The people's voice., 1942-09-25
SOCIALISTS OF
MONTANA HOLDS
CONVENTION

At convention held In Missoula,
September 20 the Socialist party of
Montana adopted the following plat
form and declaration of principles:
While we are opposed to war as a
means of settling international dis
putes, we nevertheless favor a vigor-
GUS prosecution Of the present war by
all means at our nations command to
the end that all semblance of fascism,
nazism and totalitarianism be wiped
from the face of the earth and a
world parliament established to settle
all disputes between nations and an
economic system inaugurated which
pie of all races.
We are very much dissatisfied with
the inefficient prosecution of this
present war and insist that there
should be more coordination and few
er "bottlenecks" in the national pro-
gram, to the end that victory by our
armed forces may be quickly assured
and a protracted war be avoided, and
in that connection we assert that
there is too much waste and a lack
of careful and intelligent planning In
our war industries, caused by a desire
to promote and further the profit mo-
tive In these industries.
In the war industries we find that
the industrialists have made little or
no investments in new plans, but on
the contrary the government has in
vested the capital, created shipyards
and munitions plants of all descrip-
ions and turned these plants fully
equipped with tools and machinery
over to private corporations to be
operated on the cost plus" system.
In these government owned, but
operated plants we find that
prior to Pearl Harbor," many strikes
were caused by employers attempts to
crush the unions, while in government
owned and government operated ship
yards, arsenals and munitions plants
no strikes occurred and work is far
ahead of schedule. We therefore ad-
yocate outright government operation
Of all nationally owned and equipped |
plants, shipyards and other war in
lustries under the management and |
supervision of competent and efficient |
The capitalist system, which had
broken down during the depression. |
mas In spite of financial assistance |
rom the government completely |
allied us in this great crisis and ca
amity has overtaken democracy The
captains of industry" are RESPONSE
Die for Americas material shortages
n steel, rubber, power, transporta-
ion, gasoline, fuel oil, planes, bomb
RS, cargo vessels, sugar, and shortly
'ther foods, and wool.
Capitalism, with its profit motive,
las completely outlived its usefulness
nd must be replaced by a system
vhcih will function efficiently under
ur highly developed and complex sys-
EN- of society if civilization and de-
nocracy are to survive.
Therefore, we pledge our candidates
elected, to work for the nationaliza-
ion of all the means Of production
nd distribution, and the democratic
Management of the same, to the end {
hat want, misery, starvation and pow I
rty may be banished from the land ]
nd cooperative commonwealth q
uilt up which will assure peace and I
rovide an abundance for ALL q
In was the decision of the conven- 4
on to nominate a candidate in each I
ongressional district and two men c
ell known to progressive voters t
ere chosen.
Leverne Hamilton of Missoula, the 7
for congress from the first
istrict is well known in farm and la {
Or circles, having homesteaded in q
istern Montana in 1912. He soon |
igned himself with the progressive (
Irm organizations and took an active l
Continued on Page Four) Il