The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-20
World Front
by HARRY CANNES =
MussOlini and Yellow
Union Leaders Estimate
the New Deal Elephant

IN translation, to vote for Roose-
velt'S candidates. But he uses his
influence to praise the New Deal to
the skies as fully in accord with
fascist theory and aims.
The Fascist dictator of Italy is not
alone in his efforts to get the Amer
lean workers to put their head
through the New Deal moose. CO.
operating with Roosevelt interna-
tionally, though by different means,
is the yellow trade union interna-
tional, the International Federation
Of Trace Unions at Paris.
MuSsolini'S and the Yellow Inter-
nationals method of appraising the
New Deal is reminiscent of the fable
of the blind men and the elephant.
Mussolini approaches the New Deal
from the right and the international
refornist trade union leaders from
the left. Mussolini puts out his
hand and touches the tusks Of
Roosevelt'S elephant, while the
union leaders stumble along its
rump; and both pronounce 1t good,
describing its wonderful qualities to
the workers.
Here is what Mussolini says, after
specifically showing the similarity Of
the New Deal policies and the Fas-
cist program.
eff such proposals were not COM
ing from a kingdom, democracy
or plutocracy, we would believe
them to be the fruits of guild
state. Hence, the principles of our
revolution are truly deep-rOOted
and are enjoying strong universal
appeal.
"They are such a powerful an
Swer to actual human needs that
even there, where democracy and
super-capitalism rule, they i'm
pose themselves tr;umphantIy."
NOW we turn to the gentlemen al
~ the rump of the New Deal ele-
plant and find them praising what
Mussolini does, but one would never
recognize it as the same animal.
The American Socialist leaders and
William Green, when they read this
will recognize their own sentiments,
but will feel little ashamed at the
crudeness of the praise, which fails
to take into account the shattering
Of many illusions among American
workers. Says the Press Bulletin
Of the yellow international of trade
unions:
at may be said quite frankly
that the Roosevelt experiment is
the only experiment in economic
planning in the world being made
on national scale and on a
democratic basis.
"The Roosevelt government IS
the only one in the world which
not only gives free and statutory
recognition to the Trade Unions
but gives them an official place
as an independent partner within
the N. r. A. apparatus, which is
an apparatus with the official
aim of alternating the competitive
fight between the country's in
dustrial undertakings and be-
tween these undertakings and
the workers, of bringing purchas-
ing power and consumption into
a proper relationship and Of
bringing about a more Just dis
tribution of a social product.
ut should not be forgotten here
that the Act (NR.A), as the Of
ficial organ of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor states, was not
an attempt to do away with the
capitalist system but merely an
attempt to transform it In the
sense Of industrial democracy"
WHICH Of conurse is all a great
w argument why workers should
vote for Roosevelt. But it doesn't
take into account just a few minor
factors. First, the free and statu-
tory recognition to the trade unions
under the N. r. A." has been de-
MED the Weirton steel workers, the
auto workers, the textile workers,
and millions Of others; on the con-
trary, the company unions grew
like mushrooms.
Second, bringing purchasing
power and consumption into
proper relationship under the N.
r. A. has distinctly meant smash.
ing down living standards and rails
ing profits
Third, but not last nor least, "in-
dustrial democracy" under the N.
r. A. means the strikebreaking ar
bitration boards; the greater use
of the armed force of the state
against strikers; the pro-fascist
truce" and a growing attack on
every right of trade unions and
ether workers organizations.
1t Is no accident that Both Mus
sclini and the international yell
low trade union leaders praise
Roosevelt's New Deal just now,
around election time.
They want the workers to stay
within the forces leading to fas-
clsfr. They do not want the work.
ers to vote Communist, to mobilize
struggles against the New Deal. to
become part of the international
movement battling fascism, no mat
ter under what guise it paredes.
The American workers answer to
Roosevelt, and his we'll wisllers in
the camp of faScism and social
faScism should be to endorse the
program of the Communist Party
in the coming elections. the nrc-
gram of struggle for Improvement
of the workers immediate condi-
lions and for a relentless battle to
end capitalist slavery.
Contributions received to the
credit of Harry Cannes in his So
cialist competition with Del, Mike
Gold, the Medical Advisory Board,