The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-08
The Roosevelt Landslide

the Roosevelt supporters in the leader
ship of the A. F. of L. have good reason
to hail the unprecedented landslide for the
New Deal They regard the vote as author
ization to continue with the drastic policies against
the toiling masses, well larded with camouhaging
promises and demagogy.
We viii not attempt here to give thorough
analysis of the significance of the election results
though certain conclusions can now be drawn In
later editions OF the Daily Worker we will go into
the greatest detail on the significance of the New
Deal landslide and the tasks Of the Communist
Party in the present and future struggles
The central feature of the elections, and the
landslide for the New Deal candidates, was the al
most unanimous support Roosevelt received from
all ranks Of the ruling class, from the big trusts
the bankers the press the radio and utilities in
terestS. No matter what differences among certain
sections Of the bourgeoisie, the richest and most
powerful groups basically supported the New Deal
policies.
Then there was the inability Of the Republican
Party to put up an effective opposition due to the
division in their ranks and the allegiance to the
New Deal of many of their outstanding figures.
Those Republicans who did oppose the New Deal,
their reactonary character in the face OF the New
Deal demagogy, that they were swept under in
tidal wave, which, though carrying aloft the New
Deal sought to force 1t more to the left.
Roosevelts skill as a glib politician, his extreme
value to the expoiters in being able to put over
their program with the thickest and most binding
cover Of denagogy, was proved in this election
In all this trickery of Roosevelt and his agents,
it is essential to remember one outstanding fact
that good deal of this demagogy is wrapped up in
the form of anti-captalist phrases, promises OF
changing the whole structure of capitalism. This is
more strikingly shown in Minnesota, where the
Olson victory was gained on the basis of support
for the New Deal" and also by promise to
basicaly reform capitalism in conjunction with the
New Deal and beyond it. It is shown still more
in California, where Sinclair gained a huge vote
with his reactionary utopian program of a combi-
nation of the New Deal and basic revision of cap
italism While the unanirnity Of the ruling class
with the dernagogy OF the New Deal is shown in
Governor Merriam's espousing of the cause Of
Roosevelts 'progreSsivism' in order to defeat Sin
clair.
But the very fact that these promises have to
be made to catch votes, the very fact that the
masses expect still more leftward swing of the
Roosevelt regime, shown by their humiliation
Of the Liberty League Republicans indicates the
political character of the present situation. 1t
shows US where our hardest blows must be
struck to tear aside the wells Of Roosevelt's dema-
gogy and lead the masses to struggle against the
New Deal policies of advancing fsscism, lowering
Of living standards and preparation for war.
Roosevelt besides the almost unanimous support
among the ruling forces OF the country, has built
up tremendous political machine, bureaucracy
firmly entrenched which can WELD widespread in
huenee and pressure. He has deliberately used
brides in the form of ALLEGATION of state relief, for
pork barrels for the state politicians to swing them
in line behind the New Deal in the elections
Fundamentally, of course, it is the inability of
the Communist Party, which has consistently ex-
posed the New Deal and led the major struggles
against It, to reach the broad masses and to con-
vince them of the correctness Of the Communist
program, which explains the New Deal landslide
The Communist Party is the only serious organizer
Of the struggles and resistance against the
New Deal and its failure thus far to win the large
section OF the basic proletariat explains the still
powerful influence of Roosevelt's fraudulent prom
ses even when hundreds of thousands of workers
IN strikes have been struggling against the effects
of these promises.
The victory of the New Deal not only will not
give the masses what they expect from It, but will
be interpreted by Roosevelt as carte blanche to con-
tinue his more open alliances with the bankers the
greater up OF preparations, the greater
use of his dictatorial power in putting over slave
codes and in smashing strikes. Hunger and ex-
plotation will increase. The general crisis of Amer
lean capitalism will deepen, and the fascist meas
of the Roosevelt regime in meeting it will grow
An accurate analysis of the Communist and So
calist vote is not possible at this writing as COM
plete figures have not arrived. 1t is already clear
however, that, especially in New York, the Socialist
Party vote dropped far below its previous figures
leading to new crisis within the Socialist Party
portending struggles within that party. The
Communist Party waged splendid fight in many
places and gained votes In other places there was
poor work, only formal mobilization Of the Party
and the masses for election work, for q struggle
against the New Deal and for big Communist
vote.
Now the tasks are set clearly before us
The tremendous landslide shows the continuation
OF the Roosevelt illusions though the blow to the
Republican opposition and the huge vote of the
cleft" supporters of the Roosevelt New Deal shows
It's increasingly dernagogic character.
our fight especially must get to the roots of the
main industrial centers, where great battles are
looming.
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