The National Party was an early-20th-century national political organization in the United States founded by pro-war defectors from the

Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...

(SPA) in 1917. These adherents of the SPA Right first formed a

non-partisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...

national society to propagandize the

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

idea called the

Social Democratic League of America The Social Democratic League of America (SDL) was a short-lived social-democratic political party established in 1917 by electorally-oriented socialists who favored the participation of the United States in World War I. Led by such intellectuals ...

. Many of these individuals were eager for the formation of an alternative political organization to both the old parties and the anti-war SPA and eagerly latched on to a burgeoning movement for a new party that sprouted in 1917.

Organizational history

Origins

The National Party seems to have begun as a byproduct of personal coalitions around single-issue advocacy, such as the drive for constitutional amendments for woman's suffrage and prohibition. Coming together to lobby Congress and the

Wilson Administration Woodrow Wilson's tenure as the 28th president of the United States lasted from 4 March 1913 until 4 March 1921. He was largely incapacitated the last year and a half. He became president after winning the 1912 election. Wilson was a Democrat ...

on behalf of these measures, activists came to realize their common vision in practical terms, despite whatever philosophical differences they might have harbored in the theoretical plain. Thus veterans of the

Progressive Party Progressive Party may refer to: Active parties * Progressive Party, Brazil * Progressive Party (Chile) * Progressive Party of Working People, Cyprus * Dominica Progressive Party * Progressive Party (Iceland) * Progressive Party (Sardinia), Italy ...

believing in the "spirit of 1912,"

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

ists,

suffragists Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

, Single-Taxers, and Socialists began to talk amongst themselves about the possibility of uniting their forces in a new political organization to advance their common cause.Tim Davenport
"The National Party (1917 - 1919?),"
Early American Marxism Archive, Marxisthistory.org Retrieved February 25, 2007. Informal conferences were held in New York and elsewhere in the country during the first half of 1917 between these individuals, culminating in a more formal gathering held July 6–8 at the home of Progressive Party leader J. A. H. Hopkins in

Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a town and the county seat of Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...

.Kenneth E. Hendrickson, Jr., "The Pro-War Socialists, the Social Democratic League, and the Ill-Fated Drive for Industrial Democracy in America, 1917-1920," ''Labor History,'' vol. 11, no. 3 (Summer 1970), pg. 311. Those participating included bolting pro-war socialists organizing themselves as the

, adherents of the

Nonpartisan League The Nonpartisan League (NPL) was a left-wing political party founded in 1915 in North Dakota by Arthur C. Townley, a former organizer for the Socialist Party of America. On behalf of small farmers and merchants, the Nonpartisan League advocate ...

, the

Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party (PRO) is a political party in the United States known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages and as an integral part of the temperance movement. It is the oldest existing third party ...

, and the Single Tax movement. The group did discuss and decide upon the outlines of a program for the forthcoming organization. The New Jersey conference was unable to agree amongst themselves to a name for the organization, so the matter was deferred to a future organizational conference, which ultimately decided upon the name "The National Party" for the new organization. National-party-duesreceipt-1917

The National Party was funded by annual dues payments by its members, based according to the means of the party member, but of not less than $2 per annum. One dollar of this amount was to be retained by the national organization to fund its operation, while the other dollar was to rebated to the state organization for its own support. Party members were to receive membership cards and a periodic bulletin was planned. Those not wishing to cast their lot with the organization as full members could gain "sympathizer" status through the purchase of an annual button for fifty cents. The National Party's national office was located in the Lafayette Building, 138 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois. It also had an office for its "Eastern Division" located at 15 E 40th Street, New York City.

Founding Conference, Chicago, Illinois October 3–4, 1917

The founding conference of the National Party adopted a tentative platform declaring for universal and equal suffrage; for strong advocacy of the rights of Initiative, Referendum, and Recall; for the absentee ballot as a means of enfranchising and deradicalizing transient labor; for

prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

of the sale and use of alcoholic beverages; for prison reform; for a system of proportional representation allowing minor parties representation according to voting strength; and for government ownership of transportation, communications, and other

natural monopolies A natural monopoly is a monopoly in an industry in which high infrastructural costs and other barriers to entry relative to the size of the market give the largest supplier in an industry, often the first supplier in a market, an overwhelming adv ...

. The conference adopted a declaration in support of American participation in the ongoing

World War A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...

which declared:

"Fundamentally the war is struggle between the ideals and aspirations of
democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose gov ...
on the one hand, and the ideals and aspirations of
autocracy Autocracy is a system of government in which absolute power over a state is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject neither to external legal restraints nor to regularized mechanisms of popular control (except perh ...
on the other hand. Imperfect though our democracy may be, nevertheless it is one of the most advanced in the world.

"We rejoice in the assurance that in the words of
President Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Demo ...
we have entered this war for no selfish objects of our own ...

"We entered the war to resist international aggression and lawlessness, to establish a permanent basis for international peace, and to aid the movement toward democracy in all lands. Believing that these aims are coincident with the best interests of all free peoples, and even those of the people of
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and confident that this nation will not forget these aims nor permit our forces to be used for conquest or
imperialistic Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic ...
oppression, we pledge our full and undivided support to our nation and its allies in the pursuit of these aims."

The group also called in no uncertain terms for an end to the "unlimited power of censorship now reposed in the

Postmaster General A Postmaster General, in Anglosphere countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, a ministerial office responsible for overseeing all other postmasters. The practice of having a government official respons ...

," in favor of a less draconian "national council of censorship, upon which the various social reform and labor movements of the country shall be adequately represented."''Platform, Spirit and Aims of the National Party,'' p. 12. One historian has noted that except for the addition of a plank calling for the prohibition of alcohol the platform of the National Party "virtually duplicated the Socialist Party platform of 1916."Hendrickson, "The Pro-War Socialists, the Social Democratic League, and the Ill-Fated Drive for Industrial Democracy in America, 1917-1920," p. 314. This had been a comparatively moderate document dominated by the party's right wing, placing emphasis upon immediate ameliorative demands rather than long-term universal objectives. The fledgling organization was immediately struck by personal animosity and factional squabbling. Social Democrat John Spargo became involved in an argument with Mrs. Henry Gould, who had previously pledged $5,000 in seed money to the new organization.Hendrickson, "The Pro-War Socialists, the Social Democratic League, and the Ill-Fated Drive for Industrial Democracy in America, 1917-1920," pg. 315. She bolted the gathering, never writing the group its promised check. The Social Democrats also clashed with Hopkins and his

associates, with the two groups at loggerheads over their mutual desire to dominate the new organization.

First Convention, Chicago, March 6–8, 1918

The Second Convention of the National Party adopted a formal organizational constitution and revised platform for the organization. The group was to be headed by a National Chairman, four Vice Chairmen, and a National Executive Committee of 29. Former Socialist David Coates was elected National Chairman, while J.A.H. Hopkins of

Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a town and the county seat of Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...

was elected First Vice Chairman and Chairman of the National Executive Committee.

Footnotes

Prominent members

David C. Coates David Courtney Coates (August 9, 1868 – January 28, 1933) was a publisher and printer, labor union leader and socialist politician who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, 11th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, secretary and president ...

(ex-Socialist Party) * J. A. H. Hopkins (Progressive Party) *

Marie Caroline Brehm Marie Caroline Brehm (June 30, 1859 – January 21, 1926) was an American prohibitionist, suffragist, and politician. The Head of the suffrage department for the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), she was a key figure in the Prohibition P ...

(Suffragist) * William F. Cochran (Baltimore real estate developer) *

Upton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American writer, muckraker, political activist and the 1934 Democratic Party nominee for governor of California who wrote nearly 100 books and other works in seve ...

(ex-Socialist Party) *

John Spargo John Spargo (January 31, 1876 – August 17, 1966) was a British political writer who, later in life, became an expert in the history and crafts of Vermont. At first Spargo was active in the Socialist Party of America. A Methodist preacher he tr ...

(ex-Socialist Party) * J. G. Phelps Stokes (ex-Socialist Party) *

Charles S. Thomas Charles Spalding Thomas (December 6, 1849June 24, 1934) was a United States senator from Colorado. Born in Darien, Georgia, he attended private schools in Georgia and Connecticut, and served briefly in the Confederate Army. Biography Thomas gra ...