The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-06
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES


A N intelligent friend Of mine who is close
L n student of current social economic condi-
tons. remarked to me the other day that he
was afraid people would get used to the de-
preston and that things would go along much
as they are today for many years, with no
marked trend toward either Fascism revo-
lutionary radicalism.
He had been travelling around the country
good deal this summer and it seemed to MIN
that people are more cheerful than year ago
and less alarmed about the future. He adj
mitted that business, in general, Is no better
than a year ago, and that the relief bill of the
nation seemed likely to be greater this winter
than last.
Yet it appeared to him quite possible that
the American people are getting reconciled to
salary and wage cuts, lower standard of living,
relief allowances, and the like. and were adopt
ing with considerable good nature the psy-
chology Of a licked people"
1t is pretty obvious that the only people who
can get used to the depression are those who
can actually keep alive while it lasts. These
fall into certain recognizable classes First, we
have those who are down to their last yacht"
and have to live on 100000 year instead Of
100000 Then we have those with jobs which
still enable them to maintain fairly dece 1t
standard Of living. Next come those who are
getting federal bounties. This group is made up
chiefly of southern and western farmers who
benefit by the AAA and related legislation.
Others have kept their roofs over their heads
through federal loans. Finally, we have the
millions who just about exist as a result OF fed
eral relief Of one sort or another.
MOT all of these are by any means recon-
IN ciled to their present economic situation.
This fact is made exceedingly clear in the many
excellent articles in the current magazines COM
menting on the temper Of the country. DiScon-
tent which manifests itself in violence has been
averted chiefly through the fact that the ma
jority of people still believe that Mr. Roosevelt
will pull us out of the depression and that the
present sorry state OF affairs ultimately WILL be
brought to an end.
Even though the mass Of Americans might
conceivably adjust themselves peacefully to the
prospect Of going on indefinitely with a much
lower standard of living or adapt themselves to
remaining permanently on relief rolls, the pres
ent state of affairs can be maintained only by
vast expenditures and ever mounting indebted
ness on the part of every unit Of government
from the federal administration to the town.
ship.
This would mean progressively greater taxes
which would be bound to provoke growing dis
content, especially in a system like ours Which
is not based upon capacity to pay. And the ever
mounting debt burden would sooner or later lead
to serious depreciation of public credit. Even
today the credit of some states and of many
municipalities and counties is none too good.
EVEN if a systematic scheme OF federal un-
T. employment insurance were now instituted,
its successful administration would carry with
it heavy expenditures on the part of the federal
government. This is the inevitable penalty for
our foolishness in the past in failing to adopt
system of unemployment insurance which
would enable us to pile up reserves during Pc
riod of prosperity and slight unemployment.
Moreover, it would be an optinliSt who can
believe that American business and finance will
hold out indefinitely on the present level of &C
tivity.
In short, any attitude of reconciliation to the
depression would be highly destructive. 1t would
ruin the government, capitalistic business and
the morale Of self-respecting people. Those who
suffer most would be ripe for revolution or for
RECOMMENDATION under Fascsm.
There is little prospect that we shall be able
to meet the problems presented by the depres-
sion by getting used to the conditions which it
produces. The only solution is to get out Of it,
and this will never be done until we permanent
ly increase the purchasing power of the mass of
Americans. If the New Deal can not do this
for us, we must get reconciled to the prospect of
some more thorough form of colectivization.
Fascsn, with all of its attendant evils could be
nothing more than a temporary stop-gap