Page:Platform and Constitution of the Socialist Labor Party of the United States of America (1896).pdf/4



The affairs of the Party are conducted by the National Executive Committee, the National Board of Appeals, the State Committees, the local Sections, the National Conventions, and by the general vote. At all elections a plurality vole is sufficient to elect; but an absolute majority is required to elect the seat of the National Executive Committee.

1. Ten persons may form a Section, provided they acknowledge the Platform, Constitution and Resolutions of the Socialist Labor Party and belong to no other political party.

2. The Section shall be the unit of organization.

3. It shall be the duty of the Sections to provide rules governing their action, provided such do not conflict with the rules of the National and State organizations.

4. At every meeting a new Chairman shall be elected, who shall observe the usual parliamentary rules.

5. Every Section shall elect from its members an Organizer and such additional officers as it deems proper. The Organizer shall conduct the correspondence with the National Executive Committee, and shall send an official report once every six months to said Committee; he shall send ten cents of the monthly dues of each member to the State Committee, or in the absence of such to the National Executive Committee; he shall conduct the local organization and agitation.

6. Should a protest be entered against the admission to a Section, of any applicant for membership, a two-thirds vote of all present at a regular business meeting shall be necessary to admit him.

7. Sections shall have jurisdiction over their own members.

8. Every Section shall elect a Grievance Committee of three members, which shall investigate all charges and difficulties in the Section, and report its decision. Sections haying a Central Committee may refer such investigations to such committee.

9. Charges against members shall not be debated until the Grievance Committee has thoroughly investigated the case and reported to the Section. All charges must be made in writing, whereupon the committee shall investigate the case and hear the witnesses of both parties. A detailed report of the investigation shall be drawn and laid before one of the next business meetings of the Section. The Section shall then decide the matter, and its decision be entered on the minutes. The minutes and all papers concern-