Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1935-01-04
Economic Planning
In Two Worlds

Last month a group OF professional and
technical workers of national and international
prominence met in conference on socaleeon-
omie planning at the Russell Sage Foundation
in New York.
For four days conservatives, liberals and
Communists discussed the problems: What kind
of economic planning can end unemployment,
establish security and raise standards Of living
in proportion to productive capacity?
Almost one-thrd of the papers read at the
meeting were by members of the Roosevelt
administration, and hence apologies for present
conditions But with this there was definite
and effective clash Papers by Earl Browder,
secretary of the Communist Party and ObOlon-
sky-Ossnsky, vice-ehairman OF the Soviet State
Planning Commission, were read
The planning of two worlds was shown in
bold relief by the technicians of two cultures:
One, decaying capitalism doing the only
planning it could do-planning for destruction;
the other, socialist planning for socialist con-
struction, planning for mass benefits that have
already achieved monumental success and give
ample promise of much greater achievement
by 1881
The Roosevelt administrations technicians,
in their addresses, showed the fatal weakness
of attempts to plan under capitalism-the abso-
lutte necessity of public works program to
keep capitalism from cOllapsing, and the utter
inability OF the ruling class to coordinate this
program with the rest of the capitalist economy
Only one type of public works project
could come anywhere near to fitting in with
profit economy That would be projects that
are not self-liquidating. But Roosevelt as the
tool of his capitalist masters, must use pro-
jeets that show immediate results that are
self-liquidating.
The address of Obolonsky -Ossinsky showed
the remarkable strides forward made by the
Soviet Union by means OF planned socialist
economy. The facts of progress that he pre-
scented showed beyond doubt that the Soviet
Unions vast accomplishments first among all
nations in iron production, second in gold,
third in oil, huge recent advances in consumers
goods, etc. could have been achieved only
through planned national economy and that
planned national economy is possible only
in socialist society.
Earl Browder concluded the conference with
a challenge that became call to action for
technicians and professional workers: "A grow
ing mass of workers, already looking upon
themselves representing the future masters
of society, are seeking tchnicans to help trans
form American economy onto planned so
cialist basis
What could be better than to organize our
left technicians to give scientific, detailed
answer to this question: What could be done
with the full employment of all workers and
techncians in the fullest use of the existing
machinery and natural resources, with all CAPT.
talist limitations removed, toward raising the
standards of life of the whole people at pro-
gressively accelerated rate?
There would be tremendous value in such
q workers and techncians plan for the United
States Answer this question and we, the work
ers, will find how to carry this plan into life"
Mary Van Kleek, head of the Industrial
Studies department of the Russell Sage Founda-
ton, had charge fthe conference and gave
one of the most effective addresses. .4-
AS national chairman of the Interpreters
sional Association for Social Insurance and a
member of the National Sponsoring Committee
for the National Congress for Unemployment
Insurance that meets this week in Washington,
d. c., Miss Van Kleek will address the workers
of the nation over nationwide radio hook-up,
Saturday, January 5, at $3.50 p. m Seattle time).
The broadcast will be over the Blue Network of
the National Broadcasting Company.