The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-22
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES -

- BY DR.. HARRY ELMER BARNES -
/ OP one thing we may be certain today. The
~ coming generation is bound to be one Of
sweeping social and economic changes, even
though there may be no universal swing to Com
munisn.
If this is the case, intelligent citizens should
/ prepare for the changes of the future by &C
quainting themselves with the proposals for So
cial reform set forth in the last century and
half
The evils of capitalism are no novelty, though
the particular form they have taken has changed
greatly since the days of Adam Smith There
fore much Of relevance can be gained from a
study Of the protests and programs which have
emerged from the commentators on capitalism
in the past.
There are several satisfactory summaries of
the doctrines of modern social reformers, but we
have lacked good book Of selections from their
writings which would give us the flavor of the
original and yet save us a great deal Of search
ing and time wasted in separating the wheat
from the chaff.
Professor Wagner has performed just such
service through preparing a source book of social
reform embodying well chosen passages from So
cial reformers and critical economists. C'Social
Reformers: Adam Smith to John Dewey" Edited
by Donald 0. Wagner. Macmillan, $3.50 He
covers the whole sweep from Adam Smith and
Bentham to Weldon and John Dewey.
IT generally is maintained that the prevailing
Il trend of American social tradition has always
been fundamently conservative. Any such idea
is amusing when its not annoying to any one
well acquainted with the history of the United
States down to the Civil war. Nevertheless the
illusion remains and has served to discourage
many progTessives who have aimed to build
better America
Miss Symes and Mr. Clement sweepingly
attack this common conception of dumb and
docile America. ("Rebel America The Story
OF Social Revolt in the United States" By Lii
liam Symes and Travers Clement. Harpers $2)
They have written a brilliant summary of
American radicaliSm and protest from the days
OF Robert Owen to the rumblingS against the
New Deal. 1t is very timely contribution to
highly important but much overlooked aspect of
American history.
The economics of depression have received
much attention, but not a great deal has been
written on the psychology of economic Slumps
and financial crises. DR.. Starch contends that
both booms and depressionS are chiefly an out
growth of mob psychology spreading beyond
any reasonable limits in both cases. C'Faith,
Fear and Fortunes" BY Daniel Starch Richard
R. Smith. $2)
THE book is a very important contribution
to the literature of depresSionS but it will
be unfortunate if it is used as an alibi for the
ballyhoo and the economic thievery which really
! produced the depression The unjust dstribu-
ton of the social income and the resulting
inability of the people to purchase goods has no
mass illusion.
1t may be that we shall have to modify the
present economic order very fundamentally be-
fore any general we'll being be established.
In the meantime, we can build up some buffer
against the suffering caused by accidents Illness
old age, unemployment and death. Social insur-
ance is the answer to this problem and it can
be installed without overturning the existing
order
DR.. Rubinow is of the worlds leading
authorities on the question of social insurance
and he has writer a very timely and inform
ing book ("The Quest for Security" BY 1. M.
Rubinow. Henry Holt & Co. $500 The larger
part of it is taken up with a clear presentation
of the need for social insurance but there is
a mastery discussion of its principles. a sum-
mary of what has been achieved elsewhere
and an argument for the practicability Of the
program in the United States.
The first Fact Book" out by the Labor
Research Association made available a large
mass of information on the more Seamy side
of American economic life 1t revealed many
things which the happiness boys would like to
keep from the American public. new volume
has now appeared covering new subjects and
bringing the figures down to date ('Labor Fact
Book II" Prepared by Labor Research Asso-
citation. International Publishers. SD Its con-
tents give New Dealers something to chew on.