- Our common welfare should come first; our success depends upon our unity. The Defense Committees are open to all revolutionary anti-capitalists of good faith, regardless of affiliation or lack of affiliation with any particular anti-capitalist ideologies or organizations. Diversity of traditions and tactics is our strength.
- The Defense Committees have one primary purpose — revolutionary anti-capitalism. This primary purpose should guide and inform all of our actions.
- The Defense Committees organize in service of revolutionary anti-capitalism. Though we may participate in coalition with others of various principles and beliefs, we do not involve ourselves with the elections, institutions or organizations of the owning class, so as not to divert us from our primary purpose.
- The Defense Committees are self-supporting; it is up to us and our membership to build and finance our organization.
- The Defense Committees are nonprofessional; we are not separate and apart from the people.
- In our propaganda, in the discussion of our tactical and political differences, and in all other activities, the larger faith of true comradeship should prevail between us.
We need to be more patient, more kindly, more tolerant, more sympathetic, helpful, and encouraging to one another, and less suspicious, less envious, and less contentious, if we are to educate and impress the people by our example and by the results of our teachings upon ourselves, win them to our movement, and realize our dream of universal freedom and social righteousness.
Eugene Debs