The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-12
SAFEGUARDS AGAINST REVOLT

IN spite of the occasional sepulchral echoes
it seems to be pretty we'll taken for grant
ed that the reactionary racket is played out
If we wish to avoid radical revolution there is
no hope save in a resolute and unhestating
liberalism.
Hence, one may see something of promise
in the formation of the Associated Liberal
Groups of Greater New York which combine
such earlier liberal organizations as the mill
tant Liberal Movement; the Modern Tiers;
the New National party, and the Young Liber-
al Democratic Club.
These militant liberals have drawn up what
they regard as minimum program which
possibly can save the present order of society.
They hold that there are three chief problems
to be solved: Cd Unequal distribution wealth.
90 unequal distribution of leisure; and CD
chaos in production and distribution. To rem
edy this situation, they propose the follow
ing measures:
Cd A more equitable opportunity to share
in the distribution of national wealth by
eliminating taX-fre bonds and tax exemption
eliminating tax-free bonds and tax exemption
incomes of less than $4,000 year, applying
stringent tax on evaSive gifts and higher in
heritance taxes.
CD Application of the surplus thus at
tanned to public works programs where these
are necessary, and to employment of double
shifts in all industries, reducing for all the
number of working days per week, and of
working hours per day. Industry could be
induced to carry out this program by granting
a substantial rebate on their taxes wherever
the working day and week is shortened
90 Establishing of a national planning
board whose purpose shall be to carry out
the above program, to check overproduction
and guard against underproduction, and to
direct all economic activity toward:
(a) The Specialization of natural resources
and monopolies that are fundamentally
noncompetitive.
(b) Employment of all who can work
Co Continual raising of the standard of
living.
I'd Continual shortening of the Working
days per week and hours per day.
(e) The extension Of present military and
civil service pensions and workmens
compensation acts to comprehensive
old age pension and compensation laws.
If liberalism fails successfully to meet the
crisis, the next line of defense against extreme
radicalism will be the moderate Socialism
taught at the Rand School of Social Science.
This institution in New York City is the only
important unit in American higher education
designed to give instruction in socialistic doc
trine.
1t has been in operation for some TWENTY
seven years. Even in the period of depression,
it has been able to maintain a student body
of more than a thousand.
The doctrines taught in the school are not
in every case of the type which We all might
approve. Yet We certainly need not one. but
score, of Rand schools. They are needed. if
for no other cause, to challenge the bland
conservatism of more than go per cent of our
colleges and universities.
The Rand school is launching drive for
some $4,000 to maintain its work unbroken.
Its campaign should appeal not only to mod
crate radicals but also to conservatives with
some spark of decency and good, will
The incubation of such doctrines as are
taught at the Rand school will be more effec-
tive in staving off revolution than the teach
lngs of thousand conventional institutions
that fail to come to grips with the realities. of
today.