The Theory of Realism

...A large part of the country was then directly controlled by forces which believed in the Msster Race doe-trine and en forced it by rigid suppres-, sion of free speech and a free press...

...One is s little astonished that anyone who is so clearsighted about the past can allow his hopes to carry him away concerning the future...

...John Brown, John Fairfield, Pegleg Joe tbe sailor, should not and will not be forgotten...

...The value of this latest work by the editor of "Common Sense" lies mainly in its earlier chapters describing tk« "Five Revolutions" of our time and the causes of the second World War...

...1.76...

...This book, however, deals only with the peaceful Friends, who would risk their own lives for freedom but would not take life—a philosophy which did not in the least impair their efficiency in Underground Railroad operations...

...the smaller and younger, the more useful...

...There's nothing for him in the present, The past ha* stilt lea* ef *pp**l...

...Realising thst the fundamental problems of our time are the achievement of s rational system of production and distribution without the sacrifice of liberty, and th* removal of the real causes of war, Bingham's harshest words are reserved for the conservatives who would kslt progress at home, and for the "democratic Machiavellians" like Walter Lipp-nwn who have no other concern than the maintenance of American power through a system of alliances...

...Even in the so-called "free states," Federal laws, put through with the support of "appeasers," forbade under heavy penalities assistance to fugitive slaves—just as Vichy-France returned snti Fascist fugitives to Hitler and Frsnco...

...and Germany and Japan pose as "Have-Not" Nations...

...Some lovers of freedom not only guided fugitives to ssfety, but even went into the slave-realm and brought them out, arms in hand, ready even anxious, to use them...

...American Underground By KENNETH W. PORTER STORIES OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD...

...As it is sobering to remember when the United States supported slsvery, so it is helpful to note that there is more than one way to advance freedom and that the Friends have long been expert and tireless practitioners of a non-violent method...

...It is sobering to remember that less than a century ago an underground from slavery to freedom was operating in this country snd thst the enemy was no Nazi-German Gestapo but American citizens—even United States officials—supporting Federal law...

...Richard Armmmr...

...He thinks thst it is only in the spiritual field that there is a clear division ketween the forces of darkness and of light...

...They helped at first merely by keeping silent...

...Who, in hi* delirio** msnaer, Concocts th* most wonderful dream...

...But these boys and girls not only could...

...The war could, of course, never appear to a man of Bingham's intelligence, knowledge and essential humanism as simply one between good \*?«f ravnlatSonary impulses common to the whole world," and as a struggle in wiles, some of the conflicts cut directly seress the others...

...True, that he is careful to repudiate free trade and wants cartel and commodity agreement/ used as instruments for expanding production and trade...

...And he himself, by reason of bis knowledge, his calm snd objective standpoint, and his complete freedom from the passions and prejudices engendered by war which vitiate the writings of so many of his contemporaries, is certainly contributing substantially to the realisation of his hope* and ours...

...e also believes that although a world government is not yet a feasible proposition, w* can gradually extend and in-*•*•* the scope of international cose* ration and eliminate poverty, unemployment and gross inequalities as between nations as well as persons, ¦ f...

...Her* are no tales of Superman—only such feats of coursge and quick-wittedness, inspired by a belief in human brotherhood, which any normal boy or girl could perform...

...Bingham is convinced that new forms end techniques can be found to preserve self-government and save us from the suthoritarians, in this age which de-feisnds government control of the econ-*•*"/ and government investment and •tannin* But he is well aware of tbe ssnger that we may fail to find them •wing to conservatism on the Right snd ¦nawsrenees of the dangers on the Left...

...He omits any real discussion of the role of Russia and is content to take at face value the Moscow Declaration about "working together for the maintenance of peace...

...For thea he'll live welj en the reyaltiea From hooka he's now writing about it...

...A rational idealist who believes tfcat men would be only a little lower than the angels if only they knew how, he would certainly repudiate William Hatlitt s dictum that mankind is practically malignant, although theoretically benevolent...

...Vaster College...

...It is, however, obviously impossible for America to have planned investment and production at home, keep up her high standard of living and abolish unemployment, unless her exports and imports are so strictly controlled thst "free access to raw materials" by other less naturally favored nations becomes a myth...

...who can preserve their belief in the rationality of man-A kind *™ J" ™ Pe«ect«bihty of society, without shutting their eyes to stubborn facts or doping them-AT* selves with the opium of ignorance and national or ideological prejudice...

...The future haa all of his loyalties, ......There's net th* least reasoa to doubt it...

...He would have the United States Govern-**nt ensure full employment and a Using level of prosperity through state •Pending and investment and planned ¦ production...

...He points out that even as regards the "Revolt of the Comae* Man" th* issue is not clearly joined, siace the United States practices racial discrimination...

...But msny freedom-loving Americans refused to obey these laws and risked severe punishment to help slates to escspe...

...There is no possibility of Russia instituting free trade and free enterprise...

...The "tough realism* of the latter is not reslistic since )• must inevitably lead to a Third World War...

...the Nasis rose to power by "championing the disinherited...

...snd the United States, according to Bingham himself, should not abolish its tariffs and should institute governmental control over spending, currency and trade...

...ths war, writes Bingham, "could become a fight between a slave world and s free world," but not if it is seen ss a military struggle whose aim is "uncon-drnonsl surrender...

...and those who seek to hslt prog-'ress will create the conditions for what they most seek to avoid: violent revolution...

...Post-Wot Planner All hail to th* peat-war planner, Th* starry -*yed dreamer of dreams...

...In his final chapter also Binghsm tends to gloss over the ominous realities of the post-war world...

...a little older, they could warn of th* approach of slave-hunters, direct fugitives to hid-ing-plsces, enrry them food, eventually drive them to the next "station...

...But Bingham would, no doubt, reply that one cannot and must not despair of loan's realism, intelligence and humanity...

...they did...

...To he sure, the white race as a whole was still considered the Master Race and only Negroes were enslaved, but already American supporters of ths theory were arguing that not only all black people, but also all working-people, should be slsves...

...Yet he would also have us *"ke good th* Atlantic Charter pledge to give all peoples equal access to the world's rsw materials and actively promote world trade...

...in Britain the loss of foreign investments plus United States competition lias reinforced the pre-war tendency toward Empire self-sufficiency...

...with a foreword by Rufu* M. Jonee and illuitralion* by William Brooke...

...Children played an important part...

...Nevertheless, there is a basic and apparently insoluble contradiction here between the interests of Americans and the interests of the "Have Not" nations...

...We sll know of the Underground in Occupied Europe, including Germany itself, and its work in smuggling to safety fugitives from the Nasis...

...and even here he is careful to ¦tress the fact that definition of our aims in terns of a universal humanity will be useless unless there is a conscious acceptance of them by the people and "a new spiritual adjustment in the individual human soul...

...That since failure to solve th* related problems of unemployment, poverty and war must lead the world to disaster, a way must and will be found out of the morass...

...Russia "first set up the pattern ef totalitarian dictatorship in which the Common Man Is a pawn in the hands of the powerful...

...And as regards the "technical revolution" Germany has "instituted sci-eatmc methods of social and economic msnsgement" some of which we have copied...

...if they cannot freely sell their goods in these markets which control the grester part of the world's raw material resources...

...How are they to buy raw materials from America, or from the British Empire, or from the U.S.S.R...

...Britain has s colonial empire and imprisons India's democratic leaders...

...By Anna L. Curti...

...It'* only the futar* that's pleasant, It's only the fntare that's real...

...They could move about unquestioned when sn adult would immediately arouse suspicion...

...HE trouble is that his recipe for "Progress, at Home" is hardly compatible with his solution of world problems...

...The Island Workshop Press Co-op., In*., N. Y. 1941...