The Socialist Bid for American Leadership
Waldman, Louis
The Socialist Bid for American Leadership Responsibility of the Movement Must Equal Great Opportunities, Is May Day Message of N. Y. Socialist State Chairman TITE COCIALJ.8TS celebrate this \ V...
...In times of falling prices, they even increase rates...
...By its capacity to adapt its program to present needs, by its courage to resist the natural tendencies for demagogic appeals and short-cuts, where none exist, the Socialist Party will prove itself worthy of leadership...
...On this May First, we see the capitalist world crumbling...
...We would have had real cause to celebrate if our present success and growth were the result of enlightened discontent, of education for a new social order, of a burning resentment against economic and political corruption, of a passionate devotion to democracy, to social equality and to greater human happiness...
...concentration r>t wealth prjd'ictien and billion-dollar mergers, there may ue competition of a sort, but as a prevailing system it has keen relegated to history...
...ion» cn a competitive sys-'.e.n, no longer here...
...The refusal to recognize this fact is responsible, in a large measuie, for ou.' present tragedy...
...Billions of dollars allocated for engines of destruction in preparation for war, In expectation of going to the "kill...
...May Day's Call to the Workers By Joseph Baskin General Secretary, The Workmen's f Circle GREETINGS to you, readers of the New Leader, and to you, Socialists and proletarians of all lands, on this glorious May Day, on this worldwide Labor Day...
...Hopelessness and despair have clouded the vision of many...
...One effort, and the whole capitalist structure will fall...
...Great masses of the people are shaking off the lethargy Induced by vain hope, the result of false promises...
...This outrageous treatment of the helpless millions is one of the grievous wrongs against which Socialists and Progressive labor emphatically protest today...
...In the last analysis, what affects one nation reacts upon many other nations...
...many must be without clothes, because there Is a superabundance...
...Here in America all preparations are being made to celebrate this great labor festival h becoming dignity and understanding...
...Some of theso demands have long been granted in many parts of the world, although the working class had to pay dearly for them...
...The Unemployed Denied In spite of this huge expend...
...The Socialists of Hungary face the suppression of their paper...
...The Pacific Coast has successfully Instituted a' string of circles in California through the agitation tours of Fish, Sheanra, and Goldberg...
...The wealth that has been product 1 by man, capital which has been created by the labor of humanity, these must not be destroyed...
...The Socialist Party is the logical leader of this movement...
...No, it is not a world supported by sane people...
...A million and more of the population of New York City are the recipients of alma—charity...
...Clarity opens new vistas for man...
...Tbe close of Red May will have spectacular parades and enormous youth rallies on Memorial Day, focusing a particular attack upon War, with tbe members of the Y. P. S. L. showing the world that they are absolutely and Irrevocably opposed to Capitalist War...
...With no social legislation to speak of, such as Unemployment Insurance, Old-age Pensions, Maternity and Sickness Insurance to protect our forty million wage earners, the cost of national, state and local governments reaches, this year, the staggering sum of over fifteen billion dollars, one-fifth of the total national annual income...
...The Struggle for Power And yet, in the struggle for power, Socialism must take advantage of'this economic jlsorder and interpret iia meaning...
...The insanity of it all...
...On that day, they declared, all wage earners were to march in solid ranks like brothers, like members of one vast family, proclaim their unity, and tell the capitalist class in no uncertain terms that the worker was not a slave destined to bear the yoke and to toll incessantly in order to mnjkn the rich still more rich...
...For May Day not only betokens the rejuvenation of nature, but symbolizes the ultimate rebirth of mankind under the benign and fructifying Sun of Socialism...
...It is a great public burden with little to show for it Some of it goes to subsidize privileged business...
...The general discontent has created quite* a body of intelligent public opinion reconciled to the fact that profound social changes are needed and must come...
...The human feels his personal hurt most, the hurt of his own family is keener than that of strangers, that of the nation of which he is part hurts more than that of other nations...
...The capitalist structure Is crumbling...
...The giant labor, as Samson of old, but multiplied by a hundred-million, is in the midst of this crumbling capitalist structure...
...Some of us often forget that the structure of tbe new social order must be built out of human material that is not de void of hope—yes, even of dreams and illusions...
...Capitalism Is Crumbling...
...An aggressive Socialist political movement will now find wide response in tbe country...
...Our message is listened to i : h greater interest than ever be-f) 3. Our program is treated with rc.-pect...
...It should not be so...
...Happiness and joy, plenty and comfort, peace and culture—these are within the grasp of man...
...Suicide on the increase -the refuge of the despondent...
...It is a crazy world—a world produced by a disjointed, planless, criminal social system...
...Man has, during countless ages, laid up a store of knowledge which makes possible with least exertion to coax from the womb of Mother Earth all his needs...
...Who shall lead them...
...Profuse in her bounties, rich In resources, she has stored np for man all that bo needs, and a surplus for hi...
...The workers are being forced back into the system of sweatshops, of humiliations and unbearable exploitation...
...Our membership is grow-H5...
...The people may be economically prostrate but the income of the utilities is secure...
...These one sees with his mind's eye...
...We were deserted immediately afterwards...
...The v/hole month will be marked with Youth Rallies, indoor and outdoor meetings, house-to-house canvassing, literature distributions before schools and factories, the latter process to continue constantly, so that the meetings will be well advertised and well attended...
...The Socialists of Austria are on the watch, fighting every attempted step by the Fascists...
...THE PEOPLE'S INSTITUTE The People's Institute will close the season with a lecture in Cooper Union Friday evening, April 29, with a lecture by Dr...
...The first day starts with a real smash: Yipsel circles and Party branches in joint May Day Parades and Demonstrations with Trade Unions throughout the Nation...
...The Socialist Bid for American Leadership Responsibility of the Movement Must Equal Great Opportunities, Is May Day Message of N. Y. Socialist State Chairman TITE COCIALJ.8TS celebrate this \ V May First with heavy hearts, al' ioi'sh we are politically strong-c: today than we were in many rs...
...The Cost of Government The income of the utility business, alone, privileged and protected, as it Is by law, is over ten billion dollars a year, one-ninth of our entire annual national income...
...On that day the international proletariat were to declare their determination to fight for their rights as human beings and citizens...
...Tn the East, Connecticut is the newest state to fall in line...
...Ordinarily, these would be reasons for rejoicing, but when we remem> ber that the discontent of which we are, in a measure, the political beneficiaries, is the result of untold human misery and indescribable suffering, we do not feel happy about it...
...powerful cities bankrupt...
...Forty million in our nation are in'the same state or bordering on it...
...Insecurity—economic Insecurity —makes cowards of us, undermines our morale, destroys our self-respect, makes us abject...
...The situation Is clarifying Itself...
...E. G. Spauld ing, on "Reason in Criticism: The Open Mind...
...For a government, based on the philosophy of "rugged individualism" and of private ownership, not only of industry generally, but even of public services as well, this huge expenditure is appalling...
...Economic planning and social control of industry, commerce and finance along Socialist lines, are the great need of our times...
...In Germany, the Fascists have shot another bolt...
...The outstanding subjects that will serve as the targets for the Ylpsels speakers will be Unemployment, Poverty, War, and Capital-Ism generally...
...For the hungry workers, there is no money and, of course, no jobs...
...The Socialist Party, the trade unions, and the Workmen's Circle will take part in the street parades and demonstrate to the capitalist class (he unity prevailing in the ranks of labor, the solidarity existing between the workers of America and those of all other lands...
...The miracle of It Is that people are still sane...
...The Canadians have already reported groups in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, and Winnipeg...
...The world is at the crossroads...
...Our social disaster, In the ir.iJ.st of technologic Suprc-nacy, brought about by science and machinery, is Hie crowning gtoi-y of a government which bases its laws and in-si.it...
...But labor Is too Intelligent and too well aware of its Interests to permit Itself to be tricked Into rash acts by these provocations...
...Ours is the great opportunity...
...Traveling organizers have been sent out since the beginning of the year to prepare the preliminary groundwork that had been necessary so that during Red May there would be no obstacle in the way of doubling the membership of the organization and establishing circles in the most important industrial centers of America...
...The cry then raised was the slogan of the three 8's— 8 hours for wc rk, 8 hours for sleep and 8 hours for rest and recreation...
...Responsive to our ideals, let us march forward to build a world in which all will have the opportunity for full, complete, and ade quate life...
...Iu the midst of it all, the germ of a new world is present—and rapidly developing...
...Nationalism has been strengthened because of the depression...
...The insanity of,it all...
...This solidarity, this United front presented by all labor elements will surely help to restrain the greed of our rulers and masters, who would like to deprive the working class of Its last morsel of bread and of what still remains of its hard-won rights...
...In an age of grea...
...All over the world the workers are organizing for the May Day celebration, and the powers that be are already mobilizing the police and military in order to dampen the ardor of the working class for this glorious demonstration of its .solidarity...
...industry at a standstill...
...Shutting the eyes, you see what should be...
...We had such support during the War...
...Every unemployed man, every unemployed woman, has three or four dependents who suffer along...
...feature Is bursting into life again...
...For A Red May By JULIUS UMANSKY Circles throughout the United States and Canada are urged to proceed immediately with the completion of their plans for Red May as was the decision of tbe National Executive Committee of the Y. P. S. L. of America, at its last meeting In Milwaukee...
...The inclination of some of the victims of this crisis to support us because of their blind fury and hatred against the social institutions they had lately worshipped and defended, should not mislead us into false assumption and false policies, built on quick-sand...
...Nearly 44 years have elapsed since the representatives of labor from all parts of the globe, in sol emn conclave assembled, voted to proclaim the first day of May as the international festival of the workers of the world...
...People generally are most concerned by the situation which Immediately affects them...
...They must be conserved for the use of man...
...Century on century added to his experience developed,his mind, sharpened his intellect, enhanced his creative power, multiplied his Ingenuity, accentuated his inventiveness...
...our vote constantly increases...
...because there are too many shoes, many must go barefoot...
...Yet, it is supported by presumably sane people...
...luxuries...
...financial institutions closed...
...Today, however, under the pressure of an economic crisis of unexampled severity, these hard-earned gains are being taken away one by one...
...May Day Thoughts—The Vision of What Might Be ONE'S thoughts naturally turn to hope on May Day...
...Children and adults and old people, all stretching out their hands, begging for a crumb tbat falls from the tables that are over-laden with plenty...
...In* the midst of plenty—want—because too much food Is produced, many must go hungry...
...On this May First let us con secrate ourselves to the great task of saving the giant from being crushed by the falling walls of the capitalist Structure...
...and some is sheer inefficiency...
...Fascists in Italy, Fascists in Hungary, Fascism raising its head in Germany and elsewhere...
...Mother Earth cloaks herself In verdure green and bedecks herself with ornaments that no human hand can fashion...
...This year, In particular, when the bankruptcy of capitalism is apparent to all, when the capitalists, in order to escape the consequences of their own folly and greed, are trying to reduce labor to the state of serfdom, it behooves all class-conscious workers to turn out in full force for the May Day demonstration...
...The factories are empty, the Jails are filled...
...Hence it is Important that this year, more than ever, the May Day demonstration be so powerful and impressive that our rulers and masters will understand its meaning and not play too much with fire...
...This crisis is the turning-point' in American Socialism...
...planned systematic organized production and distribution initiated...
...The National Office has sent out copious materials with specific recommendations for the entire month's activity...
...ture, public relief for the unemployed is practically denied them...
...government after government acknowledging bankruptcy...
...But one cannot exclude the ac tualities, the realities, the facts of llfe...
...In its place will rise the new order, the order of social justice a Socialist world...
...A pittance for education, culture, art, and all things that go to make life beautiful...
...Capitalism is crumbling...
...Cynicism and hopelessness, wrought out of hunger and need is not only, the Individual tragedy of the millions of unemployed and their dependents, but it is also s great social loss...
...Each generation profited not only by the mistakes, but by the achieve ments of the preceding...
...What they are to do seems to be a matter with which our government does not care to bother seriously...
...some is wasted in extravagance.and corruption...
...Grave is also our responsibility...
Vol. 13 • April 1932 • No. 18
