The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-30
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIX HARRY ELMER BARNES

| GRANVILLE HICKS takes me to task in the
NJ New Masses" for hkening the American
Communists to the early Christian theologians
I have no particular desire to get into heated
debate with my old friend Mr.. Hicks, but the
question is important enough to warrant a little
more impersonal discussion.
Almost anv sane and well-informed student
of human affairs today viii admit that capital
ism is in about the same position as was feud-
alis1n in the fifteenth Gentry. 1t is certainly in
its terminal stages. No reforms proposed by
anybody possibly could save it indefinitely. Had
American business been willing to follow Mr..
Roosevelt enthusiastically year and half
ago. it is possible that capitalism could have
been made fairly tolerable in the United States
for generation.
Whether we like it or not, then, the capital
istic system is on its way out. The only ques-
ton is whether or not it will require ten, twenty
FIVE fifty or a hundred years to fold up and
whether it will go out by way of Fascism, So
cialiSm, Communism or general chaos.
When capitalism does come to an end we
shall certainly need some large and responsible
group Of individuals able to take hold of society
and e better job than the capitalists did. So
even acious conservative ought to wish the
radica I. Even if he does not live to come
under their dominion certainly his children or
grandchildren will. Therefore, he ought to de-
sire that the radicals who will take over the
cute their responsibilities.
A MEXICAN radicals make one of their major
L n mistakes in thinking they can repeat the
Russian coup" of 1917 and overthrow capital
stic society but by violence. Even if they were
to increase their present numbers by fifty fold
they would be utterly helpless before the air
bonlbers, poison gas, tanks and machine guns
of those in position of political authority.
For the American radicals to rehearse for the
barbados Is as silly as for man to pack his
wardrobe for a rocket trip to Mars. But the
ultimate collapse of capitalism is as certain as
it's forceful overthrow in America is nanifestly
impossible.
Therefore, American radicals should get
ready for the responsibility of administering a
great industrial state rather than for manning
the trenches. Harold I,aski, for example, rather
than Trotsky should be their major prophet in
technique.
Mr. Hicks accuses me of being just as fervent
as the radicals and points to my former debates
with Bernadotte Schmitt over the question of
who caused the World war.
This was rather unhappy slip of Mr.. Hicks,
for Schmitt stood toward me with regard to the
question of war guilt much as Mussolni or Hit
Ter stands with respect to Mr.. Hicks on the
question of social and economic policy.
1 never wasted my energy on those who diff
guilt of France, Russia, Germany and Great
Britain. Rather, I welcomed their fellowship in
the common battle against myth mongers
If Mr.. Hicks were to follow the same pro-
cedure, he would have no time to lambast
Fadiman, Cowley, Chamberlain and the like, but
would reserve his strength for Ralph Easey,
Hamilton Fish, Harry Jung, the D. A. R. and
the Ike
MO ONE expects the American radicals to
IN crawl into the same political and economic
bed with Franklin D. Roosevelt or even with
George Norris and Bob La Toilette. But a rad
ical bed which is not wide enough to hold Nor
man Thomas, j. Lovestone, A. j. Music and
w. T. Foster at the same time is not wide
enough to work up even healthy nightmare to
scare capitalism.
If American radicalism is to have any
promise for the future it must gain converts.
This it is not likely to do SO long as.it follows
an intellectual procedure designed to make its
propaganda just little more repulsve to think
ing men than the propaganda of capitalism.
The reactionaries can do all the hating and
scolding that human society requires. The rad
icalS should save little of their energy and re-
sourcefulneSs for cerebrating.
1t is high time that they should cease fol-
lowing strategy so futile and ill-advised as
almost to make it seem as though it had been
recommended to them by the United States
Chamber of Commerce