Mere Emergency Legislation Will Not Solve the Problem
Lee, Algernon
Mere Emergency Legislation Will Not Solve the Problem By Algernon Lee DOWN in Florida—in the oaf,skirts of Ocala, birthplace of the Populist movement of the eighteen-nmeties—an unemployed...
...Both the President and the Secretary of...
...3. The War Department lets a contract of 43 million dollars to 'buy 512 airplane engines, of which 432 are to be the most powerful ever built...
...exploiters of mm) big-salary grabbers," and dW not...
...Heywood Broun sH wants to proceed with his fMfef for the election of Marcantonio 9 "Labor-Party Mayor of New Y#» City," I can only laugh...
...Just a few days previously, a Friday, March 6, to be exact, aW cantonio had attended the sanusi meeting, held at the "Star Canto," of the "F...
...vMP of fascist attacks, 1 must aP '.augh...
...Donald Richberg, former "assistant President," is back in the inside Washington picture...
...This the Administration does not seem to see...
...Congress appropriated 1760,000 for the proceedings, to see whether phone ratas are as low as they should be, whether contracts between the numerous A. T. & T. companies are- fair, aad whether equipment prices charged by Western Electric are equitable...
...Employes and owners are now in negotiation and to each group the President sends a letter asking that he he kept, informed on difficulties so that, if necessary, he may take a hand to effect their elimination...
...thi* mag ing published on Monday, March t by "II Progresso ItaJo-AmerkaaV a collection for the "Italian 1st Cross" was taken up st the ¦Swing, and the President, a eettas Mr...
...During the entire period the administration program was also intended to 'prime the pump," get private industry going, passing itito a brisk industrial revival with "prosperity" blessing the Victims of the depression...
...That was taking plaice for five years before the depression began in the fall of 1929, but not yet on a large enough scale to command general attention...
...The net result of all this guessing has been to pile tip a vast Federal debt with practically nothing accomplished in getting the jobless masses back to work...
...Already, within only six years, we have seen this happening to tens of thousands of unfortunate men and women...
...The improvement of industrial technique goes right on, it cannot be checked, and no sensible man would wish'to stop it...
...NEW DEAL HOUSING 1 A HIDEOUS phase of city life is the foul shacks into which the laboring masses are crowded...
...Vito, also Marco and AiififS took pains to assure everybody a* his loyalty to the cause of Am and attacked the anti-fasddt (particularly my own utrsss)j[> "agents of the racketeering Leaf* of Nations...
...It may be bromidic to say so, but one cannot help thinking of ancient Rome and* its rich rulers' maxim of "Panem et circenses dare"—in modern parlance, give the people free lunch and a pass to the movies, and you can do' what you please with them...
...But continue the treatment for months and years, what will happen^ Most of them will bit by bit adjust themselves* to idleness and a reduced standard of living, loea...
...The victims of the depression have no means of 'checking promises made over three years but here are the facts...
...Summarizing the results, the United States News declares that "As of March 11 the Housing Division' of the PWA had 48 low-cost housing projects either under way or the slums to be cleared in the process of demolition...
...Otherwise, it is argued, administration leaders responsible for conduct of foreign affairs, would not be absent from their posts...
...and Anton By Luigi Aatariiif...
...In accordance widhSL Latin motto: "Repttit* }*vtm> I think it would be helpful ts nv peat a litUe and to add a bit wet Maybe the cousins of/the "52 Worker," if not Mr...
...Both somewhat checked the terrible human and economic decay, but they did not solve the problem of unemployment...
...Congressman Marcantonie wa highly praised by Haywood Bash in the "World Telegram" of Fab ruary 17, for his "milragss3 stand against the Italian Fsaasg of New York City, and ParS larly for his open refusal to StSSjl the Madison Square Garden Bejett for the "Italian Red Cross/fc my letter of February 28, Remonstrated that Marcantonio aEaV the Honorary Committee of-last celebration and that afterwarSiM had attended and spoken s* cjs> iiar meetings for the "Italian ftai Cross," besides attawdrag the s> nuai banquet of the' "Leonardo* Vinci Art School," an organhasfi sold, body and soal, to the efp of Italian fascism...
...This awakened widespread interest and this interest has been sustained to the present hour as one announcement after another appeared in these three years...
...If the Communists want to «s> tinue to present him as...
...Broun, who a> tinues to uphbW him...
...their self-reliance and self-respect, their sense of individual responsibility and of class loyalty, accustom themselves to curry favor with the dole-masters and do their bidding—in a word, become a typical "Lumpenproletariat...
...gressman Pro-Terrrpore),^M Hon...
...From Behind the Scenes In Our National Capitol By Benjamin Meiman QISPATCHES to Washington about the international situation are bolstering the hope that War in Europe will be avoided, and that while not all will come "smiling through" they.' will bysome hook or crook "mutUile through" to acorirproBMse...
...The people trusted him and gave him an amazingly free hand: EveW the courts didn't get in his way for more than "two years...
...MARCHING WITH FASCISTS THE Socialist and Labor movement of the world favors imposition of sanctions against fascist Italy while little "revolutionary" sects, including one in the Socialist Party, are opposed to this policy...
...The great bulk of out, unemployed are not like that—not yet...
...v What audacity...
...assured the swasblage that the dob is aiiuejanj none in its loyalty aad devew* to Italy...
...That argument silenced the Republicans and Liberty Leaguers...
...Over half of this fund has been spent, the problem of relief is as grave aa ever, and the President will have to ask for more money...
...Serviceable Army planes now number 776...
...A Federal "dole" was voted to meet a stark emergency, followed by the NRA and the PWA in the same year...
...Tech wood at Atlanta will be the first to be completed but not for months...
...Whoever thinks that the continuance'of mass unemployment, mass dependence, and mass misery is helpful to any movement for the emancipation of the workers—whoever thinks that, be he Communist, Militant, or what-not, has another guess coming...
...So, we actually have lived-* see a six billion dollar corperaW* being investigated...
...Industrial activity is reviving and dividends are on the increase...
...Roosevelt asks for more funds to care for the millions of the unemployed...
...It does not seem a very noble attitude—hardly eves, a decent one...
...The Transportation -Act, expiring Jane 16, prescribes this condition...
...The latest of these concerns* jf Coaxial cable—over which tsjf| sion images may be • • t -.smstt** When the company sought t» ? stall the cable between New T«* and Philadelphia, the comadSsW hedged permission with so Qsi^ strings that the company refuse to build it...
...They did not admit that there is anything fundamentally wrong with our present economic system, -it is a first-rate machine, they held, only through careless handling in the Harding-Cool id ge era a few screws worked loose, some bearings got gummed up, and finally it was run into a ditch—and Engineer Hoover didn't know what to do...
...If the victims had been rich men, the "G Men" from Washington would have been on the job...
...First, about 30...
...Practically nothing...
...General Secretary ?/ Leest m International Ladies' GarmmJtl Worker...
...2. Appropriations for the War Department are reported by Senate committee amounting to 600 million dollars, which is 67 million higher than approved by the House last month...
...When Congressmsn Us* cantonio entered the hah, strip struck up the Italian fascist lath em "Giovinewa...
...eOh, aom m mighty have fallen ELECTION RETURNS FOR JOBLESS FOR the fourth time since he became President, Mr...
...The fact is dia| altar three years of (talk and publicity not a single dwelling unit has been completed and slum-clearance is still in tise future...
...Here they are: 1. House committee votes to report favorably the McSwain bill for increasing Army airplanes over a five-year period from the present authorization of 1,720 to 4,000...
...Acting as "fence," they have ignored » pro...
...If Mr...
...We are doing it for "national defense" only...
...Butler knew what, he was talking about—knew that, however' kind and generous the owners of this country may be in their personal relations, as a class .they are influenced much more by fear than by pity...
...In the course of his speech, » Hon...
...Broua 1SL now wants Marcantonio elects* m "Labor Party Mayor of Newfsf City," will then be able to una*, stand the game...
...The publicity has been good copy for Roosevelt as die impression is left that much is being done...
...Then came the CWA with the object of providing 4,000,000 jobs, but in the middle of 1934 a shift was made to dole, and work relief...
...Finally, employes oppose changes that will increase the jobless...
...The 30-hour week is the most important demand that can be made and it should become a national eruaade...
...Change the renditions and our characters gradually change...
...mm aa aa m. fk la figaau Vito, Marci...
...Vito, also Marco jm Antonio, is just another hats* , American politician, intent;% p 1 a y i if g simultaneously ts» games: radical, for the Amtnea public...
...It has continued right through the la it six and a half years...
...Nsrdooe (* praiser of Italy, the 'Kingjig Mussolini) were both unanuwJSg reelected to their posts as cMr man and president of the dH respectively...
...Millions ¦ of workers' votes were exchanged for these years of muddling through without realizing the rosy promises made year after year...
...But what Imp been accomplished...
...nor Jam they shaken Mareantonic's earn -iiunist friends on* bis...
...Which justifies us in guessing that Chief Spencer perfectly well knows who did the deed : and is bent on shielding his guilty friends...
...The important thing is that- the representatives of Organized Labor are grappling With the hard and basic realities ef life as it is lived by a great mass of the people, while the official statesmen, trying to cater to the conflicting interests of different classes, shut their eyes to inconvenient but essential facts...
...But twelve million working people are still denied employment, and their competition is dragging down the wages and stretching out the hours of two or three times that many who still have jobs...
...To adapt and improve upon Grover Cleveland's famous dictum, It is a long-time trend,and not a passing emergency that confronts us...
...Mere Emergency Legislation Will Not Solve the Problem By Algernon Lee DOWN in Florida—in the oaf,skirts of Ocala, birthplace of the Populist movement of the eighteen-nmeties—an unemployed workingnian was found on Wednesday litera% cracified, spiked hand and foot to an improvised cross, and his .lips sewed together so that he could not call for help...
...State, it goes without saying, will remain in constant touch with developments, which are recognized here to have taken a turn that now makes" war a touch-and-go proposition...
...This is the hearing opened by the Federal* Communications Commission oa the affairs of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, to deter, mine whether phone and telegraph rates are too high...
...What we need is basic reconstruction...
...Cengr«*«as» Marcantonio and Mr...
...increasinq Armaments While hoping for peace Uncle Sam takes a few steps to increase his own armaments, just a few tiny steps...
...Nardone...
...We have not got quite to that point...
...But I will not be alone, for mm people will join with me r » ff* era...
...Mere business recovery does not and will not do away with unemployment...
...The jobless millions certainly endure much for such paltry returns...
...City" (& the time being Republican Gsjj...
...For that reason more and more emphasis must be made upon the necessity of creating useful employment and this means an invasion of the "righta" of the owners of industry...
...The lumpenproletariat is never dangerous to the ruling class unless the ruling class is toe utterly stupid to make use of it It is never under any circumstances helpful, it is always positively dangerous to democracy, to Organized Labor, and to everything that is healthy and hopeful in civilized society...
...pro-Fascist, for the SB crowd...
...It is clear that the state of Florida is either unable or unwilling to prevent or to punish the commission of the most hideous crimes by agents of the propertied class...
...Certain private construction firms were loaned federal funds and seven housing enterprises were completed but Federal housing has hardly got under way...
...The next promise of the New Deal may be as thrilling as the others...
...Second, needed economies in operation are sjow in coming,, and for three reasons...
...and perhaps is not willing to see...
...and the longer unemployment and dependence on relief funds continues, the more rapid will be the degeneration...
...victim of nv scist attacks...
...It implies that if only the unemployed would go off and die without making a fuss about it, or if only some cheaper way of quelling riots could be devised, it would be quite all right to "let nature take its course?*,"" But shocking as it sounds when you say it right out that way, very likely Mr...
...Brora and | cousins of the "Daily VVorbgH that "the future Labor jS8 Mayor of New York...
...With Secretary Hull already absent on a brief vacation and President Roosevelt about to embark upon his annual fishing expedition in the South, Washington international quarters are convinced that Uncle Sam isn't expecting war in Europe...
...j The hearings, in the bine •* bolstered meeting room of the J* terstate Commerce CoBirmssio...
...Orders which the Federal Coordinator of Transportation nnght issue for reducing costs •are circumscribed by the condition that labor must not thereby be displaced...
...We should get rid of the necessity as quickly as possible...
...official, speaking to a church audience the other day in defence of the government's relief policy, declared that it doesn't cost so much to feed the hungry as to suppress bread-riots...
...4f present relief policies throughout the country continue, the effect will be to create a permanent caste of the unemployed accustomed to a pauper existence...
...legislation to cure the ills of the railroads...
...But there are Communists and Communists...
...What are these ills...
...He added that if wt is ashamed of the Italy of today...
...They provide for an increase in the Regular Army, from 147,000 to 166,000...
...It's a new remedy that the President is trying out in his 'prescription of bargaining vs...
...A Maw Labor Policy...
...He said the man must be a "Red" who got his friends to crucify him in order to make propaganda for | Communism...
...Big Business Investigation On Tuesday morning Washington saw the beginning of the biggest business investigation by a Federal .agency...
...No one who candidly compares the three-year record of the Roosevelt Administration with the acts and utterances of the' American Federation of Labor through the same period, culminating in the statement reported elsewhere in this paper, can fail to see that the center.' of...
...Will Franklin D. Roosevelt risk losing Florida's vote in the Democratic convention by taking vigorous action to stop this reactionary sadism ? • • • A high WPA...
...per cent of the .total trackage is in receivership and a great deal more is kept from that condition by Federal loans...
...v In the effort to be more revolutionary than anybody else, our "militants" find themselves-keeping step with one section of the imperialists of each country, with the Trotsky Communists, and with the fascists of all countries...
...They may develop 1ato bitter *jt troversy, if the numerous eMsft between the commission and wf phone company are brought 1st* the open...
...These facta, however, have sj impressed Mr...
...It's "preparedness for war" only when the other fellow does it...
...All that was necessary was to do a little cleaning and tinkering, get the machine back on the high road, and all would be well— trust F. D. R. to do a good job...
...Jobs for the jobless, not alms for the idle, should lead in any intelligent program...
...Unemployment continued and in January, 1935, the President asked for a fund of nearly $5,000,000,000 to end direct relief and to provide work for all who were able to work...
...But j/.is steady increase of the nation's productive pbwer, unless ft is accompanied by an equally rapid increase of purchasing power, inevitably results in disemployment of ever more and mora workers...
...J Private capital may be satisfied" with the result...
...Unun ffiY open letter to HejM Broun, published in aB New Leader of Febn«ry"j| seems not to have been >uffki2 to convince Sir...
...f* expected to test a month...
...Nevertheless, official advices alt*foreshadow a bloodless settlement sooner»or later...
...But human na ture is very malleable...
...real ¦ statesmanship at Washington today is neither in the White House nor in the Capitol, but at Ninth Street and Massachusetts Avenue...
...Of course, we are not like those "big bad wolves" in Europe...
...H on the other hand, is proud of * accomplishments...
...This does not necessarily mean that William Green and Ms colleagues are individually more intelligent men than President Roosevelt, the members of his cabinet, and the congressional leadem They may or may not-be— and it does not matter very much one way or the other...
...Organised Labor is coming to see it more and more clearly as the months go by...
...We are' what Conditions make us...
...The "militants" add that the Communist Party approves sanctions and this places the Labor and Socialist movement in the company of that party that has become dangerously opportunist...
...It is only a few weeks since the murder of Joseph Shoemaker, the Socialist who was whipped to death at Tampa, unquestionably with the connivance of the police...
...No mere emergency program can touch that basic fact.' Belief is a necessary evil...
...He ended the addreaW praising Italy, the King and H» solmi...
...Competing companies . hesitate to relinquish advantages...
...The problem remains today just what it was in March, 1933...
...The sects oppose sanctions mainly on the ground that imperialist powers are included in the nations that favor sanctions...
...Three years ago the Roosevelt Administration announced that it imt undertake a low-cost slum-clearance program...
...From start to finish President Roosevelt and his advisers have been thinking of their task only in terms of an "emergency"—that is, a superficial and temporary difficulty", to be overcome by temporary aad superficial measures...
...test published oa Msrch 12 by UU Stamps Libera, "Italian hni-fastat laily, against their solidarity «ja the chameleon-like Congresses from Harlem, the Coromugp have gone fnitaei* too, for Ss "Daily Worker" of March 11with consummate ability to swaaV cards under the table—preens* Marcantonio as a...
...Even the projects now undertaken will provide only 25,000 dwelling units which will house about 100,000 people...
...The hint is being passed that this will be the basis for a new Administration labor policy...
...Then, if there are imperialists favoring sanctions,* all fasciats oppose sanctions and our "militants" act in accord with the most reactionary section of British imperialists, who oppose sanctions, in accord with the French royalists and fascists, the British fascists, the German fascists, the Italian fascists and the fascists in all other countries...
...H. La Guardia PoHtksi Club," of which he is the chairmtt According to a report of...
...laughter ever this amnsisi farce...
...Had the 30-hour week legislation insisted upon by the trade unions early in 1933 been passed, large numbers of the jobless would have had work by this time, but the agony of fear, apprehension .and anxiety continues...
...The investigation also will seek to iimtamve.miL the facts concern-1 ing patents, royalties, and hr** tones...
...for example, the Trotsky Communists who are opposed to sanctions...
...He is the author of the White House state, ment urging railroad and labor managements to negotiate their differences rather than carry them to the Government for solution...
...The modern working class is something very different from the permanently idle, habitually lazy, irresponsible, parasitic mass to which in old Rome the term "proletariat" was-originally applied...
...Police Chief Spencer was ready with a theory...
...Shut millions of selfrespecting workers out of the shop, let therm eat up their little savings and fall into want until hunger foyoes them to ask for "charity**.*Mj"relier*—at first they feel hjisapjfamihation and fierce resentment...
Vol. 19 • March 1936 • No. 12
