If We Heed the Spirit of NIRA, We Approach a Real Solution
Cohen, Joseph E.
By Joseph E, Cohen If We Heed the Spirit of NIRA, We Approach a Real Solution Business Men May Try to Cheat, and Labor May Tend to Muff Its Opportunities, but the Machinery Is Here—to Be...
...asked Bill...
...That would bring me a peck of trouble," said Joe with a thoughtful look...
...In the housekeeping of •government, their failure is even more abject...
...You would help to destroy that solidarity , by getting them into disputes over theology...
...The Active Instrument "Mutual agreement/' as menioned in the recovery act, thereore becomes the active instrument or continuing the operation of the ode so each industry is sized and Imped properly and fits in nuggly in the national structure is a whole...
...Employers may cheat each other in privately beating their code of fair competition...
...You have an argument to answer and instead of answering it you attack your opponent in another range of his beliefs...
...I probably didn't think this thing through," said Joe...
...i They Sign a Treaty on Tactics t "•THAT'S it," said Bill...
...That leaves on top of the iesk more piessing need for active ;ooperation between the trade asso:iations of the* employers and the trade unions of the employees to :arry on after the government idministrator clears his docket of >ne industry in order to take up mother...
...asked Joe...
...But in addition to ignoring his real fire you invite fire from some who are now .with you...
...And no one Mkes to picture the remaining millions waiting in the long line far into next year, before the complete running of our industrial machinery needs them...
...These workers have reached , some degree of solidarity by joining the union and standing , togther in strikes...
...You not only do what your opponent wants you to do ] and thus give him the advantage, but you divide your own I ranks against yourself...
...Joe asked...
...We hnve had the, Know-Nothings, the A.P.A., t and the Ku Klux Klan, and all such movements have diverted f workers from their common interests and divided them into / warring groups...
...It is a good rule of military tactics to find out what the enemy commander wants you to do and then don't do it If you do what he wants you to do you will play into his hands and contribute to your own defeat...
...he comes into a field where c you are strong instead of you entering his where you are c weak...
...I don't think he left anything out I'm going to say a mouthful about his mildewed ideas everywhere I go and put Bis theology on the spot...
...The union has members who are I Jews, Protestants, free-thinkers, Catholics and probably 1 some materialists...
...Well, I read of an artist last week who made a bitter attack on Socialism and I'm going to attack his art," said Bill...
...That the men have hopelessly gummed up the works nobody can deny...
...One could well afford to laugh and brand this outfit as an egostical bunch of nit-wits," Jim Maurer comments, "were it not for the tolerant attitude that all branches of the United States government are taking towards it, despite its constant intrference in public meetings, especially in Philadelphia, where after such a disturbance the police raided the headquarters of the anti-Fascists while the Khaki Shirters were not molested...
...This, in fact, is what our countrj is doing again to lead the world As the fight against the depressior is won, as economic chaos is mad< to yield ground to order, as in dustrial democracy is achieved, at unknown factors in national problems become known, nearer grows the certajnty that international accord and enduring betterment will be secured...
...If he f ventures from his field of theology into political and eco- 1 nomic ideas meet him upon this ground...
...This is your chosen field...
...you 1 defend them and have all your members back of you instead e of some of them back of him if you take up his theology...
...Well, it's aggravating to have attacks come from such a source...
...tell him precisely that and do 1 * something more...
...That women as a whole, however, particularly women organized into various civic clubs, are taking a much more intelligent and keen interest in the problems of government, is true and is much to their credit To I any powerh parties will | a woman cu of her supra discloses s truly touchinj No, sister,: the wrong ft are not lookh women—who and an under lems they wl If that wer» bullfrog O* elected...
...the union ] members and he injected theological views into the union, j Every member would also object, and now you propose to 1 do the same thing...
...I don't get that," said Joe, "and don't hurl a load of philosophy at me when you answer...
...In the nuste to get the codes adopted and make a start at recovery not enough attention has Been given to secure sufficiently »ccurate estimates o* wages and hours to insure such improvement »8 would count heavily for re:overy...
...better lose all art, all Inventions, than to lose liberty...
...The jag has been over for nearly jifH years, but the results have not worn off...
...I'm sure you didn't," Bill replied...
...A membership of ten millions is claimed, well disciplined and armed and ready to march on Washington and establish a Fascist dictatorship, probably under Art J. Smith, "commander-in-chief...
...are we headed for i By Gertrude Weil Klein Men Have Madj Will Women "MEN have failed utterly, shamefully and ridiculously in the business of government...
...Exactly, and you'll make no headway against that priest if instead of answering his political and economic argument you ignore it and go after his theology," said Bill...
...The Nations Industrial Recovery Act may b< ' cited as tending to a constitutor of industrial democracy...
...The aims of the Khaki Shirts, according to Maurer, were outlined by its officers as follows: to destroy all labor organizations, all workers' political parties and all radical and progressive groups: in fact, to crush all who oppose them (interview in Philadelphia Evening Public ledger, June 16...
...They aril been willing ¦ boys, to be m spite of all tt suffrage, and this" was supl them as vota still outsider* erated, and fl main in their woman sbo* herself an 0t the game, tot I paign for pW methods of I and she will In the cold...
...Aat the same time it is not unusual to ,. find Catholic, Protestant and free-thinking capitalists united g on the same board of directors of a corporation trying to s •Vstroy some union of workers...
...AMERICA* drew out of the world conference actually becaure a solution is hard to find in a problem where nearly all the factors are unknown...
...In a national crisis no whit less grave than that of w r, there must be whole-hearted mobilization of all resources for the common purpose...
...Holy smoke, you've got the right dope," said Joe...
...Did you read that attack on the radicals by a Catholic priest the other day...
...1 NINETEEN In the last week of July, 1914, the Gem armies and the Russian and Austrian and I Belgian armies swung into action...
...You would . object if a theologian were invited to speak to...
...Th« ft won public 1 with perhaps exceptions, *¦ sex...
...The two figures in the addition would be turned about But the sum would be the same...
...Now you begin to answer an attack on 1 radicalism by attacking theology, and what effect will it ' have on the members who are religiously inclined...
...Answer him fearlessly...
...However painful it may be to watch the delegates return home with empty pockets it is fai better to have that than to have them unload a collection of imitation pieces, which are frauds on their face with failure written in every line...
...ment from B§| I Ufc 1833 to 1933...
...Liberty snstsins the same relation to all the virtues that the sun does to life...
...Nothing is more sure to divide llic working people than religious convictions and prejudices...
...Spread of buying wwer will take from the belt of i ' production the goods as fast at . they are made and keep them eir , culating so there is no hitch...
...H la the seed snd soil, the heat and rain of lore and Joy.—IngersolL Joe Takes War Path Against Theology, But Bill Manages To Avert Mistaken Course --¦---------- By Autolycus....."I'M going on the war path, believe me," said Joe grabbing * Bill by tie collar as he entered the Rand School lobby...
...1 "Say, aren't you slipping into that philosophy which you promised to avoid...
...No, what did he say...
...The organization is strictly militaristic in nature...
...Bill Avoids Philosophy "1UO philosophy is necessary," Bill replied...
...No matter what their ideas may be regarding theology, they have ] common interests against the employing class...
...The world hsd better go bsck to barbarism to the dens, the csves, and lairs of savagery...
...By Joseph E, Cohen If We Heed the Spirit of NIRA, We Approach a Real Solution Business Men May Try to Cheat, and Labor May Tend to Muff Its Opportunities, but the Machinery Is Here—to Be Used...
...Liberty Is the brenth of progress...
...Heeding the letter and spirit ol ' the act we shall enjoy the nearest approach yet made in any countrj | to have industry serve the nation , Caught in this economic crisis America is feeling its wsy out trui \ to its political form...
...To whatever extent the recovery act falls short of its aim, the country as a whole will pay the penalty...
...Bu , even more than tha* will be accom plished...
...Employees may muff the.r responsibility to organise in their trade union and discharge their full duties of parnership in the conduct of their branch of industry...
...No, my d* poration, a *W because the H the best jobi...
...J "Take the war path, Joe, but be sure that the one you n Sake doesn't lead yon into an ambush," aaid Bill, as they „ Returned to the shop...
...Women should take this filthy, battered, broken old globe and make of it a paradise of comfort, cleanliness, health and beauty...
...let the theologian stick to his trade," said Joe...
...Figures will tell how sufficiently he cold numbers of unemployed nelt away before the stoked fires if recovery...
...Better ask what he didn't say," Joe replied...
...But industry is to be healed more so by what is done within itself...
...They know nothing about system, efficiency or economy and they never get anything done...
...Thus speaks a leading feminist, InezHaynes Irwin, who is H writing a his- JiBr" j tory of the U flj EHtl woman move- 19 *3em...
...Bill paused for a moment, but Joe scratched his head, gave ( Bill a quizzical look, and Bill continued...
...Deal with him as c you would with any other reactionary politician and econo- ' mist...
...But what has that got to do with my proposal...
...You said if Bill replied...
...A little * ' commonsense is sufficient...
...Shots vt fired, blood* began to flow, and the lunacy w on...
...So if the nations are to return at a later day to finish what is to be done they will have to bring different material and other tools...
...To set our own house in order we have the National Industrial Recovery Act...
...Moreover, you would abandon your own field where you are strong and enter his where you are weak and thus do what he would like to have you do...
...Simply this...
...If he is a vegetarian and you are not, why not also attack his vegetarianism ? That would be just j as sensible as to put his theology under the microscope...
...But you won't answer him even if you show that he is a bum artist," said Joe...
...And woman will I capped than I man...
...W the world never learn...
...Risk and Danger Whatever risk is run in banking too much upon this effort to place industry upon an even foundation, much more danger lies in trying to hamper its tryout...
...America had to withdraw because no general merit could be found in what was offered for acceptance...
...Immediate use of the three billion dollar* for public *v>rks and construction should require a large number of recruits to the payrolls of the government and private industry...
...Because Americs does not hsve to steady itself through so many complications as do the European countries, ours should be expected to ready itself first for the world task...
...Jim Maurer Warns Against Khaki Shirts DFADING, Pa.—A warning " against the so-called "Khaki Shirts" organization, which "when soliciting membership among workers pretends to* be friendly to labor and hostile to capitalists but is really the reverse," has been issued for the United Workers' Federation of Pennsylvania, a state division of the Continental Congress, by James H. Maurer, its chairman...
...Joe Begins to Hesitate "TWO, I'm still within the range of ordinary horsesense 1 1 ' which intelligent persons observe in the arena of debate," Bill replied...
...He attacks the workers and their organizations...
...My advice not only to the working class but to all good citizens of the United States is to steer clear of the organization," says Jim, who for 16 years was president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Labor and was twice Socislist vicc-presidentinl candidate...
...You're working for a more progressive ' and effective unionism...
...Plainly Europe waa supposed to gain by what this country lost...
...They don't know yet how to stop going to war...
...jWp: And another .uir^arB 1 well-known ^Ssflm i newspaper -xdflv' woman brings wM "'WST^ 1 the issue right into focus by J w Klei„ advocating a woman fusion candidate for Mayor of New York City...
...In Washington the barometer of employment is counted to show a gain of two or three million back at work by Labor Day, or there will be real disappointment Such numbers seem woefully scant as against twelve to thirteen million out of jobs...
...That women might do better because of the peculiar attributes of their sex is just plain hooey...
Vol. 16 • July 1933 • No. 5
