The heme of La Follette Progresslyism, Winconsin today heralded the birth of a new political party—The National Progressives of America.
Trumpets and drums of the Veterans of Foreign Wars sounded cut in the University of Wisconsin's huge stock pavilion as the new part entered the political arena. The platform bore a huge blue banner on which was a red circle enclosing a ùiue cross on a white field.
The organizer of the party, Mr.
p F. La Folette, Governor of on sin, said the circle symbolized party unity; the cross, the party's economic programme, the multiplication of the production of real wealth.
He said the party blazes a new trail avoiding old fashioned capital-laiism, fascism and communism.
Make no mistake," he said. This is not a third party. As certain as the sun rises, we are launching the party of our time."
Earlier in the day, Mr. A. W. Zeratsky, secretary to the Governor, announced that Mr. La Follette had reached the decision to form a new party following conferences with "very important national leaders." He said, "for the time being, Governor La Follette will be the principal officer.
The Governor listeg the principles on which the party will stand:
1. Public ownership and control of money and credit; 2. Restore to every American the absolute right to earn a living by the sweat of his brow; 3. Grant the executive branch of the Government the power to get things done—in agriculture, in business, in industry; "This can be done," he declared, "with ample guarantees against arbitrary or dictatorial abuse of power."
4, "Security founded on a definite and decent annual income for all... not founded on producing less for more or working less for more;"
5. Flatly oppose every form of coddling or spoon-feeding the American people; We shall use the power of these United States to restore to every American the opportunity to help himself," he said. "After that he can sink or swim.
"Divinely Destined"
6. "We believe" Governor Lu Follette said, his voice ringing throughout the large hall, "that this hemisphere was set aside by the creator for the ultimate destiny of man... from the Arctic to Cape Horn let no foreign power trespass our hemisphere which is divinely destined to evolve in peace, security and plenty, "A programme of constructive action is easy to conceive and agree upon," the Governor emphasized, "but getting a Government that sees the problem and has the courage to act is the difficulty."
He said that after ten years of depression almost one-fourth of the population are living on relief. "We are not now, nor have we been during the depression," Mr. La Follette Geplored, "been producing enough to support the American standard of living."
He said the Republicans and the Democrats had been fumbling the ball for many years. Democratic power has been wielded increasingly by the old guard, he charged.
Tragic But True "It the task before us could have been achieved by brilliant leadership supported by great popular confidence and affection," he explained, "then the job would have been done long ago under President Roosevelt's administration, It is tragic but true that the Roosevelt Administration had dissipated its gifts of leadership in a course so confused and confusing that none should know just where it led.
He said the National Progressives ai America was not a popular front movement and would not accept disgruntled groups.
Mr. Adolf Perle, Assistant Secretery of State, was present at the Party's inception on behalf of Mr. Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.