Socialism and Democracy in Europe Part 45

IMMEDIATE REFORMS

_Political_

Abolition of the Monarchy.

Democratization of the Governmental machinery, viz., abolition of the House of Lords, payment of members of legislative and administrative bodies, payment of official expenses of elections out of the public funds, adult suffrage, proportional representation, triennial parliaments, second ballot, initiative and referendum. Foreigners to be granted rights of citizens.h.i.+p after two years' residence in the country, without any fees. Canva.s.sing to be made illegal. All elections to take place on one day, such day to be made a legal holiday, and all premises licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquors to be closed.

Legislation by the people in such wise that no legislative proposal shall become law until ratified by the majority of the people.

Legislative and administrative independence for all parts of the Empire.

_Financial and Fiscal_

Repudiation of the National Debt.

Abolition of all indirect taxation and the inst.i.tution of a c.u.mulative tax on all incomes and inheritance exceeding 300.

_Administrative_

Extension of the principle of local self-government.

Systematization and co-ordination of the local administrative bodies.

Election of all administrators and administrative bodies by equal direct adult suffrage.

_Educational_

Elementary education to be free, secular, industrial, and compulsory for all cla.s.ses. The age of obligatory school attendance to be raised to 16.

Unification and systematization of intermediate and higher education, both general and technical, and all such education to be free.

State maintenance for all attending State schools.

Abolition of school rates; the cost of education in all State schools to be borne by the National Exchequer.

_Public Monopolies and Services_

Nationalization of the land and the organization of labor in agriculture and industry under public owners.h.i.+p and control on co-operative principles.

Nationalization of the trusts.

Nationalization of railways, docks, and ca.n.a.ls, and all great means of transit.

Public owners.h.i.+p and control of gas, electric light, and water supplies, as well as of tramway, omnibus, and other locomotive services.

Public owners.h.i.+p and control of the food and coal supply.

The establishment of State and munic.i.p.al banks and p.a.w.nshops and public restaurants.

Public owners.h.i.+p and control of the lifeboat service.

Public owners.h.i.+p and control of hospitals, dispensaries, cemeteries, and crematoria.

Public owners.h.i.+p and control of the drink traffic.

_Labor_

A legislative eight-hour working-day, or 48 hours per week, to be the maximum for all trades and industries. Imprisonment to be indicted on employers for any infringement of the law.

Absolute freedom of combination for all workers, with legal guarantee against any action, private or public, which tends to curtail or infringe it.

No child to be employed in any trade or occupation until 16 years of age, and imprisonment to be inflicted on employers, parents, and guardians who infringe this law.

Public provision of useful work at not less than trade-union rates of wages for the unemployed.

Free State insurance against sickness and accident, and free and adequate State pensions or provision for aged and disabled workers.

Public a.s.sistance not to entail any forfeiture of political rights.

The legislative enactment of a minimum wage of 30s. for all workers.

Equal pay for both s.e.xes for the performance of equal work.

_Social_

Abolition of the present workhouse system, and reformed administration of the Poor Law on a basis of national co-operation.

Compulsory construction by public bodies of healthy dwellings for the people; such dwellings to be let at rents to cover the cost of construction and maintenance alone, and not to cover the cost of the land.

The administration of justice and legal advice to be free to all; justice to be administered by judges chosen by the people; appeal in criminal cases; compensation for those innocently accused, condemned, and imprisoned; abolition of imprisonment for contempt of court in relation to non-payment of debt in the case of workers earning less than 2 per week; abolition of capital punishment.

_Miscellaneous_

The disestablishment and disendowment of all State churches.

The abolition of standing armies, and the establishment of national citizen forces. The people to decide on peace and war.

The establishment of international courts of arbitration.

The abolition of courts-martial; all offenses against discipline to be transferred to the jurisdiction of civil courts.

THE LABOR PARTY: SESSION OF PARLIAMENT, 1911-1912

[At the beginning of every session of Parliament, the Labor Party members agree on a program of procedure to which they adhere for that session. They stick to the bills, in the order chosen, until they are either pa.s.sed or defeated. The following is the list for 1911.]

Bills to be balloted for in order named:

1. Trade Union Amendment Bill.