The League for Independent Political Action

What We Call For

John Dewey

[A news article that appeared in the Toronto Daily Star, 19 March, 1931.
Reprinted from Land and Freedom, March-April, 1931]

At a meeting called by the League for Independent Political Action at the Hotel Woodstock in this city a few weeks ago, Prof. Dewey said: "I am not wedded to any form of words and I should like to read to you the platform presented to me in a letter from an influential lawyer in California. 'The purpose,' he writes is the abolition of privilege, the unjust economic advantage by possession of which a small group controls our natural resources, industry and credit, prevents equal opportunity of development for all, and thus dictates the conditions under which we live. To remedy this we advocate:

"(1) Public Control of natural resources by taxation of all land values (including land containing coal, oil, natural gas, commercial timber and water power) in order to prevent monopoly and speculation, to aid industry and to force idle lands into use.

" (2) Public Ownership, as rapidly as may be practicable , by nation, state and municipality, of transportation, communication, water power and public utilities which are in their nature complete monopolies.

"(3) Resumption by the National Government of its constitutional power to issue money and control credit.

"(4) Equal Rights, economic, legal and political, for all citizens and ALL CIVIL RIGHTS, including free speech, free press and peaceable assembly, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

"So far the letter. If a fifth plank were added dealing with economic matters, a policy which would bring peace and friendliness into our international relations, I think the main outlines for the foundation of a new party are fairly if briefly before you.

"Even if a new party were in power it would take time to bring the needed economic changes into social effect. To bring about a social change is something much wider than political action. It requires changes in education, in the social responsibilities of the churches, and a multitude of other things, including changes in the attitude of men in responsible places in industry. But there is an immediate and central issue which is of a definitely political nature. Before desired legislative, administrative and judicial changes can be brought about, control of government must be redeemed from the special interests which have usurped it and restored to the people."