The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-15

THE development Of the working
4 class movement is a zigzag
course. It is not merely fight Of
the workers against the capitalists
and the capitalist government. The
lineup is not a clear one-here
workers, there capitalists. During
the course of the struggle, we have
workers aligned against workers.
Political movements also determine
that, based on their economic inter
ests, capitalists line up against CAPT.
talists.
In Germany, there is the party
of the landowners, one of the in
dustrialists and one Of finance CAPT
tai. In France, industrial capital
fights against finance capital; in
England finance capital and land
owners against industrial capital. In
the United States, finance capital
fights against Industrial capital,
altho the interlocking Of directorates
in banking institutions and indus
trial enterprises makes the cleavage
less clear.
Analysis of Various Lands.
The labor movement is even more
confused. In Germany, the various
labor federations adhere to different
parties. In the big German FEEDER
alton Of Labor, the Communists and
Social Democrats are fighting not
only for control Of tho unions, but
for their political orientation. The
agricultural workers follow the lead
Of three parties, the Communist,
Social Democratic and Catholic
Party. Then there is the big
stratum Of the middle class, espe-
cially the lower middle class. These
elements, according to their imme-
date economic situation, vacillate
between the Communists, Social
Democrats and some liberal party.
This is typical Of the petty bour-
geosie, whose interests and, conse-
quently, their psychology change
with the political wind.
In the United States, history win
not be different; the development is
tardier owing to the economic de-
velopment of the country, and the
composition of the political parties
will somewhat differ from that Of
the European political parties. The
big capitalist parties, up to a short
time ago, had the support of the
capitalists, petty bourgeoisie, farm
ers and workers Democratic illu-
sions are powerful in America,
owing to the cast that starting life
"on a shoe-string" vas possible
here. But as these possibilities have
disappeared, owing to the concen-
tration Of capital, and existences are
being more definitely srratitied. The
workers passed thru a levelling
process during the war; many small
tradesmen have been p.roletarizeh;
farmers have been proletarized, as
witness the increase in farm ten
ancy and the flight Of millions Of
farmers from the land; capital has
been concentrated.
Farmers Becoming Class Conscious.
The proletarization of the farm
ers and Of section Of the petty
neutrality-suspicious., teachers
and small tradesmen-is one Of the
most remarkable phenomena in
American history. The workers, on
the other hand, in part, despite be-
coming real proletarians and no
longer belonging to the "aristoc-
racy" of labor, retain their old psy-
chology. 1t is not astonishing,
therefore, that the main movement
for a reaiignment of political forces
in the United States emanates from
the farmers. Crushed by finance
capital, robbed by the railroads, ele-
vators and spectators; forced to
sell at starvation prices and to buy
industrial products at highly in
hated prices; they are rebelling and
their rebellion is taking on po-
litical aspect.
The farmers are, as yet, politi-
cally conscious only in part. Among
many Of them, it is merely a repe-
tition Of the Peoples Party move
ment-aganist the land-sharks,
banks and railroads. The class