The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-03-30
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

Editors Note-This is the Of two articles by
Harry Elmer Barnes Phi. d. the need for
nonsense and realism in facing the crisis in the
recovery efforts
THESE certainly are tough days for those
Il persons who look for the improvement of
American conditions based upon sound and ra-
tional judgment No large group in American
society today seems capable of getting a clear
vision on our current problems and actually
coming to grips with reality
Our conservatives in the field of finance and
industry are running true to the good old Bour-
bon formula of learning nothing and forgetting
nothing" They we're chastened reasonably and
were docie and cooperative a year ago Now
foolishly imagining that they are getting well
again, they are proving "a devil of a lot Of
monks
The amazing and staggering exposure Of the
doings of our present generation of "robber
barons" apparently have not brought to their
breasts any sense Of wrongdoing, and admission
of penitence, or any willingness to cooperate
with reasonable reform measures.
Otto Kahn alone gave evidence before the
Pecora committee of feeling that the old Sys-
TEN of organized financial theft and lottery
ought to be abandoned. Clarence Dillon brazen-
ly informed the committee that he would repeat
his operations if given the chance. Mr.. Whitney
of the Stock Exchange bitterly denounces even
very restrained and inadequate efforts to elm
mate overt gambling from the operations of the
stock market.
Our induStrialiStS are resuming their old
policies of fighting organized labor, which con-
stitutes the only real promise today of insuring
decent wages for the workers of America. An
industrialist who can see past his nose ought
to recognize that it is of no avail to manufac-
ture goods if they can not be sold.
DUT the rank and file of American indus
ID trialists seem bound and determined to pre-
vent the assurance of sufficient purchasing pow
er. They prefer to follow policies which mean
the inevitable folding up of capitalism rather
than forego excessive profits and gorged in
comes The handful of them like James D.
Mooney who have seen a little light, are voices
CRYING in the wilderness of stupidity and avarice
The liberals into whose hands our destiny
has been deliberated for the time being are
wabbly and indecisive. They apparently are
unwilling to go far enough in reform measures
to save capitalism and equally unwilling to &C
cept anything else.
They have left speculative finance in the
saddle and have given primary attention to pro-
duction rather than to consumption, in spite of
all the engaging talk to the effect that this must
be an age of consumers capitalism. They are
thus repeating the outstanding mistake which
dominated our economy from Harding to Hoover
Other liberals discouraged over the pros
poets of the new deal, have surrendered IA
tallstlcally to the assumption that FaScism is
inevitable. Hence, instead of attempting to
make the new deal a spring board from which
to advance to something more adequate they
condemn it in advance and await the black
shirts
HE farmers continue their characteristic in
u capacity to work together If one groun of
them endeavors to improve its condition by
milk strike there are plenty of others who help
the deputy sheriffs and state troopers to break
up the strike and make the country safe for
2-cent milk at the barn.
Union labor hamstrings its efforts by remain
ing loyal to the vested interests of long since
outworn labor policies and methods of organ
ization. The stronger and better intrenched
unions have no hesitation in attempting to crush
other workers organizations which do not agree
in toto with their philosophy and practice. The
present attack upon the International Union
of the United Brewery Workers of America by
the American Federation of Labor is a good
case in point.
Our American radicals give no greater evil
dence OF logic or intelligent self-interest. They
ridcule reform, and the greater the prospect
of its success the greater their mockery. They
insist upon parroting the stale phrases of Karl
Marx instead of studying present conditions
and adapting their thought thereunto.
They especially delight in cutting the Threats
of other MarxianS who differ in their interpre-
tation of the words of the prophet. good case
in point was the action Of the Communists in
breaking up the Socialist and labor meeting at
Madison Square Garden some weeks back.
None of the throat-cutting which went on
between Daniel Drew, Jay Gould and Commo-
dore Vanderbilt half century ago was any more
prepoSterouS
Among the Communists themselves there are
four or five cHques, each all too ready to read
the others out of the picture At time when
the country as a whole does not have even
rash, to say nothing of Revolutionary spirit they
are concentrating upon plans for violence and
revolution, instead Of making an earnest effort
to prepare themselves for the responsibility of
governing great country and complicated
economy when the collapse Of capitalism shall
come. r....,s