The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-23
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES =


TINE current talk about the prospect that
i President Roosevelt will consciously or un-
consciously prove an American Kerensky is pure
nonsense. Even if every member Of the brain
trust wished to bring about such a development
it would be quite beyond the realm Of achieve
ment
But there is a very real responsibility that
without making any effort Mr.. Roosevelt may
prove Giolitti or Bruening
In the first place, any comparison between
MIR. Roosevelt and Kerensky indicates a con-
siderable lack of knowledge concerning historical
facts. Kerensky, though not Communist, was
real revolutionary. He belonged to the social
revolutionary party in Russia, a group of agrar-
ian Socialists, whose policies would make those
of Miles Reno seem almost reactionary by COM
parison.
Even if the new deal should prove flop and
a severe economic collapse should follow upon
its failure there is not a chance in the world
that the country Immediately would move into
Communism. In the first place. the American
populace, urban and rural, has not yet suffered
enough to be ready for any thoroughly radical
overturn. 1t still subscribes to the essentials Of
the American dream" born of frontier society
century ago.
In the second place the American Commun-
lists possess neither the numbers nor the inteu1-
gence to make the most Of a revolutionary OPP
portunity, even if it were presented to them. 1t
is probably true that great majority OF the
best American minds under forty years of age
are today in differing degrees, sympathetic with
Communism. But very few of these superior
intellectS are formally affiliated with the Com
munist party in this country.
TNHERE is, however, a very real prospect that
a Roosevelt debacle would be followed by
slump into reaction. Indeed, it appears that
such a trend would be inevitable if the new
deal coIapseS. There is little probability that we
could muster sufficient stupidity to intrust the
deStinieS of the country once more to that walk
ing and stammering corpse which is the Re-
publican party. Bipartisan FasciSm, marshall
ing its forces behind some strong and willing
figure is far more probable
The example of Italy and Germany is par
ticularly Illuminating and instructive to Ameri-
cans right now.
In both countries there was not only con-
siderable liberal development but a great deal
Of social and economic radicalism. The govern
ment of Germany after 1919 was for years a
Socialist government and in Italy between the
end of the World war and the coming of Mus
Soni the Socialists and SyndicalStS were in the
ma jority.
In both countries all these advances were
sacrificed because liberals and mild radicals
were not sufficiently far-sighted and forceful.
They proved tolerant and easy going until it
was too late to save the situation even by strong
arm methods
CIOLITTI might have brought Mussolini
" before a firing squad but his government
looked on complacently until the Black-Shirt
mob had seized the Italian peninsula. In Ger
many, Bruening insisted upon dealing through
constitutional methods with a menace which was
consecrated to the use Of force
1t is of very great Importance that the United
States should, if possible be saved from Fascism.
In Italy and Germany the long strides which
had been made over two generations toward the
goal of social justice were scrapped. long
Fascist interlude has been interjected FaSciSm
never can solve the economic and social problems
of advanced industrial civilization because
it is both politically and economically wrong
headed It is foredooned to ultimate collapse.
But it can postpone for much as genera
ton honest and straightforward efforts to cope
realistically with the basic economic problems of
our day. And its final collapse is very likely to
bring chaos and extreme radcalisrn in its train.
The argument that Fascism is absolutely in
evitable is not very convincing. 1t is inevitable
only where conditions are allowed to develop
which make it possible or inevitable.