Socialism, the NRA and the Farmers
Socialism, the NRA and the Farmers ! Socialist Party Attacks NRA as Foe of Workers The following resolution on NRA •ad Labor was adopted unanipiously by the Socialist Party convention at...
...Harold Hatcher, secretary of the Illinois Parmer*' I'nloni Chester (•rahaiii, director nl Hie Ashland People's College in Michigan...
...The requirement ofoceupancy under this provision shall not be applied^to bona fide cooperatives or farmers who reside in communities...
...George Rhodes, president of the Federated Trades Council, Heading...
...Two aspects of the NRA create the wrong belief among workers that fit constitutes a step toward Socialism and that its purpose is to aid the working class...
...It has produced very few new Jobs...
...6. That national, regional and state land utilization boards on which working farmers have representation be formed for the purpose of discovering the best uses of the farming land of the country in view of the joint needs of agriculture, industry, recreation, water supply, reforestation, and so forth, and to prepare the way for agricultural planning on a national and ultimately on a world scale...
...The right of the closed shop has been denied...
...irahain, N.E.C...
...But they will succeed in these efforts only in proportion to their own organized strength and fighting ability...
...It gave organizers the opportunity to claim that the government favored the organization of unions...
...Socialism, the NRA and the Farmers ! Socialist Party Attacks NRA as Foe of Workers The following resolution on NRA •ad Labor was adopted unanipiously by the Socialist Party convention at Detroit, after certain sections reported by the Resolutions Committee had been deleted by the convention: TPHE NRA constitutes a recog* nition by the representatives of the ruling class that capitalism has broken down, and that drastic measures are required to repair and preserve it...
...The colossal failure of the government to enforce the law is creating a constantly growing disillusionment in the ranks of the workers...
...member and general organizer far the Amalgamated Clothing Workers...
...member, chairman...
...Krueger and Hoy Hurt, aU...
...The NRA aims to stabilize and maintain it...
...All subscriptions to The New J^sder should be sent to Samuel *¦ White, 1871 Greeawich Street, Ig Francisco...
...Luggage Workers' I'ninn, New York...
...The State Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of California has designated The New Leader as the official organ of the party and is asking all Socialists to make every ¦effort to build up the circulation of the paper in this ¦Hate...
...Both home and job can be made safer and more remunerative when farmers, through their own organizations, plan for agriculture instead of submitting to the present chaos...
...They shall not be liable for any taxes except the crop tax to support the government...
...Al llenson, (Sfofge llampel and National Chairman Leo Krzyckl, all of Milwaukee, ..ml Maynaril Krueger of Chicago, N.E.C...
...Shoemaker still holds a membership card in the Socialist Party, much to the embarrassment of party members in that state...
...Public attaint-Norman Thomas nl New Y'ork, chairman...
...of Chicago...
...Therefore, be it resolved: That we are unalterably opposed to and do hereby condemn the entire program of subsistence farming, j A sub-committee consisting of Robert Miller of Minnesota, Andrew J. Riemiller of Wisconsin, and Maynard Krueger of Illinois was elected to gather data and to communicate with farmer and labor organizations to work up opposition to subsistence farming and to provide a leaflet to furnish information about the details of the subsistence farming plan...
...Murray llarnn, manager of Hie...
...The N.E.C, therefore, voted that any party member seeking office in Minnesota through the Farmer-Labor Party must first have the sanction of the party organization...
...The booklet includes a report of the survey made by the Memphis chapter of the League for Industrial Democracy and the Tyronza Socialist Party under the direction of W. R. Amberson...
...That depends entirely on who controls the state and the purpose of the intervention...
...Even if the...
...James 1...
...To accomplish this end we propose USE as the sole title to land...
...took up a curious situation that exists in Minnesota...
...The internal contradictious of capitalism are too far-reaching to be removed by any method other than the destruction of capitalism...
...are: Organization -Mayor Daniel W. Hoan of Milwaukee, N.E.C...
...The NRA is not a step towards jfocialism...
...Louis VYaldinau and Max Hi-Ism of New York, and David Felix nl Philadelphia...
...I At its meeting in Gleudale, May 19-20, the S.E.C...
...The millions of farmers, now crucified under capitalism, must quickly realize that there can never be an abundant market for farm products until society sincerely proposes that the worker shall consume abundantly and also guarantees to all the workers incomes sufficient to purchase abundantly...
...This is already being attempted...
...It was also voted that the state organization in Minnesota should take steps to end Shoemakers' membership in the party...
...The S.E.C...
...The saihe may be salt of many other sections of th< United States...
...wishes to point out • those comrades who are anxious to have a state paper, that in order to realize this aim it is necessary •rit to succeed in the things we h»ve already undertaken, namely, to build up the circulation of The Jew Leader and that of The New werld, bar campaign paper...
...It is state intervention in economic affairs, but not every form of state intervention is Socialism...
...The farmer desires security in the tenure of his farm," which serves as both his home and the means of his livelihood...
...Powers llapgnod of Indiana, N.L.C...
...In the first place, no limitations of any kind must be permitted on the right to < strike...
...But it has pdtentialities of fascism which the working class can only forestall by rising to its obligations...
...Minnesota Party...
...3. That existing bona tide cooperative and federal and state marketing agencies be created and farmers and consumers and cooperative societies be encouraged by government finance to take over the processing and distribution of farm products with the view of eliminating the exploitation of the farmer...
...O. I'lilllps...
...It has concentrated into the hands of the government powers which every fascist state reaches for...
...This assistance was psychological...
...It has definitely organized capitalists into trade associations and thus increased their power to fight labor unions...
...The committees elected by the N.E.C...
...This will not affect the title of farmers who now farm their own land...
...Every ^aspect of this attempt,must he [considered in the light of its sole purpose—the maintenance of capitalism...
...2. That the federal government take over all debts on farms, operated by working owners, and reduce the interest rates to be actual carrying charges...
...Urged to Expel F. H. Shoemaker PVETROIT...
...In all cases, farm representatives should be selected by the working farmer...
...Immediate Relief Measures As immediate relief measures we propose: > 1. That the burden of taxes be shifted from farms and homes to income, inheritances, non-resident, excess profits, etc., such taxes to be collected by the federal government and distributed for school and other purposes...
...1...
...The Socialist party must point out to the workers of this country that the NRA is no solution of their problems, that it cannot eliminate unemployment or lessen class conflict...
...Secondly, the NRA has, in order to achieve its objective of serving capitalism, supposedly granted Workers certain rights...
...Tile lahor committee is headed hy National Chairman Leo Krr.yckl...
...use of the weapon—the general strike...
...Immediately after *J the adjournment of the national convention the Socialist Party's newly elected National Executive Committee set up a number of important committees to begin functioning at once...
...It is rather a beginning of state capitalism...
...4. We propose that the farm prices be stabilized in proportion to the products of industry by representatives of agriculture and consumer...
...Like the industrial worker in the city, his life is controlled by the same economic laws of the social system, and only as this system is changed from the present basis of production for profit to a system of production for use, wherein the producer shall receive the full social value of the product of his lahor, only thus can the farm problem he solved...
...The actual administration of the law has in fact robbed labor of most of the privileges theoretically granted...
...Other niemlierK an1: l.nnls llendln, chairman Of the lahor committee of the New York party...
...Socialism aims to abolish the profit system...
...California Starts Big Drive for The New Leader By Samuel S. White i SAN FRANCISCO...
...The chief benefit was the impetus it gave to labor organization...
...The wage rates established have thrown out of employment thousands of Negro workers, adding to the hardships of this most oppressed section of the American working class...
...This purpose reveals the class character of the NRA and its entire machinery...
...Robert Miller, prmldrnl (if thr Minnesota runners' Iniin...
...NRA were perfectly administered, it could not abolish unemployment because the private profit system must inevitably cause nuemployment...
...Capitalism has no rescutd them from the "idiocy o: rural life...
...First of all, the state machinery is being utilized a set up codes...
...follow: l-'ariu work AI llciihiin,' stute secretary of the Wisconsin parti', chilli mini...
...Compulsory arbitration is only a disguise for restrictions on the right to strike and must be fought bitterly...
...M. Sliiidiil...
...The "Plight of the Share Cropper" should be widely circu lated In farming communities...
...TPHE farmer realizes that his problem cannot be solved merely as a farm problem...
...The present state is in effect the executive committee of the ruling class...
...A relentless struggle must be waged against all forms of company' unions...
...This tax shall be collected in kind and n4tfr 'n cash...
...Without organization, disfranchised, victims of every ill that accompanies malnutrition, the share-croppers, more than a millior and a half of them in ten cottongrowing states, are more deeply submerged' than the slum dwelleri of the cities...
...The Share-Croppers The ignorance of city dwellers back-to-the-land enthusiasts included, in everything pertaining tc farming borders on the sublime Those who still believe in the independent life of the farmer should turn to "The Plight of the ShareCropper," a pamphlet by Norman Thomas...
...The Socialist Party holds it to be contrary to the interests of our movement for members of the party to serve on administrative, Compliance and labor boards of the NRA, unless expressly chosen by the workers and designated to represent them...
...It has established code authorities with vast power for the conduct of business...
...The N.E.C...
...Employers have with impunity defied the law...
...Education and research—Andrew J, lllemlller of Milwaukee, chairman, and .lack S ul 11 vii n, Katlirrhir Pnllak, May mini...
...The only way for the workers is to organise politically Into the Socialist Party and economically into powerful industrial onions and coopers live organizations, and to use these working-class organizations to abolish capitalism, and create Socialism...
...We advocate public ownership not only of the banks, utilities and natural resources but also of the farm implement factories and the so-called middleman instrumentalities, that is, those industries engaged in a processing and distribution of farm products which under private ownership rob the farmer by buying his crops at less than the cost of production and selling them to the consumer at priceB several times as high...
...The machinery of the NRA has been used to break strikes...
...As a special lii•Menient at this tinie, a free siib•rlption to The New World will JJfiven to those who send in their for a year's subscription td ifF Hew Leads...
...memlier and president of the Montana State t'ederalinii of I.iiInH ; I'm 117 Daniel of Philadelphia, N.E.C...
...nieniher, now organizing shoe workers 111 New England...
...inrnilier mid active leader In tinOklnlninm l-'iinnrrs' I'nlun...
...master of Hie Missouri State (liaiiKe: Klmer Sinliikel, dirt farmer, who l!» chairman of the Socialist Party In Iowa...
...and that the Campaign Committee will issue a campaign paper, we feel that, at this time, any move to establish a state or sectional labor or Socialist paper would be ¦nfortunate...
...lamed Oneal, New York, vice-chairman, both N.E:C mem hers...
...Codes are unenforced...
...N.K.C...
...Plantations worked by sharecroppers and day laborers should be taken over by the public and farmed by individual farmers who have use leases or by cooperatives of working farmers...
...B. B. The Socialist Party and The Farmers' Problem The following resolution on the problems of the American farmers was adopted by the Detroit eonven- > Hon, after certaTh' sections, proposed by the Platform Committee, were deleted by the Relegates...
...passed'the following resolution: "That in view of the fact that W« are attempting to promote the general circulation of The New Leader and that we have an arrangement with The New Leader to publish a California edition...
...member...
...Subsistence Farming After a thorough discussion the following resolution was adopted unanimously: Whereas the present/ capitalist administration proposes a program of subsistence farming as a means of eliminating the unemployed from the industrial areas, and Whereas this program embodies one of the most vicious underhanded plans for scattering the workers and destroying the possibility of industrial organization by a proposal of small factory and homt piece work...
...The courts, the police and the militia are increasingly being used to interfere with the attempts of workers to organize...
...The erratic Farmer-Labor Congressman F. H...
...The survey shows the results of the cotton acreage reduction program that failed to give the widely promised relief...
...The NRA is not fascism...
...It must be borne in mind that the NRA has brought certain disadvantages which did not exist before...
...Those farmers who wish to transfer title of their lands to the government may obtain leases for land rent free on the basis of occupancy and use...
...It has "intervened" through the NRA only because the members of the capitalist class have been unable to solve their problems separately and without some higher authority to enforce their decisions...
...This committee will present full plans for farm organi/ation work to the next Hireling of the national roiiliillttre which will he I1H1I on l.alinr Day...
...Ilupgnod will serve as secrelary for the Committee, Other sul) committee...
...5. That insurance against adverse conditions and catastrophes be provided...
...Workers must put up a militant fight for a shorter work week, and a higher wage scale, for unemployment, old age and other forms of social insurance...
...Low minimum wages, combined with shorter hours, and an increased cost of living, have operated, in fact, wherever new jobs have been given out as a share-the-work scheme...
...The one-family farm is both the home and the job of the farmer...
...The strike is the basic weapon of the labor conflfct—any attempt to whittle it down must be met with' the widest and most far-reaching...
Vol. 17 • June 1934 • No. 24
