THE PEOPLE'S FORUM
THE PEOPLE'S FORUM . . . By Dodd Service Men Speak Fascism At Home Dear Sirs: The writer is a native of Jersey City and is among the thousands of that community who willingly left their...
...One is constrained to wonder, though, just how many of our American exponents of communism would willingly forsake their American way of life to go to the Soviet Union to live out their remaining days under the "blessings" of communism, the chief of which is the security of bare subsistence...
...Changing Russia Dear Sirs: Answering Mr...
...Now, however, Russia can bend its powerful forces towards raising the standard of living...
...Seely, dismissing hopes of Turkey coming in on the side of the United Nations, makes the following statement: "Modern Turkey is a progressive country, and with the sole exception of Russia has made more gains from a social and religious standpoint during the last 25 years than any other country in the world...
...One of the victims of this fascist pattern is youthful John R. Longo who was appointed deputy county clerk through the efforts of Gov...
...Then he sentenced Longo to serve 18 months to three years, and to top it all off, refused to grant freedom on bail pending an appeal...
...Comdr...
...THE PEOPLE'S FORUM . . . By Dodd Service Men Speak Fascism At Home Dear Sirs: The writer is a native of Jersey City and is among the thousands of that community who willingly left their families and occupations to participate in the international struggle to liberate mankind from the cruel and oppressive tyrannies that have shocked civilization...
...Lewis to handle...
...Time said "Hague frameup," and both AFL and CIO delegations denounced the case as an "obvious violation of Longo's civil liberties...
...As for William Henry Chamber-lin's idea that this continent has been shown invasion proof: since Germany's attacks on Britain and on Russia were frustrated, Germany has been fighting a defensive, not an offensive, war, and naturally she hasn't tried to invade this continent...
...If our people in Jersey are to be rescued from this "occupied area" of fascism, Americans throughout the nation must show their concern over their plight...
...The shares in the plants should entitle one to a vote in its management and then the money from shares be invested in other plants to furnish jobs for others...
...Pvt...
...He says, "there is no such thing as communism in Russia today, the regime is socialism...
...By what authority do the so-called "leaders" of any nation, or group of nations, presume to distribute the earth, according to the value of its natural resources, among the "most favored nations" or barter the inhabitants of any nation as we would a flock of sheep...
...Carroll Lester Centerville, Calif...
...If the information we have about what is being given to the American public is correct, a serious mistake is being made...
...I've been unabl: to find out...
...Actually what Seldes says is not that he isn't a fellow-traveler, but that it's an insult to call him that —-a "smear...
...We may perfect an organization which, for want of a better name, we will call the League of Nations, presumably "peace loving nations...
...they may put into effect any one or more of the various schemes which have been suggested, but every one of them will fail...
...They may organize a world police force...
...will appear...
...When peace comes, Russia need fear no depression nor unemployment...
...Here is an opportunity for your readers in all parts of the country to become American commandos...
...Ernest L. Adkins Seattle, Wash...
...Every time a Stalinite cancels his subscription, be sure I will get you another one...
...Instead of hurling insults—Seldes has a very fine vocabulary of low invectives—why doesn't he show in what respects the line of In Fact has differed from that of the Communist Party...
...And now to Mr...
...Because the voters all want the big daily papers which are either Republican or Democrat...
...My own family writes and expresses horror and muffled protest...
...Marshall Field's fortune was made in the cotton fields of the southern states taken over by the U. S. government and sold to him for less than the cost of the care of the Negroes who harvested it...
...The Chief Justice of the state then forced Longo's release on bail pending an appeal...
...She's too busy preventing Fortress Europe from being invaded...
...It would seem that the so-called "best minds" which are directing to destinies of our nation, and are "collaborating" with a half dozen best minds of other nations in their efforts to direct the destinies of the entire world, should possess enough intelligence to know that none of thei - schemes to maintain "permanent" world peace will work...
...Thomas might well increase your circulation...
...Warning To Congress Dear Sirs: Congress will have plenty to answer for if it doesn't get down to brass tacks on planning for demobilization...
...The unfortified Canadian frontier, the amends made by Britain for the Civil War incident, the fact that the dispute in the War of 1812 had already been settled before the war broke out (slow communications prevented this from being known), the sheer fact of no war and no real preparations for war between the two countries for more than a century—these and the common cultural heritage are enough to show that this country would be foolish to allow Germany, say, to get into a position to dispute the control of the Atlantic with us...
...We Americans can count ourselves fortunate in having such brilliant cuspidor philosophers as the Chamberlins, the Hanighens, the Colemans, et al, who properly inform us of the economic frauds in the Soviet Union, which masquerade under the honest flag of Milwaukee Socialism...
...To complete the judicial picture, it is interesting to note that on the same day that the trial judge denied Longo bail, he granted an accused murderer freedom on a $1,000 bail...
...Gottschalk, says: "As a result of the war, communism will be modified, American democracy and British capitalism will be modi-lied...
...I have a hunch that the same discouraging proportion would prevail among the troops even if Congress made it as easy as falling off a log for the service men to vote...
...Gov...
...Now the whole world knows that capitalism is rampant in the Soviet Union...
...This series he started in the Dec...
...Name-Calling Dear Sirs: Propaganda is g<jod or bad— reasonable or prejudicial...
...The late Victor Berger was full of definitions as well as good, healthy humor...
...The boys don't say much, but most of us aren't going to take "So sorry" for an answer when we go hunting a job...
...Duranty...
...Herbert M. Pratt New York, N. Y. Not Invasion Proof Dear Sirs: The advantage to this country during most of its history in having the Atlantic dominated by a British fleet rather than some other foreign naval power is not a matter of such details as Daniel M. Kelly (Forum in Dec...
...Francis Bid-die requesting a federal probe of the Jersey City reign of terror...
...Charles Hartshorne Department of Philosophy, University of Chicago Chicago, Ill...
...As for The Progressive's Bookshelf, there are many books mentioned that I would give a lot to read, but from $3 to $6 each is much more than I can dig up...
...1 issue, "Time For The Truth," hits the nail on the head...
...Russia And Jobs Dear Sirs: Stalin's socialism in Russia is the kind of socialism that works and gets things done...
...F. C. Australia Suggestion For Seldes Dear Sirs: I have subscribed to In Fact almost from its inception—from the third or fourth issue, despite the fact that I knew of George Seldes and the amazing similarity of his views and those of the Communist Party...
...Pvt...
...Edison and who subsequently was ousted, indicted, and then convicted on the pretense of an election violation in, of all places, Jersey City...
...The University of Chicago conducts a weekly radio forum of leading authorities in its Round Table discussions...
...I suggest that the platforms of all parties be printed on the ballot...
...The balance of the week's work was the profit of the employer...
...The trial judge, while masquerading as a Republican, has been openly accused of being a Hague partisan...
...The small weekly papers supporting a third party movement do not reach a majority of the voters...
...Hers was the problem, then, of fighting, feeding, and transforming the peasants into mechanics and artisans— a formidable task...
...There is plenty to gripe about, all right, but why don't people do their griping at the polls on election day...
...Peace Plants Dear Sirs: What is to be done with the 25 billion dollars worth of war plants after the war...
...One For One Dear Sirs: As H. O. Ekern (Dec...
...So it goes down the line...
...When socialism got stale, "reds" prevailed for a time...
...William B. Lloyd's letter, "A Flexible Peace," is more judicious than most of your editorials...
...The future, said Wordsworth, canot contradict the past...
...That's why, perhaps, those who run our government, along with the horde of office-seekers, work on that principle: that as long as we listen to promises and expect something, we will not demand our Constitutional rights and realize what they mean to us...
...Charles Edison, a Democrat of New Jersey, in a public statement attacked the Hague terror as "a planned fascist pattern, conspiratorial in design, to violate the civil liberties of any who dare oppose his policies...
...And if those same energies which made for such great success on the battlefields, can be utilized for peace, I think we shall see some remarkable results...
...Harry R. Doby Madison, Wis...
...G. H. Chicago, 111...
...Comdr...
...Editor, is any nation worthy of Socialism whose people are ignorant of the high cultural traditions of German social democracy...
...Edison denounced the conviction as a mockery of justice...
...To insure her saftey, Russia reverted again to the absolutism of the Czars...
...Loufs F. DlLGER Hyattsville, Md...
...Anyone who cannot see that a fleet controlled by Prussian Junkers would have had a different and more dangerous relation to American interests, much less to restrain it from interfering with us, is one who will not see, or hasn't happened to think the matter out...
...A. R. R. APO 500 San Francisco, Calif...
...He absolves and glorifies every act whether good or bad with all those supplications known to the old revivalist, who assures us that we all shall go to that place where it is too warm to be comfortable if we do not embrace the Russian formula as a future guide to civilization and religious progress...
...So long as the Communist Party opposed our entry into the war, so did Seldes, and he continued to "expose" the forces trying to involve us...
...14 said, "The Communist experiment has now drifted into socialism in Russia and she is apt to become the greatest nation on earth...
...I was there and do...
...But when Hitler decided to change the character of the war by attacking his erstwhile ally, Stalin, Seldes discovered that the "pro-fascist" forces trying to involve America in the war were really good democrats...
...and in view of Canada, if nothing else, they were largely forced to take this attitude...
...What, except the refusal of the peoples of those nations to fight at the behest of their rulers, is to prevent one half of the member nations of the League from jumping on the nations composing the other half...
...Why not turn them into peace production plants and give the soldier boys a job when they return...
...John McDonough Edgewood, la...
...We are now engaged in a war with a nation which was our ally in World War I. Who is there to guarantee that, 25 years from now, we will not be fighting one or more of our present allies...
...After the election the voters have no one to represent them...
...For democracy is not a process and method of mass conduct and rule, such as the peoples, of the Soviets live under, but rather a word to use and worship, without content or significance in the realm of reality, a sort of a fetish...
...Ned Mauston Los Angeles, Calif...
...Seely...
...To add to their task, there existed a formidable fifth column which was finally liquidated by the famous spy trials...
...The sooner everybody strips for action, the sooner will the war end in victory...
...Henry G. Newell Rome, Penna...
...Either a prostrate Britain or a prostrate Russia, not to mention both, would radically alter the picture, as Chamberlin must know...
...A. U. Johnson Parsons, Kan...
...My only criticism is that you are inclined to gloss over labor's deficiencies...
...F. W. Bishop Neenah, Wis...
...Pro-Fascist Dear Sirs: I think your paper is pro-fascist, pulling for America First, McCor-mick, and the General who fired on the veterans of World War I in Washington in the depression— MacArthur...
...Seely And The Soviets Dear Sirs: In The Progressive for Dec...
...One wonders, too, just how many disillusioned Russians there are who would be eager to exchange these "blessings" for an opportunity to come to this country to live under the "oppressions" of American republicanism...
...One man answered another by saying, "Where I live, anyone you don't like is a communist...
...Consequently, the average vo-t knows little about the issues of the campaign...
...the war was not imperialistic, but democratic, and the fascists now opposed our entry...
...I suggest also that these platforms be printed and posted in public places four weeks before election and that no campaigning be allowed during that time...
...Zeidler further displays a fine tradition of things political when he contrasts Nazi Germany with Soviet Russia...
...S. K. B. Ann Arbor, Mich...
...And even now we are authoritatively told that planes can already be built that will drop much larger bombloads across two or three thousand miles of water and land than the present bombers drop after a flight of 100 miles...
...J. J. S. New Guinea Strikes Unjustified Dear Sirs: Although The Progressive reaches us many weeks late, we regard it as a special treat when it does come...
...Oh, the poor ignorant Russian moujiks...
...Books Too Expensive Dear Sirs: I like The Progressive very much and its fact-giving policy...
...In this way he tells us that both the milk in the glass and the poison in the glass are both poisonous, since they are both contained in glasses...
...New Jersey newspapers which have come to me called the proceedings an outrage...
...When was it that we gave perennial office-holders a carte blanche order to use us for their own political ends, and to drain us dry of every personal freedom we so nobly inherited...
...For the life of me I can't see why Seldes insists that people who call him communist or fellow-traveler are insulting him...
...Some of the writers in the Forum think that a new party should be launched...
...And if Seldes is unwilling, why can't someone on the staff of The Progressive descend into the slime of In Fact and the Daily Worker, or whatever the C. P. organ is, and show the parallel lines...
...Socialism...
...20, Lieut...
...With the needs of war no longer present, no doubt the censorship will disappear and free discussion, i. e. forums, etc...
...Contributions from an authoritative person like Mr...
...The bad resorts to the unfair trick of name-calling...
...Now the $l-a-year men make further fortunes by serving their own interests with the backing of the taxpayers' money and expect to take over the plants at a penny on the dollar of the cost—if not by outright gift...
...As long as conditions which breed "dictators," "aggressors," and wars are permitted to continue in existence, we shall have dictators, aggressors, and wars...
...While William Henry Chamber-lin would not say so, out of modesty and good Christian ethics upon which he bases his writings about the Soviets, all the conscious universe is aware of the fact that Marshal Voroshilov owns all the real estate'in Russia...
...20 issue) and others speak of...
...Praises Seely Series Dear Sirs: You are to be congratulated in securing one of the three best informed writers of the English-speaking people, Lt...
...to Churchill as another colony...
...It baffles me how we'll fight, and if necessary, die for democracy, but how we don't think enough about the most important instrument of democracy to use it every four years...
...Soviet Russia, with her checkered and subtle crimes, has not convinced me with all her military achievements that she is qualified or justified to hold sway over Europe...
...A Serious Mistake Dear Sirs: Your editorial in the Nov...
...State Capitalism . . . Capital is largely controlled or owned by the state...
...P. R. Simpson Kellogg, Idaho 'Let Us Have Peace' Dear Sirs...
...They may boil Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito, et al, in oil...
...Why does it fail...
...Now we hear from back home that our people there are being subjected to another reign of terror perpetrated by the leading American destroyer of every vestige of democracy and justice — Mayor Frank Hague...
...That has been tried many times with very little success...
...C. S. Seely, as a writer...
...The operator may live in a 100-room home with servants to wait on him at every turn, but the miner lives in a house owned by the operator and must buy at his nearby store, going into debt during the period of unemployment...
...One would think that after 150 years of expectation that we'd begin to get a little realization of what our founding fathers fought for and gave us...
...The two old parties, not being interested in platforms, spend millions of dollars through the big dailies...
...27th issue cannot fail to bring caustic letters from our American fascist and Nazi population...
...Invasion over two thousand miles of ocean is very possible, as we are proving over much greater distances in both oceans...
...But proof of the pudding lies in the eating, so why not devise some plan whereby this nation and the U. S. S. R. can exchange disgruntled immigrants on a one-for-one basis...
...John W. Dennett in your issue of Dec...
...He seemed to understand the predicament of the miners and the difficulties that fell to Mr...
...22, describing the rise of the Widener family...
...Why not turn this all into government production plants and furnish jobs for all...
...It would be much fairer to permit these disgruntled Americans to tear up their life insurance policies, burn the deeds to their homes and farms, destroy their savings bank and building association passbooks, turn back whatever federal and state securities they may possess without recompense, and go to live in the Soviet Union than to ask all the rest of us to make these sacrifices so the Mountain might be brought to Mahomet...
...Comdr...
...they may "collaborate" with other nations...
...Talking with a former member of the Bakers' Union (now a war worker), I was told of the contracts made with employers for a wage of $50 per week, depending upon the ability of the man to produce enough in one day's labor for the company to pay that wage...
...Having tried all forms of government, the countries of Europe outside of Russia, will, no doubt, in their desperation turn to the Soviets, since the only forms of government they had already had led to periodic wars and ruin...
...Lieut...
...20, 1 would like to point out that the Soviets took over at a time when the warehouses of Russia were bare and the people ignorant and starving...
...In this regard the cuspidor philosophers of The Progressive have a big edge on the Soviet Union...
...Stalin will not rule Russia and surely will not rule the United States of America...
...They say we will have 75 billions invested in war goods...
...I think that Mr...
...There will be jobs for every returning Russian soldier...
...An application is now before Atty...
...The figures show that even in a Presidential election year about half the people don't think enough of their country and their state to go to the election booth...
...The $1-A-Year Men Dear Sirs: How truly typical of the background of the $l-a-year men is Fred Rodell's article, "American Success Story", in the issue of Nov...
...As for details, the British fleet did not get between ours and the German in the Spanish War...
...I am amazed at this misrepresentation of the facts, and I am at a loss to figure out what sort of interpretation to place upon the writer's motives in making such a bold and sweeping assertion...
...These folks are entitled to their beliefs so long as these do not incite them to seditious activities...
...John Gabriel Soltis Minneapolis, Minn...
...J. D. Carroll Los Angeles, Calif...
...David Berkingoff Bronx, N. Y. * * * Cuspidor Philosophers Dear Sirs: Frank P. Ziedler's letter in regard to the absence of Socialism in the Soviet Union is, to say the least, very interesting...
...And odious names change...
...Take my word for it...
...I'm from Jersey City and I know the shadow that our people live under...
...You've got to go some, as the saying goes, to beat those Milwaukee Socialists...
...That may be true of modern Turkey, but when applied to Russia that is a mistake...
...The eminent Walter Duranty has spent most of his time since 1921, as foreign correspondent of the New York Times, and he is quoted later...
...Make way, please, for Lebensraum...
...Seely to his insatiable passion for everything that pertains to Soviet Russia...
...Write a short note to Atty...
...It seemed kind of good to get back to camp because I heard mostly griping while I was traveling or in my home town...
...Gripe At The Polls Dear Sirs: I returned recently from a furlough to my home town...
...Before me is the 20-page issue, No...
...Perhaps the people will wake up in time before Roosevelt can give the U.S.A...
...George F. Curry Martins Ferry, O. * * * Wants Norman Thomas Dear Sirs: May I endorse the suggestion of W. E. Annon in your Dec...
...Uncle Sam's hands are not entirely clean in this respect...
...The soldier will not have to hunt for some employer who will not hire him unless he can make a profit out of his labor...
...I would almost go further and call it state capitalism...
...Duranty's definitions: Communism—a system of social and economic organization in which property is owned by the state to be shared in common...
...Remember...
...Because Seely knows the relative strength of all of the countries involved, his present series will be a masterpiece in its line...
...Moreover, Mr...
...Considering that the foundation of the Widener fortune was laid in food contracts from the federal government in the Civil War, one's attention is brought down to current matters—those connected with the contracts for food in this war...
...Why Third Parties Fail Dear Sirs: It will soon be time for a Presidential election again...
...I think we would all enjoy that...
...There is the idea that expectation gives us more pleasure than realization...
...Urge an immediate clean-up, at least an investigation—and now...
...It will be most interesting to see which nation acquires the largest waiting list within the first year after the plan goes into effect...
...I only wish I could...
...He forced Longo to trial without benefit of counsel...
...20 issue that Norman Thomas be included among your regular writers in order that other important sides to political and economic questions of the day may be presented...
...He has taken it upon himself to contradict without the least restraint the best known authorities on Soviet Russia, many of whom do not concur with the views and statements so freely made by Mr...
...The famous news analyst, Paul Mallon, under date of Sept...
...He got the Filipinos for two bucks apiece and two million for the islands...
...Zeidler would agree that the 26 million organized Soviet trade unionists who work in and manage Soviet industry, are really not enjoying democracy at all...
...is based on collective or governmental ownership and democratic management...
...Require each to buy at least one share in the plant he works in...
...Were it possible, a treaty between the United States and the U. S. S. R., whereby an exchange of a given number of American fellow travelers for the same number of disillusioned Russians could be effected, might prove to be one mutual assistance pact which many Americans would heartily endorse...
...Absolutely not...
...J. WUNDERLICH New York, N. Y. * * * Constitutional Rights Dear Sirs: One or several of the world's philosophers I've read conclude that people everywhere are forever expecting to be, but never are, happy...
...When presented with sworn testimony uncovered by the Governor's investigating committee, which disclosed that each and every witness arrayed against him lied under oath, the trial judge not only denied a new trial, but refused warrants for the perjurers' arrest...
...Another university authority, Dr...
...The broad fact is that the British, in the main, wanted to live and let live, so far as we were concerned...
...A man who has faced the enemy's fire canot help but feel that a strike cannot be justified in wartime, although I would agree with many of your writers that the profiteering of industry is equally reprehensible...
...Seely most certainly knows his stuff, and the clear manner he uses in placing his observations before the public sets him apart from the small army of fantastic penmen who would have us think, "It's about over—except for the shouting...
...13th Forum) wants to cancel his subscription because you speak up for the freedom of the Russian masses from their brutal masters, I would like to give you a subscription...
...Biddle, saying that Jersey's mess is the concern of all Americans...
...Stalin owns all the railroads there, and Molotov is not only Russia's greatest banker, but also has quite a stake in Wall street and in the City (London...
...I can only attribute this all embracing influence of Mr...
...The only way to finish up the dirty job on our hands is to let all hands know what the facts are and then go on the basis that they love their country enough to pitch in and get it over with...
...As long as Stalin's socialism lasts in Russia, there will be employment for all able-bodied Russians, and also an army that cannot be defeated "in from three weeks to three months...
...Looks like he got a bargain, but it has taken him almost 45 years to find out what he really did get, a terrific headache—which is only one of the penalties inflicted upon its devotees by imperialism...
...Hitler found that out too late...
...This application, according to New York newspaper stories, has been supplemented by documented and photographic proof by the City Affairs Committee of Jersey City...
...Proof Of The Pudding Dear Sirs: Certainly there is but little printed in The Progressive to attract such a following, but if the letters in the Forum be a criterion, a goodly number of its readers are firmly convinced the Russian form of totalitarian socialism, Communism, is preferable to American republicanism...
...If I agreed so closely with the Communist Party as does Seldes, I'd either join it or be proud to say I approved of it...
...I traveled most of the 450 miles (each way) by train and a short hop by bus...
...Yet one never hears the names of any one of the owners or operators of these mines whose pockets are lined by the profits of the five days' labor of men below ground, working in the dark tunnels and breathing in the black dust...
...Then follows Mr...
...And now those who are smearing Russia to get the old deal restored in the U. S. A. are yelling "communism...
...They never know when and where the hoof of Hague fascism will strike next...
...Gov...
...In 1898 he paid Spain $20,000,000 for the Philippines, including the inhabitants thereof, said to number approximately 9,000,000...
...Likewise, the Russian Communist Party would be immeasurably safeguarded by ridding the Soviet of those sadder, but wiser, folks who may now be only biding their time to strike for the very rights and freedoms our American communists value so lightly...
...Staff SergeantTruax Field, Madison, Wis...
...Cover To Cover Dear Sirs: We read The Progressive from cover to cover every week, and we like it just as it is...
...It brought the most marvelous industrial advance in all history in 20 years, while at the same time it had to prepare the mightiest army in all history to repel the armies of Germany, Italy, Rumania, Hungary, and Spain...
...Lewis R. Kimberly Fort Thomas, Ky...
Vol. 8 • January 1944 • No. 3
