THE CROSSROADS
FINE, EMILY BROWN
THE CROSSROADS The-?im<» Has Come for the AMericaa Worker to Choose His Path; The Fntility of the Two Old Parties Is Revealed by Their Records In Congress by the workers to fight for a...
...the ftt iki two-thirds rule...
...Parker had upheld the yellow-dog contract la the Red Jacket coal company case...
...A Joint resolution was introduced, reducing the Income tax and tbe tax on corporation* by one per cent for 1929 incomes and thus saving the rich 1160,000,000 A suggestion by Senator Couxena, that the 160 million* be used for increasing employment was ignored...
...There is enough dynamite in the facta...
...Their attempt to realize these two contradictory hims explains much of the maneuvering of the Democrats in the tariff tight...
...The compromise was accepted, when Secretary of Agriculture Hyde conceded that "rehabilitation" would include food...
...A bitter fight on the president's nominee* to the newly reorganised Federal Water Power Commission was waged in the Senate in the short aeflslon of Congress...
...E t o get anywhere ia to • t r i e r s • » Oa**d«e*,» la BjMSM c w » 1 by tbe frntton nor prohibition...
...people began to grumble l wily rulers would stage • America, when the coinden stage Democratic and I ef the people off their ?>'r'' md a coui ilialory Democrat Chicui]'' I rank tin D Roosetrs vho are under each oth- I i in this column we stated would be governed by the ire mistaken...
...The Hoover administration said no...
...There were no fears about sapping the initiative of minion and billion dollar corporations...
...the E j i (o remember that there «f red tape to put around Ci'i plenty of red tape in piente to spare...
...The House Ways and Means Committee reported a bUI that increased the general level of duties from the bgih point of 84.78 per "cent reached in 1922, to 88.62 per cent...
...1M0 Third, or short session Dec...
...The bill passed the House by a vote of 264 to 147...
...A suit testing the rejected commissioner's right to continue in office, was brought by the Senate...
...Tbe final bill, which passed by a vote of 44 to 42 In the Senate, increasedN tariff duties OVER 20 PER CENT from the 1922 level...
...In their 1928 platform the Democrats advocated "INCREASING THE PURCHASING POWER OF WAGES A ND INCOME B Y THE REDUCTION OF T H O S E MONOPOLISTIC AND EXTORTIONATE TARIFF RATES BESTOWED IN PAYMENT OF POLITICAL DEBTS," and also the "ABOLITION OF LOG-B.OLLINO A N D RESTORATION OF THE WILSON CONCEPTION OF A FACT-FINDING TARIFF COMMISSION...
...Farmer-Labor, 1; tots], 480...
...The administration favored an appropriation of $30,000,000 as loans, Tbe House agreed...
...The only justification given for tbe gift to the wealthy, the psychological effect on business*, has since proved a pipe-dream...
...In conference the sum was pared down to $45,000,000, with the food provision wiped out Senator Norrls had to admit: "It was take this or nothing...
...Socialists during this coming presidential campaign face a golden opportunity to build that movement...
...TARIFF REVISION President Hoover's request for a limited revision" of the tariff was an invitation in fact, if not in intention, for a mad scramble, on tbe part of Republicans and Democrats, for tariff boosts...
...The act has failed of Its purpose "to promote effective merchandising of agricultural commodities so that agriculture will be placed on a basis of economic equality with industry" as shown by the catastrophic price declines in all major farm products to 1910 levels...
...tadhjsted their belts again Bbfinal times...
...Against his confirmation: 11 Re* publicans and 10 Democrat*—26...
...Al eliated the support of May•Boward newspapers want I V I to cure a toothache ISWS< is no less logical than If the unemployment problem jfll Japan...
...Uwving to Sot lallsiii...
...Only an investigation of the subject was authorized, with reactionary Hebert of Rhode Island, the chairman of the committee In charge...
...The fight on Hughes was followed by another against Parker's confirmation aa an associate Justice of tbe Supreme Court President Hoover was obviously trying to pack the highest court of the land against labor...
...Ms before the depression, hen to early graves by bePip and Fall, Doheny and i*y» • says wheal tbe Democrat* Maine smmhsIII- plants, JMSL,, ~. ~\ ~ TJ dog to a pole and place dog to reach, would SSfJa...
...The pjp your vote on Thorn**," Itt the worker* should docialul ticket is a protest and weri that have brought the I p was all wrong when he t minute...
...Then, what are we to fuMons of workmen starving Wmthu food and poods...
...Where wt*t thtrjp iii th*f ataaato thai Lasted Stateef For favors for tstasfiiaT OH/O iOdSsss^taTassOiffhssVi tabs) sOttDA'tsT'* erata cast aside all past saw of a tight oa principles, and shewed thaasaatvea as much the creature* of big business a* tbe Republicans...
...Party lines were split wide open...
...M, 1M...
...Most of them wanted tariffs for local business intereats, which with the industrialisation of the South, were exercising a greater lnftuatvce on Democratic policies than ever before...
...Hard times, such aa this country has never before known, have undermined the middle class and thrown ten millions of workers onto the strets...
...Its sessions were: St—ts* Btfia A4j*auracJ Pint, or special session Apr 1», ItM Nor...
...We were up against a stone wall I would have taken three millions, rather than have broken up the conference...
...DROUGHT RELIEF The resUeasnes of the farmers during the summer of W O stirred up a fight for drought relief...
...The Fntility of the Two Old Parties Is Revealed by Their Records In Congress by the workers to fight for a world fit to live In...
...But only 26 Sen* atom voted against checking the power of the Supreme Court ha tbe direction of coneervatlam and reaction...
...Jimmy thinks rives at that conclusion on 4ke iast Mayoralty election...
...Hardly...
...LsGuardla bill providing a system of federal and state-aided employment agencies passed Congress but failed to override the veto of the President, who thus knifed an attempt to lay the foundation for a real organization of the labor market, and the ground work of any unemployment insurance system...
...As Speaker Longworth *aid, introducing the issue: "The lines of cleavage between the two great political parties would seem to have crumbled in the past few years almost to questions of detail...
...The present article win cover the work of the 71st Congress, which met from April 10, 1929, to March 4, 1931...
...Yet the Democratic politicians needed a sham fight on the rates, so that they could go to the country and denounce the Republicans for the high rates...
...MEMBERSHIP OF SUPREME COURT One of the most bitter struggles in a century over the confirmation of a Supreme Court chief justice took place in tbe Senate when Borah and Norria led a light against the appointment of Charles Evans Hughes, who was known to be an opponent of progressiva legislation and an arch-defender of the status quo...
...The Republicans had, therefore, a huge majority, of about 100 In the House of Representatives, and a margin of a dozen- If the Progressives be counted— In the Senate...
...t LO*NDON N A V A L T R E A TY A special session of the Senate confirmed the London N a v a l Treaty...
...And two years after the signing of the treaty these two powers are not agreed upon any reductions or limitations...
...H o u s e : Republicans, 266...
...In the Senate a Coalition of Democrats and Progressives mustered support for revision downward on tariffs on manufactured products...
...Jnly 11...
...I . . |8d with Al Smith against i protecting Tammany...
...the 72nd, with the House controlled' by the Democrats...
...and 14, Including 11 insurgent Republicans and only three—note well—Democrats, voted against the resolution...
...The ratio of prices received by farmers to prices paid for goods bought by them has dropped from 89 in 1929 to 62 in 1961...
...Two Congresses have met during the Hoover administration: the 71st dominated by the Republicans...
...Most of the sue hundred years ago...
...i lonf session Dec 2, 1*29 July 1, KM Special session of Senate July 1, lt*0...
...Without Democratic support tbe bill would not have passed...
...However, Senator Robinson of A r kansas submitted aa amendment to an Interior Department appropriation bill, setting aside 25 million dollars, finally reduced to $20,000,000, for the purpose of supplying food to drought sufferers...
...In the Senate, a farm bloc of P r o g r e a a l v e Republican* and Democrats from agricultural state* fought for and won Inclusion of the debenture provision in the Federal Farm Board bill by a vote of 47 to 44 But in conference they were no match for the administration's machine in the Hour, and the Agricultural Marketing Act signed on June 15, 1929, by President Hoover, was without the debenture...
...j l period of adjustment...
...It does not reduce armaments, but provides only a parity relation of 6—5—3, with an escalator clause, permitting increased building, If the powers not Included in the treaty - France and Italy should Increase their navies...
...We have O said a French subway mm into his yacht for a ^Ksasa—_ * • a n is finking »nd Sociala n t . That Is ,the capitalist Bfag down and the working Bhwatle Party la honest in '" B JM It to a more efficient la La M^taust Interests...
...The old administrators of the Federal W a ter Power Act had pretty wel emasculated the intention* of the law...
...In a crisis such aa this, Socialists can and must reach the masses, to stir them out of their blind faith In the ruling class...
...I apprehend that under the leadership of the gentleman from Texaa (John Garner) we shall bear resounding from bis (Democratic) party no clarion call that the American consumer shall be permitted to buy In the cheapest market" Event* proved him right...
...Would the new administrate prs also favor the private power interest...
...Nona the less, the Senate reconsidered the nominees...
...Ident's conception the problem ef the jobless...
...Much water has flowed under the bridge since that March morning In 1929, when tbe new president In his inaugural address, declared resolutely, "I have no fears for the future...
...With the swearing la of G. O. Smith, Draper, and Geraaud, there were irrrmediately dismissed from the service two of the leading opponents of the private power trust A vote was than forced through the Senate to reconsider the confirmation of Smith, Draper and Garsaud...
...The Democrats were' is a peculiar position...
...These facts must be driven home...
...Senator Watson, Republican floor leader, rightly charged that Democrats in the 1980 election went to the country and denounced the nigh tariff outrage, although on specific items they cast an aggregate of ONE THOUSAND A ND TEN VOTES for Increases...
...In the Senate the amount was raised to 60 millions, with the provision that the loans could be used for the purchase of food for human beings...
...But mothers and Infants, like the unemployed, being unorganised, failed to get any federal appropriation continuing the work of the Children's Bureau under the Sheppard Towner Act, which was permitted to expire in June, 1929.^Eh*0** eotmterpsfrt Iftaif each other apart, Mm, June 28...
...Farmer-Labor, 1; total, 96...
...Should the farmer a get a subsidy or bounty on their exported products in the form of a currency, called deben- - tares...
...To the dutiable list were added: boots and shoes, hides, shingles, cement, brick, and certain kinds of lumber...
...Owen' 3, ' Roberta, who was nominated for the place Instead of Parker, had the tatter's social views, hut had not Incurred the enmity of organised Negroes, and so was confirmed unanimously...
...It is bright with hope...
...He signalled out especially Connolly and Sheppard of Texas, Dill of Washington, and —note well — Wagner of New York...
...The vote was: For confirming Hughe*: 38 Republican* and 14 Democrat*—32...
...Unemployment insurance bills, of which there were five Introduced in both House and Senate, received no action by the committee to which they were referred...
...Organized veterans obtained a Spanish War veterans pensions system over the President's veto, however, and also the World War veterans bill, by a vote as large as 06 to 6 in the Senate...
...In conference this sum was made available for "rehabilitation...
...Yet, by a non-partisan vote, 68 Senators, including 84 Republican* and 24 Democrats, voted for the dole to the plutocrats...
...mmmF E|rr~" exe talking about HE thing in the world...
...The Progressives . raake an occasional cavalry attack but they will not keep up a continuous and consistent fight against the enemy...
...had its way—the bulk of the Democrats voting with the Republicans...
...The Wagner...
...COtfJES THE DEPRESSION What was the first concern of Congress, meeting in regular session in December, 1929, after the stock market crash and depression...
...GIANT POWER Hydro-electric power shall It be controlled by the government for the benefit of the people, or shall It be exploited by private corporation* for their own profit T The Norria bill for the government operation of the 1125,000,000 power plant at Muscle Shoals Anally passed both houses in the third session of the 71st Congress, only to he vetoed by President Hoover...
...It confirmed Gar* saud and Draper, but rejected Smith...
...First, a bird's eye view of the 71st Congress...
...FARM BELIEF A storm broke on the very first bill submitted to the new Congress meeting in special seaainn at the call of President Hoover to conaider farm relief and a 1 United revision of the tariff...
...President Hoover refused to send the names back to the upper house...
...1, ISM Mar 4. l tU Its make-up wsa as follows: Senate: RepsjbUcans^U...
...In the House the administration, backed by a vote of 367 to 34...
...In a fight on a clearcut Issue, as to whether government funds could be used to keep the victims o f our economic system from starving, the Insurgent group caved to- ' - UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF The paltry sum of $118,000000 far public works was appropriated at the administration's request...
...Then astute old Joe Grundy picked off certain reachable Democrats (Grundy is a Republican) and a new .combination, consisting of Senators from industrial states, with those from oil and lumber states, undid the work of the Coalition...
...Such was the measure of the Pres...
...The chief Issues at stake in the 71st Congress were: (1) Farm relief, (2) Tariff revision, (S) Water power, (4) Membership of Supreme Court, ( 6 ), Drought relief, (6) Unemployment relief, and (7) London naval treaty...
...What really defeated htm, however, was a disparaging remark he made about.the Negro la a camI paign for governor in North Carolina ten years before...
...Democrats, 42...
...S riding on top ef the seep s la another matter r a it the workers get bumped, E mention sided with Tammany I Roosevelt for siding vnth St* city affairs...
...It covers only three countries: Great Britain, Japan, and the United States, and applies only to the navy...
...The unemployed...
...Democrats, 166...
...The farmers, through their leading organizations, said yes...
Vol. 14 • July 1932 • No. 1
