THE PEOPLE'S FORUM
. . . THE PEOPLE'S FORUM . . . The 'Accident' Of Stassen Dear Sirs: We "see by the papers" that Minnesota's Sen. Ball and Gov. Thye are heading up a campaign over in Wisconsin to convince the...
...We are living in this world and not in a dream world...
...Men must be elected on a platform that will pledge them to a change in the law that will place all patents under government control, making it obligatory that they be developed and produced for the benefit of all the people, thus removing the right from the possession of private individuals or corporations to use or withhold for their personal profit...
...It ranks with Sen...
...at his Forum appearance in Detroit...
...She wonders about the war propaganda, abput the stricken mothers of the enemy, about the starving children in bomb-wracked countries, and why we haven't the guts to admit that the causes of war are not economic...
...I have never voted for the Socialist Party, but I will do so next Fall if there is no other place to go...
...There is, however, a higher justice to be found in the gloomy situation...
...As long as the majority can be taught to believe that the "bread and butter" question is not at the base of the trouble, so long will we vegetate and remain in a rut...
...6 edition...
...In the Jan...
...Could he delude his tho- — ™h and serious schools, his excellently trained experts, scientists, and philosophers that Luther, Kant, Beethoven, Koch, Roentgen, and Ehrlich look like a bunch of nitwits...
...Indeed, J know of no other publication in our country now performing s) important and so honest a job as The Progressive, and you are to be congratulated for remaining firm against what must be sever* pressures...
...14, "Planning Becomes Respectable...
...La Follette...
...Kilgore has put into words aid brought into visibility one of tie hidden forces preying on the jeace and well-being of -mankind— in organization of the powers of greed to provoke people into wars...
...As long as the poor are given the sweet bye and bye to hope for, so long the rich and powerful will have and keep the sweet now and now...
...Of course, if it must come to a quarrel with his guideposts sooner or later, what can be a better time than the present...
...Voters, speak for yourselves...
...How can we judge correctly without first having a true and comprehensive picture of national and world affairs...
...11 Times Wrong Dear Sirs:+ In your issue of Mar...
...28 isiue is a masterpiece...
...Behind the screen of free institutions they work to destroy all freedom...
...Government Banks Dear Sirs: In the Forum of Jan...
...The schemes are laid bare, the world sees the connection between the Mannerheim Line and Hitler's attack on Russia...
...The cry was, "Brave little Finland," which meant that Finland had become a pawn in the game to destroy the Soviet Union...
...So be it...
...Mrs...
...In the last paragraph he displays his own eco nomic ignorance of "where is the money coming from...
...He could be harangued and threatened that only democracy can bring such blessings...
...10 issue of The Pro gressive the Editor devotes The Last Column to plugging for Chase's new book, Where Is The Money Coming From1...
...I would like to vote for Phil or Bob, Jr., for President...
...There is no democracy in politics...
...For the fact remains that we were attacked, and no American worthy of the name could stand by and let these yellow jackals overrun the country, plunder our homes, rape and murder our wives and daughters without putting up a fight to the death rather than submit...
...Thye are heading up a campaign over in Wisconsin to convince the Republican voters of that state that they ought to pick Minnesota's former Gov...
...For these and many, many more -reasons the city dweller is always half-dead...
...E. Gummerus Madison, Wis...
...It's a lot later than the radio commentators think...
...What can be done about this terrible situation that has come to pass through the supine laxity of the great masses of our people ? We are losing our freedom because we have neglected the eternal vigilance that must ever be exercised to maintain it...
...Martin B. Lechner Maplewood, Mo...
...Snow and his associates would therefore have planned in vain...
...As a matter of fact, I would like to do away with all dollar figures and see a plan whereby we estimate our needs in terms of the quantity of commodities we must produce in order to give us all the standard of living we are so amply capable of producing...
...Frederick E. Bolton Research Professor in Education University of Washington Seattle, Wash...
...Saul S. Klein Los Angeles, Calif...
...Any other Republican nominee would have gone in on the same trend...
...Fine Group Of Writers Dear Sirs: You have as fine a group of writers as anyone could wish for...
...It was the battle cry for those who would rather have fascism than change, defeat rather than progress...
...Price Of Imperialism Dear Sirs: Mrs...
...This innocent looking front, "brave little Finland," became the rallying point for world reaction...
...The removal of this psychological barrier from the minds of millions should make for a far more stable and socially desirable group...
...Under our present economic system the people have little or no voice in government...
...M. 0. Malmin Moses Lake, Wash...
...After reading Chase's article, "A Guidepost to America's Tomorrow," I went to hear him speak on "After The War, What...
...She says that the trouble lies in our own hearts and the way we think...
...Perturbed By Chase Dear Sirs: If Stuart Chase is to be Relieved, the wisest course for his readers is to ask him a few progressive questions, the answers to which cannot be long delayed...
...Tie Patent Monopoly Dear Sirs: "The Menace of the Black Inter-natioial" by Sen...
...People had been persuaded to believe that they needed a change, and Stassen happened to be on hand for that change...
...He says it can't be done...
...Of course many people will believe him — even though he has publicly admitted he is a liar...
...Today the same Soviet Union is calling the bluff of "brave little Finland," and its "friends...
...Washington Q. Loyd Los Angeles, Calif...
...O. B. Bagswaw W. York, 111...
...There may be some who think this conflict could have been avoided...
...I have no criticisms...
...Planning And Production Dear Sirs: Will you permit me to point out a contradiction in Thad Snow's article in your issue of Feb...
...When this insane war is over great many people will have more money in their pockets than ever before in their lives...
...I doubt if any one wished to see our country plunged into war...
...I hope he gets a lot of fun out of planning for that 140 billion fig ure, and I am the last one to predict that we never shall use such a plan...
...The Need For Vitamins Dear Sirs: In answer to Mary Sheridan's stupid, reactionary articles I wish to point out that vitamins and minerals are natural food elements, like sugar or salt, and not patent medicines or drugs as she seems to indicate...
...Let us ask our Congressmen to -fulfill their duty, as the Constitution says that the Congress has the only right to print money and set the value thereof...
...Your "labor can do no wrong" attitude is your biggest blind-spot...
...At no time did the Finnish people get a glimpse of what went on secretly among the Wilhelmstrasse, Bond Street, and Wall Street and was communicated to a small clique in Finland, the Ryti-Mannerheim dictatorship...
...Voorhis, not to mention the always forceful Sen...
...The two articles together add up to the most courageous-and most revealing exposure oe- monopolies and cartels to be fovnd in any publication in the land The staff of The Progressive is to be congratuated for giving us two such authoritative articles by Senators in tie thick of the struggle...
...Pass This Paper On...
...It is doubtful if most people who build things want to spend their lives supporting speculators who produce nothing and wreck productive enterprise and cities, the hope of democracy...
...Finland Was Used Dear Sirs: A few years ago, in 1939, a cry went up from every capitalist throat all over the world...
...Dewey has Stassen's record as a prosecutor beat by a mile...
...just keep telling the truth and keep the writers you have, and I am satisfied...
...Stassen and his personal satellites...
...This story comes to my mind every time I read of somebody's dream of what we ^ou' -l do with postwar Germany...
...Why should the Federal Reserve banks be permitted to have Federal Reserve notes printed on government presses, pay a few cents for printing, have Uncle Sam give them $1,000 for privately-owned and paid for money, and then have the government borrow and pay interest for this privately owned money...
...Carl Jawurek Los Angeles, Calif...
...War, or the...
...Weakness Dear Sirs: I hope you never permit your anti-Roosevelt complex to lend aid and support to the enemies of democratic government, if we still have such a government...
...This movement should be inaugurated in every state in the Union at once...
...appears to be on a "wondering spree" in the Forum for Feb...
...Uncle Sam has already got wise, and is supplying vitamins and minerals to the Army and Navy to the great benefit of soldier and sailor morale...
...Attack On CO's Dear Sirs: I have just read an editorial in The Progressive of Feb...
...Willkie, insists that without the empire the British Isles would be just a dismal poorhouse . . . thus the confusion is eternal, and the Lord provided them with fang, tooth, and poison to defend their independence...
...All that is beside the point now...
...Our Lord made sure there shall be no such heaven, and He provided them with fang, tooth, and poison to defend their independence...
...And all that was said about democracy to him was in vain...
...Thus capital and not the people is represented in Congress, and, for that matter, all down the line...
...Their last great product is war...
...28 issue should be put out in pamphlet form and made available to every citizen in our land...
...Before he became Governor he was first a lawyer of only mediocre ability, and then a county attorney of only average success...
...6 issue is very good, also Charles A. Beard's...
...When we achieve socialized med icine, and begin to think in terms of prevention instead of cure, then a food supplement will be consid ered a must for all city dwellers...
...Bring Out The Best Dear Sirs: Merely as a matter of conjecture it would seem that a fully socialized order would bring out the better nature of most humanity than the present system where the evil of too much wealth for a few injures possible social harmony...
...is the first new thought I have been able to find so far...
...What perturbed some of the listeners was his answer to a pertinent question...
...We read a pertinent article on some international subject by Frank Hanighen or William Henry Chamberlin in The Progressive, and then two weeks, four weeks, or six weeks later, we pick up our daily newspaper and find the identical article revamped as a "sensational" expose...
...Standing Firm Dear Sirs: Sen...
...It Will Win New Friends...
...The rejection of 21 per cent of our draftees for malnutrition makes us painfully aware of this sad fact...
...Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are necessary to the city dweller, because they cannot be captured in a market basket by the rich any more than by the poor...
...Now, a German cominr here would see a lot of our wealth...
...If your Congress would exercise its sworn duty to uphold the Constitution, we would not need to borrow money...
...Snow admits that the planning of the National Planning Association seeks to conserve what is old in our economy, but in the next breath he admits that the planning of the association starts with a de sirable national income of 140 bil lions of dollars...
...Then where is the money coming from to keep capitalism functioning...
...Let us ask our Representatives and Senators to comply with their duty as democratic representatives for a democratic government to establish government banks with government credit, and not let a half dozen or so rule our country by the monetary system which now exists...
...It is just too bad, but the only way you can prevent fascism is to kill it, otherwise it will kill you...
...J. O. Cooper Kalamazoo, Mich...
...Sr., in '24...
...3 where two gentlemen allude to constitutional money, I for one am in hearty accord...
...6, in the article by Miles McMillin, I noticed the misspelling of Tucson...
...McAlister Coleman's "No Democrats Need Apply," in the same issue, is a well merited rebuke administered to the war liberals, who in every town and hamlet in the country promoted our entrance into war through the propaganda of their committees, which brings us to the point of inquiry as to when our liberals will really and truly grow up...
...The signs are already plainly evident that the owners of industry plan on reducing production—conferences are taking place throughout industry planning on big reductions of personnel...
...C. H. Aspinwall El Monte, Calif...
...It did not matter that the people of Finland were cruelly pushed into an unnecessary war and sacrificed by those schemes...
...The only way capitalism can increase production and exist is to destroy immediately such increased production...
...While we Minnesotans would, of course, take pride in seeing one of our fellow' citizens elevated to the Presidency, still we realize that we haven't very much to 'offer in putting up Stassen as a "favorite son...
...And how anyone expecting to hold the respect of the American public can at the same time defend and thereby indirectly encourage this class of misfits is beyond human understanding...
...But when he is all tired out and left a'.one, he could not help but go home, sit on his bed, and take stock of himself and his "Good Earth...
...Alexander MacKay San Luis Obispo, Calif...
...The big objective was destruction of the Soviet Union, and Finland was made to serve this doubtful purpose...
...Then she concludes that our own mental laziness and selfishness prevent «lear seeing and clear thinking...
...At the end of his term conditions were no better for his having held the office...
...I think Milton Mayer's article in the Mar...
...Alfred L. Fisher Portland, Me...
...They are, in fact, the end result ©f unrestrained individualism, using the rights of liberty for wrong and destructive ends, for personal interest alone...
...Now as a matter of fact and logic no greater note of fiction was ever sounded, for money does not come from putting men and machines to work except in the U. S. Mint...
...My answer is that it is well enough to have a good...
...Loss through deleafing for eye-appeal by the merchant...
...Stassen's becoming Governor in the first place was pretty much an accident of the times...
...He admits that an income figure or production figure of that magnitude is possible only by serious changes in our laws...
...The social benefits of a cooperative system of doing business are far more agreeable to the real human nature and its possibilities than has been realized because people have not seen how much can be gained from a social system in keeping with the best in human nature rather than the worst...
...He suggests, instead, to spend the money needed for policing German schools to invite a million Germans to this country and let them see what "we have to offer...
...He would say to himself, "What is the matter with us Huns...
...Willkie—a good deal of America's mind—says in his book One World that the strife for economic independence is a lot of totalitarian hodgepodge, but Mr...
...There is positively no democracy in -politics...
...In a country that has been at war the last 300 years, how could it be otherwise ? Her plight of being set back a generation by the loss of the flower of her young manhood should stand as a warning to the world that "they who take up the sword shall perish by the sword...
...mainter nance of an enormous military force, is an ideal method of accomplishing this aim...
...in these words: "Stuart Chase has sounded a hopeful note . . . based on the realistic appreciation of the simple fact that money comes from put ting men and machines to work...
...Thanks From An Austrian Dear Sirs: As a native of Austria and a Vi-enese, I thank you for publishing Elizabeth Hargrove's warmhearted article about Austria in your Mar...
...The Soviet Union is not being destroyed, but Finland, whose Government lent itself to the capitalist game, and whose people were weak enough or ignorant enough to let themselves be used in the schemes against humanity, are paying the penalty in full...
...A. P. Peterson Seattle, Wash...
...Leighbor Fairchild, la...
...Harold Stassen as their favorite for the Presidential nomination at the coming preferential primary...
...But to think that we really have here in America young men enjoying the blessings and protection of the greatest country under the sun, so warped in mind that they are willing to hide under any smokescreen of excuses, and bring down upon themselves the scorn of every red-blooded American, and most of all, our millions of brave young men fighting and dying for the protection of our homes and loved ones, and theirs too...
...Loss because most fruits are harvested green, and allowed to become rotten-ripe...
...Unite Liberal Groups Dear Sirs: I hear so much clamoring for a third party...
...It isn't that the people do not know anything, the trouble is that they know too much that isn't so...
...Just keep on telling the truth regardless of whom or where it hits...
...It was to be the entering wedge, the spearhead to drive into the heart of socialism, while uniting all enemies of change behind it...
...Kilgore's article, "The Menace of the Black International," in your Feb...
...I believe it can be readily proved that fundamental changes will be necessary to put such a program in effect...
...Chaotic Foreign Policy Dear Sirs: Mr...
...Loss of v it a m i n s through the use of mineral oil for lubrication as an aid to elimination...
...The fact that there is ever present in the thoughts of-millions that there is a lopsided system of distribution of wealth makes them more or less dissatisfied, and therefore undesirous of making life full for the whole of society...
...heart, but it will not solve the problem she is worrying about so long as she, and others who think as she does, continue to have a confused mind...
...John A. Harrison Woodman, Wis...
...Heretofore, the advantage of cooperation instead of competition has received economic stress...
...Obed S. Eastvold Rochester, Minn...
...I am not indicating who has made the mistake—whether it is Mr...
...Hundreds of hard-boiled employ ers are putting out their precious dough for vitamin and mineral supplements for their workers, and reaping bread upon the waters in the form of less absenteeism, labor turnover, and improved out-put, The great interest in vitamins today is not a fad, but proof of a response to a widespread dietary deficiency...
...F. G. Pratt New York, N. Y. Reply To Corey Dear Sirs: Hindus have a children's story about the kind of heaven a tiger, a shark, and a snake dreamed of, when our Lord granted them such a dream...
...Give us some facts...
...Stephen Corey's article, "Should We Run Germany's Schools...
...I know that mental laziness and selfishness prevent clear seeing and clear thinking, but I also know that when the mind is diverted from the real cause of our predicament, we play into the hand of the enemy to perpetuate selfishness and lethargy...
...Deminoralization through soil exhaustion...
...I can see no difference between one of these slackers and a deserter, and I think they should be treated as such...
...If I know Mr...
...14 in which the Editor came to the defense of a so-called conscientious objector, Milton Mayer, a frequent contributor of mostly rambling nonsense and mis-named humor...
...J. T. Gibson Memphis, Tenn...
...Snow expects will be in existence after the war, will plan not for increased production but for decreased production...
...Harley Kilgore in yourFeb...
...Pacemaker Dear Sirs: It seems that The Progressive is rapidly becoming the pacemaker for daily newspaper commentators...
...His answer was, "No...
...Base Of The Trouble Dear Sirs: Dorothy Corsentino...
...La Follette For President Dear Sirs: The Progressive is doing a wonderful job...
...Bessie Maxson Ojai, Calif...
...New York's Gov...
...Stettinius has his work cut out for him if he is going to try to bring some order out of the chaos of foreign policy...
...Then I could feel for the first time that I really had something to vote for since I voted for Bob...
...No man is capable of knowing everything on any subject...
...Every article in it doesn't agree with me either, and I wouldn't want it if it did, as I never did learn anything from people or papers that agreed with me...
...What astounds me is that all these planners, most of them moved by the fear of an enormous army of unemployed, never think of including in their plans a recommendation for a six-hour work day and a five-day week, or if necessary, to cut the hours of labor still more if employment for all is thereby served...
...C. F. Schmidt Merrill, Wis...
...The present system of trying to outdo others, when it would be far more pleasant to agree with them and promote their welfare, is seen by thousands to be a desirable form of social life...
...17 issue regarding the lack of outstanding manhood in England and the depletion of the male population in general due to the last war, is something to ponder on...
...Propagators of despotism, they are indeed arch traitors to all progress in that they prevent the use of patents that would benefit all the people unless they can be used for their private gain...
...Certainly no improvements have been accomplished of sufficient consequence for history to record...
...Then and then only can we hope for improvement...
...but the wealth, the resources, the raw materials, the wide, ample land — that's it — the room to breathe, the Lebensraum that brings all that wealth, independence, and freedom—they haven't got...
...The question asked him was: "Does your incentive plan of taxation contemplate the elimination of unearned incomes, for instance, interest on money loans and particularly rents from land and natural resources...
...No wonder they plug for Stassen's Presidential candidacy...
...And it takes money to put them to work and keep them at work, and not the other way around...
...Gambling shake down devices and rackets of various kinds have thrived in South St...
...Oh sure, some get mad and stop their paper because it doesn't agree with them...
...Their true status seems to show up when a war comes along...
...Worse Every Week Dear Sirs: The Progressive gets worse every week...
...The Finnish people are again betrayed and even the phrase, "brave little Finland," is forgotten...
...It is obvious that the most that can be done with Stassen's candidacy is to create a little side show at the convention for the entertainment and gratification of Mr...
...This is not a thing to trust to politicians...
...Stuart Chase's Money Dear Sirs: Henry Wallace, Gov...
...Willkie's Oratory Dear Sirs: I see Wendell Willkie has now begun peddling his "campaign oratory" in Wisconsin...
...In England's case it is the price of her imperialism...
...Why a third ? We are whipped to death with only two parties...
...Bricker, Stuart Chase, and many other prom inent but economically blind leaders of the blind are going about the country telling the people that in dustry has reached such a high rate of productivity that if it continues at the same rate after the war it will be no trick at all to pay the in terest on the huge government debt and eventually pay it off...
...The time is ripe for a general movement of all liberal groups to come together as a mass people's movement for democracy, forget* ting old party and church affiliations, and shaking off this tyranny...
...Let us unite, go into open convention, elect delegates, put them up to the voters for election...
...Pass This Paper On...
...They all glorified in their egos and enslaved all others...
...And it has been pretty much the same with the affairs of Minnesota since the Stassen crowd, took over...
...La Follette's statements in the Jan...
...Carl Peterson Chicago, 111...
...I wish we could nominate our Presidential candidates by popular vote and get away from this shell game affair...
...I would like to hear from oth«rs...
...This remnds me that we are greatly indebsd to you for articles from such otler outstanding members of Confress as Sens...
...Upton Sinclair once said: "Fascism is capitalism plus murder...
...Paul, and they were not disturbed while Stassen was the prosecutor...
...Snow, I do not believe that his planning as a member of that association contemplates any such objective...
...Bone's article, "The Kiljers of Capitalism," which appeared in an earlier issue of The Projressive...
...Therefore if it is impossible to capture them in the market basket, why not take them as a supplement to your devitalized food...
...As everybody knows, the government is furnishing the money—the dynamics that makes high production possible...
...You have showed a weakness...
...Edward Barchi Detroit, Mich...
...The men and machinery he speaks of are the nation's industrial ma chinery and produce, not money, but goods and services to sell for money at a profit...
...A capitalist economy, which I presume Mr...
...McMillin, the linotypist, copy reader, or who...
...Only by getting other peoples' honest viewpoints and studying and weighing them can we increase our own knowledge...
...Some of the reasons for this state of affairs are refining, processing, canning, dehydration, pasteurization, sterilization, oxidation, staleness because of storage, transportation, slow turnover, etc...
...It Will Win New Friends...
...I will venture to say that you have probably already heard from some of the inhabitants in Tucson...
...No Earthly Reason' Dear Sirs: I can see no earthly reason for the publication of a paper such as yours...
...To see the wealth of this country might impress any visitor from a backward country but to a German it would just prove that his country is a perfect cultural, scientific, and technological equal...
...J. A. Gores Auburndale, Fla...
...The fancy packs and the exaggerated claims, the blatant blarney and pure bunkum of some advertisers do not in any way detract from the fact that vitamins are chemical compounds produced by nature, and that everyone must have them in order to live...
...Wagner, Truman, Aken, and Johnson, and Rep...
...So, Stassen was swept into office, and he naturally carried his faithful water boys, like Joe Ball and Ed Thye, along with him...
...The truth is, for those who want the truth, that there has never been anything unusual about Harold Stassen...
...Churchill, contradicting Mr...
...For we can see what fate was in store for other peace-loving nations forced into submission...
...It is something in which every citizen is interested and calls for active work...
...We, the people, do not nominate our candidates...
...C. L. Burke Ismay, Mont...
...In fact, we feel that Minnesota Republicans are throwing away their strength in plugging for his candidacy...
...F.B...
...Apparently it is not just a slip in a single case, but every time that the word is used (11 times in the article) it is spelled Tuscon...
...Let us start doing things in a democratic way...
...That is where the money will come from that will I create a boom and keep men and machines busy until profits, interest, and taxes have drained their pockets dry as in 1929...
...But all such planning would conserve nothing of the old economy, and Mr...
...This was the use to which my sorely tried native land was put by unscrupulous propagandists...
...W. J. Gilbert New London, Conn...
...The Soviet Union stands alone today as a symbol of human rights and human progress in this world of crime...
Vol. 8 • March 1944 • No. 13
