Who Will Provide the Jobs?
Hendernon, Leon
Who Will Provide the Jobs? By Leon Hendernon The central Job of labor and the liberal in post-war A„erita is to banian tha insecurity of Jobs. This ia a major Jab of e« an stale analysis, of...
...Rut the structure of understanding that is necessary to command national acceptance ia more difficult...
...The machinery of transition is not yet in existence...
...Eighth —a program for encouragement of the small buaineaa man...
...Seventh—settlement of foreign trade matters, looking toward lower tariffs, greater access to raw materials, the cartel problem, and an overall policy on oil, food, shipping, air lines and communications...
...This ia a major Jab of e« an stale analysis, of reformulation of atoriomic principles, of wins understanding and eonfl-jmt sceeptance...
...Also, clear settlement on Don Nelson's reconversion program, which will wreck WPB if it drags on...
...When Germany collapses, from 40 to SO per cent of this artificial stimulation will disappear...
...To my mind, this liberal si the real defender of the capitalistic faith...
...By Leon Hendernon The central Job of labor and the liberal in post-war A„erita is to banian tha insecurity of Jobs...
...It is a job, too, for tho highest type of political activity...
...Fifth—strengthening of the income of the lowest paid workers, and protection of existing labor legislation...
...Ratification of the Bret ten Woods proposals for currency stabilisation and a world R.P.C.—ar some equivalent of Bret ton Woods is imperative...
...It means, on the Bretton Weeds Conference, deciding now whether you support ths Administration or Senator Taft...
...But full em* pluymtvt—and quickly—ranJrs /Iref...
...It's again the strong voire of conscience...
...Fourth—prompt agreement on postwar fiscal snd monetary policy...
...It's no program for a tired liberal...
...Second—expansion of the social security system to help maintain purchasing power for workers discharged when war contracts ara terminated...
...It requires acceptance of the thesis that business activity and plant expansion arises from the sustained purchasing power of millions of consumers...
...Optimists rely en the pent-np demand for goods, pies aa rings and a fairly high level of gsvern-i asset eipenditare, to ease the eeewemic ship acroas axe bar...
...Tha Kilgore Demobilisation Bill ia the most complete...
...Without adequate discussion, let me state seme reassures which need liberal fortification and political strength because all are lagging and it's later than you think...
...Whole industries and areas will be demounted...
...Another group believes, as the English postwsr pol-ky has chosen, that every reliance possible must be •••red on business, but that activity and purchasing power must be guaranteed...
...Ceil it the ironing eat of the business cycle, or the purehasing power theory, or welfare economics, or tha jjiinsmlT- of abundance—call it what you will...
...I have my deabto...
...They would attempt to create a efimaie favorable to business expansion snd encouragement to venture capital...
...There are many aims—yes—of the expansion of human righto, of denial of special privileges, and correction of operational difficulties in our economic system...
...Bat I dp say that if the fear of job insecurity hanga ever thia country, every amoldering prejudice will flame, every bittern ess will intensify, and every recent gain will be in danger...
...They will find how much of the postwsr world is tisd Into decisions by Congress, snd thus understand why liberal political organisations are needed...
...TAis artiel* by Mr...
...I favor Immediate taking of positions—the questions are here and muat be fared soon...
...On this, all agencies atudying postwar are agreed— wnJeh is perhaps the only'area of agreement...
...Unless liberals make their attitudes clear, many derisions will go by defsult...
...What is the measure of the foreseeable future ? Thia country's business activity and employment is now sustained by the expenditure of roughly $8,000,000,000 monthly fsr war...
...You are familiar with all this theory subsumes relative to freedom from control, balanced budgets, no governmental creation of employ-aeent, taxation, etc...
...This expenditure for the merchandise of death, incidentally, is th« moat potent argument for the purchasing power the ery that Pate ever provided...
...They will understand why' they hsve lesned too heavily on their government and one man...
...First—settlement on the disposition of surplus goods, govsrnment property snd speedy development of demobilisation machinery...
...It means faring up to the Kilgore Bill, to taking sides between Donald Nelson and Charles Wilson, to meeting the states rights questions head on as they affect unemployment insurance, public works and taxation...
...Purchasing power will fall off, and controls will be abolished or weakened...
...I do not claim mat security of Jobs will completely abolish race and selor prejudice, that it will completely avert the plana of hostile employers to discipline labor, that it will provide decent bousing, health and social security for all...
...But f liberals will step out they will learn why they have not developed new lead-era...
...Bat the real postwar America rrfust provide millions of additional jobs and attain a level of production SO to W per cent higher than the highest prewsr level...
...In danger from reaction and crack-seta, both of which are the natural enemiea of the true, reformed, disciplined liberal...
...It challenges many deeply imbedded traditional attitudes, even though it does not challenge, but fortifies, our basic concept of a competitive, private enterpriae profit aystem...
...Acceptance of this thesis is easy for the liberal...
...VhAT I am suggesting is that liberals must really understand the economics of our system- that liberalism has passed beyond sn era where the humanitarian instinct was the best guide to opinion and action...
...Liberala will need to carry the banners for eM these...
...Upward of 30,00X1,000 men and women now in service snd war work will be in transit to some status different from the present...
...But I aar that all other problems are insignificant to thia central challenge at fall employment...
...Sixth—full planning of a ahelf of public works and housing, private and public...
...They will find the necessity to fight for keeping open channels of intelligence...
...It rejects the trickle down business theory of Herbert Hoover...
...ridersort it eased on a spescA delivered befor* ike Liberml Pmiry Forum...
...After Japan csllaases, perhaps ten per cent of current war spending will remain...
...The recently reiessed Ruml-Sonne plan is the bsst to date, because it stimulates competition, rewards expansion of capital, and fortifies consumer purchasing power...
...Above all, liberals would be beck on the attack, and nnleaa I miss my guess, that's what's been the trouble with us...
...Third—a program for a huge volume Of foreign trsde to help fill the gsp of cancelled war orders...
...Senator Taft's proposals are too narrow and too inadequate...
...Business groups, the majority of Congress, and at stoat a part of the Administration, want to rely completely on business...
...I realise thia would carry liberals into many controversies immediately...
...It means trying to understand why taking the tax off corporations and substituting a graduated personal income tax would stimulate employment...
...thst it will accomplish full distributivs justice, snd , widening of the freedom of expression through radio .and press...
...And I mean guaranteed at least for tha transition period...
...To put it bluntly, we should not yield to the cowardice of the 1930s bus start out with the central idea that employment comes first, because human values come first...
...Ten may not be familiar with all Be risks...
...And they will find their traditional opposition on the right to be well-erganited already...
Vol. 27 • August 1944 • No. 33
