| From the Award-Winning Author of 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Coming Soon from Union Square Press |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
1948 Prohibition Party Platform
Preamble
We, the representatives of the Prohibition Party, assembled in national convention at Winona Lake,
Indiana, June 26, 27, 28, 1947, recognizing Almighty God as the source of all just government and
with faith in the teachings of the Prince of Peace, do solemnly promise that, if our party is chosen to
administer the affairs of this nation, we will use all the power of our administration to serve the
people of the United States.
World Peace and Order
We believe in World peace, and universal brotherhood.
Having united with other national groups to restore world order and preserve world peace, our
nation should lead them all in submerging selfish interests for the common good of all.
This is a severe test for American statesmen and the men to be intrusted with the task should be
men whose dependence is upon a Higher Power for wisdom and guidance.
Atomic Energy
We favor the development of a constructive plan for the international control of atomic energy,
involving a system of international inspection of the manufacture of atomic energy and punishment
for violation of regulations.
Universal Military Training
Believing that peacetime military training in our country does not represent a safeguard for world
peace, that it is contrary in principle to our American way of life, that it places an unnecessary
burden upon our peacetime economy, that it could lead only to military dictatorship and that it
would, under existing conditions, lead to the moral and spiritual deterioration of our youth, we
declare our opposition to any program of peacetime military conscription.
Constitutional Government
We renew our loyalty to the Constitution of the United States and have supreme confidence in this
form of government to meet ever-changing national and world conditions.
We are opposed to Nazism, Communism and Fascism and all other forms of totalitarianism. We
are convinced that the best and only safeguard against these dangerous doctrines is to protect the
rights and guard the welfare of our citizens.
War spending has set an extravagant example of wasteful government operation. The time is here
for rigid curtailment. We believe that for any government to take nearly one-third of its citizens'
incomes to pay the expenses of government is a most unjust, immoral act. We believe the only way
to materially reduce the cost of government is to reduce the number of functions performed by
government. Hence, in accordance with the principle which we believe to be the basis of all sound
government — namely, that government ought not to do what the people, without government
intervention, can do. We promise, if elected to power, to reorganize the federal government in
accordance with this principle, discarding all departments, bureaus or other unnecessary personnel
that cannot qualify as legitimate when measured by this principle.
Taxes
With proper economy, government will cost less and thus make it possible to steadily reduce the
public debt and gradually lift the tax load from the average citizen.
In the states we favor the effort to limit the tax rate whenever possible to one percent of full value
of property, in order to prevent foreclosure and confiscation, and assist the home owner, farmer,
and others to preserve their property.
Enforcement of Law
We are opposed to nullification of law by non-enforcement, and will maintain the integrity of
democracy by enforcing the Constitution and the laws enacted under it by elected representatives
of the people or by popular vote.
Ballot Law Reform
We demand the repeal of the many state ballot laws which have been enacted to make the two-
party system a bi-partisan political monopoly and which now deny to independent voters and
minority groups the fundamental right of free political expression as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Church and State
The Constitutional separation of Church and State must be maintained. We will not tax church or
religious activities, except those operated for profit. We are opposed to the appropriation of public
money for any sectarian purposes.
Monopoly
Because monopolies, whether by capital, labor or any other group or individual are harmful in
result, wrong in principle and tend to dictatorship, we shall enact and enforce laws to break them
up and prevent their operations.
Public Morality
Moral and spiritual considerations should be primary factors in determining national policies. We
will strengthen and enforce laws against gambling, narcotics and commercialized vice now so
openly violated and nullified by the inaction of the parties in power, and thus prevent further
disintegration of the public morals.
Money
The Constitution provides for the issuance of money and the determination of the value thereof by
Congress. This is a sound and feasible monetary policy, which we shall enforce.
No Racial Discrimination
Recognizing that 'God created of one blood all nations to dwell upon the face of the earth,' we
declare in favor of full justice and equal opportunity for all people, whatever their religion, or racial
or national origin.
Marriage and Divorce
To maintain the sanctity of the home we favor the enactment of uniform marriage and divorce laws.
Labor and Industry
Labor organizations are entitled to great credit for improving the status of the workers, and for their
constructive contributions to the general welfare. It is our purpose to give the public good
paramount consideration. Neither capital nor labor can be permitted to dominate at the expense of
the other or the public welfare.
Social Security and Old Age Pensions
We will extend the Social Security Act so as to include all employed groups in its provisions. We
will also develop a system of annuity insurance for aged persons and so administer it as to preserve
the incentives of initiative and thrift.
Home Ownership
We greatly deprecate the fact that so many ex-servicemen are without sufficient housing facilities
for themselves and families.
It should be possible for every American family that desires to do so to own its own house. We
favor such legislation as may facilitate the realization of this objective.
Co-operatives
Co-operatives and profit sharing enterprises are a natural outgrowth of democracy. Government
under our administration will encourage such enterprises.
A Party of Service, Not Spoils
The two dominant parties are committed to the spoils system and when in office have prostituted
government to serve their own selfish party interests instead of serving the whole people. That
policy has led to excessive government expenditures, and higher taxes. We pledge ourselves to an
honest, efficient and economical administration.
Prohibition
No self-governing nation can survive the mass alcoholization of its voters and the mass perversion
of the judgements of its citizens.
As the result of the repeal of the 18th Amendment our government has authorized and empowered
the liquor traffic to derange the minds and pervert the judgement of a multitude of American citizens
both young and old.
No political issue confronting our citizens compares in magnitude with the necessity for suppressing
the alcohol beverage traffic.
The present liquor conditions, which are far worse than ever before, are due directly to the joint
action of the two major parties when they adopted platform planks to destroy the 18th Amendment.
The moral forces have to contend with the liquor power which is highly capitalized, strongly
organized, and is promoting liquor sales by every possible means to create an ever-growing
appetite in youth, men and women. This power dominates our politics and government. It controls
large numbers of votes. Every saloon is a center for mobilizing and controlling voters, Both parties
are subservient to the liquor power. So long as good citizens continue to give their votes to liquor
parties, so long as they continue to be yoked by party membership with the liquor interests and the
underworld, so long will they be incapable of making moral principles prevail.
What is needed is a re-alignment of voters and the union of good citizens in a party unitedly
committed to the principles of Prohibition—a party not dependent upon votes wielded and
delivered by the liquor power. American government is party government. There are constitutional
reasons why this is so. To overcome the liquor power it is necessary to employ the agency of a
political party unitedly committed to Prohibition.
We summon the voters of America to help elect the Prohibition Party to power. We will then
marshal the resources of the government, legislative, executive and judicial, to overcome the liquor
power.
Preamble
We, the representatives of the Prohibition Party, assembled in national convention at Winona Lake,
Indiana, June 26, 27, 28, 1947, recognizing Almighty God as the source of all just government and
with faith in the teachings of the Prince of Peace, do solemnly promise that, if our party is chosen to
administer the affairs of this nation, we will use all the power of our administration to serve the
people of the United States.
World Peace and Order
We believe in World peace, and universal brotherhood.
Having united with other national groups to restore world order and preserve world peace, our
nation should lead them all in submerging selfish interests for the common good of all.
This is a severe test for American statesmen and the men to be intrusted with the task should be
men whose dependence is upon a Higher Power for wisdom and guidance.
Atomic Energy
We favor the development of a constructive plan for the international control of atomic energy,
involving a system of international inspection of the manufacture of atomic energy and punishment
for violation of regulations.
Universal Military Training
Believing that peacetime military training in our country does not represent a safeguard for world
peace, that it is contrary in principle to our American way of life, that it places an unnecessary
burden upon our peacetime economy, that it could lead only to military dictatorship and that it
would, under existing conditions, lead to the moral and spiritual deterioration of our youth, we
declare our opposition to any program of peacetime military conscription.
Constitutional Government
We renew our loyalty to the Constitution of the United States and have supreme confidence in this
form of government to meet ever-changing national and world conditions.
We are opposed to Nazism, Communism and Fascism and all other forms of totalitarianism. We
are convinced that the best and only safeguard against these dangerous doctrines is to protect the
rights and guard the welfare of our citizens.
War spending has set an extravagant example of wasteful government operation. The time is here
for rigid curtailment. We believe that for any government to take nearly one-third of its citizens'
incomes to pay the expenses of government is a most unjust, immoral act. We believe the only way
to materially reduce the cost of government is to reduce the number of functions performed by
government. Hence, in accordance with the principle which we believe to be the basis of all sound
government — namely, that government ought not to do what the people, without government
intervention, can do. We promise, if elected to power, to reorganize the federal government in
accordance with this principle, discarding all departments, bureaus or other unnecessary personnel
that cannot qualify as legitimate when measured by this principle.
Taxes
With proper economy, government will cost less and thus make it possible to steadily reduce the
public debt and gradually lift the tax load from the average citizen.
In the states we favor the effort to limit the tax rate whenever possible to one percent of full value
of property, in order to prevent foreclosure and confiscation, and assist the home owner, farmer,
and others to preserve their property.
Enforcement of Law
We are opposed to nullification of law by non-enforcement, and will maintain the integrity of
democracy by enforcing the Constitution and the laws enacted under it by elected representatives
of the people or by popular vote.
Ballot Law Reform
We demand the repeal of the many state ballot laws which have been enacted to make the two-
party system a bi-partisan political monopoly and which now deny to independent voters and
minority groups the fundamental right of free political expression as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Church and State
The Constitutional separation of Church and State must be maintained. We will not tax church or
religious activities, except those operated for profit. We are opposed to the appropriation of public
money for any sectarian purposes.
Monopoly
Because monopolies, whether by capital, labor or any other group or individual are harmful in
result, wrong in principle and tend to dictatorship, we shall enact and enforce laws to break them
up and prevent their operations.
Public Morality
Moral and spiritual considerations should be primary factors in determining national policies. We
will strengthen and enforce laws against gambling, narcotics and commercialized vice now so
openly violated and nullified by the inaction of the parties in power, and thus prevent further
disintegration of the public morals.
Money
The Constitution provides for the issuance of money and the determination of the value thereof by
Congress. This is a sound and feasible monetary policy, which we shall enforce.
No Racial Discrimination
Recognizing that 'God created of one blood all nations to dwell upon the face of the earth,' we
declare in favor of full justice and equal opportunity for all people, whatever their religion, or racial
or national origin.
Marriage and Divorce
To maintain the sanctity of the home we favor the enactment of uniform marriage and divorce laws.
Labor and Industry
Labor organizations are entitled to great credit for improving the status of the workers, and for their
constructive contributions to the general welfare. It is our purpose to give the public good
paramount consideration. Neither capital nor labor can be permitted to dominate at the expense of
the other or the public welfare.
Social Security and Old Age Pensions
We will extend the Social Security Act so as to include all employed groups in its provisions. We
will also develop a system of annuity insurance for aged persons and so administer it as to preserve
the incentives of initiative and thrift.
Home Ownership
We greatly deprecate the fact that so many ex-servicemen are without sufficient housing facilities
for themselves and families.
It should be possible for every American family that desires to do so to own its own house. We
favor such legislation as may facilitate the realization of this objective.
Co-operatives
Co-operatives and profit sharing enterprises are a natural outgrowth of democracy. Government
under our administration will encourage such enterprises.
A Party of Service, Not Spoils
The two dominant parties are committed to the spoils system and when in office have prostituted
government to serve their own selfish party interests instead of serving the whole people. That
policy has led to excessive government expenditures, and higher taxes. We pledge ourselves to an
honest, efficient and economical administration.
Prohibition
No self-governing nation can survive the mass alcoholization of its voters and the mass perversion
of the judgements of its citizens.
As the result of the repeal of the 18th Amendment our government has authorized and empowered
the liquor traffic to derange the minds and pervert the judgement of a multitude of American citizens
both young and old.
No political issue confronting our citizens compares in magnitude with the necessity for suppressing
the alcohol beverage traffic.
The present liquor conditions, which are far worse than ever before, are due directly to the joint
action of the two major parties when they adopted platform planks to destroy the 18th Amendment.
The moral forces have to contend with the liquor power which is highly capitalized, strongly
organized, and is promoting liquor sales by every possible means to create an ever-growing
appetite in youth, men and women. This power dominates our politics and government. It controls
large numbers of votes. Every saloon is a center for mobilizing and controlling voters, Both parties
are subservient to the liquor power. So long as good citizens continue to give their votes to liquor
parties, so long as they continue to be yoked by party membership with the liquor interests and the
underworld, so long will they be incapable of making moral principles prevail.
What is needed is a re-alignment of voters and the union of good citizens in a party unitedly
committed to the principles of Prohibition—a party not dependent upon votes wielded and
delivered by the liquor power. American government is party government. There are constitutional
reasons why this is so. To overcome the liquor power it is necessary to employ the agency of a
political party unitedly committed to Prohibition.
We summon the voters of America to help elect the Prohibition Party to power. We will then
marshal the resources of the government, legislative, executive and judicial, to overcome the liquor
power.