1944 Prohibition Party Platform

Preamble

  We, the representatives of the Prohibition Party in National Convention at Indianapolis, Indiana, November 10, 11,12, 1943, 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 chosen to administer the affairs of the nation, we will use all the power placed in our hands to serve the people of the United States, and that we will hold their interest above those of ourselves and our party. To do this requires the effective carrying out of the following program of Government.

A Constitutional Party

Pledge of Loyalty:

  In this time of our national crises we pledge our loyalty to the Constitutional Government of the United States, to our flag and to the Republic for which it stands. We have supreme confidence in this basic law of the United States to meet ever-changing national and world conditions. Believing this, we are utterly opposed to the violation of the Bill of Rights, and to the rapidly growing tendency toward totalitarian Government in the United States.

State Rights:

  We will confine the power of the executive department of the Government within the limits provided by the Constitution, will decentralize the national administration and restore to the several states their constitutional place in Government.

  The support of state government in all its constitutional rights is the current bulwark against tyranny and dictatorship. We condemn the present administration for its extreme concentration in Washington of control over minor affairs.

Abolition of Bureaucracy:

  We will do away with all bureaucratic devices with overlapping functions which are causing enormous waste of public funds and man power, and will conduct Government by means of constitutional methods.

  No administrative board or agency should be at the same time accuser, jury, judge and hangman. Departmental decisions ought not to be final. All decisions of administrative boards or agencies should be reviewable by our courts to preserve our liberties.

Law Enforcement:

  We will maintain the integrity of democracy by enforcing the laws enacted by elected representatives of the people or by popular vote.

Money:

  We believe that the Constitutional provision for the issuance of money and determination of the value thereof is a sound and feasible monetary policy.

Taxes and Government Economy:

  We pledge a reduction in taxes. We condemn most vigorously the administration's extravagance and maladministration of Government funds since long before the War. We stand for radical reduction in Government expenditures.

In the states we favor the effort to limit the tax rate to one percent of full value of property, in order to prevent foreclosure and confiscation, and assist the home owner, farmer, real estate owner, and others to preserve their property. But there can be no reduction in taxes unless we abolish the present increasingly expensive paternalistic bureaucracy.

Ballot Law Reform:

  We demand the repeal of the many state ballot laws which have been enacted to make the two-party system impregnable, and which now deny to independent voters and minority groups the fundamental right of free political expression.

Moral Issues Supreme:

  Moral and spiritual considerations, as well as economic should determine national policies. Therefore, we pledge to give them first place. To this end we will strengthen and enforce laws against gambling, narcotics, and commercialized vice now so openly violated and nullified by inaction of the parties in power.

Preventing Juvenile Delinquency:

  In the interests of the moral well-being of children, youth, and the public, we urge the necessity of higher standards of decency in the enactment and enforcement of laws concerning the radio, moving pictures, literature and the stage. Since the motion pictures and the radio have become such powerful factors in the character formation of our youth, we pledge that all public officials concerned will enforce adequate laws to prevent obscenity, profanity and education tending to crime as now current in movie and radio. As a fundamental protection for youth, we will strengthen the teaching of moral precepts in the public schools and will establish and effectively enforce in the public school system scientific education on alcohol and other narcotics.

A Party of Service, Not Spoils:

  The two dominant parties are committed to the spoils system and when in office have prostituted governmental power to serve their own selfish party interests instead of the whole people. That system has led to excessive government expenditures, high taxes, and a scandalous alliance of crime with politics. We pledge ourselves to an honest, efficient and economical administration.

Social Security and Old Age Pensions:

  We will extend the Social Security Act so as not to exclude any groups from its provisions, and will include a system of insurance for all aged persons, and administer it so as to preserve the incentives of initiative and thrift.

Co-operatives:

  Co-operative and profit sharing enterprises are a natural outgrowth of democracy. Government under our administration will encourage such enterprises.

Labor and Capital:

  We commend organized labor for its constructive contributions to the general welfare, but steps should be taken to protect labor unions fromn invasion and exploitation by racketeers. We would require unions to keep their records open to members and to government inspection and to file periodic financial reports, the same as corporations.

  Because we stand for Industrial Peace and National Security, we believe the time has come for the Government to assume responsibility for the protection of itself and the public against the waste and terror of industrial warfare, and to that end we will enact and enforce legislation granting and defining the rights of labor to bargain individually or collectively, to negotiate, arbitrate and to establish courts of industrial relations as the final tribunal for all industrial disputes, which will seek for both labor and employing capital equal justice, and to the nation and the general public protection against the paralysis of industry due to their warfare.

Presidential Term:

  American traditions will be best served by limiting the presidential office to a single term of six years.

Church and State:

  The Constitutional separation of Church and State must be maintained. We will not tax church or religious activities. This, however, should not exempt individuals engaged in religious work who, as citizens, are subject to taxation.

Crime:

  We seek to diminish crime, first by suppressing the traffic in alcoholic beverages and other narcotics which pervert the people; second, by bringing about a realignment of politics which shall unite the moral-minded citizens and overcome the alliance of the underworld with the political machines; third, by effective enforcement of the law; and fourth, by the general adoption of those systems of judicial procedure which have proved most efficient and progressive.

Monopoly:

  Monopolies have not ceased to exist but have become an increasing public evil. Government under our administration, in order to safeguard the rights of the common citizen, will be alert to prevent combinations of trade or of wealth which would monopolize any branch of industry or our natural resources.

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; racial or national origin.

Agriculture:

  Believing that more people should be attracted to agriculture we favor an equitable, stable price structure for farm products. We will develop a sound program for the maintenance of individual ownership of farms.

Marriage and Divorce:

  To maintain the sanctity of the home we favor the enactment of uniform marriage and divorce laws.

Freedom in Fact:

  It is falsely said we should not criticize the administration in time of War. `We do not need less criticism in time of War, but more. It is to be hoped such criticisms will be constructive, but better unfair attack than autocratic repression. HONESTY AND COMPETENCE REQUIRE NO SHIELD OF SECRECY,' nor need fear criticism, dishonesty and fraud. Those who would usurp our rights while paying lip service to our ideals should not be shielded from it.

Domestic Post-War Problems:

  The nation must accept responsibility for an adequate national program to provide opportunity for employment in suitable and satisfactory occupations not only for all men and women in the military service but also those civilians who have been employed in discontinued war industries. This program should provide special training for the disabled and unskilled. We plege ourselves to utilize the services of public-spirited men and women representing labor, industry, and the general public, to join in a thorough-going honest effort to work out a solution of this complex problem.

World Co-operation:

  Recognizing the supreme challenge and opportunity which confronts America to help secure a more just and permanent peace following this War, we insist upon preparation for that responsibility by setting up righteous standards which will guarantee to all people more equal opportunities and the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To this end we advocate constructive co-operation and collaboration with all nations in some form of world organization but military alliance with none.

True Use of the Ballot:

  We pledge our support to the original purpose of the ballot, which is to register the individual voter's conviction on principle, and not merely to elect persons to office. We recognize church leaders, pastors, church officials, members and editors of Christian literature as very influential on behalf of higher standards of political action, and we urge them to recognize and teach the true use of the ballot for principle. We urge them to unite in this party, which upholds righteousness as implied in the Ten Great Comandments and the Golden Rule.

The Liquor Problem:

  Right thinking people are alarmed at the rapidly growing peril of the liquor power as now manifested:

1. Inflicting the alcoholic appetite upon millions of girls and women. 
2. In multiplying juvenile delinquency.
3. In increasing gambling, vice and all kinds of crime.
4. In combating the efforts of the church and other moral forces.
5. In dominating our great organs of public opinion.
6. In subjecting political leaders and parties to its control.
7. In delaying, if not endangering, the success of our war effort.

  The re-legalizing of the liquor traffic has brought about the worst moral reaction of modern times. Present conditions are due directly to the action of Government in restoring the liquor power through repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, and repeal was due directly to the platform pledges of both the old parties in the 1932 presidential campaign.

  Of all the wrongs committed by Government none has been worse than the authorizing of the liquor traffic to degenerate our own citizenship.

  There is no higher duty of Government than to overcome the forces of evil. This cannot be done by political parties who are subservient to liquor votes. Parties dependent upon wet support are incapable of furnishing a solution.

  We urge the realignment of voters and the union of good citizens in a political party not dependent upon the liquor traffic for votes. The Prohibition Party is that party.

  A political party committed to prohibition (as a party principle) is the only adequate method for marshalling the agencies of Government to overcome the liquor power.

  We urge all good citizens who believe in these principles, to cast their votes for them by supporting with their ballots this progressive program of government.