Many of the issues for workers living in a large capitalist city–housing and transportation, schools and services, employment and taxation, representation and racial discrimination–have changed in form, but not in substance. Below is the program of the Communist Party in Chicago’s 1925 aldermanic elections. Nominally non-partisan, Chicago’s elections and government were notoriously corrupt, with the wealthy and private interests dominating city politics while, as in all large municipalities, averting taxation at the same time feeding themselves, insatiably, at the public trough. Originally hoping to field candidates in a dozen wards, electoral impediments meant the Party had candidates running in just four wards, receiving 2-3%.

‘Workers (Communist) Party of Chicago Municipal Program’ from The Daily Worker. Vol. 2 No. 250. January 12, 1925.

Sunday the members of the Workers (Communist) Party were busy circulating aldermanic petitions among workers in those wards where the party has placed candidates in the field.

Thousands of signatures were secured, and the outlook is good for placing the whole list of Communist candidates nominated on the ballot for the elections February 24.

Today the DAILY WORKER publishes in full the municipal program of the Workers (Communist) Party on which it has entered its candidates in the elections. The program is as follows:

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THE WORKERS (COMMUNIST) PARTY is what its name implies—a party of and for WORKERS.

We do not repeat the ridiculous pretentions of the other parties, that we have a program which will suit all classes. We state frankly that our program will bring no comfort to the banking kings, merchant princes, traction lords and real estate sharks who now hold Chicago in their covetous grasp. But to all workers, and working class organizations struggling for the advancement of the workers, we pledge our loyal support in any and all conflicts, at any and all times.

Now, when great numbers of workers are suffering from unemployment when police and injunctions are called in by the bosses to break all strikes when the working class standard of living is being steadily forced down, when gigantic municipal traction steals are being engineered, when working class children are suffering from inadequate and improper schooling—it is necessary to come forward with a program which exposes the real issues in the aldermanic elections to be held on Feb. 24–a program which faces the issues frankly, and which rallies the working men and women of Chicago for struggle against the capitalists on the basis of the immediate interests of the workers.

The Workers (Communist) Party and the candidates it endorses stand for the following immediate program; if elected, the candidates will make use of their position to mobilize the masses toward putting It into effect:

PUBLIC UTILITIES

The Workers (Communist) Party demands immediate removal of public utilities from the ownership and control of private capitalists. Confiscation of all franchises. Operation to be for public service and not for private profit—under direct public management, vested in committees chosen by the workers engaged in the various branches of service.

2. Traction. The voters of Chicago have repeatedly gone on record for a single, unified, municipally owned traction system of surface lines, “L” and subway. In place of this, Mayor Dever is dickering with the traction magnates to turn over to them what amounts to a perpetual franchise on Chicago transportation. The Workers (Communist) Party demands that the city immediately take over the existing lines in the form outlined below:

(a) Operation to be carried on by the traction employes, thru special committees, working in conjunction with the existing street carmen’s and elevated employes’ unions.

(b) Provisions for immediate improvement of service—increased seating capacity for men and women going to and from work.

(c) Reduction of fares, with special rates for passengers during rush hours.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Work or compensation for all unemployed, not as a matter of “charity” but as a direct municipal responsibility. The city to bear the cost, and compensation wages to be paid thru working class bodies selected by labor unions in conjunction with unemployed workers.

2. No evictions for non-payment of rent.

3. City government must assume responsibility for comfortable housing of unemployed workers free of charge while they are unemployed, and rooms in the houses of wealthy residents must be requisitioned for this purpose.

4. Immediate inauguration of a program of public works, especially with a view toward relieving the unemployment situation.

(a) Construction of adequate municipal subways, to be owned and operated as indicated above.

(b) The so-called “Chicago Beautiful” plan to be completely changed to provide improvement and sanitation of working class districts, and to be immediately inaugurated.

5. Abolition of private employment agencies. Establishment of public free employment bureaus by unemployed workers’ organizations and unions, operating at municipal expense.

6. The candidates endorsed by our party will support the above unemployment measures, and, further, will lead in the creation of councils of unemployed workers, for the purpose of bringing pressure to bear upon the employers and the municipal authorities.

EDUCATION

Education to be taken out of the control of the political servants of big business and placed in the hands of teachers, students and working class parents.

(a) Complete supervision school policies to be voted in councils of teachers and parents, which will decide what shall be taught in the schools, text books to be used, etc.

(b) Administrative matters in the schools to be in charge of joint councils of teachers and students, who will select all principals and other officials.

(c) No discrimination against individual teachers because of political opinions. No interference with the right of teachers to organize in their Teachers’ Union.

2. Unequivocal rejection of the platoon system.

3. We demand that all children in public schools of Chicago shall be fully maintained at the expense of the city throughout the year, not only as regards text books, but also in regards to food, clothing, transportation to and from school, vacation expenses, and all other expenses necessary to a healthful life while studying.

4. Improved schooling with adequate playgrounds. facilities

5. Substantially increased pay for teachers. Money for increased wages to be obtained thru special assessments levied against wealthy tax dodgers and coupon clippers.

POLICE

Abolition of use of police to break strikes, and their use in all other labor disputes. Maintenance of order during strikes, picketing, etc., to be exclusively in the hands of committees elected by the workers on strike.

2. Abolition of private detective agencies, which have proved to be nothing but institutions of thuggery and frame-ups against the workers.

3. Prohibition of use of scabs; penalty of fine or imprisonment for all employers using or importing strike-breakers.

INJUNCTION

We demand abolition of the use of injunctions against the workers in labor disputes, and we urge mass violation by the workers of any injunction that may be issued.

CONDITIONS OF LABOR

We demand the use of the city government power of public health regulation, to compel the payment of not less than the union scale of wages to all workers employed in so-called private industry or in any kind of labor, with enforcement of eight-hour day and 40-hour week, severe penal ties to be put upon employers violating same.

2. Sanitation, safety devices, ventilation, heating and all other conditions of labor in workshops to be subject to the sole control of shop committees elected by the workers, any employer violating regulations laid down by such committee, to be punished as violating a city health ordinance.

3. All factory inspectors to be selected by the labor unions.

4. Maximum six-hour day for women in industry; equal pay of women with men for equal work done.

5. Maternity maintenance of working women during vacation of six weeks before and six weeks after childbirth–at expense of employer.

CHILD LABOR

In accordance with the consistent national campaign against child labor initiated by the Central Executive Committee of the Workers (Communist) Party, we demand the abolition of all child labor up to 18 years of age, children to be supported at municipal expense.

(a) Funds for this purpose to be secured thru taxes levied against corporation profits and high individual incomes.

2. Young workers (youth): (a) Equal pay for equal work for young and old.

(b) Maximum six-hour day for all young workers under 21 years of age Five days of work a week.

(c) One month’s vacation for young workers each year, with full pay.

RACE DISCRIMINATION

1. The Workers (Communist) Party demands unqualified social, economic and political equality of all workers, irrespective of color, race or creed.

2. Equal pay of all workers for equal work done.

3. Immediate and unceasing action against the menace of the ku klux klan.

4. No discrimination against Negroes in matters of residence, admission to restaurants, theaters, etc. Severe penalties for landlords persisting In the practice of charging higher rents to Negroes than to whites.

5. We demand that,the habit of Chicago police in breaking into the homes of Negroes at will, be brought to an immediate end. No toleration of attempts to establish a caste system with the Negroes as an inferior caste by the arresting and terrorization of men and women of the two races for no other offense than friendly association in their homes and public places. This must be made a political issue.

MUNICIPAL EMPLOYES

Reduction of salaries of mayor, city council, municipal judges and other higher city officials to put them on a level with the average wage earner.

2. No interference with the right of any branch of municipal employes to organize in labor unions. Establishment of the shop committee system as a means of direct control of job conditions by the employes of the various departments.

CONTRACT LETTING

Abolition of private contract system in the construction of public works; all contracts to be let thru the unions, with union working conditions, wages, hours, etc.

HOUSING

We demand that all rents be drastically reduced, and that the extortion and “unfair practices” laws be invoked to enforce this demand.

2. That the city government immediately begin construction of modern apartment houses for workers, to be rented at the cost of operation–the construction work to be undertaken on a scale to provide employment for workers now unemployed.

RIGHT TO VOTE

Extension of the suffrage, giving ALL workers in Chicago the right to vote–present restrictions requiring citizenship, permanent residence, etc., being an obvious discrimination in favor of the capitalist class.

The above program of immediate demands touches issues which are vital to every working man and woman in Chicago. Every one of these issues is a direct outgrowth of the present system of production for private profit–that is, of capitalism. Because of the monopoly which the bosses maintain over the factories, machines, etc., the workers are obliged to toil long hours and for meager wages, while the goods that they produce are taken by the capitalists. With schools, press and police power in the hands of capitalism, it is obvious that these elections do not offer any real opportunity for the workers. Capitalist democracy is nothing but a sham. There can be no real solution of the great problems weighing down upon the workers, until capitalism is overthrown–until the workers seize control of the governmental power and take over industry. This will be accomplished thru the establishment of a Soviet republic, a workers’ and farmers’ government.

We call upon all labor unions and working class organizations which are in agreement with the immediate demands set forth in our program to establish a united front with the Workers (Communist) Party in the fight for their realization, thru support of the aldermanic candidates listed below:

Third Ward–E.L. Doty, 3638 Ellis Park Ave.
Eleventh Ward–Victor Zokaitis, 2956 Emerald Ave.
Twenty-Second Ward–L. Cejka, 2827 S. Spaulding Ave.
Twenty-Fourth Ward–H. Epstein 3131 W. 15th St.
Twenty-Eighth Ward–N. Dozenberg, 321 N. Avers Ave.
Thirty-Second Ward–Peter Lucas, 2014 Cortez St.
Thirty-Fourth Ward–Harry Brooker, 2708 Crystal St.
Forty-Fourth Ward–J.W. Johnstone, 2406 N. Clark St.

The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak. The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party. In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, which became The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924. National and City (New York and environs) editions exist.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1925/1925-nat/v02a-n250-jan-12-Chi-1925-DW-mfilm.pdf