THE BASIC CONFLICT ON THE HOME FRONT
Follette, Sen. Robert M. La
The Basic Conflict On The Home Front By SEN. ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, Jr. THE mighty armies of the Allied nations are surging forward on every front. Our valiant fighting men stand poised today on...
...There is everywhere a deep-going apprehension about the future...
...This is confirmed by a recent survey among men in the armed services...
...This is our responsibility, and we dare not fail...
...T. SWANN HARDING, senior information specialist for the U. S. Department of Agriculture, has been in agricultural research work since 1910, after having specialized in agricultural chemistry in college...
...The hope for a better and happier tomorrow is colored by the haunting fear that we are not prepared to face the tremendous challenge that will confront us with the return of peace...
...The totalitarians have shouted to the world that the answer was no, that man must enslave himself to the state in order to win security...
...When the war ends, there will be 15 billion dollars worth of Government-built war plants, more than 60 billion dollars worth of materials and supplies, and more than eight million acres of Government- purchased land to be disposed of...
...The Basic Conflict On The Home Front By SEN...
...Harper's, Reader's Digest, Common Sense, and the Christian Century...
...There is a growing awareness among the rank-and-file of Americans that in their hands lies the answer to the most compelling question of all—can modern man retain his individual freedom and have economic security as well...
...The article in this week's issue was prepared as an interpretative report of the recent German uprising and appeared originally in Human Events, the provocative weekly newsletter edited by Frank C. Hanighen...
...There exists an uneasy feeling that our leaders, business as well as Government leaders, are not meeting the basic problem of reconversion...
...This is the great challenge to all of us on the home front...
...We need not and shall not fail...
...This survey revealed that "nine out of 10 expect trouble in finding a good job...
...MILTON MAYER, a former newspaperman now on the staff of the University of Chicago, is a regular contributor to The Progressive...
...In 1928 he became scientific editor of all technical material for the Department of Agriculture...
...Our valiant fighting men stand poised today on the threshold of decisive military victory in Europe—a victory which will help enormously to speed the end of the war in the Pacific as well...
...JOHN WILLIAMS is a veteran Pacific correspondent who for 15 years prior to Pearl Harbor made a firsthand study of the problems of the peoples of the Pacific...
...Unemployment, insecurity, frustration, and despair—these are the four horsemen of totalitarianism...
...in such a way as to improve the prospect for an expanding dynamic economy with opportunities for all, rather than a shriveling economy which a few Frankenstein trusts could dominate...
...They have argued, these philosophers of despair, that only a totally regimented economy can guarantee the necessities of life for all...
...and to build up family-size farms which are the backbone of American agriculture...
...provide jobs for returning veterans and displaced war workers...
...This 15 billion dollars worth of factories, 60 billion dollars worth of materials, and eight million acres of land belong to the people of America, the taxpayers who are paying and will continue for many years to pay for this war...
...We can prove that an economy of abundance in America will provide full economic opportunity and security and yet maintain individual freedom...
...There are two alternatives...
...And yet, as we exult over the unexpected nearness of the beginning of the end, we find our joy tempered by the sobering realization that the peace for which we all yearn so much will thrust tremendous new problems on the people of America...
...She is the author of Athene Palace and Meet Mr...
...Now, what shall we do with these factories, these materials, and this land...
...Coleman, who is the author of Men and Coal, is at work on a book covering the contributions of the common man to American history...
...C. S. SEELY, author of Russia and the Battle of Liberation, is executive editor of Navy News...
...How we handle reconversion will decide whether we are to offer returning soldiers breadlines or jobs...
...This alternative demands a concrete program for disposal of Government plants and land in such a way as to strengthen independent enterprise...
...Who's Who In This Issue NORMAN THOMAS, the Socialist candidate for President, is the author of the recently published book, What Is Our Destiny...
...It will decide whether we are to enter an era of contraction or go forward, with courage and high hope, to an age of expansion and opportunity in which men, money, and materials are put to work for the greater good of all...
...The first alternative is to let these publicly-owned properties fall into the hands of trusts and monopolies and have them used to put independent enterprise out of business...
...The Progressive Way The second alternative is to take positive steps to prevent monopolies from capturing the war factories and surplus materials, and powerful real estate interests and giant farming corporations from buying up the public lands...
...There are many disturbing signs in Washington today that powerful interests are determined to'push for adoption of such a backward course...
...This study showed that service men "feel strongly that by fighting abroad for our freedom and security they are entitled to these same privileges back home...
...Whether of the right or left, every dictatorship of modern times has come from the failure of an existing government to solve the social and economic problems of the nation concerned...
...The Most Compelling Question Our GI Joes will be on the lookout, not for doles and handouts, but for jobs and careers...
...This critical problem of reconversion cannot be overemphasized because our handling of it will determine whether we win the battle on the homefront while our men are winning out on the battlefronts of the world...
...The history of dictatorship is everywhere the same...
...she wrote Prelude to the Past, an autobiography, and articles for the New York Times Magazine and Harper's...
...In keeping with their perverted philosophy of contraction and scarcity, monopolists would buy up much of the 15 billion dollars worth of plants in order to stifle competition, reduce production, and raise prices, a process which can only result in a destructive deflation of farm prices and prolonged mass unemployment...
...Blank...
...R. G. WALDECK lived in Germany for many years and was a roving journalist in Europe...
...How we settle this problem of reconversion will determine whether it shall be prosperity or depression for America for the next generation...
...Under the initials "R.G...
...How we handle reconversion will decide whether we are to have an economy of scarcity or abundance, whether we are to be dominated by trusts and monopolies or provide for the development of independent enterprise...
...We can prevent this tragedy by providing genuine economic opportunity and security for all while we maintain individual political, civil, and religious freedom...
...Progressives take a clear-cut stand in favor of disposing of public plants, materials, and lands in such a way as to enhance the welfare of all, not the special interests of a few...
...McALISTER COLEMAN is a veteran reporter who has specialized in labor and public power...
...in such a way as to strengthen independent enterprise in its fight-to-the finish against monopoly...
...How we choose in the months ahead will decide who will write the ticket for America—the corporate monopolies and special interests, or the people whose blood and sweat and cash built those plants and bought those 60 billion dollars worth of surplus materials and eight million acres of land...
...LT...
...The men in the armed services will judge how well we did our job not by the flowery speeches or high-sounding promises we may make, but by how well we change over from wartime to peacetime-full production and full employment...
...His articles have appeared in the Saturday Evening Post...
...Scope Of The Problem This problem of reconversion will affect every one of our lives so much that it is impossible to exaggerate its importance in terms of the future hopes and prospects of the people of America...
...It will be the greatest tragedy in history if we permit the seeds of fascism or communism to be sown here at home while our brave men are defeating our enemies abroad...
...COMDR...
...But just as our men are blasting their armies to defeat, we at home can blast the enemy's philosophy to bits...
...This second choice is the Progressive way...
Vol. 8 • August 1944 • No. 35
