146 THE CLASS STRUGGLE DOCUMENTS FOR FUTURE SOC. HISTORY 117 (a) The restriction of food exports so long as the present shortage continues, the fixing of maximum prices, and whatever measures may be necessary to prevent the food speculators from holding back the supplies now in their hands. b) The socialization and democratic management of the great industries concerned with the production, transportation, storage, and the marketing of food and other necessaries of life. c) The socialization and democratic management of all (agricultural)
land and other natural resources (which is) now held out of use for monopolistic or speculative profit.
These measures are presented as means of protecting the workers against the evil results of the present war. The danger of recurrence of war will exist as long as the capitalist system of industry remains in existence. The end of war will come with the establishment of socialized industry and industrial democracy the world over. The Socialist Party calls upon all the workers to join it in its struggle to reach this goal, and thus bring into the world a new society in which peace, fraternity and human brotherhood will be the dominant ideals.
Recommendations. We recommend that the convention instruct our elected representatives in Congress, in the State Legislatures, and in local bodies, to vote against all proposed appropriations or loans for military, naval, and other war purposes. We recommend that this convention instruct the National Executive Committee to extend and improve the propaganda among women, because they as housewives and as mothers are now particularly ready to accept our message. We recommend that the convention instruct the National Executive Committee to initiate an organized movement of Socialists, organized workers, and other anti war forces for concerted action along the lines of our programr.
KATE RICHARDS HARE, Chairman.
VICTOR BERGER PATRICK QUINLAN JOB HARRIMAN RUTHENBERG MORRIS HILLQUIT MAYNARD SHIPLEY Dan HOGAN GEO. SPIESS, JR.
FRANK MIDNEY ALGERNON LEE, Secretary.
Minority Resolution on War and Militarism Defeatod by overwhelming vote of the Party Membership. Congress has declared that a state of war exists between this nation and Germany. War between the two nations is a fact. We opposed the entrance of this republic into the war, but we failed.
The political and economic organizations of the working class were not strong enough to do more than protest. Having failed to prevent the war by our agitation, we can only recognize it as a fact and try to force upon the government, through pressure of public opinion, a constructive program. Our aim now must be to minimize the suffering and misery which the war will bring to our own people, to protect our rights and liberties against reactionary encroachments, and to promote an early peace upon a democratic basis, advantageous to the international working class. Furthermore, we must seize the opportunity presented by war conditions to advance our democratic collectivism. Every one of the other belligerent nations has discovered through the war that capitalism is inherently inefficient. To secure a maximum of efficiency, whether for military or civil needs, it has been found necessary to abandon the essential principle of capitalist industry. The warring nations have had to give up the organization and operation of industry and the primary economic functions for profit and to adopt the Socialist principle of production for use. Thus the war has demonstrated the superior efficiency of collective organization and operation of industry. Guided by this experience, we would so recognize our economic system as to secure for our permanent domestic needs the greatest possible results from the proper utilization of our national resources. In furtherance of these aims, we propose the following war program. We demand that the Socialist Party shall establish communication with the Socialists within the enemy nations, to the end that peace may be secured upon democratic terms at the earliest possible mor ent. We demand that there be no interference with freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of assemblies. We demand that dealings between the government and the workers in all of the industries and services taken over and operated by the gorernment shall be conducted through their organization, with due regard for the right of organization of those not yet organized. We demand that conscription, if it come at all, shall begin with wealth. All annual incomes in excess of 5, 000 should be taken by the government and used to pay the current expenses of the war. If it is just to conscript a human being, it is just to conscript wealth. Money is not as sacred as human life.