Can Capitalists Save Capitalism?
Feigenbaum, William M.
By William M. Feigenbaum Can Capitalists Save Capitalism? There It a Road to Recovery They Haven't Tried Out Yet and They Won't— They Talk About Being Philanthropic, and They Cut Wage* Even...
...That being so, what about it...
...You can't compel them to do otherwise...
...Having clearly in mind what you wish to impress upon your listeners, you must outline the structure or skeleton of your talk...
...ULTIMATE REMEDY Socialism: equitable distribution ¦ olHlP" come — production...
...Everybody is going to be taken care of...
...However, if you study your material, you can not fall to find Something in it striking enough to use in your introduction...
...And sir it was in all industries...
...Then the manufacturers tried to make this a Two-Car Nation, with a car for the home and an extra one for the office...
...Millions of people were employed making automobiles, and after a while the output was so great that the public couldn't buy them back, no matter how hard they tried, not even with the kindly aid of the "finance corporation" system—installments to you...
...MAJOR CAUSES The inequality in income—the exploitation of the workers—the profit system ^—over-production—the anarchy of capitalist planless production...
...And it payt him to...
...Dope...
...an anecdote, quotation or rhetorical or poetical peroration...
...Pending the time when Socialism ends all private control over enterprises that affect others society can, and should, and MUST exercise strict and rigid control over business TELLING IT WHAT IT MAY AND WHAT IT CANNOT DO...
...You don't like it when employers refuse to add to their staffs, spread the work WITHOUT CUTTING WAGES, and thus help restore the buying power of the masses...
...for COMPELLING you to Shan your meager and diminishing wages with the unfortunate, and al the same time refraining from doing the one thing to stop the ebb' ing of *the tide...
...Another method is to let your audience know what you intend to cover and prove...
...The time has come for the masses seriously to take up immediate methods of shoving them aside and substitute ing some method of social control* You cannot get that control bj> talking about It You can get it by getting into the Socialist movement and building up the mighty power of Socialism that will COM* PEL thess things...
...Very simply...
...REMEDIES (Immediate and ultimate) CONCLUSION and APPEAL...
...It pays him not to be humanitarian...
...Laid Off So auto workers were laid off, factories operated on part time, "temporarily," of course, or closed altogether...
...Last* ly, there is the much abused style of beginning with an anecdote or story...
...Well, there you have us...
...It must have order, connection, progress and logic in arrangement...
...A. What is*the trouble today ? The answer is quite simple...
...la th« treatment of social or economic problems the simplest form is the following: INTRODUCTION (A description of the P'obl.m) CAUSES (a-b-c- etc...
...HOWEVER, THESE CONDITIONS DO NOT EXIST...
...MINOR AND CONTRIBUTORY CAUSES Illness and old age-child labor—seasonal work—machinery and newer technology—changes in styles—mergers, bankruptcies, removal of plants—stock market and financial crashes...
...Each separate employer talks big about Sharing...
...but that wouldn't work...
...It is a matter of sheer survival—not of exploiting capitalism but of our industrial machinery and of the exploited or the unemployed masses...
...Machines should be a blessing...
...What every child should have—etc.—etc...
...They did it because the growing* distress destroyed the power of those at work to resist...
...FOR HE HAS A LEGAL RIGHT TO DO IT...
...You can also reverse the order and treat the effects first and the "causes second...
...Business men have failed...
...Somewhat in the fashion of books, you can give your listeners a "table of contents" or preface...
...Write your notes in large script, with the headings and parts well spaced...
...Why?—Facts—Reasons) For more detailed illustration, I am adding a complete outline on the following subject: The Problem of Unemployment INTRODUCTION The seriousness and extent of the problem—its modern character—in good at wtll as in bad times...
...that Is, not until you I get rigid legislation to that effect...
...You can, and you probably do, but it docs mighty little good...
...You don't like it when employers, THINKING SOLELY OP THEIR OWN MATERIAL WELFARE, add to distress, and to the economic uncertainty that in a way is even more distressing than distress...
...Because the auto workers were so infernally efficient they produced faster and better than the needs cf the market, no ma'.ter how the market was artificially stimulated...
...And if there is not enough work (because they were so efficient in the first place) the shorter working week to have the security of assured work (and wages) for at) D. And how is the work going to be spread...
...But What They Did That is what everybody said...
...Avoid long sentences unless they are to be used for quotation...
...Some topics demand a clear definition of terms at the outset...
...Well, how about it...
...an appeal for action, for membership, or for fundi...
...WHY DID THK EMPLOYERS REFRAIN FROM SHARING...
...When the saturation point was reached, and foreign markets couldn't take care of the surplus, the industry dried up...
...and then they couldn't speid any more...
...In fact, all comprehensive definitions are, at a rule, excellent outlinet for talks...
...Another popular form is to open with a statement of the gravity or seriousness of the subject and the great ' need for more enlightenment upon it...
...There are many formulas for arranging or outlining speeches...
...For h it not written in the text books that the sum and substance of economics is to IH'Y CHEAP AND SELL DEAR...
...So the stores they patronized withered and died, and clothing workers, and food workers, and builders, and railroad men were laid off...
...It is disastrous to him to think of economh disaster just ahead...
...As soon as one group have not enough money to buy with, all other groups suffer...
...The moment the army of unemployed begun to assume ominous proportions ^ employers began to lay more and more burdens upon those 5*till employed, because they were able to get away with it...
...and if you don't believe it ask Harvey D. Gibson...
...but what was done was something else again...
...Or is it...
...li he is not altruistic he is functioning quite properly as a business man in a competitive system . .. and busineeo and industry continue to run down...
...Every step forward had to be forced upon unwilling business by public sentiment, and by legislation, by the power of labor unionism, or by both...
...Sketch your thought out very briefly...
...C. And how is the buying power of the people going to b° restored ? Very simply...
...EFFECTS (a-b-c- etc...
...Running Down Today industry is running down like an unwound watch...
...By restoring he buying power of the people...
...Then they tried to get people to turn in the old car and buy a new one—made up with some trifling change in model—every year...
...There are several choices in the selection of material for the opening and...
...Continued on Page Four) are eternally right What concerns all should be the concern of all...
...system is a story of steadily encroaching government in business...
...They did not share in the way sharing would have been most effective because they did not have to and because they could make more riioney by not doing it...
...AND NOW 18 THE time tq DO HI A Manual for Socialist Speakers 5=====^^ by August Claessens ' {Continued from last tveek) Outlines...
...What an J'ou going to do ? You can damn the boss to hel...
...In outlining a talk on a controversial question involving two or more distinct points of view, arguments and proposals, 8 good form is the following: THESIS (Your argument—Outline it in logical order) ANTITHESIS (The other and contrary arguments...
...The moment the army of unemployed began to increase—slowly at first—conscienceless employers began to cut wages, not because they had to but because they were able to, and because it meant money in their pockets...
...Then let's get at the facts...
...f6r, ¦ use — planned economy—democrjawr^management—a powerful SociaWrt Party...
...This method, if judiciously used, may arouse and attract interest in what you have to say...
...There is after all no such thing as PRIVATE business...
...AFTER you have gathered sufficient •** material for a speech, the next step is its orderly arrangement...
...Also, what material should one use in the conclusion...
...And little old Economic Determinism impels him to look aftei himself, to follow the line of biggest profits...
...Outline carefully and present impartially) SYNTHESIS (The points of agreement —the points of difference—the conclusion...
...I^eave it to the big heart of American business...
...So what...
...T"HIS is the way to recovery...
...Experienced speakers when using notes see the next argument in their outline during the closing sentences in the previous one, and by this method the notes become helpful and inconspicuous...
...So auto workers had to be careful of what they spent, and to hoard their r zings...
...For example, a good talk on Socialism can be made by presenting a definition at the beginning and then taking this definition apart and illustrating every term and phrase*in it...
...We've got too much food and raw materials, we work too ell, we are too damned efficient...
...Nothing, except that the Socialist...
...Chapters on this subject are found in the numerous books on public speaking.* There is also room for infinite originality...
...Then they could give to relief funds and gain great credit for giving—at not too great a cost...
...But even that didn't work...
...In trades and industries not at first affected by the blight, (like city transit, the telephone and other public services) wages were cut, staffs were cut and work added to those remaining at work simply because the employers were legally able to do it and because IT PAID THEM TO DO IT...
...idea is to spread the work by a When the present depression began to spread like a blight, everyone said that the standard of living must not be lowered, that wages must not be lowered, that the gains won by years of struggle would have to be maintained, no matter what the cost...
...Their failure is not personal, but the failure of the profit system...
...Therefore we are slowly starving to d.-ath...
...and each separati employer thinks of his own profit* and hit own selfish welfare, atid each separate employer thut addi to the uncertainty of every single employed worker, which adds mi other incentive for being carefu...
...Not a hungry soul, not an unclad body—you know how it is...
...Then there is the ancient and much used style of opening with a fine quotation...
...Outlines or notes should not be written in essay fashion...
...B. How are we going to get out of the mess (if we ever do...
...There It a Road to Recovery They Haven't Tried Out Yet and They Won't— They Talk About Being Philanthropic, and They Cut Wage* Even When They Don't Have to...
...Jamea Albtrt Wlnaos, Hit Craiurjr Con* pan...
...For the history of our industrial...
...Why were wages not maintained at their previous not-toohigh level...
...about buying which adds to tlu drying up of industry and the laying off of people which leadi to...
...Why were hours not cut and many more people employed to spread work and security...
...Another good form to practice with is the following, whereby one can present the conclusion first and then the arguments to sustain it: THIS CONDITION SHOULD EXIST (Examples: Every worker should have a job...
...Parts of a Speech The question often arises: what material should I use to open a talk...
...So this: YOU CAN'T TRUST THE ALTRUISM OF THE BOSS // he in altruistic it is velvet foi you and bankruptcy for him...
...Every day more and more people are laid off...
...But what can you do about it...
...When people are laid off they must husband their resources and buy cautiously and business glows up, and when they husband their resources industry dries up and people are laid off and industry dries up and people are laid off...
...EFFECTS Poverty — distress — illness — discouragement—crime—prostitution, etc, PALLIATIVES Adequate federal, state and local relief —public work—government labor ex. changes — unemployment insurance — shorter work-day and week...
...closing parts of a speech...
...He is in business, and in competition will other men who would cut hii throat by doing just that if he allowed his humanitarianism to gel the better of him...
...For the concluding section of your speech you may use the following suggestions: a summary or recapitulation...
...Their use is dependent upon the topic and scheme of argumentation...
...This enables you to read at a glance and catch the next point and thus prevent awkward pauses in the delivery...
...We have come to the point at which a discussion of such proposed legislstion TAKING THE) CONTROL OF INDUSTRY OUT OF THE HANDS OF SELFISH BUSINESS MEN is no longer sn academic question...
...Badly and over-written notes compel too much attention to themselves and result in the speaker's losing contact with the audb* •nee...
...All set...
...by putting them back to work and to earning r:gular wages...
...ALLEGED CAUSES Presidents are responsible—prohibition —tariffs—over-production—sun spot h— etc., etc...
...New York...
...Don't Blame the Boss You can damn your boss, but you can't blame him...
...That way, and) no dthar...
...To b* continued ntxt wtek) , - • s>« the cic'llmt work "Public Speaking" kf Prof...
...American business is always careful to let the world know how philathropic it is...
...The Time for Action You don't like it when employers cut wages and add burdens to those already employed...
Vol. 15 • January 1933 • No. 2
