As the World Stands at the Crossroads
Hoan, Daniel W.
As the World Stands At the Crossroads By Daniel W. Hoan Ja tln-( <la> > of transition from tin- old laisses faire policy of uggcd individualism for the mlssi - and ragged individualism or the...
...Naturally, he prefers defenceless, unorganized labor...
...There is some confusion of lought on these matters which .as created a tolerant attitude to ictatorship of the Left," the re>ort asserts...
...In my opinion, the attitude assumed by the steel representatives can be properly interpreted as a challenge to the government...
...The ssumption in the minds of those dvocating this course, and who ce not themselves Communists, is early that the liberties of the •ople are menaced by Fascism 'd that, therefore, a united front i° all those who object to the loss I such liberty is essential...
...H e nderson was opposed by a Tory supported by Premier MacDonald, and by Harry Pollitt, Communist leader...
...The vote stood 21,931 for Henderson, 6,293 for the Tory supporter| of, the Mac Donald "National" government, and 3,434 for the Communist, whose vote was so small that he forfeited his deposit...
...Henderson has been without a seat in Parliament since October, 1931, when he was defeated at Burnley...
...As for Mr...
...British workers are often hasty in their judgment of Amer i affairs...
...they actually refused to meet with a representative of the United States Government...
...The Congress adopted * resolution appreciating "the significance of the vigorous efforts sow being Bade by President Roosevelt" and a British Labor mission may be sent to the United States to study the NRA...
...Such people cannot understand hat Communism stands for a die atorship, just as ruthless to Minority opinion as Fascism," the report continues...
...Sometimes| it means...
...is the cry, and since all manufacturers are anxious to get this business because it may mean volume and a steady demand, the competition is ruthless and cutthroat...
...Mr Whalen addressed the department store heads the other day, but what he told them has remained a secret...
...bankruptcy...
...They became enthus astic backers of President Wilso- iring the World War and were sadly disappointed with his work when the struggle ended...
...We believe the problem should not be approached on a r/ave of emotionalism, but by careful thinking and planning...
...foi him...
...Whalen or to the instrumentality of the NRA is absurd The sweatshops will be abolished when the industry is thoroughly unionized and controlled, and not before—NRA or no NRA...
...But the direction is right, and because the direction is right this congress calls upon the government to take similar measures...
...I thank you sincerely for your 1 telegram...
...Under he National Industrial Recovery ict the government is effipowered 0 shorten hours of labor, increase ages, control production and fix rices...
...But more often he takes it out of labor...
...With Labor weak and insuffi•ntly organized, and Capitalism veloping monopolistic tendencies, • would soon find ourselves in ¦ grip of Fascism with all its riblc evils...
...We will have to choose one of two roads: the one leading to Fascist dictatorship, or the other leading to co-operation, equality of opportunity and universal brotherhood, according to the principles of Socialism...
...I This is a time tor Organized Labor to adopt a militant and aggressive course and to demand feailtss and courageous leadership from those who represent them...
...When the amiable Mr...
...To talk as though the abolition of the sweatshops is an accomplished fact and to credit its abolition to the e n d e a vors of Mr...
...The demand, in effect, is asking those who believe ;n democracy to unite with those who believe in dictatorship to combat dictatorship...
...Whalen, he is an executive of one of the largest department stores in New York City, and the department stores together with the large mail order houses are more responsible for the existence of sweatshops than any other single factor...
...Under this program, both Capal and Labor have been given the ght to organize and co-operate 1 promote their respective eco>mic interests under the superision of the government...
...Sweatshops Aren't Dead Yet, NRA or No NRA By Gertrude Weil Klein DERTHA the beautiful sewingmachine girl has a brand new hero none other than the debonair Mr...
...This process finally reached ae end of its cycle and brought n industrial and business paralsis, with half of our population ^employed or working part time . starvation wages...
...This confusion of iiought is reflected in demands for . united front with the Communsts against the Fascists...
...The government cannot afford to yield, but instead it is obligated through the use of the power which it possesses to require private industry, even steel, to conform to the letter as well as the spirit of the National Industrial Recovery Law, and to permit workingmen to organize, free from interference or restraint, for the purpose of promoting and advancing their economic and social interests...
...And the NRA can't stop it...
...At the general ^ecUon* the vote was 21,163 for %abor and 11,611 for the Governnlent candidate...
...The decation against dictatorship was .ned against Fascism and against group of "intellectuals" in the ibor Party said to be sympathetic ith the Communist view of dicttorship...
...On the other hand, with Labor ..nig and thoroughly organized, it is in certain industries and • to be in all industries, this snsition which we are now witnessing may bring some immediate benefits to Labor and by it directed to the next stage of development, namely: the government ownership and democratic operation of the basic industries, which is Socialism It is, therefore, imperative that I workers with hand and brain, | whether organized or unorganized, awaken to their new opportunity...
...Whalen will be displaying his teeth and his histrionic abilities elsewhere, the sewing girls will be finding out that what they have gained is only a paper gain unless they learn how to lean on themselves and on each other...
...I shall be tremendously disappointed with the government and the administration if it surrenders in any way whatsoever to these private interests...
...On Tuesday the Congress heard T. E. Burke, American delegate, laud the NRA, and he was followed by J. M. Madscn, another American delegate, who said that American workers were behind the President...
...The declaration was contained i Lhc report of the general council...
...The issue is clearly drawn and I know of no better time when the issue between the government and autocratic industry can he made...
...Under such circumstances at least the government should not permit the steel magnates to defy the government and to force it to lower its .standing and influence...
...The Communists and MacDonald united in an effort to keep him out...
...When the steel representatives refused to participate in a meeting at which I was present they did not merely refuse to meet with the President of the American Federation of Labor...
...I'm looking ahead this Labor Day period with a lot of hope that the unions will press every advantage the times may give them...
...Where labor is organized and puts up some resistance the manufacturer has to pocket part or all of the loss himself...
...Like the kittens in the window of the pet shop, one will have to stick close to the other, not only to keep the other warm but to keep herself warm...
...That issue should be faced and faced courageously...
...Sometimes | the | manufacturer suffers...
...It is a time for organizing the lar"ge masses of unorganized workers and carrying on an effective campaign of education...
...From William Green To Norman Thomas I AM pleased to learn through * your telegram of August 16th that you appreciate the issue raised by the steel interests when they assumed a defiant attitude toward the government...
...But lean gently, sister, lean gently on your hero, or you will find him collapsing like a frail though gaudy manuikin of papier-mache...
...It is for us now to pave the way for a new and more just social order, by spreading the doctrine of Socialism and enlisting in our ranks the awakening masses of the hitherto oppressed and exploited worker...
...It is inconceivable that the government would yield to the management and ownership of private industry, and yet I fear that the reaction of the government to the ultimatum delivered by the steel corporation may be construed as a surrender of its sovereignty...
...In a total poll about 1,000 smaller than in 1931 the Labor vote went up about 800...
...As the World Stands At the Crossroads By Daniel W. Hoan Ja tln-( <la> > of transition from tin- old laisses faire policy of uggcd individualism for the mlssi - and ragged individualism or the workers, I.ahor is faced vith a greater opportunity than •ver before in it- history...
...Let us use the New Deal to hasten the dawn of the New Day...
...The government, in my opinion, is now at grips with the steel interests...
...That is a part of the issue raised by the steel magnates themselves...
...Arthur Henderson Elected Arthur Henderson, Foreign Minister in the last Labor Party government and for many years Secretary of the British Labor Party, was re-elected to Parliament by an overwhelming majority, in a bye election at Clay Cross n e c essitated by the death of the sitting labor member...
...If they do, if by their continued energetic action, they will realize something tangible for the workers in their industries, then we may have a better chance to make them understand the necessity for class-conscious organized action on the political field...
...Grover Whalen, who is now grabbing the spotlight as head of NRA in New York...
...THE right of a man to main* tenance at the nations table depends on the fact that he is a man, and not on the amount of health and strength he may have, as long as he does his best.—Edward Bellamy...
...Cheaper, cheaper, cheaper...
...The old Capitalism of free eomK-tition years ago gave way under he urge of inevitable economic development to the new Capitalism if mergers, banker domination, ¦vercapitalization, unparalleled ex iloitat ion of the workers and inpreredented concentration of ealth...
...In other words, the old slogan with perhaps a new dialect, "It must te a union...
...Now we are witnessing the trailition into an era of government irtnership with business...
...Walter M. Citrine, secretary of the Congress, said, "We don't say the British Government should follow identically what has been done in the United States...
...British Labor Opposes Dictatorship Trends rHE British Trade Union Con* gress meeting in London adopted i declaration calling upon British orkers to fight any form of dici tor ship whether of the Right or 3 Left, end the delegates enased over the recovery program President Roosevelt...
...It is also essential that economic action be combined vith enlightened i.nd forward-looking po'itical action, and this presents an unusual opportunity for the Socialist Party to provide he leadership which the new and jwiftly changing conditions call or...
...We are approaching the crossroads in our march of progress...
...And so the sweatshop flour* ishes...
...When a department store or mail order house places an order with a manufacturer for naerchandise, it dictates terms...
...It can't be otherwise...
Vol. 16 • September 1933 • No. 11
