Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-12-28
SPOTLIGHT
ON THE
World Crisis
BY DONALD GLEASON
SMOKE SCREEN
sPEED.uP IN INDUSTRY
EXPORTS

Il
seen In the rush of war prepara-
lions. President Roosevelt has
just set up a commission to draft
plans for complete mobilization
in case OF war. This step was
made necessary by two series OF
events alarming to the Presid-
ent and his Army and Navy staff.
The first cause was the wide
spread Indignation resulting from
the scandals uncovered by the
Senate committee in its war
munitions probe.
The story of 5000 per cent war
profit, bribery of government
officials and sale of secrets and
patents to foreign countries has
only begun. In order to stop fur
ther and more serious disclosures
the President will try to prevent
any appropriations for continu-
ing the investigation.
Used as Blind
Instead, the new war council
will be used to divert attention
under the smoke screen of tax
ing the profits out of war
The second cause for this new
set-up is the impending outbreak
of war. Not only is Europe seeth-
ing with potential conflict, but
the Orient is causing alarm.
The failure of the Naval con-
ference in London means a naval
race between the United States
and Japan. The rapid spread of
Communism in China will soon
force Japan to directly interfere
with armed forces, or to admit de-
feat in her exploitation of China.
If Japan sends armed forces,
then England and the United
States will have to do the same.
The rivalries of the three would
almost inevitably bring war.
False Front
The publicity against war pro-
fiteering is just false front.
Even the New York Times admits
that the plan of the war commits
sion is to guarantee normal
profits to capital"
On the other hand the plans
show that labor is to be drafted
and wages prevented from rising.
General Macarthur, member OF
the Commission, also admitted
that collective bargaining will be
made illegal and the press licens-
ed. r
This is an out and out fascist
program sponsored by such men,
bers of the Commission as Ber-
nard M. Baruch and Hugh s.
Johnson, already notorious for
their reactionary beliefs and ac-
tiOns.
Such fascist tendencies crop up |
daily. The Joint committee of the
Labor Department and the MIRA,
investigating labor conditions in
the automobile industry, has re-
fused to hear testimony about vi
olations of section IA of the code,
but listened to workers tell of
speed-up and intimidation.
A former Ford worker testified
that no employee of Ford dared
to complain for fear of losing his
job. The so-called Ford service
men are spies set to watch the
workers.
AS a result Ford workers are
afraid to talk to one another at
the lunch hour, in street cars or
on street corners. The Ford well
fare scheme was described as
scheme to reduce wages
One-Fourth Cash
If a man not a former employee
gets a job at $4 day, he receives
81 in cash and the rest in relief.
Even former employees are only
paid half in cash.
The speed up is terrific. In one
case ten men used to turn out 100
wire wheels in an hour. Now six
men and four girls turn out 1856
wheels and receive less pay. In
another instance five men at the
Ford plant made a certain part
but two were fired and the re-
naming three have to make one
fifth more parts than all five
made before.
Men at the Ford plant have to
come one hour early in order to
pay out materials on their own
time.
Another sample of the bogus
promises with which the capital
lists hope to lull the workers is
seen in the administrations hous-
ing program.
The government promises not
to interfere with private profit
in its housing program, yet Sec
rotary Ickes admitted that it
would be the fall of 1885 before
a private housing program could
get started sufficiently to absorb
any unemployed.
30 Per Cent Loss
The figures of the F. w. Dodge
Corporation on building for the
81 states east of the Rockies show
what is really going on. The Oc-