicated by disastrous industrial
disputes, and it is the failure to face
these economic questions that IS
causing discomfort among the people,
"Can any honest person claim that
the Republican party offers any rem
edy for these pressing problems? No.
Neither will any be proposed by the
/ Democrats. Instead, the professional
politicians who control both old party
machines are using the League of
Nations as a red herring to divert
the peoples attention from the vital
issues which really concern their
welfare.
"This cynical disregard of popular
will justifies the demand for a new
party with vision and courage to deal
with basic issues. All thinking men
and women realize that we have per-
mitted a system to be built up in
this nation whereby natural resourc-
es, transportation, credit, and even
the government itself are controlled
by a small group of men. They eX-
plot labor, gouge the farmer of the
greater part of his product, threaten
legitimate business with extinction
through the unfair competition Of
their vast combinations, and levy an
extortionate toll on every activity Of
national life In short, we have sad
died upon us a dangerous financial
ohgarchy comparable only to the
iunker autocracies Of old Europe
and even more threatening to the
security Of true American ideals and
institutions. We may expect no i'm
provement in conditions so long as
the beneficiaries Of this system con
troll the machinery of both old par
ties, name their candidates and write