The daily worker., 1935-01-07
Fellow workers and friends.

gress for Social and Unemployment
Insurance now meeting here:
Fellow workers and friends:
The Workers Unemployment and
Social Insurance Bill, which is the
main concern of this Congress. has
the active and unconditional sup
port of the Communist Party, for
which I am speaking.
The President Of the American
Federation of Labor, William Green
has denounced this Bill. in letter
to all trade unions of the A. F. Of
L. which cites two main arguments
in opposition. These are. first, that
the Bill was written and proposed
by the Communist Party; and sec
ond. that it is unconstitutional.
AS to the first charge: 1t is true
that the Communist Party worked
out this Bill, after long consultation
with large numbers of workers, pop
ularized it, and brought millions of
Americans to see that this Bill is
the only proposal for unemployment
insurance that meets their life needs.
But that is not an argument against
the Bill; that is only q recommen-
dation for the Communist Party
for which we thank Mr.. Green most
kindly, even though his intentions
were not friendly.
We Communists have no desire
to keep this Bill as "our own" pri-
vate property; we have tried to make
it the common property of all the
toiling masses; we have tried to
bring every organization of workers
land also Of farmers and the middle
classes to look upon this Bill as
their own" Thousands of A. F.
Of L. locals, scores Of Socialist Party
organizations, dozens of Farmer-La-
Dor party locals. claim the Bill as
theirs. That is good. that is splen-
did; the Communist Party. far from
diSputing title to the Bill with any
one, agrees With everyone who
claims the Bill. We are ready to
support any better proposal, no mat
ter who should make it. OF course
the Bill is yours; 1t belongs to the
entire working class. to all the toll
ing masses of America In this fact
we find our greatest triumph.
Argument About Bills "Consti-
tutionality"
Mr.. Green's second charge, that
the Bill is unconstitutional. is a
more complicated question This is
a legal point, on which the last word
will be said by the Supreme Court,
small body Of elderly gentlemen
who are famous for their obstinate
defense of capitalist property and
profits rather than for defense of the
vital interests Of the masses. But
we can warn the Supreme Court and
the capitalist class for which it
speaks. that on the day when the
court declares the Constitution for
bids the only measure that promises
to remove the daily menace of
starvation from over the heads of
millions. on that day it has struck
blow against the Constitution far
deeper and more effective than any,
thing revolutionists have ever done.
If the Constitution prevents the
principles of the Workers Bill from
becoming law. then millions will
conclude, not that the Workers Bill
must be given UP but that the Con-
stitution must be changed. They
will remember the words of the
Declaration of independence, that
whenever any form of government
becomes destructive of these ends
Qife, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness). it is the right of the
people to alter or abolish it, and to
institute new government, laying
its foundation on such principles.
and organizing It's powers in such
form, as to them shall seem most
likely to effect their safety and hap
piness.' TT is their right, it
is their duty, to throw off such
government, and to provide new
guards for their future security"
This revolutionary spirit, which
gave birth to the U. S., still lives
and grows in the working class.
Never was security more shattered
for the masses of the people than
today; never were new guards for
security more needed; and if the
Constitution stands in the way, then
the Declaration of Independence
points out the right, nay the duty.
to throw off" this Constitution and
write q new one in keeping with
modern needs. The toiling masses
must prepare a new Declaration of
Independence-this time indepen-
dence from the capitalist class.
Capitalist Profit Blocks Mass Needs
OF course. the real obstacle is not
the constitution but the greedy in
terests of the profit makers, of the
capitalists, Of Wall Street. Unem-
ployment and Social Insurance
must be paid for; it will cost great
sums. There is plenty of wealth
in this great, rich country to pay
for it-but it is all in the hands of
the rich, the bankers, the monopol-
lists. These gentlemen know this
full well, that the poverty stricken
masses cannot pay, because they,
the rich, have stolen all the accumu-
lated wealth and natural resources
of the country. That fact is itself
the cause and basis of the crisis, of
unemployment. These gentlemen
are determined not to nav one
cent; instead, they wriggle out of
paying even the present legal taxes,
and indeed obtain hundreds Of mil
lions OF dollars In tax refunds.
The Rich Must Pay
The Workers Bill, and the Com
munist Party, declare that the cost
of full insurance for all must be
paid by the only ones who can pay
by the rich. Instead of the Roose-
velt New Deal policy, which is tax
ing the poor in order to further