The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-10-11
By EVE DORF.

Finance capital wants a strongly
centralized government, efficiently
organized in order to carry out its
imperialist plans against the colonial
peoples and to crush the working
class at home The democratic party
and Al Smith have as a fundamental
plank in their platform the Wall
Street planks of centralized govern
ment, monopoly rule, extreme cen
tralization of power in the hands of
the executive and removed as far
as possible from the pressure of the
people. This means more power to
the financial oligarchy, more ability
to Cypress labor, more Irresponsible
ity to the people. Centralized govern
ment policy means a more efficient
iron heel on labor. Smith, as gov
ernor of New York state, put over
big job for Wall Street. He reor-
gained the state government to
suit big business. Almost 200 de-
partments were made into 20 de-
partments with centralized direction.
A governors cabinet system was in
stituted, with great power, taking
away power from the legislature.
The executive budget was put thru,
which is a guarantee against legis-
lative interference.
Other proposals of the so-called
democratic" AL Smith were for a
short ballot, where only governor,
lieutenant governor, and comptrol-
Ter should be elected; all other of
ficers to be appointed by the COVER
nor. Longer terms for state officials
were proposed; governors term to
be four years, senators to be changed
from two to four years, assemblymen
years instead of 1. These are the
autocratic proposals of self-pro-
fessed democrat"
Imperialist and Militarist Program.
The democratic party supports
the imperialist and militarist policies
of the capitalists. The democratic
platform stands for the protection
of American lives and rights" in
other words, for the protection of
American capitalists property in the
colonies; an imperialist program.
However, with characteristic incon-
sistency, because of desire to appeal
to liberal votes, the platform also
stands for "non-interference in the
purely internal affairs of foreign
nations" An example of democratic
practice in carrying out this pro-
gram is President Wilson's sending
of marines to Haiti and the bomb
ing of Haitian villages. The demo-
cratic party has no criticism of the
big naval military program of our
government, it has no criticism of
our policy in China, in the Philip
pines, etc. Smiths record in New
York shows a militarist policy; it
proves emphatically that the demo-
cratic imperialist and military pro-
gram differs not at all from the re-
publican. Smith increased the ma
tional guard; he began many
schemes, as, for example, life in
surance scheme and a newspaper, in
order to attract citizens to the ma
tional guard. He increased the mum,
Der of the state police. He increased
the state militia. He sponsored
citizens military training camps.
Labor Policy and Record.
The general labor policy of the
democratic party is reformist in
word and reactionary in deed. The
policy is good for capitalism. In
general, Tammany stands for arbi-
tration schemes, for close connection
with the corrupt trade union bureau
cracy They believe little labor
legislation is necessary, as Smith
says, mot because it benefits the
working class but because it bene-
fits the state and the employer gets
better work because of it" from
Moskowitz, AL Smith, PIP. 214, 216).