SOCIALIST APPEAL NOVEMBER 10, 1939 SOCIALIST APPEAL VOL LL, NO. 86 Tuesday, November 7, 1389 Published Twice Weekly by the SOCIALIST APPEAL PURI. ISHING ABAN at 116 University Place, New York, Telephone: Aligonquin 8647 Their By James Burnham SPARKS IN THE NEWS Government Subscriptions: 00 per year: 00 for six months. For ts per enpy in the nited States: cents per copy in It foreign countries. Single copler: centa Bronx and Manhattan subscriptions are 50 for al month: 00 for one year.
Reentered As Second CAM matter September 29, 1998, at the post omice at New York, under the Act of March 1179.
Editor: MAX SHACHTMAN PELIX MORROW General Mannor Anlatant Manager: MARTIN ABERN SHERMAN STANLEY Associate Editor MANURI GARRETT FIGHT WITH THE SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY FOR: job and a decent living for every worker. Open the Idle factoriosoporate the under workers control. Twenty BL Hon dollar Federal bule works and housing program. Thirty thirty 80 weekly minimum wage 30hour weekly maximum for all workers on all jobs. Thirty. dollar weekly cld age and disability pension. Expropriate the Sixty Familles. All war funds to the unemployed. people referendum on any and all wars. No secret diplomacy.
10 An Independent Labor Party. Workers Defense Guards against vigilanto and Fascist attacks.
12. Ful social, political and economic equality for the Negro people.
breeds, native as well as imported. Our big job at present is to help the public to distinguish By Dwight Macdonald social democracy, the socialism of Debs and Berger and Hillquit, from the poisoned substi.
tute that Browder is offering.
When Mr. Lee speaks of the socialism of Victor Berger and Morris Hillquit, he not only feels at home and knows what he is talking about, but he is undoubtedly true to himself. The Color Line in Culture Great Expectations But when he speaks in the same breath of Waite Phillips is a Tulsa, Oklahoma, oil magBut it is also significant and a little worrying. that so far the whole war boom has been based Eugene Debs, he displays more impudence than nate an olligarch, in Time vocabulary. Mr.
Phillips, a great public benefactor of Tulsa, re on nothing but expectations. The September mer. Any lingering doubts about the real meaning of this otherwise prudent and elderly gentleman is cently turned over his big Italian style mansion chandise exports of the United States were 17 Rooseve:t Neutrality Act, which honest men may accustomed to show.
to be used as an Art Center. The other day the higher than they were in the same month last have held on the basis of Roosevelt own message to year. But this increase was not to any great the Special Session and the Congressional debate Lee and his friends are supporters of the im Art Center had its grand opening. Every one in extent in war goods: over a third of it was in which followed, should have been thoroughly cleared perialist war. They are servants of the American pened to be black.
Their presence was most dis cotton, shipped under the subsidy plan, and the up during these few days since the Act passage.
ruling class, its attorneys and apologists, just as tinctly not requested. But the Tulsa olligarchs rest was largely other agricultural products. The Anyone in his right mind should now be able to see Browder and Co. are the agents of the Moscow be ubrust to exelude the city Negroes from the war demand hasn yet materialized. Steel pro that Roosevelt message was brazen demagogy, and duction has gone up to over 90 of capacity, and the debate, on both sides, shameless hypoerlay from auto racy. Lee declares: cultural advantages of the Art Cencer. There! ore, more steel is now being produced per week than beginning to end. No one is going to be really deceived by the according to Time for November 6: One Thursever before in our history. But this is all based Roosevelt and the Congressmen told us before pretense that France and Great Britain, aided day a month will be set aside as Jim Crow day on the expectation of future war orders. And it hand, that they were trying to work out the best the war fai. to become serious in the next few program for keeping the United States out of the and abetted by President Roosevelt and his Wall at the Art Center.
months, or if, even worse, some sort of peace is war. After the Act became law, not a single comStreet friends, are waginz an imperialistic war Blood Money patched up, then American bus. ness will and it mentator tried to keep up the pretense any longer.
against Germany. It is worth noting, howself far out on a limb.
All of the discussion centered on the questions of how Bourgeois economists lament the disappearance The Continental Steel Corporation recently an exactly the Act would affect the war, how many ever, that in this country Fritz Kuhn and of the economic frontier in American capitalism. nounce that it was setting aalde in a special dreds of millions of war ordera It would bring, and all the fascistic adventurers got ahead of Brow. But there does exist one last great economic frontier for world capitalism, one remaining mafund the equivalent of two months earnings as a how world shipping would be reorganized in accord.
der in taking up this line of attack.
ance with it.
jor market for the consumption of manufactured reserve for contingencies. The contingency it stated in these frank terms: The war in Europe.
And this apologist for the war mongers has goods frontier which at present located beIn all of the European capitals the passing of the together with a domestic business Improvement, Act was recognized and proclaimed as a smashing the effrontery to speak of himself as a protag tween the Westwall and the Maginot Line. The has brought about an inflationary condition that victory for England and France. Paris and London onist of the socialism of Dels. Lee defames range of this sort of consumption from the accould be rapidly reversed if peace negotiations didn make any bones about it: they told their peo the Bo shevik Revolution of November 1917 as tual battlefields to the whole of Europe. The beauwere effected. Or, in plain language, peace would ple how the Act brought weight of the United be a disastrous blow to the Continental Steel Cor. States into their side of the scales.
a counter revolution. Debs proudly proclaimed ty of air raids on industrial centers, from an poration, as to other American corporations.
himself a Bolshevik from his toes to the crown economic point of view, is that not only are What the Act Provides of his head. Lee defames all opponents of AmerThe First Swallow large quantities of those expensive and com: plicated mechanisms called bombs used up, but The Act is supposed to establish elaborate restric ican imperialism (not merely the Stalinist that their consumption destroys even vaster ready the first swallow of spring has arrived, tions which will prevent this country from becoming a harb. nger of the fertile summertime in store involved. As pseudo opponents, but the genuine revolution amounts of other machines and commodities on for American capitalism if only the war doesn s finally amended and passed, the imthe ground. Thus is created a double barrelle portant restrictions boil down to Ittle more than this: ary opponents) as agents or friends of the Ger market for goods: to replace those destroyed, and peter out. This is the repeal of the Embargo. travel by citizens and ships to a small zone in Writing in last Sunday Times, Arthur Krock man Nazis. Debs replied in excoriating and con to destroy still others.
the north of Europe is prohibited. Citizens, if they realistica. ly summarized its significance: The are of the right sort, can always get special perinistemptuous terms to the scoundrelly patriots of Merely on the strength of such rosy prospects, major. ty in Congress was persuaded that repeal sion. This leaves about nety ships, heretofore the last World War who accused him and fel our own capitalist system in the last few months of the arms embargo Was desirable for two pure has taken a new lease on life. The Times in the north European trade to suffer handicap. But low socialists of being German agents, friends of poses to remove the disadvantage it imposed on even these ninety ships will be able to take care of weekly index of business activity has risen from Great Br. tain and France in fighting Germany. BUC Wii le cancerred to foreign reg.
tne kaiser. Lee is out recruitin for the French, of normal in the week ending August 26 an. to set up an indu. scrial was mane in it. the portit ton will not apply to them.
Enzish and American Empires in the Second ast to 104. in the week ending October 28. S3cUnited States in the interest of national seOthe! will take the place of British and French curi. y.
World War. Debs said, in the Appeal to Reason retary of Commerce Hopkins has reported that a the sh. py maily sai ing in un estricted zones, which As to the first point, it is repo led that the will be trans. erred to the north Atlantic routes of Sept. 11. 1915: first nine months of this year, as against 48. av. ation industry has already received from the It matters Therenasty lopnol in the alleged pro to me whether this war be 100, 000, 000 in the same period last year. The Allies 170, 000, 000 worth of plans ord. Eng American Federation of Labor, in its mon hly visins against granting credit that they will serve offensive or deiensive, or what other lying exlan. about to launch a 1, 000, 000. 000 war van Jusiness survey, states that since the war cris ch etly to make the war cone a safe and prontdrive aming its tizens, ihe proceeds t:om which cus: may be invented for it, am opposed to it. began to sharpen at the beginning of August, able as possibe for corporations wil. uny go for the purchase of American :The origina plan to prunibil ships from all and would be shot for treason before woud about one million and a quarter American work nitions. Washing. on oficials estimate that in the ers have found Jobs.
bell ge en ports was droppet, with the exception of enter such a war.
next few weeks the Allies will ace over here The New Deal has been administering to Amerthe small danger zone, they can go anywhere and If were in Congress would be shot before can capitalism various reformist shots in the war orders totalling 500, 000, 000, and in the next carry anything except atms. There is no reatriction eght months 2, 000, 000, 000 would vote a dollar for such a war.
on shipment into Canada arm for the last seven years. But all sections of Krock point avout epeal making it possible There are no restrictions of any sort on what have no country to fight for; courgeois opin on, from the AFL bureaucracy to country to bu ld up, before the United States enters the business is permitted to sell to the belligerents. An the big business press, agree that the outbreak of war, a bir rative munitions industry has also reis te cart; and am a citizen of the world.
amendment that would have prohibited the export of the war has done more for American business ceive factual confirmation in the last few days poison gas and flame throwers was howled down in would not vio ate my principles for God, than anything ever pulled out of the hat by President Rcosevelt has persona ly urged that the Senate by a four to one vote. This vote was a much less for a crazy Kaiser, a savage Czar, a Roosevelt and his brain trusters. This is flatly steel producing cender te established on the Pacistated by the AFL business survey, and it is rather ironic comment on the moral indignation of our degenerate king, or a band of pot bellied para: aitor. ally echoed by the Ti. nes, chief newsfic Coast to turn out armaments. Also, the French democratic rulers over inhuman methods of war.
Government has announced that it is lending fare.
sites.
paper voice of big bus. ness. Much as one may 5, 000, 000 to two America. airplane man. ac But while have not a drop of blood to shed deplore a business boom arising out of the trag turers so that they can expand their pants suc One Foot In for the oppressors of the working class and the monious style, it is signüicant that the mere ficiently to produce the huge number of planc.
With the passing of this Act, the United States has France will need. Thus Allied capital will be used robbers of the poor, the thieves and looters, the expectation of war demand has done more for one foot sondly in the war. From now on, that foot to help finance the expansion of our industrial will be pulling and straining to drag the other after brigands and murderers, whose debauched mis recovery than our actual Government spending war machine. This is what American neutrality means in the present war.
rule is the crime of the ages. have a heart full program.
United States industry becomes part of the armory to shed for their victims when it shall be needed o! Britain and France. Indeed, this is just the way in which the London papers put it.
in the war for their liberation.
But the Act is not an isolated event. It fits in exactly with the other moves of the Administration tarian revo. utionist. do not belong to the regusince the war began. The armed forces of the United States are also, in their own way, already in the war.
lar army of the plutocracy, but to the irregular The declaration that the beligerent, Canada, would army of the people. refuse to obey any comBy Paul Stevens be defended by the United States against its enemy mand to fiht from the ruling class, but will Voices Against the War am reasonable and rational. Great Britain. in efect places a manned Maginot Line around never disarmed, never without great resources Canada. Just as the French Maginot Line, even when not wait to be commanded to fight for the work on the increase in England of men, money and materials, cou surely face no shooting is going on, affects the military balance, ing class.
It is cheering to learn that right in the midst up and say something definite. to the powerful so does the declaration on Canada. am opposed to every war but one: am for of the war, the revolutionary in:emationalists of dictatorial nations of Curope.
Roosevelt neutrality is no more genuine than that war with heart and soul, and that is the the British Militant Labour League have decided s speech greeting Chamberlain efforts at would be that of the biggest bully on the block who, to transform their excellent little paper, the MIII.
Munich itsell created a scandal which is still reworld wide war of the social revo ution. In that tant, from a month at the beginning of a street fight, would say: am to a fortn ghly. Our commembered. The social patriots used it to great not going to do any hitting, yet. But am going to war am prepared to fight in any way the ru ing rades from the LL. remain as before the advantage in Great Britain today. Thus, the Lord suppy one of the gangs, with all the rocks and Provost of Glasgow, whom we ment oned in a bricks they need. And am going to keep an eye on class may make it necessary, even to the barri clearest voices in the consistent socialist struggle cades.
agains, war there. The fact that they have com receat column, in the course of an article in For my special favorites: they can throw rocks at the bined political clarity with a practical knowlege ward: Even James Maxton, the chief spokesman other side as much as they want, but if they get any That is where stand and where be ieve the how to function from day to day in the official of the pacifists in Parliament, has admitted that in return, you ll hear from me.
Socialist Party stands, or ought to stand, on the Labour movement augurs well for the future the Prime Minister did everything possible to avert the catastrophe.
How Will the Act Affect the War?
question of war.
progress of revolutionary internationalism in England.
The difference between the stand It is generally conceded that at the beginning of Compare this bold, ringing declaration of dethat of the Militant Labour League is the differIn the current issue of the Militant they define the war German aviation was superior to both Eng.
fiance of Debs, the proletarian revolutionist, with ence between opportunists to whom program 18 land and France combined, and Germany factories their stand in an article entitled Working Class a matter of indifference and revoluticnists who were turning planes out at a faster rate than her the cowering, snivelling servitude to imperialism Attitude to War as follows: approach every problem precise y from the point enemies. This relat on would be reversed it and when of Lee, the social democrat and you will get This present war is a thoroughly reactionary of view of their fundamental program.
the flow across the ocean of planes which are the full measure of Lee ghoulish inso ence in war. The British capitalist class have embarke probably the best in the world got into full stride.
upon it in order to preserve their own colonial John McGovern, another LLP. parliamentareven daring to mention the name of Eugene Debs possessions, their own foreign investments again The experiences of Spain and Poland, and of Ethi.
ian, whose politics are not much better tha: opia and China in a less conclusive way, do not show to sanctify his own crimes.
st the growing menace of German imperialism.
Maxton s, nevertheless occasionally rises to a fa: that superiority in the alr alone can win a modern The working class have no possessions in the col higher level of moral courage. The British presa war; but they seem to indicate that air superiority 13 cn. es, no investments. They have nothing to de.
tells this story: fend except their living standards and their demOn September 2, when the declaration of war a vital and perhaps necessary factor in winning a viotory which is inched by other means. At the very ocratic rights which are threatened by the war, was being debated in the House of Commons.
least, decisive superiority in the air seems able to and these must te defended against the capital Arthur Greenwood, the Icader of the Labyur Par.
paralyze transportation and reconnaissance to such sts who are a ready attacking them. The enemy ty got up to make an impassioned speech pledgThe Press is in our own country, it is our own ruling class.
an extent as to weaken vastly the ground forces.
ing the support of the socia! patrio to the Whether The only victory which can bring any benest to Chamberlan government. His ringing Jingoistic yet estabiished.
planes can win out against sea power is not By Arthur Hopkins the working class is the victory over the exploit phrases were greeted by members of all parGermany is of course fully aware of the alteration ers. Only the overthrow of capitalism and the tics with cheers and cries: Speak for Enx.
Raymond Clapper etting the danger of the Roose.
in the balance of air power which the action can establishment of socialism can end wars, exploitland! Greenwood reached the peak of his oratory bring.
velt spy hunt says: We are not at war and every ation and poverty for all time.
with this sentence: It seems to me to follow, therefore, that within the American has the right to argue as to what our Contrast this unequivocal presentation of the If we march hope we shall march in combest course should be. It is only after we declare next week or two month or two at the longestinternat ona ist working class stand against war plete unity, and march with France.
Germany will be compelled to begin the war in war when the time for argument is over. Like a with that of the centrists in the Independent Suddenly, the papers report, there was a draearnest. This need not mean a mass campaign on true liberal Clapper thinks freedom of thought is Labour Party as expressed in the latest issue of matic intervention by Mr. John McGovern.
a fine thing except when it necessary.
the western fornt. But it would mean actions designits paper, the New Leader, to reach here. That Turning round and facing the crowded So ed to gain and preserve carries as its main head: Will Revolution cialist benches, Mr. McGovern shouted: You peoof in na ple don intend to march, not a damn one of (airfle. ds, factories especially those connected with In London all venomous snakes, black widow could just as easily be the lead in the Conserva.
you!
plane manufacture docks, key railroad junctions, spiders, scorpions, and other dangerous insects of tive Times. As a matter of fact, the entire capi. The press attacked McGovern remarks as in etc. and a big time campaign on and under the the London zoo were destroyed as a war precau talist press of Great Britain features revolution bad taste. He was not polite enough to refrain sea.
tion. However, the most venomous insects of them. in Germany.
from remºnding the war mongering Labour genall, the bosses, are still at large. consequently expect such moves in the very near The article in the paper takes up most ront that their generous pledges future. do not see how they can be avoided. If they erals behind the of its space with a description of the possibilities to sacrifice all were to be taken out exclusively do not occur, only one explanation seems to me posof an overthrow of the Hitler rebehly tofrom the hides of the millions of their trade union sible: that, below the diplomatic surface, really seriBertrand Russell, speaking in Santa Barbara, wards the end does it rem. nd followers. Greenwood and Co. as is well known.
ous negotiat. ons are under way between England and hat after three or more wars people mus strive to ecure than when this war ends are amply provided with soft berths in the adGermany, and that Hitler believes these negotiations will be willing to be under international law. But (is it presumably to end only in one way, by revo. ministration at the rear.
are going to get results.
the Socialist Workers Party intends to make this lution in Germany. the system of capitional workers law talism which causes poverty and war ends with McGovern commendable rowdyism in the the last war before the world is under interna it, and that here, too (wel, well Ed. we begin House of Commons is about the high po nt of the The British government advised the House of to build a Socialist Britain and a Socialist World. contribution to the struggle against war. Commons that sportsmen might be asked to make The internationalism has always been While we admire McGovern sense of the dra. sacr. fices to aid wartime economy. The governA. Giannini, approaching 70, acknowledged strangely coupled with a peculiarly nationalist matic we cannot refrain from pointing out that ment was considering whether to restrict fox huntthat this is a young man day. The chairman behavior of its chief parliamentary spokesman, even such completely middle class politicians as of the board of the far flung Transamerica CorJames Maxton. Here is an example of Maxton the elder LaFollette in the United States Senate the advisability of putting sheep to graze on golf poration said in an interview. although m still presenting the position, so to speak, at have in their time shown a similar disregard for courses. This impertinent suggestion must be voted chairman of the board, m really on the shelf: time when anti Munich sentiment ran high in the amenities on occasion with similar personai down! Make the working cads do the sacrificing leave everything to the young men. How about the Commons: courage without thereby furthering the ultimate they ought to be used to it seeing that they ve been tho swag. am not a Agbting man. am not bellicose. btruggle agalast war appreclably.
doing it all their lives.
India and the War If you want to understand why what the newspapers call this peculiar war has not broken out into a series of round house battles on the Western Front, take a look at the situation in India.
The hundreds of millions of British aves in India long for noticing so much as their independence from the imperia ist rule which has trought them untoid and unspeakable sufferings for generations. It is no easy matter for even the everest British propagandist to wor: them up to a high pitch of indignation against German fascism and its we. known Lorrors, for the Indian masses have a ways felt the barbarism of dictatorial rule perpetrated on their own ides loy the Britisn ru ing class With the sound instinct that rarely fails the masses, they now feel that, as the Irish always say, Eng. and Cifficulty is their opportunity.
With the British imperia ists engaged on the Western Front, involved in a new world war, the Indian people realize that now is the time for them to strike off the fetters of colonial slavery.
And they are, of course, one hundred percent right, and every genuine pro Tessive, every coulsistent and not merely phrasemongering democrat, will enthusiastically wish the Indians win against the British pigs who lord it over them.
That is precisely what England iears. Chamberlain and Co. understand that the very exist ence of the olul British Empire is imperilled and along with it the very existence of the noble yentlemen who have fattened on it for generations.
The crisis the war is speeding the inevitable disintegration of that Empire How the British would like to come to a comradely agreement with the German bandlits! How they would like to call off this war! How they would like to combine naturally, on their own terms with French and German and Italian imperialism for a joint partition of the still available areas of exploitation above all, the Sovict Union!
Only, Chamberlain, like Hitler, is not complete master of his destiny. The conflicts, riva!
ries and contradictions amon the imperialist bandits themselves have been provedl, by the reality of the war, to be so sharp that with the best will in the world, poor Chamberlain could not visam not a capita is soldier. am a prole. In the In the World of Labor Labor Looks Through avert it.
But whether averted or not, the old Empires are dooned. One way or another, the olt exorcized specter of revolution continues to haunt the living and waking hours of the ruling classes.
This war will never run its full, normal course without revolutionary interruptions everywhere.
What it will be tomorrow is difficult to predict.
Right now, it is India, which is seething with revolutionary ferment.
All power to the mighty arms of the multimillioned Indian masses. Now is their chance to strike a death blow at imperialist rule just as our chance, in this country, will surely present itself in the days to come.
that we Lee. and Debs Among the statements issued on Browder speech at Boston announcing the new Stalinist line in this country, the one of Mr. Algerna Lee, of the Social Democratic Federatio, is not the least interesting We Social Democrats are proud to be attacked by Browder as well as by Fascists of ail