MARCH

"Platform and Constitution of the National Party:...Adopted March 6-7-8, 1918: Principles, Spirit, and Aims." In 1917 a substantial percentage of the Right Wing of the Socialist Party of America quit the party over the SPA's militant opposition to American intervention in the European war. Rather than race into the ranks of Wilson's Democratic Party, in October of 1917 many of these individuals attempted to make common cause with Prohibitionists, Single-Taxers, and the Left Wing of the former Bull Moose Progressive Party in establishing a new political party, the National Party. This is the platform and organizational rules of that organization. The officers of and advisors to the National Party included a number of nationally recognized names, such as John Spargo, W.R. Gaylord, Upton Sinclair, J.G. Phelps Stokes, and Demarest Lloyd.

 

"Financing a Party of the People." Statement of the National Party outlining its system of finance. Each "active member" was urged to "contribute in accordance with his means, but not less than $2.00 per year," which was to be split between the national office and the state organizations. In this way, "strong organizations" could be built at the local level, "with necessary funds to carry on educational work and contest elections." The National Party was to be a "mighty engine" to "wage a war of extermination on the liquor traffic; on political oligarchy and despotism; on economic privilege and injustice; and upon all those evil forces which burden the people and create conditions for war," the party declared.