569:"Mr. Hopkins still thinks an amalgamation possible on the basis of the St. Louis platform. That platform has a labor plank for collective bargaining; labor laughs at it. It has a plank for government ownership of railroads and public utilities; the Socialists are already in the field and go the 48ers a lot better. It has a Single Tax plank, or a plank for the taxation of idle land to force it into use; the Single Tax Party is in the field with a full Single Tax program. The St. Louis platform is a painfully strained dilution of issues that are now before the country, presented by men who are not afraid of their convictions. The program of the 48 Committee is chiefly interesting to the disembodied ghosts of the
475:"Forty-Eighters" deeming the matter "pre-revolutionary idealism" that was far in advance of political realities. Rumors circulated that Western adherents of the Committee of 48 believed their Eastern-based leadership, clearly unhappy with the direction in which the convention was headed, to be stalling unity negotiations in order to bring the unity convention to a stalemate and thereby preserve their organizational independence and personal control.
33:
201:
411:
490:
conventions to unite having revealed "more clearly than ever the necessity for a new party." In McCurdy's view, unification had failed owing to the failure of the convention to accept the desires of "the responsible leadership of the
Committee of 48" to establish a "great coalition party" of "believers in American progress," in which organized labor would play only a part. Instead, influenced by the
447:
of
Wisconsin, were to be nominated to head the ticket. Simultaneously, closed door unity negotiations were begun between representatives of the Committee of 48 and the Labor Party with a view to joining the two conventions in a new organization to challenge the so-called "old parties" of American politics, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
216:. Those so assembled decided that a formal organization should be sponsored and decided to issue a call for a National Conference. The name "Committee of 48" was chosen as a reflection of the desire to form a national organization bringing together interested representatives of each of the nation's 48 states.
541:
Executive
Chairman J.A.H. Hopkins saw this success of these and other progressive candidacies in the 1922 election to be indicative of a groundswell of support for a new political party to challenge the Republicans and Democrats in an organized manner, announcing to the press that plans were underway
478:
On July 12, the first day of their own scheduled convention, Labor Party activists at the convention therefore issued the
Committee of 48 an ultimatum: to either proceed with amalgamation the next day on terms suitable to the Labor Party or else the Labor Party would forward alone, nominating its own
446:
Lack of harmony was evident from the outset, with incompatible programmatic goals and
Presidential desires evident, the Single Taxers insistent upon a Single Tax plank in the new party's platform and threatening to bolt the convention if the favorite of the Committee of 48, "Fighting Bob" La Follette
299:
To gauge public interest in its efforts, the
Committee of 48 circulated some 30,000 copies of a survey to progressives around the nation inquiring as to their views on the need for a new political party and polling them on who should lead such a political ticket. Some 21,000 surveys were returned to
397:
be immediately lifted and all
American forces withdrawn from that country, and demanding that "political prisoners and all imprisoned in violation of their constitutional right of free speech" be immediately released. Additional resolutions were passed urging that universal military training not be
450:
The unification effort was quickly on the rocks, however, as two days of preparatory meetings of conference committees of the two organizations proved unable to agree upon a common program. Bad feelings were in evidence, with at least one member of the Labor Party charging the
Committee of 48 with
330:
Over 500 persons attended the organizational conference of the
Committee of 48, which was gaveled to order on December 9, 1919. That gathering unanimously adopted a first platform for the organization as well as a set of resolutions on various issues of the day. This platform was envisioned as a
489:
The
Eastern leaders of the Committee of 48 attempted to put the best face on their inability to construct a unified third party for the November 1920 election, with Allen McCurdy declaring the failure to have been "inevitable," while counterintuitively declaring that the inability of the July
474:
The matter of central difference between the two groups related to the proposed unified organization's position on nationalization of industry, with the Labor Party camp and the Western radical members of the Committee of 48 in favor of the proposition while the Eastern leadership of the
479:
candidate for President of the United States and writing its own program in its own name. The Hopkins-McCurdy-Pinchot bloc refused this proposition, and no unification of the two rival organizations was achieved. The Labor Party of the United States went on to nominate
517:
Over the course of the next two years, members of the Committee of 48 gave support to various insurgent progressive politicians in their campaigns for election. Some of these successful candidacies included the Senatorial campaigns of Non-Partisan League Republican
555:" does not seem to see that the Farmer-Labor Party did not fail, but did just what it went to Chicago to do. It formed a political party. It matters not whether this party is large or small. It carried its program through victoriously, and the estimable
550:
The failure of the Committee of 48 to establish a viable new progressive capitalist political party owing its own ideological timidity was foreseen even in 1920, when one discouraged Single Tax adherent noted of the failed unity effort of July 1920:
256:"It is the purpose of the Committee of Forty-eight to summon from all parts of the country the leaders of its liberal thought and of its forward-looking citizens, to meet in conference. We hope that out of this assemblage of the scattered forces of
219:
The formal call for a new organization, headlined "Revolution or Reconstruction? A Call to Americans," was first published on March 22 in four prominent liberal publications. This appeal was targeted to Americans who sought neither
559:
comprising the Committee of 48, for whom these hardened persons never had anything but the most thinly veiled contempt, melted away when the burning glass at Carmen's Hall turned its fierce intensive rays toward the
418:
A grand unification convention designed to bring together liberal forces around a new third party was opened in Chicago on July 10, 1920. The gathering brought together the Committee of 48 with representatives of the
232:
movement and from the increasing conservatism of the two "old parties" of American politics, the Republicans and Democrats. Public reaction to this announcement was deemed as favorable by the group's organizers.
244:, our country is menaced by the growing power of an autocratic and reactionary minority at home. We stand in danger of losing many of the liberties and advances won in the course of our national development....
948:
Platform of the Committee of 48: Unanimously Adopted at the First National Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, Dec. 9-12, 1919: Together with Supporting Argument, Resolutions, and Methods of Political Procedure.
712:
Platform of the Committee of 48: Unanimously Adopted at the First National Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, Dec. 9-12, 1919: Together with Supporting Argument, Resolutions, and Methods of Political Procedure.
276:, in the role of Chairman. A more nebulous "General Committee" back of the organization included a number of marquee names of the American mainstream liberal movement, including historian and philosopher
432:
436:
260:
will come a flexible statement of principles and methods that will permit effective cooperation with organized Labor and Agricultural workers in the tasks of social reconstruction."
370:"Equal economic, political, and legal rights for all, irrespective of sex or color. The immediate and absolute restoration of free speech, free press, peaceable assembly, and all
427:, due to start in the same city two days later. Also joining the eclectic gathering of 539 accredited delegates were adherents of other political organizations, including the
251:. The very classes whose labors in factory and field are the basis of our economic power, find no effective political medium through which to express their economic demand...
389:
The conference passed resolutions calling for the retention of American railroads under government control for a two-year period, requiring that Congress submit any future
394:
264:
Planning on entering the political fray for the long haul, the Committee of 48 opened a headquarters office at 15 E 40th Street in New York City in June 1919, with
318:
as the location at which the founding conference would be held and slated December 9 to 12 as the dates for the event. Some 300,000 copies of a pamphlet entitled
440:
941:
The Committee of Forty-Eight: For a Conference of Americans Who are Equally Opposed to Reaction and Violent Revolution: Its Purposes — And the Reasons for It.
834:
300:
the organization, loudly voicing approval of a new organization to challenge the dominant Republican and Democratic Parties and endorsing the candidacy of
501:"It is the conviction of the leaders of the Committee of 48 that the rank and file of the workers of the United States of America do not know what
265:
460:
455:
trying to use the Labor Party." Moreover, the "Forty-Eighters" found themselves internally divided between a more conservative bloc based in the
366:, and water works. The use of tax policy was urged to ensure that idle land was put into productive use. The convention also declared itself for
247:"Centralization and autocracy are increasing rapidly in the organization of governments, in the control of credit, and in the determination of
1019:
176:
1024:
109:
494:, the adherents of the Labor Party of the United States had opted for a "class party devoted to the interests of the workers alone."
212:
The Committee of 48 traces its roots to January 1919, when a gathering of individuals interested in public affairs gathered in
130:
762:"Plan a Conference to Form New Party: Committee of Forty-Eight Opens Headquarters for 'Liberal' Political Organization,"
505:
is, do not believe it when they know what it is, and will not follow a political leadership which has this end in view."
169:
161:
920:
509:
The Committee of 48 would continue its efforts to establish a new progressive political party, but on its own terms.
138:
414:
Attorney Dudley Field Malone, spokesman for the pro-unity forces in the Committee of 48 at the July 1920 Convention.
424:
228:
in America and urged the formation of a new political entity that would stand apart both from the proto-communist
939:
78:
308:
184:
386:
in labor disputes was demanded, and the right of workers to "organize and bargain collectively" was endorsed.
205:
331:
working draft, to be discussed by the public in preparation for a formally delegated political convention.
142:
73:
883:"Committee of 48 Backs Third Party: Executive Chairman Says Plans are Under Way for National Convention,"
864:
780:"Third Party Forms on Call of 21,000: 'Committee of 48' Reports Result of Its Nationwide Questionnaires,"
779:
165:
882:
835:"Lay Foundation for New Party: Committee of 48 and the Single Taxers Join in First National Convention,"
761:
114:
483:
104:
612:
561:
991:
The New Star Chamber: An Analysis of the Use of the Injunction in Strikes First Published in 1904.
865:"Committee of 48 Menaced By Labor: Must Show Compromise Spirit or Laborites Will Go Ahead Alone,"
229:
150:
146:
269:
257:
208:
and head of the short-lived National Party, was the National Secretary of the Committee of 48.
672:
468:
456:
273:
180:
175:
The group, commonly known as the "Forty-Eighters", became one of the key constituents in the
334:
The platform approved by the December national conference of the Committee of 48 called for
133:
political association established in 1919 in the hope of creating a new political party for
622:
398:
implemented and that the American government should "make every effort to secure universal
304:
94:
8:
652:
647:
315:
293:
281:
642:
627:
587:
542:
for the calling of yet another national convention to launch a new political movement.
428:
390:
289:
89:
916:
592:
491:
375:
667:
632:
535:
527:
347:
335:
82:
597:
534:, the re-election of La Follette in Wisconsin, and the Gubernatorial campaign of
502:
617:
452:
343:
248:
512:
1013:
637:
213:
134:
657:
523:
519:
464:
371:
160:
to signify the desire to construct a broad national movement, the moderate
662:
602:
556:
399:
359:
277:
225:
486:
to head its ticket and conducted its own campaign in the 1920 campaign.
471:, the most prominent spokesman for whom was lawyer Dudley Field Malone.
420:
383:
221:
157:
423:
movement, with a view to further combining with the convention of the
410:
607:
570:
301:
241:
236:
The first published call to establish the organization read in part:
32:
531:
467:, and a more radical segment of newcomers hailing largely from the
285:
240:"Despite America's splendid success in a war waged against foreign
200:
339:
179:
in 1922, a movement culminating in the independent candidacy of
164:
of the Committee of 48 attempted without success to form such a
363:
272:, former chairman of the National Executive Committee of the
954:
The Call to a National Conference of American Men and Women.
513:
Activity in the Conference for Progressive Political Action
480:
351:
355:
749:
vol. 18, whole no. 229 (March 22, 1919), pt. 1, pg. iv.
459:, including top organizational leaders J.A.H. Hopkins,
314:
On September 22, 1919, the organizing committee pegged
913:
Minnesota Farmer-Laborism: The Third-Party Alternative
736:
vol. 111, whole no. 2874 (July 31, 1920), pp. 126-127.
745:"Revolution or Reconstruction? A Call to Americans,"
577:By 1923, the Committee of 48 had become defunct.
1011:
350:, and "the principle natural resources, such as
37:Logo of the Committee of 48, established in 1919
732:Allen McCurdy, "The Forty-Eighters' Position,"
322:were distributed in preparation for the event.
944:New York: The Committee of Forty-Eight, n.d. .
901:vol. 20, no. 5 (Sept.-Oct. 1920), pp. 134-135.
812:
810:
714:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. ; pg. 14.
816:"Resolutions Adopted by the Conference," in
775:
773:
707:
705:
703:
701:
699:
697:
695:
693:
691:
689:
797:
795:
793:
791:
393:to a direct vote of the people, urging the
307:La Follette as their preferred nominee for
177:Conference for Progressive Political Action
1005:—Committee of Forty-Eight Pamphlets No. 5.
995:—Committee of Forty-Eight Pamphlets No. 4.
985:—Committee of Forty-Eight Pamphlets No. 3.
975:—Committee of Forty-Eight Pamphlets No. 2.
965:—Committee of Forty-Eight Pamphlets No. 1.
897:"The Committee of 48 Issues a Statement,"
807:
31:
860:
858:
856:
854:
852:
850:
848:
846:
770:
728:
726:
724:
722:
720:
686:
545:
190:
137:to stand in opposition to the increasing
981:The Bishops and Industrial Civilization.
878:
876:
788:
409:
405:
199:
204:J.A.H. Hopkins, a former member of the
1012:
1003:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. .
993:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. .
983:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. .
973:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. .
963:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. .
910:
843:
757:
755:
717:
325:
969:Frederick William Pethwick-Lawrence,
956:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. .
950:New York: The Committee of 48, n.d. .
873:
1020:1919 establishments in New York City
830:
828:
826:
580:
168:with sympathetic activists from the
933:
752:
433:Northwest Farmers' National Council
13:
14:
1036:
1025:Organizations established in 1919
915:. University of Minnesota Press.
823:
818:Platform of the Committee of 48,
802:Platform of the Committee of 48,
437:Triple Alliance of the Northwest
425:Labor Party of the United States
195:
904:
891:
320:A Call to a National Conference
156:Named in recognition of the 48
739:
185:President of the United States
16:American political association
1:
679:
206:Democratic National Committee
402:by international agreement.
143:major U.S. political parties
7:
911:Gieske, Millard L. (1979).
526:and progressive Republican
443:, and other organizations.
10:
1041:
292:, and writer and academic
484:Parley Parker Christensen
395:Blockade of Soviet Russia
105:Politics of United States
100:
88:
72:
57:
42:
30:
21:
870:July 13, 1920, pp. 1, 3.
613:Charlotte Perkins Gilman
840:, July 13, 1920, pg. 8.
230:revolutionary socialist
90:Political position
961:Wanted — A Ballot Box.
899:The Single Tax Review,
575:
546:Dissolution and legacy
507:
415:
380:
270:Morristown, New Jersey
262:
209:
191:Organizational history
1001:A New Party Needed...
673:Ina Phillips Williams
643:Rush H. Limbaugh, Sr.
553:
499:
413:
406:July 1920 Conventions
382:An end to the use of
368:
238:
203:
181:Robert M. La Follette
623:Arthur Garfield Hays
492:British Labour Party
362:, mineral deposits,
989:Edgar Lee Masters,
653:Dudley Field Malone
648:Robert Morss Lovett
573:of the early ’40s."
451:being "plutocratic
429:Non-Partisan League
338:of transportation,
326:National Conference
316:St. Louis, Missouri
294:Robert Morss Lovett
282:Dudley Field Malone
888:November 16, 1922.
628:John Haynes Holmes
588:Herbert S. Bigelow
497:McCurdy declared:
416:
391:declaration of war
374:guaranteed by the
290:John Haynes Holmes
210:
1006:
996:
986:
979:J.W. McConaughy,
976:
966:
747:The New Republic,
593:McAlister Coleman
581:Prominent members
441:Consumers' League
384:legal injunctions
123:
122:
110:Political parties
1032:
1004:
994:
984:
974:
964:
934:External sources
927:
926:
908:
902:
895:
889:
880:
871:
862:
841:
838:Spokesman-Review
832:
821:
814:
805:
799:
786:
777:
768:
759:
750:
743:
737:
730:
715:
709:
668:Carl D. Thompson
633:Frederic C. Howe
536:Charles W. Bryan
528:Robert B. Howell
348:public utilities
336:public ownership
296:, among others.
151:Democratic Party
147:Republican Party
129:was an American
83:Social democracy
68:
66:
53:
51:
35:
19:
18:
1040:
1039:
1035:
1034:
1033:
1031:
1030:
1029:
1010:
1009:
971:Hand and Brain.
959:Allen McCurdy,
936:
931:
930:
923:
909:
905:
896:
892:
886:New York Times,
881:
874:
868:New York Times,
863:
844:
833:
824:
815:
808:
800:
789:
783:New York Times,
778:
771:
765:New York Times,
760:
753:
744:
740:
731:
718:
710:
687:
682:
677:
598:Albert DeSilver
583:
566:
565:
548:
515:
503:guild socialism
453:philanthropists
408:
344:grain elevators
328:
253:
252:
246:
245:
198:
193:
127:Committee of 48
119:
81:
64:
62:
49:
47:
38:
26:
25:
24:Committee of 48
17:
12:
11:
5:
1038:
1028:
1027:
1022:
1008:
1007:
999:Amos Pinchot,
997:
987:
977:
967:
957:
951:
945:
935:
932:
929:
928:
921:
903:
890:
872:
842:
822:
806:
787:
785:June 16, 1920.
769:
767:June 25, 1919.
751:
738:
716:
684:
683:
681:
678:
676:
675:
670:
665:
660:
655:
650:
645:
640:
635:
630:
625:
620:
618:Swinburne Hale
615:
610:
605:
600:
595:
590:
584:
582:
579:
562:Hotel Morrison
547:
544:
514:
511:
469:Western states
407:
404:
327:
324:
274:National Party
266:J.A.H. Hopkins
249:public opinion
224:nor a turn to
197:
194:
192:
189:
170:labor movement
121:
120:
118:
117:
112:
107:
101:
98:
97:
92:
86:
85:
76:
70:
69:
59:
55:
54:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
23:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1037:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1002:
998:
992:
988:
982:
978:
972:
968:
962:
958:
955:
952:
949:
946:
943:
942:
938:
937:
924:
922:9780816662593
918:
914:
907:
900:
894:
887:
884:
879:
877:
869:
866:
861:
859:
857:
855:
853:
851:
849:
847:
839:
836:
831:
829:
827:
819:
813:
811:
803:
798:
796:
794:
792:
784:
781:
776:
774:
766:
763:
758:
756:
748:
742:
735:
729:
727:
725:
723:
721:
713:
708:
706:
704:
702:
700:
698:
696:
694:
692:
690:
685:
674:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
638:B. W. Huebsch
636:
634:
631:
629:
626:
624:
621:
619:
616:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
596:
594:
591:
589:
586:
585:
578:
574:
572:
567:
563:
558:
552:
543:
539:
538:in Nebraska.
537:
533:
529:
525:
521:
510:
506:
504:
498:
495:
493:
487:
485:
482:
476:
472:
470:
466:
462:
461:Allen McCurdy
458:
454:
448:
444:
442:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
412:
403:
401:
396:
392:
387:
385:
379:
377:
373:
367:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
332:
323:
321:
317:
312:
310:
306:
303:
297:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
261:
259:
254:
250:
243:
237:
234:
231:
227:
223:
217:
215:
214:New York City
207:
202:
196:Establishment
188:
186:
182:
178:
173:
171:
167:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
135:social reform
132:
128:
116:
113:
111:
108:
106:
103:
102:
99:
96:
93:
91:
87:
84:
80:
77:
75:
71:
60:
56:
45:
41:
34:
29:
20:
1000:
990:
980:
970:
960:
953:
947:
940:
912:
906:
898:
893:
885:
867:
837:
817:
801:
782:
764:
746:
741:
733:
711:
658:Amos Pinchot
576:
568:
554:
549:
540:
524:North Dakota
520:Lynn Frazier
516:
508:
500:
496:
488:
477:
473:
465:Amos Pinchot
449:
445:
417:
388:
381:
376:Constitution
372:civil rights
369:
333:
329:
319:
313:
298:
263:
255:
239:
235:
218:
211:
174:
162:progressives
155:
139:conservatism
126:
124:
734:The Nation,
663:Ordway Tead
603:Will Durant
557:bourgeoisie
400:disarmament
360:natural gas
340:stock yards
280:, attorney
278:Will Durant
258:Americanism
166:third party
158:U.S. states
95:Center-left
1014:Categories
680:References
421:Single Tax
222:revolution
79:Liberalism
608:Zona Gale
571:Chartists
309:President
302:Wisconsin
288:minister
242:autocracy
187:in 1924.
172:in 1920.
115:Elections
58:Dissolved
532:Nebraska
286:pacifist
226:reaction
149:and the
141:of both
74:Ideology
820:pg. 12.
305:Senator
131:liberal
63: (
48: (
43:Founded
919:
804:pg. 3.
463:, and
439:, the
435:, the
431:, the
364:timber
145:, the
481:Utahn
917:ISBN
564:....
457:East
352:coal
183:for
125:The
65:1923
61:1923
50:1919
46:1919
530:in
522:in
356:oil
268:of
1016::
875:^
845:^
825:^
809:^
790:^
772:^
754:^
719:^
688:^
378:."
358:,
354:,
346:,
342:,
311:.
284:,
153:.
925:.
67:)
52:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
