Socialism and Democracy in Europe Part 37

To realize its principles the Labor Party declares--

(1) That it considers itself as the representative, not only of the working-cla.s.s, but of all the oppressed, without distinction of nationality, wors.h.i.+p, race, or s.e.x.

(2) That the Socialists of all countries must make common cause (_etre solidaires_), the emanc.i.p.ation of the workers being not a national, but an international work.

(3) That in their struggle against the capitalist cla.s.s the workers must fight by every means in their power, and particularly by political action, by the development of free a.s.sociations, and by the ceaseless propagation of Socialistic principles.

I.--POLITICAL PROGRAM

1. _Electoral reform._

(_a_) Universal suffrage without distinction of s.e.x for all ranks (age-limit, twenty-one; residence, six months).

(_b_) Proportional representation.

(_c_) Election expenses to be charged on the public authorities.

(_d_) Payment of elected persons.

(_e_) Elected persons to be bound by pledges, according to law.

(_f_) Electorates to have the right of unseating elected persons.

2. _Decentralization of political power._

(_a_) Suppression of the Senate.

(_b_) Creation of Legislative Councils, representing the different functions of society (industry, commerce, agriculture, education, etc.); such Councils to be autonomous, within the limits of their competence and excepting the veto of Parliament; such Councils to be federated, for the study and defense of their common interests.

3. _Communal autonomy._

(_a_) Mayors to be appointed by the electorate.

(_b_) Small communes to be fused or federated.

(_c_) Creation of elected committees corresponding to the different branches of communal administration.

4. _Direct legislation._

Right of popular initiative and referendum in legislative, provincial, and communal matters.

5. _Reform of education._

(_a_) Primary, all-round, free, secular, compulsory instruction at the expense of the State. Maintenance of children attending the schools by the public authorities. Intermediate and higher instruction to be free, secular, and at the expense of the State.

(_b_) Administration of the schools by the public authorities, under the control of School Committees elected by universal suffrage of both s.e.xes, with representatives of the teaching staff and the State.

(_c_) a.s.similation of communal teachers to the State's educational officials.

(_d_) Creation of a Superior Council of Education, elected by the School Committees, who are to organize the inspection and control of free schools and of official schools.

(_e_) Organization of trade education, and obligation of all children to learn manual work.

(_f_) Autonomy of the State Universities, and legal recognition of the Free Universities. University Extension to be organized at the expense of the public authorities.

6. _Separation of the Churches and the State._

(_a_) Suppression of the grant for public wors.h.i.+p.

(_b_) Philosophic or religious a.s.sociations to be civil persons at law.

7. _Revision of Sections in the Civil Code concerning marriage and the paternal authority._

(_a_) Civil equality of the s.e.xes, and of children, whether natural or legitimate.

(_b_) Revision of the divorce laws, maintaining the husband's liability to support the wife or the children.

(_c_) Inquiry into paternity to be legalized.

(_d_) Protective measures in favor of children materially or morally abandoned.

8. _Extension of liberties._

Suppression of measures restricting any of the liberties.

9. _Judicial reform._

(_a_) Application of the elective principle to all jurisdictions.

Reduction of the number of magistrates.

(_b_) Justice without fees; State-payment of advocates and officials of the Courts.

(_c_) Magisterial examination in penal cases to be public. Persons prosecuted to be medically examined. Victims of judicial errors to be indemnified.

10. _Suppression of armies._

Provisionally; organization of a national militia.

11. _Suppression of hereditary offices, and establishment of a Republic._

II.--ECONOMIC PROGRAM

A.--_General Measures_

1. _Organization of statistics._