SOCIALIST APPEAL JUNE 22, 1940 How Are Workers To Fight Against Hitlerism?
LAB RIGHTS gimes.
10.
Anti Alien Prejudice Only Plays the Bosses Game fascists.
Two Peace Parties bers of an advisory National Defense Council; SOCIALIST APPEAL to go further and to have the Republican party Stab In the Back Vol. IV, No. 25 Saturday, June 22, 1940 actually enter the government might be the final outrage which would drive the labor movement Pudshed Weekly by the into action against the government of warPWA. WIPED OUT SOCIALIST APPEAL PUBLISHING ASSN.
makers. Hence the coalition government was at 116 University Place, New York, Telephone: Algonquin 8547 dropped. Hence each party dubs itself the peace WPA. SLASHED party and throws boxing gloves at the other.
Editorial Board: Never did two corrupt managers connive a more FELIX MORROW ALBERT GOLDMAN fraudulent fight between two venal prizefighters.
ANTI ALIEN LAWS General Manager: Equally fraudulent is the game being played GEORGE CLARKE by Senator Wheeler and a few other Democrats WALSH HEALEY ACT SCUTTLED and Republicans. Wheeler threatens to bolt the Subscriptions: 00 per year: 00 for six months. Democratic party if it becomes the war party.
WAGNER ACT DISEMBOWELED Foreign. 00 per year, 50 for six months. Bundle But examine his record on all the crucial votes in orders: cents per copy in the United States: cents per copy in all foreign countries. Single copies: cents. connection with Roosevelt war drive, and you LABOR MUST NOT STRIKE will find him voting for practically all the major Reentered as second class matter December 4, proposals on which Democrats and Republicans ETC.
1989, at the post office at New York, under the Act of March 1879.
have united. It is ABC that these proposals conETC.
stitute the road to war; that while adopted with lip service to peace these proposals are drivFight with the Socialist Workers ing the nation to a point where there will be no turning back from actual warfare. Yet Wheeler Party for: votes for the whole program. His is merely a JOB AND DECENT LIVING EVERY left of the game which both the DemoWORKER.
cratic and the Republican parties are playing. OPEN THE IDLE FACTORIES. OPERATE For Wheeler himself a second string politiTHEM UNDER WORKERS CONTROL cian on the make and the other politicians who TWENTY. BILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL PUBLIC WORKS AND HOUSING PROGRAM play the same game, it good business. He draws to himself the attention of the great masses de4. THIRTY THIRTY 30. WEEKLY MINIMUM sirous of peace to whom he offers a seeming WAGE 30 HOUR WEEKLY MAXIMUM FOR ALL WORKERS ON ALL JOBS.
alternative to the leadership of the Democratic 30 WEEKLY OLD AGE AND DISABILITY and Republican parties. Moreover he is helped in PENSION getting the attention of the masses by John EXPROPRIATE THE SIXTY FAMILIES.
Lewis, who needs a bloc with Wheeler as a face7. ALL WAR FUNDS TO THE UNEMPLOYED.
saving device in the transition from Lewis vociferous anti war speeches of a few weeks ago to PEOPLE REFERENDUM ON ANY AND ALL WARS.
the status he is seeking as a collaborator in the NO SECRET DIPLOMACY.
government. His commendation of Roosevelt AN INDEPENDENT LABOR PARTY.
appointment of Hillman to the Defense Council indicates Lewis course. Thus Wheeler serves to 11. WORKERS DEFENSE GUARDS AGAINST VIGILANTE AND FASCIST ATTACKS.
channelize the left discontent with the govern12. FULL SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ment war policies, in the end channelizing it.
EQUALITY FOR THE NEGRO PEOPLE. right back to support of the government.
And this deliberate process of breaking up and keeping disunited the peace seeking masses of the people is necessarily carried out by the most deliberate hypocrisy. The speeches the Democrats and Republicans make against each other, always largely compounded of play acting, now By SAM MARCY papers are just as formidable. Es housewives. These especially the becomes the most outrageous buffoonery. None Time and again, defenders of pecially true is this with regard ones living in the segregated areThe Republican party, meeting in national conof them can possibly believe what they are say. non citizen workers are confront to the expense involved. During as have never had an opportunvention this week, will declare itself the peace ing, for they have just left the Congressional Why done they become testi. used to be about five dollars. Now quisites to become a citizen beparty and throw upon the Democratic party the onus of being the war party. Three weeks later collaborated on all measures. But like actors paid unity between the citizen and 50. And if you add to that the house work entails. This is parthe Democratic party will meet in national conto go through their parts, they go through the non citizen workers, a clear and expense for witnesses it may be ticularly true about those who vention, declare itself the peace party and warn clowning necessary to pulling the customers in. Here it is.
revealing answer should be given. employed at a fair wage it may schools, where they might acquire that Republican policies if carried out would lead What a swinish spectacle! And all of it done There are about 4, 000, 000 non not be a considerable sum, þut to some education, are prevalent to war. Meanwhile both parties as a whole join naturally, with the usual excoriations of the im citizens in this country. At least an unemployed or riniserably pata only in the large industrial cities, in Congress to vote for every armament bill, inmorality and deceit of which Hitler alone is one quarter of them are Latin worker living in the segregated and even these are being sharply cluding those providing for sale of government guilty. Such is the process of democracy.
Americans. Yankee Imperialism, areas, such as Little Italy. Lit curtailed.
There is also a group of aliens which has alloted to itself the role tle Mexico and the like, it is a armament to Britain and France and, in a word, who cannot, under present laws, of guardian of all the Ameri very high price.
there isn the slightest difference between the cas, which preaches with the great many alien workers are become citizens because of ilpro war perspectives of the two parties. Both, PATRIOTEERS most disgusting hypocrisy unity Living on relief, since they are legal entry. The Commissioner 1936 too, conceive it necessary to hog tie the labor of all Americas, unity of the among the first to be discharged General of Immigration in It will nevertheless be difficult for many Americans Western Hempisphere and the when industry slows up. In some gave the following reason for the movement; Roosevelt warns the workers not to to understand how Britain in taxing excess war like, systematically fosters the states authorities have gone so illegal entries: The motives most strike, they get together to disembowel the Wage profits 100 per cent can expect anyone to make the grossest discrimination and per who are on relief, to become citi try are a desire to join the famfar as to deny the right to aliens, commonly promoting illegal enner Labor, Walsh Healey and Wage and Hour tremendous extra productive effort required by war secution of Latin American work zens. New Orleans judge ruled ily or relatives in this country, to Acts, strike blows at labor under the guise of without some stimulus other than the vague one that ers in this countsia War, powerlief are barred from citizenship better oneself economically.
it is necessary to save the country. The first thing During the World in 1936 that non citizens on re find a refuge from oppression, to anti alien laws, etc. etc. National unity, the that capital will require to work harder in war time ful American fruit exchanges, is some assurance of a larger return. Carlton Shive. railroad companies and cotton unity of the capitalist class for the coming war, Another obstacle to becoming a What worker, even with a mere ley, financial editor, New York SUN.
companies were in great need of citizen is the lack of documentary speck of class consciousness, can is already complete. cheap labor. They imported due to failure to register the en ing to enter this country for any proof of entry. This is sometimes condemn any allen from attemptWhy, then, label each other the war party?
Latin American workers, particu try. case in point is that of a of the above reasons. That is particularly preposterous since it is an en masse, in direct violation of nine year old boy held for de The working class is internaopen secret that Roosevelt proposal for a coalithe United States contract labor while bringing him to this coun is based on the common bonds of portation, because his mother, tional in character. Its solidarity tion government with the Republicans was aclaws.
cepted by Colonel Knox and other authoritative Before importing them the em many cases, however, the lack of American workers ought not to try failed to register his entry. In exploitation and oppression. The Republican leaders. The reason why they label ployers did not require of these documentary proof is due to the be blinded by the hatred against each other the war party is the same reason We are indebted to the June 15 New Leader, test, or warn them that they brought here en masse, some talist class attempts to inculcate which decided both parties, on second thought, war mongering organ of the Social Democratic would have to pay excessive fees times illegally, by powerful cor into them. Division between the not to go through with the coalition government.
Federation, for the following contribution to the they couldn become citizens bor, and no records were made at can only help the ruling class to For the unity of the entire capitalist class, the definition of democracy: they might some day be fingerunity of the New Deal and Wall Street, if The international Trotskyite press is in a printed and forced to carry a reg.
more thoroughly exploit the native workers.
publicly symbolized by a coalition government, or dither over the arrest and sentencing of nine of istration card with them at all IMPOSSIBLE FOR times. All that the employers re HOUSEWIVES TO MEET by a cessation of competition between the two its people in France. All were caught fighting quired of them at that time was REQUIREMENTS parties, might have very dangerous consequences. war efforts, spreading defeatist propaganda, and to be capable of working long Join the Socialist very large proportion of the hours, and lining the pockets of non citizens are composed of The spectacle of the bourgeoisie harmoniously otherwise engaged in activities of a nature to Workers Party working hand in glove to drag this country into hinder national defense. Top punishment for the bosses. When they were brought here they were herded war might very well be sufficient provocation to this went to Charles Margne, a post office em like cattle into segregated areas.
drive the working class into outspoken opposition ployee. He was jailed, term to last five years. Some ranches were particularly to the war policies of the government, and into The others received three year sentences and laid out so that they could not leave. The bosses tried to prevent great strikes and demonstrations to back up its fines.
them from being free to obtain anti war feelings. What would have been their punishment had jobs or higher wages elsewhere.
Even after the Gallup poll of a few weeks they engaged in the same activity in Germany? Sometimes their shoes and clothing were taken away so they Buy Set of ago showed 93 of the people opposed to AmerWould they even have had a trial?
could not escape.
ican entry into the war, official Washington Since, as the New Leader well knows, our Ger Living under such conditions it hoped that Hitler ensuing successes would re man comrades are engaged in the same activity in became practically impossible for verse quickly the state of public opinion. But the Germany, where hundreds have been put in pris tain the educational requirements (In English)
ever increasing volume of mail to Congress ons and concentration camps, and the nine sen necessary to pass a literacy test shows no diminution of the anti war sentiment; tenced in France are simply the latest arrested, for citizenship. The starvation Made for the New York mass meeting only a minute proportion of it advocates active the difference between democracy and fascism in wages which they received made it prohibitive for them to pay the celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the participation in the war. the June 16 New York war time may therefore be defined as: excessive fees for naturalization.
founding of the Fourth International Tintes mournfully comments.
Under fascism proletarian revolutionists are Mexican family living on Recorded on two 12 inch discs 78R This vast sentiment against American involve imprisoned. Under democracy proletarian revolu lief in Colorado would have to ment in the war, formless, chaotic, uncritical tionists are imprisoned. However, under democ half to pay for the citizenship pathough it is, is a force whose power the bour racy they are first given a trial.
pers of one member of the famSpecially Priced. 50 geoisie fears. It would be a tactical stupidity to ór, as the old time vigilantes used to say: wonder that many of them do not ily, says one observer. Is it any confront this overwhelming desire for peace with Let hear him before we hang him.
Full Proceeds to. become citizens. Shall we blame a coalition government of the two parties. The them or the bosses responsible TROTSKY DEFENSE FUND for their plight?
people against the parties which are supposed to represent them that conclusion would become PRISE OF PATRIOTISM EXPENSE OF CITIZENSHIP too clearly evident. The feelings of the workers In return for a rapid expansion in production unIS BIG ITEM doubtedly industry will demand many concessions in As far as the great mass of imare outraged enough by the spectacle of the way of tax exemptions, amortization policies, re migrants from the European Steel Stettinius and General Motors Knudsen laxation of labor laws, et cetera. WALL STREET countries are concerned, the ob116 UNIVERSITY PLACE NEW YORK, sitting in the government in the guise of mem JOURNAL May 20, 1910.
stacles to obtaining citizenship By ALBERT GOLDMAN All the war mongers from Roosevelt down to the small fry Social Democrats play upon this fear of fascism to inculcate into the minds of the workers the idea that to support England, France or the United States in a war against Germany is a sacred duty.
To make the idea of supporting France, England, or the United States in the war with Germany more palatable to the workers, all the various types of democrats have recourse to the argument that the war is one between capitalist dem.
ocracy and fascism.
No one would be foolish enough to deny the claim that capitalist democracy is better for the workers than fascism. To say that they are equally bad for the majority of workers would be to say something that is an obvious untruth.
If the present war were one for capitalist democracy against fascism it would be the duty of every class conscious worker to give material (not political) support to the democratic reThat is what the revolutionary Marxists did during the civil war in Spain. In the struggle between Franco and the Loyalist government, the advanced workers fought against Franco and thus gave military support to the Loyalist government representing capitalist democracy. It is true that the revolutionary Marxists, understanding that fascism could be defeated only by a workers government, urged the workers tp establish a Soviet Spain. But since a majority of the Spanish workers did not follow the revolutionary Marxists the latter chose to fight with the Loyalist government against Conditions, however, are different in a struggle between imperialist countries, such as England, France, the United States or Germany. In the present war what is involved is not capitalist democracy against fascism but colonies, markets, sources of raw material. And since that is the motive force of the war the workers must determine their attitude by that factor and not by secondary factors. But, say some workers, We grant that this war is an imperialist war and that if the United States should intervene it would do so for its imperialist purposes. But the fact remains that the English and Amercan variety of imperialism is better than the Hitler variety and as practical people we must fight for the better kind of inperialism. Imagine what would happen if Hitler should win.
Let workers who ask this question not forget that the German workers can ask the question. Suppose the Allies win? They already received a taste of an Allied victory in 1918. Their experience then was not of a nature as to make them contemplate another victory with great enthusiasm. The miserable Social Democrats may be anxious for a victory of the Allied imperialists in the hope that they would once more be placed at the head of Germany to serve the Allies. But the workers of Germany understand that an Allied victory means complete subjection of their country to the Allies. victory for the Allies does not appear to be any better for the German workers than a victory of Hitler for the English and French workers.
And why should the African or Indian worker and peasant exploited by British imperialism worry about a defeat of British imperialism?
Nor, in America, can the Negro worker and sharecropper of the South be much impressed with the idea that his lot would be worse under Hitler.
The trouble is that if the workers are presented with a choice of Allied or German imperialism the solution to the problem of defeating fascism is insoluble solution is possible if one delves more deeply into the problem and looks upon the capitalist world as a whole and not upon the relative merits of each national section of that world. Looking upon that world as a whole reveals the incontestable fact that its economic system has reached a stage of decay making its destruction absolutely imperative.
If the capitalist world should continue to exist, whether the victory goes to the Allies or to Hitler, the workers can look forward to more frightful wars, more misery, more death. The workers can have no interest in saving any part of such a system. Their interest is in destroying it root and branch.
Once we see the problem as one which involves the destruction of the capitalist world and not the victory of one set of imperialists over another, then the task of the American workers or the workers of any other country becomes clear.
They must begin the struggle against their own capitalism. And if they should win that struggle it would constitute a blow to fascism all over the world.
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