Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-04-05
Preamble.

The Farmer-LabOr party of Mime
sofa recognizes that the United States
has the most wonderful resources,
great factories, machinery of produc-
tion, steam power and electric power
and millions of capable workers and
farmers ready and able to produce
food, clothing and shelter in great
abundance for all. At this time when
all of us could live in prosperity and
happiness we find that there are mil
lions of working men and women in
poverty, want and degradation and
that there are also hundreds of thou
sands of farmers, business and pro-
fessionaI people who have become
poverty stricken and bankrupt and
millions Of people in all walks of life
are compelled to eat the bread of
charity.
Palliative measures will continue to
fail Only a complete reorganization
of our social structure into a coop
erative commonwealth will bring eco
nomic security and prevent prolong
period of further suffering among the
people.
We, therefore, declare that capital
ism has failed and immediate steps
must be taken by the people to abol-
ish capitalism in peaceful and law
full manner and that new sane and
just society must be established; a
system where all the natural re-
sources, machinery of production,
transportation and communication
shall be owned by the government and
operated democratically for the ben
eft of all the people and not for the
benefit of the few.
In order to bring about this coop
erative commonwealth and for the
purpose of adopting legislation for
the immediate relief of the people,
the Farmer-Labor party adopts as its
platform the following proposals:
!. Agriculture.
Adequate legislation to insure Sc
curity of tenure on the land for those
who farm it. To this end we demand
that Congress pass the Frazier bill
for refinancing agricultural loans and
the Swank-Thomas bill or other leg
islatiOn to exempt from taxation of
homesteads in the city and on the
farms to the value of $4,000.
Legislation extending the present
moratorium two years from the date
of expiration and that no action may
be brought within the two years on
any obligation secured by a mortgage.
III. Marketing.
The greatest problem of the farmer
being to find markets for their prod
ucts, We advocate building and main
tanning adequate cooperative market
ing and purchasing agencies in all
the large industrial centers of the
state, to be correlated by some state
supervised central head.
iii. Industrial Program.
To protect our citizens from ex-
ploitation through industrial profits,
we demand public ownership of all
mines, water power, transportation
and communication, banks, packing
plants, factories, and all public utili-
ties. However, this shall not apply
to bona fide, cooperative enterprises.
The immediate passage of a Mime
sofa Reconstruction act with full
power to regulate hours and wages
and carry on useful public projects.
Nv. Unemployment.
The state to take over sufficient
idle Industrial plants to furnish en-
ployment for idle citizens and to dis
tribute the products to the needy.
V. Social Insurance.
That all insurance including wOm-
ems compensation, unemployment, ac-
cident, sickness, maternity, old age
pension, fire, cyclone, hail and life
insurance be taken over by the state
and operated without profit
vi. Conservation.
An intelligent and comprehensive
plan for the conservation of the nat
ural moisture of the state with ar
engagements made to retain the great
est possible benefits of the snow and
rainfall of the state and restoration
as far as practicable of the lake and
river levels, and the encouragement
of similar projects in the adjacent
states.
VII. RefOrestatiOn.
RefOrestatiOn to restore and protect
the timber wealth and to prevent and
retard erosion.
VIII. st. Lawrence Waterway.
Ratification of the treaty with Can
ada affecting the construction of the
st. Lawrence-Great Lakes Waterway.
TX. Education.
Fullest educational opportunities
for all. with security of tenure and
freedom of expression to teachers.
Textbooks to be published by the
state and free to all the students.
Military training at all educational
institutions supported wholly or in
part by state funds to be optional.
X. Taxation.
Restoration of unearned wealth to
the state and community by gradu-
ated taxes effectively administered on
large incomes, gifts, and inheritance.
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