The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-04
Patten, the Gambler, Is
in the Limelight Now;
But Shadow Awaits Him
By J. LOUIS ENcDAHL.

TODAY James A. Patten, the muItmIionare wheat
gambler pats himself the back for another good deed
he believes he has committed in donating parcel OF land
valued at $5o0ooo to various religious enterprises
Patten isn't very different from robbers of DID, who
stole much and then gave little to the church,
Before retired Of the biggest pungers
the board of trade. Some of his ooups Melted millions
Instead of remaining his grandfathers farm, where
he would be compelled to fight for living from the SOIL
Patten left FreeIand Corners Illinois, and Chicago
and went into the grain business from its profitable
selling end He got his training from those buccaneers in
the buying and selling of food producs-Bartlett Frazier
Darlington.
Patten became one Of the big pillars in the robbery
system that is driving millions of farmers into bankruptcy
that rapidly creating in the United States andIess
peasanty.
His religious bgotry doubt allows him feel that he
is making peace with his oOd he admits that he
fellow
One of Patterns first gifts was the luxurious Patten
Gymnasium donated to the Northwestern University a
Methodist institution located in his home town. in
Evanston Chcagos suburb of the intellectual bourgeose
But Paen is Presbyterian and his present gifts go
the board Of education of the Presbyterian Church. to the
There is lucky combination If the good Presbyterian
children accept the goose step education that prepared
servants Of their capitalist masters, they may find place
IN their DECLINING years. among other outcasts in the Pres
byteran Old Peoples Home Patten is at least trying to
instI some order and system in his capitalist chaos.
He wants to results while he is still alive"
explained Mrs. Paen to the reporters who get the
usual interviews Patten himself being unavailable And it
is good for Paen that he thus taken time by the forock
It it will not be for long that the workers and farmers
will be content to be pundered out of billions of wealth
annually receiving but ptance in return for their arduous
labor Whether Patten knows this he is wise get
little publicity and notoriety in his own press now
Patten is director in banks, railroads and public
utility trusts Look the list: Continental Commercial
National Bank of Chicago; City National Bank of Evanson
Peoples Gas, Light and Coke Company; Commonwealth
Edison Co.; Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad That
is quite different from being clerk country store;
occupation followed by Patten in 1921; start similar
to that of John D. Rockefeller in the days when capitalism
was young in America.
1t safe say that Patten did useful work after
leaving the country store Newses may be pnched in the
alleys of the big city for rolling game of dice That is
called gambling But Patten and his friends the board
of trade gambling in the prices of the nations food
safe from the policemens club That is business There
is much money to be in this form of gambling that
1t has become respectable.
Patterns profits became great that he able to
retire without old age pension and spend his time
ing monuments to himself of his winnings, while still
alive; gymnasums religious schools old peoples homes and
what not
But when the workers and exploited farmers take
OUT If Students in their studies of the history of the capt.
halist his name, they will him
one who fattened off the agony of his fellow
Patten is having the limeight turned on him now He
is Wise for he will be in the shadow long long time