THE PEOPLE'S FORUM
. . . THE PEOPLE'S FORUM . . . 'Might Makes Right' Dear Sirs: The world situation presents many contradictions in thought and in action, the chief being the hoary, century-encrusted idea that...
...The following quotations therefrom completely refute the review by Mr...
...Each of these 31 changes was a pretty drastic change, and look at the United States today...
...THE PEOPLE'S FORUM . . . 'Might Makes Right' Dear Sirs: The world situation presents many contradictions in thought and in action, the chief being the hoary, century-encrusted idea that "might makes right...
...John Campbell Chula Vista, Calif...
...And when number 32 takes office, the United States of America will continue to be the same progressive nation that our 31 former Presidents have helped to create...
...Their way of life is entirely alien to the white Americans...
...The United Nations, after they have mopped up Europe, Africa, and Asia with their devilish, destructive inventions, vouch for a paradise on earth, so why, in the name of goodness, don't we settle our national and local problems in the same excellent way...
...When peace was popular, Roosevelt was a man of peace...
...We need a new leader, a new vigorous Commander-in-Chief to retrieve the failures and fear of our present timorous executive, who is either too old or tired or afraid to speak up for his boss, the American people...
...Or am I being naive...
...For many years I have thought that Labor, the organ of railroad workers, was a sincere servant of the toilers in this vale of tears, but its recent expressions lead me to doubt its faithfulness, and I warn the rank and file of the brotherhoods who support it to watch the top men in their organization...
...It was like money, a means to an end...
...Some of these years we've got to have a new President...
...It says in part, "The state masters approved resolutions calling for postwar deportation of Japanese citizens and condemning the War Relocation Authority for establishing persons of Japanese parentage in Western areas during the •war, on the ground that it was impossible to distinguish between a loyal and a disloyal Japanese . . ." As you can see, the resolution called for postwar deportation of Japanese citizens...
...In 1940, Roosevelt was elected on the grounds that he alone could avoid war...
...Past experience has taught them just what they may expect from those governments...
...Articles by Chamber-lin, Rodell, Barnes, Villard, Mayer, Meyer, and Seely, add to my store of knowledge, keep me, only a clerk in a big business, not a diplomat, Congressman, or a person of influence, mentally alive to what is truly happening and why...
...Well...
...Alice L. Ross Omak, Wash...
...28, and for nothing better than Dewey, the anointed candidate of Herbert Hoover...
...It takes time for anyone to familiarize himself with a new job...
...If we split our votes, Roosevelt will make it, and I am as much opposed to Dewey as to Roosevelt...
...Do not go secretly reactionary and become a weekly of weak soup, pap, and watererd milk...
...In the face of this glaring inconsistency one can come to only one conclusion—you can't rely on Roosevelt...
...Tsk, tsk, ours is a democratic army...
...Roosevelt bases a great deal of his campaign appeal on the use of the title of Commander-in-Chief...
...Then I will be free to go over to where I really belong...
...Bertha Strong Cooley S. Deerfield, Mass...
...Russia's achievements rest on moral foundations...
...That we have to vote for party candidates rather than for men and women is the tragedy of America, or any other place where it's done...
...Also, what are we to do with the untold billions of dollars in physical properties now owned by the people because of the war...
...E. C. Barney Los Angeles, Calif...
...Ford and expose them in The Progressive...
...As a matter of fact, both are right...
...Roosevelt's followers try to give us the impression that he is responsible for the appointment of Marshall and King...
...The greatest peacetime challenge ever to face the nation is what to do with this vast, fantastic, dangerous war machine we've built...
...I immediately wrote the Editor of Labor my opinion of his late outburst against the true friends of working people and asked if he would be so kind as to send me the name of at least one candidate friendly to labor that the CIO was opposing...
...The Russians have had more to do with licking Hitler than anyone else...
...Or does he want us to believe he alone can recognize merit...
...The Democrats cried: "He wants to get on the band wagon...
...Therefore, I am compelled to conclude that the railroad workers' paper Labor should change its name to Fascist, or some other, that will show it is on the side of the monsters of greed who seek to pvit the great producing class in our country back into the gutters of want where Franklin D. Roosevelt found them in 1933...
...This will be agreeable to almost everyone, and especially pleasing to the Communist brethren, who have never shown any signs of wanting to inherit the earth by meekness, but by as much bloodletting as possible...
...For what doth thy God require of thee but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before thy God...
...The article by Mr...
...Georoe F. Curry Martins Ferry, 0. * * * Grange And Japanese Dear Sirs: In your Sept...
...The Russian attack was the result of a colossal blunder on the part of Hitler...
...More Chamberlin Dear Sirs: I disagree with your Texas subscriber in regard to William Henry Chamberlin...
...31: "America has no shortage of oil...
...When this "liquid gold" no longer responds to the drill, then the oil companies aim to "gild the lily" and extract motor fuel from it just as lucratively by entering into conspiracies to limit the output and commit carburetor shenanigans to prevent the people from producing their own motor fuel easily...
...To save this nation we must oust the snakes in the grass and vote a Republican Congress into office...
...Ernie Ckook Hamburg, la...
...Peace is a continuing process...
...but by dawn on Monday morning, or before dawn if need be, the precept "Love your enemies"—and you will have none—is turned into the big game of man-hunting...
...Michael Brkopac Lorain, O. * * * Exhortation Dear Sirs: The Progressive enlarges and improves my thinking in foreign and home news...
...14 issue was especially interesting and enlightening...
...We are among the top ranking nations of the world, if not the greatest...
...In order to give justice to Grange masters, I am attaching a clipping from the Grange Xews of Aug...
...Fascist W. L. Clayton wants to give the billions in war plants owned by the people to his kind—the rich owning and ruling class, thereby advancing the fascist stranglehold upon the nation...
...A Republican Congress is our last chance...
...Thomas On Laski Dear Sirs: In your issue of Aug...
...He's known as the author of If You Don't Weaken!—the history of a man—a man's man, and a woman's man...
...Neither has the courage nor the vision nor the will to execute a social program to keep the peace and advance the general welfare...
...We will really need tact and skill then, Are we going to hold the New Deal's F. D. R. over a couple more terms for that period...
...A man among men...
...MacArthur is not a Roosevelt appointee, and he is one of the best men we have...
...Russia's ruthless treatment of traitors to the cause of true freedom seems to Norman Thomas a social crime...
...For instance, is not the more or less democratic method of electing our rulers, from dog-catcher to President, all wrong...
...Why America and its Congress stands for them I cannot find out...
...Those people want no return to their prewar conditions, conditions which the return of those governments would most certainly inflict upon them...
...Could you not get the names of those war mongers from Mr...
...Things would be livened up a bit by staging this new kind of Presidential tournament...
...Louis paper, announced Aug...
...Is this what Mr...
...Tired Of Straddling Dear Sirs: I'm tired of straddling the fence with The Progressive...
...He even went so far as to say, "I hate war...
...Oscar Ameringer isn't called "one a-them Socialists" or a Progressive, or a Democrat now...
...His articles are okay so far as I'm concerned...
...You owe to those who believe in your honesty of purpose that they be given an opportunity to become acquainted with the plain truth...
...So will Franklin D. be remembered and Isabel B. Including the latter name is not fatuously done, for more readers honor the author of "A Room Of Our Own" than is realized, I imagine...
...26, in which a full account of the conference was given...
...For, judging by recent statements in their publication, they are more in sympathy with the rich, who own the railroads, than with the workers who make their operation possible...
...Louis, Mo...
...When the going got rough, they deserted their countries to their fate, seeking only for themselves refuge in foreign lands where they would be safe...
...Both are reactionary...
...I present the one I see...
...Let me say for the CIO, that all the proof we need that it is doing great and good work for a better government in seeking the uplift of the toiling millions whose labor has made this a great country is that the greedy rich are fighting it in every way possible, including 98 per cent of the press and radio...
...Not one word about what he had stated in his paper as a fact...
...Produced from corn stalks, corn cobs, sugar cane, and many other plants, enough LIQUID FUEL can be recovered each year from America's plant WASTE alone to operate 30,000,000 autos...
...Some months ago your correspondent, Frank Hanighen, quoted from the English magazine of the ruling classes that the English powers-that-be do not care whether or not Germany is fascistic, but they could not allow it to become too strong...
...7? Mr...
...Let them decide, without interference by Roosevelt, Churchill, or anyone else, what government they prefer...
...Failure to realize these two facts have been responsible for widespread hostility to Russia...
...No political party dares to put before the nation a man that isn't experienced in governmental affairs...
...But truth is continually being revealed...
...Pass This Paper On...
...Fascism may be destroyed abroad soon...
...I did not agree with all he said at Louisville, but I am glad he agreed with you about these secret confabs...
...At this election much is at stake...
...Not one of them dared even to attempt to duplicate the heroic action of King Albert of Belgium in World War I. Let us at least give those people credit for knowing when they have had enough...
...Lincoln is remembered not as a Republican, but as a man...
...No reply to my question at all...
...James H. Wright Henderson, N. C. * * * Need New Leader Dear Sirs: • President Roosevelt, posing as Commander-in-Chief, was outsmarted by Churchill, who has grabbed several French bases in Africa for Britain...
...But the question arises, what is the matter with the religion we have...
...7, I read the quotation from Labor, the paper published by the Railroad Brotherhoods, which said: "Labor contends that the CIO's yardstick of qualifications often has little to do with issues affecting labor, and that, as a consequence, candidates with good labor records are being vigorously and even viciously opposed by the CIO...
...Such fascist-minded cattle constitute public enemies supreme of the American people...
...Has it got to the point where one must laugh about it to keep from weeping or swearing...
...Both parties are devoid of social consciousness—inept and corrupted by monopoly wealth...
...Neither has an intelligent and far-sighted domestic policy...
...Why did the New York financiers, Dillon, Read and Company, and the Bank of London lend Hitler seven billions...
...for example, break strikes and terrorize union labor...
...For more than 200 years the decadent, profligate, and degenerate personnel of those governments have kept their subjects in a perpetually poverty-stricken condition, a condition interspersed with wars, famines, pestilences, and various other assorted miseries...
...Why not indorse them, and thereby throw the full support of Progressives to the only candidates who are campaigning for a democratic, lasting peace, full employment, and democracy, and also thereby contribute to the building in this country of a powerful third party of the people, like the CCF in Canada...
...A study of the origin of this title will reveal that it doesn't mean Der Fuehrer, it simply means that the military cannot supersede the authority of the civil government...
...Can any man do both and be consistent...
...Ann Weideman Washington, N. J. * * * What America Needs Dear Sirs: Your magazine is improving all the time...
...Even the children might be interested...
...Roosevelt, Churchill, et al, to restore the thrones of certain European nations to those who occupied them previous to the outbreak of the present war are successful, World War II will also have been fought in vain...
...If New Deal experience is so vital, why have the Democrats ditched so many Vice Presidents, each of whom, while in office, is a potential President...
...There may be more than one answer...
...News reports which should be reliable indicate that the oppressed peoples of Europe are hoping and struggling to establish different and better governments than those which they have enjoyed in the past...
...Let the candidates for office meet on the field of battle and settle it by fisticuffs, clash of arms, poison-gas bombs, or by whatever similar method they deem to be the most efficient and decisive...
...Roosevelt claims he is responsible for war strategy...
...The inference is obvious...
...I am confident that the people of the United States will not choose for President by political chance a man who lacks experience...
...We have managed to change Presidents 31 times...
...His action is as reprehensible as it is ludicrous...
...And The Army Dear Sirs: Mr...
...Of course there are differences between Socialists and Progressives, but certainly Thomas and Hoopes are the nearest to Progressive policies than are any other candidates...
...Malcolm A. Green Austin, Tex...
...Hewlett Johnson, the Dean of Canterbury, has recently given that opportunity to the English speaking peoples of the world, in a book of 160 pages, price 35c...
...They fought the Crusades in the name of the Prince of Peace to impose their form of religion on others...
...It is the business of no one but themselves...
...It's another case of the pot calling the kettle black...
...To the great detriment of the nation many high positions are filled by men of puny stature mentally, for example, Jesse Jones, Emory Land, Henry Stim-son, James Byrnes, Francis Biddle, W. L. Clayton, etc., ad infinitum...
...The was is adding hugely to the enormous fortunes the oil companies have built on motor fuel pumped from the ground...
...Julia P. Bara New York, N. Y. Pass This Paper On...
...If he is responsible for the leadership of the Army, have we never had good generals before Roosevelt...
...Our future looks extremely dark and dreary...
...28 Norman Thomas does his utmost to confuse the minds of your readers on the paramount question of Soviet achievement as described in Harold Laski's book, Faith, Reason, and denization...
...Christ rebuked the Pharisees because they taught for doctrines the commandments of men but they continued the process in their creed making, seeming to think they had attained complete truth...
...At this late date, does Mr...
...Maverick Lloyd AVinnetka...
...Henry Ford, on the occasion of his recent birthday, asserted that there are some mighty financiers in this country who contributed to the making of this war...
...Marshall and Admiral King have a little more to do with- the war than to act as pencil sharpeners and water fetcher for Mr...
...If they are willing to recognize a government which they themselves have chosen, why should anyone else withhold recognition...
...There was a terrible mistake made by church leaders centuries before the split between Catholics and Protestants, and both sides continued the error...
...We can expect no lasting good from either old party...
...E. P. Carbo Baltimore...
...Edith Hall St...
...When war is "popular," Roosevelt is a man of war...
...The indomitable Red Army bled the Nazis white on the frozen steppes of Russia...
...Strange as it seems, this item slips in on the 20th page, buried in the "funny" sheet, when it should have been boldly headlined across the front page of every newspaper in the land...
...Every time the Big Three meet, Stalin wins, Churchill wins, and America loses...
...Here's what the fascist politicians, war mongers, and brass hats want to do: keep millions of Americans under arms, compulsory military training, retention of air bases and aircraft, navy, etc...
...Indorse Thomas Dear Sirs: It seems to me that the only logical course for The Progressive and its movement to take during the coming election is to indorse the national ticket of the Socialist Party —Norman Thomas and Darlington Hoopes...
...And so is the name of Robert M. La Follette remembered, not as a Republican or a Progressive, but as "Fighting Bob" La Follette, an American...
...Carburetor Shenanigans Dear Sirs: "Strange As It Seems," a syndicated feature carried in a St...
...It is entitled The Secret of Soviet Strength...
...Truman recently said, "There is no substitute for experience...
...Let's see more of them in The Progressive...
...therefore, neither can have an intelligent foreign policy...
...But for economic reformer Mote, it is different...
...Everyone, with the exception of Gandhi and his followers and a few nondescripts possessed of similar ideals, claim that it is...
...They want no return to status quo ante bellum which the return of their governments in exile would most certainly accomplish...
...The Republicans yelled: "He's one a-them Communists — look out...
...Heralds with trumpets could blare away before the microphone and the candidates armed cap-a-pie, would make striking pictures for the news-reel...
...Firm friendship between the two peoples grows as the scales fall from our eyes...
...Roosevelt timidly and wearily gives in every time Stalin cajoles and Churchill threatens him...
...Roosevelt want us to think that generalships are handed out on the basis of political expediency rather than merit...
...Raymond S. Brown 45 Kimberly Ave...
...H. M. Mitchell Philadelphia, Pa...
...Roosevelt wants us to approve on Nov...
...then, if it is the efficacious and ethical way to solve the most serious of all questions, i. e. disputes between nations, why should it not be applied to all of life's difficulties...
...He was outwitted by Stalin, who made his own plans on Poland and recognized de Gaulle against Roosevelt's objection...
...Had they said, "He stands for a program to end poverty in California—the EPIC plan" and then explained what that plan was, he'd have been elected...
...Today he never gets tired of telling us what a great war leader he is...
...As the Dies Irae, Nov...
...4 issue, President Roosevelt giving Wallace the Famous Hand, Grip, and Toss, and pin them up on the wall of my office...
...The Allied combined Chiefs of Staff are more than mere window dressing for Roosevelt and Churchill—they are the real source of war strategy...
...Fascism At Home Dear Sirs: The Republicans are shouting how the country will hurtle on to hell completely if Roosevelt is reelected...
...Ellen Winsor Edgartown, Mass...
...Why is it so often needing to be revived...
...Barnes And Howard Dear Sirs: With such splendid writers as Harry Elmer Barnes and Harry Paxton Howard and those editorials by Mr...
...4 issue— especially "Secret Covenants...
...1 have seen similar items in other newspapers, leading to the conclusion that the large news agencies might be deliberately misrepresenting the facts in order to discredit the Grange...
...The honest ones...
...Parties were set up in an early day when men were more or less honest...
...Howard, "Toward A People's Foreign Policy," in the Aug...
...God is not mocked...
...Russia's beliefs have affinity to religion...
...Won't a clear-headed lawyer, if such can be found, give an answer to this perplexing question...
...What a pleasure it would (or will) be to awake one morning to the realization that we are at last rid of double-dealing, hypocrisy, broken promises, secrecy, and Roosevelt...
...It is quite true that the Japanese have never assimilated themselves with the whites, but have remained a race apart...
...Springfield, Mass...
...Deal, which is the most powerful and best friend to good government for all the people that was ever tried in this country...
...31 Changes Dear Sirs: Sen...
...Creeds are barriers between those who.should be working together for world betterment...
...This is not essentially true...
...Harry Baldwin Baltimore, Md...
...Florence H. Haines Vincentown, N. J. * * * 'Fuss And Feathers' Dear Sirs: Of all the "fuss and feathers" that A. Mote exhibited in his letter of Aug...
...Carnegie Institute of Technology...
...Isn't it time to get a Commander-in-Chief who can command, a man who will not cower before Stalin, Churchill, and other aliens, but will courageously speak out for America first...
...Price Of Better World Dear Sirs: I agree with the people who say that what the world most needs is a revival of religion...
...To Norman Thomas and La Fol-lette and the party of the real common people...
...The American people—if they had the sense and the courage — should use the military machine to crush a very dangerous and growing fascism at home...
...You should ask questions, propose reforms, and ask for opinions instead of having an indiscriminate People's Forum...
...He was a Socialist, now he's a Democrat, or a Communist...
...The CIO and the Farmers Union, which stand united for justice in government, are the only organizations that seek to uphold the New...
...The obscure printing of the announcement of the American Chem-'ical Society (April 1944) and the Carnegie Institute (August 1944), giving scientific, practical status to a motor fuel talked about among mechanics for years, seems "strange" indeed at a time when heavily-taxed automobiles stand useless four or five days a week, in order that the oil companies may "patriotically" proclaim, "GASOLINE POWERS THE ATTACK...
...Many who saw the cut-out map showing Cherbourg, never thought it was a pivotal point for further invasion operations and so far from Paris...
...For persons who will not read my Progressive because they hate to think or because it doesn't stir their emotions, I cut out pictures or maps of The Great Pincer Movement in the Sept...
...It Will Make New Friends...
...Labor' And The CIO Dear Sirs: In The Progressive of Aug...
...Sole Concern Dear Sirs: We overlook our opportunities...
...4 issue, in "Names and Notes in the News," you state that "the masters of five state Grange organizations in the West called for the deportation from the United States of all persons of Japanese ancestry...
...No small requirement, but it is the price . of the better world we dream of...
...Dewey because I believe in his sincerity and courage (in spite of some of his traveling companions) and because I believe him to have the best chance against the Roosevelt fourth term...
...But the feeling is strong along the entire West coast and the state masters' resolution is an extremely mild one when compared with what is heard among people in general out here...
...Only the ABC's are now being learned...
...There is every reason to believe that the hopes of the oppressed peoples of Europe are grounded in the belief that their present "governments in exile" will remain that way permanently and indefinitely...
...To tolerate those traitors would be unpardonable...
...Supporting Dewey Dear Sirs: This is to thank you for your two fine editorials in the Sept...
...And the working people need red blood and sense enough to see their lost and ruined condition under the brutal rule of organized wealth...
...Thomas: "Millions wonder today how they were led to believe the propaganda and lies which before the war had created so fantastic a picture of our great ally...
...Roosevelt...
...They produced a theory of the forgiveness of sins that was contrary to the Scripture, "Be not deceived...
...A. F. M. Lange Brooklyn, N. Y. F.D.R...
...It will require many future years to create lasting peace plans...
...Meyer Miller Paterson, N. J...
...Some days later I received the Editor's reply, and this is what he said: "Glad to get your views, although I don't agree with you...
...This is particularly true of the President of the United States...
...In his book Failure of a Mission, the last English ambassador to Germany, Henderson, stated that the German proposition to Poland was fair...
...The Japanese question is a vital one to the West coast, and to one who has not lived in this area it is difficult fully to appreciate the situation...
...Wrhat this country needs is a new party—the Progressive or People's Party, and your magazine should sponsor it...
...Governments In Exile Dear Sirs: If the obvious efforts of Messrs...
...Keep up your good work, every one of you, writers, staff, publisher, and owner of The Progressive and make this a weekly newspaper that educates and is a true fact revealer...
...But the Socialists shouted, "He's a turncoat...
...shouted the people here in California when Upton Sinclair ran for governor of the state...
...I am supporting Mr...
...Every Sabbath, God's vicars on earth admonish their congregations to do no murder...
...J. Guy Causey Greensboro, N. J. * * * A GOP Congress Dear Sirs: At the coming Presidential election many of our voters will not care to vote at all or will vote for Norman Thomas, as I first intended to do...
...Why has it not flourished and functioned to keep the world out of its desperate condition...
...Those that thought for themselves and came to different conclusions from those already held were burned at the stake as heretics, which was just as much murder as anything the law recognizes as such, We do not have such things now but still creeds have tried to freeze the truth into unchangeable forms, and free thought is discouraged...
...It Will Make New Friends...
...History shows some of the consequences...
...Against Political Parties Dear Sirs: Isabel B. La Follette bemoans the fact that many office-seekers are so confused in these times that they're running, on any old party train that stops long enough to flirt with them and get them aboard, or words to that effect...
...After the nations learn their "let- | ters," they will have the task of putting these "letters" to work...
...Financiers And War Dear Sirs: I agree with you that we cannot formulate plans for future peace unless the causes of the last two wars, including the present one, are thoroughly investigated...
...Is this the right way to settle a problem...
...Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap...
...Powerful fascists in the U. S. also want to utilize the military to handle the civilian population...
...Here we're all complaining about the locked doors of the Dumbarton Oaks conference when our sole concern should be to see that the doors stay locked, thus removing from circulation quite a number of two-legged obstacles to a decent peace...
...Rubin himself—especially those where he enlightens our public on English imperialism and Tory Churchill — The Progressive should find an ever growing list of friends...
...There are, of course, exceptions among the younger Japanese-Americans, especially among those (>f good education...
...If this were not true, our republican form of government would soon degenerate into a military dictatorship...
...Of course, citizen Mote has a right to advocate whom he will support for office...
...7, draws near, why hold elections in every voting-precinct of the country...
...Maurice F. Cashel Madison, Wis...
...Those who seek to destroy them are none other than the greedy few who hitherto have lived in luxury on the labor of the toiling millions...
...The Democrats entertain the same fear for the country if Dewey and the Republicans come to power...
...The Rev...
...It was that they put belief ahead of behavior...
...so that we can act the big bully — browbeat and intimidate weaker nations...
...I am confident that The Progressive will live up to its great tradition and will take this forthright step for true progress...
Vol. 8 • September 1944 • No. 39
