Continental Congress Builds Plans for Future Work
Continental Congress Builds Plans for Future Work WASHINGTON.—The Conti-| nental Congress is over.' Thousands of farmer, labor and fraternal delegates, who came to Washington by rail, by car, by...
...Professor Paul H. Douglas of the University of Chicago begged the Congress, if they organized a political party (which they were not called to do) to find some name other than that of the Socialist party...
...It is for us, workers and farmers of America, to build now a new economic system of justice snd freedom...
...It has now come to pass that there has grown up in this nation a system of business, industry and finance which has enthroned economic kings and financial barons over our lives vastly more powerful, more irresponsible, and messv dangerous to human rights than the political kings whom the fathers overthrew in our American revolution of 1776...
...Agitate, educate, organize...
...It stood like a rock against war...
...3. Adopted a program consisting of resolutions on the vital problems now before the public, such as banking, international relations, economic Insecurity, civil liberties, •tc...
...Again and again the if** assemblage rose to its feet, [•"•wing and singing, giving its iWljfoval to radical utterances—the Wm radical the better they liked ||< Differences Appear ILThere were, of course, differences ^opinion, but they were mainly ^methods...
...Workers and farmers everywhere, unite...
...It was an enthusiastic gathering, •ran rising...
...They laid the foundations for a fighting body to wage war upon the system under which Immunity has been enslaved...
...IkAORB than one hundred and fifty years ago our forefathers proclaimed in the ^Declaration of Independence that the supreme function of government is to make secure for men their inalienable right to life, to liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...
...They have mortgaged our farms, and then sold them from under us...
...call upon all those wno toil to organize to achieve one supreme aim, a new economic system based upon the principles of cooperation, public ownership and democratic management, in which the planlessnesa, the waste, and the exploitation of our present order shall be eliminated and In which the natural resources and the basic industries of the country shall be planned and operated for the common good...
...Continental Congress Builds Plans for Future Work WASHINGTON.—The Conti-| nental Congress is over.' Thousands of farmer, labor and fraternal delegates, who came to Washington by rail, by car, by auto-truck and by more humble j means, who tramped and hitchhiked, who came in blind bag-jeges and some who even flew, have before them the results of Jwo days of intensive work, re-lults that have the possibility of bearing fruit in a nation-wide ergaflization of farmers, toilers and unemployed looking toward I program of collectivism, f After two days of oratory and ^liberation, of deep thought and tnthusiasm the New Continental ( Congress for Economic Recoristruction did the following constructive Results Achieved " 1. Adopted * New Declaration of ' Independence...
...2. Provided for a permanent or- j denization, with a National Committee of Correspondence and Action, and for state and local committees in every part of the country...
...But today the nation starves in the midst of plenty...
...It stood as one man against Capitalism and for a system of collective ownership of the means of life...
...They have led us to trust in their banks, and then have stolen our savings...
...They have drawn billions in profit, rent, and interest...
...Wide rivers have been tamed to provide electric power, huge mountains have been tunneled to give ore for the creation of new and marvelous machines, and the prairies have been mado to yield rich crops...
...We ehall not starve in the midst of plenty...
...After that rule was adopted it was understood that all organizations and delegates seeking to promote the maneuver called a "united front" were definitely not welcome, on the ground that it is understood that in virtually every case they have been deemed insincere...
...Such are the two basic principles of human liberty and genuine Americanism laid down by the founders of this Republic...
...Fartnere and workere of America...
...These economic rulers now have such absolute control over the economic life of the people as to threaten The very foundation of this Republic...
...They have forced us to bleed and die in defense of their loans and markets abroad, and to kill our fellow workers in other countries...
...They have done these things as part and parcel of a profit system which places the few in control of gigantic monopolies, and puts profit above human life...
...They have spent billions on bombs and battleships while we have gone cold and hungry...
...Moreover, the fathers declared that "Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundations on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness...
...A number of delegates leaped to the platform, begging for recognition for motions to suspend the rules and to call for immediate action following Townley's suggestion, f Mayor Hoan of Milwaukee, who was in the chair at the time, replied to Townley as follows: "Nothing tounde better to our ears than that the farmer* am ready to join hand* with u...
...We are the majority...
...They got to know eseh other better than such divergent elements hsd known each other for yesrs...
...We, the representatives of workers' and farmers' organizations, in Continental Congress sssembled...
...Since the first Declaration...
...Man's power to produce wealth has been increased a hundredfold, until now a life of security and abundance is possible for all...
...More than 4,000 delegates gathered from labor and farm organizations, from unemployed leagues, from the So-cialist party and its subdivisions, "om fraternal organizations, and other bodies devoted to the cause •» ¦ better world for the producers...
...It is destroying itself with a destruction that threatens the historic gains of human rights and the achievements of human civilization...
...to heights of enthu-Jaasm unknown in recent depress-Htyears...
...It was also decided early in the proceedings in the rules adopted that "Any subject matter the purpose of which shall be to build any organization to compete with or interfere with the purposes or involve itself in any internal matter of any of the essential groups represented in this Congress shall not be subject to discussion at this Congress...
...A six-minute ovation followed Townley's speech, and the delegates sang the International standing...
...E If the plans made by the Congress are carried out, if local and state organizations are formed in •very part of the country, if the National Committee and its Executive Committee function as it is expected they will be the machinery for a new national organization has been created to carry on from tow on...
...On the basis of the ¦Msration of Independence adopt-Mff the votes of a wildly cheer-¦j gathering It was declared that P*»n» had been found for a real Pwted front of all men and women gHling to work together In good |2»t did not mean that all ort fsmzations were undiscrlminating* g 'omitted, or that all opinions g*8 Permitted to be voiced...
...They came to respect each other's sincerity and intelligence...
...A New Declaration of Independence Adopted May 7, 1933, at thm New Continental Cong res*, Washington, D.C...
...Sen-ator Lynn Frasler of North Dakota and Congressman F. H, Shoemaker of Minnesota likewise spoke at the Congress...
...You can enter into a leaf/ue with the fartnere so you can rat while you strike...
...It stood like a vock sgalnst Fascism...
...They have wasted our natural, technical, and human resources, and led us into ever more tragic periods of industrial chaos...
...And yet the convention was ab» olutely unanimous...
...There were sporadic outbreaks of "united front" discussion, on one issue or another, but in every case the Congress voted down those who sought to open the discussion...
...The wealth and knowledge of one hundred and fifty yeum of achievement are at our command if we will organize for power...
...It was united as one man for the organization of a permanent national body...
...It P"the reasoned decision of the sBH^^^^^ J^^®^ ^ftJ*ssl*> ^Tftel ft pre-requisite of participation...
...II Under this system of production for private profit these rulers have created conditions that are intolerable...
...L They have lived in mansions, snd evicted us from our' homes...
...We have a world to wM...
...There were tall, rangy men from the great plains, cowboys and miners, farmers and ranchers, as well as urban workers...
...of Independence the American people have discovered and created the means for unheard-of wealth...
...Together we will take power for oil working people fa the ciliet and m the farme...
...You ean strike, too," he shouted...
...It was a remarkable Congress that met In the Washington Auditorium on Saturday morning...
...Townley read the resolutions that convention had adopted, and urged that the workers join the farmers in an arrangement by which labor and farm products might be exchanged...
...James Simp, son.pres-id ent of the Farm* o r s • U n ion and rep-re sen ta-tive of the Na-t ional I F a r m Holiday A s n o-c 1 ation, was on* of the signers of the call for the Congress, and he spokt at the opening session...
...When Townley Spoke Among the exciting moments in the convention was the demonstration that followed an address by A. C. Townley, founder of the Nonpartisan League, who came from the Farmers' Holiday convention at Des Moines that had voted a couple of days earlier for a farm strike...
...Only through our organized power can mankind be freed from the crushing and needless bonds of poverty and insecurity...
...The gigantic machines stand idle, the crops lie in warehouses or rot in fields...
...Outside of that the delegate* from every part of the country were welded Into a whole by speeches front the congress platform and st s vsst mass meeting at night, end by conferences and association between session...
...Ill The system is collapsing before our very eyes...
...They have intrenched themselves in power by controlling the schools, the press, and the government...
...A Significant Congress The make-up of the Congress was significant...
...While the Socialist party and trade unions that have always cooperated with It, together with the Workmen's Circle and similar bodies, had a large representation it was noted by all ob» servers that it was by no means .a H<>f4ali.it convention...
...although he paid high tribute to the party that "for thirty years has borne the banner so bravely and well...
...and they have slashed our wages and the prices of our farm products...
...They have taken the products of our labor, and not paid us enough to buy back the goods we have produced...
...They have invaded our civil liberties, and thrown our leaders into jail...
...Ttiey have used the marvels of the machine age not to lift the burden of toil from our shoulders, but to speed us up beyond human endurance, and to throw us jobless upon the streets...
Vol. 15 • May 1933 • No. 19
