The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-02-14

Inc first, the very first thing
we must know clearly about war
Is that war is not something
special, not something that "just
happens" War is, on the contrary |
an essential and necessary part Of |
sne society we live in, that is, of |
!mperlallst-capitalist society. War
- just as much a part Of capital
Ism as wage labor, or big corpor-
atlons, or lending money at inter-
est.
There are in the modern world |
SIX great capitalist powers: Great
britain, the United States, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan. These six
hatlons control the world, with the
exception of the Soviet Union. Ali
other nations and peoples are SUBJ
Ject to them, either directly as
colonies, mandates, and dominions;
or indirectly, through treaties, al
llances, financial control, or some
similar device. The real rulers If
tnese SIX nations are, of course,
those who own and control their
productive plants-namely, their
respective finance-capitalists. In
one degree or another, the fin
ance-capitalists of each of these
nations face similar problem:
The finance-capitalists control
enormous amounts of capital. This
capital must be put to use, that is,
must be set to work making a pro-
fit. A profit cannot be made, how
ever, unless a market can be
found in which commodities can
be absorbed at a price sufficient
to cover "costs Of production" plus
a profit. But in none Of these six
nations is the internal or "home'
market adequate to provide an
outlet for the available capital. In
part the finance-capitalists strive
to overcome this deficiency by
lowering their productive costs,
and thus squeezing more out of
the home market. To accomplish
this, besides internal" means
such as reducing wages and build
ing better machines (Which as q
matter of fact only exaggerate
the difficulty, they must seel
ever cheaper sources of the raw
materials which enter into produc
tion-oil, coal, iron, copper, cot
ton, etc. In part, they are forced
to try to sell their commodities il
other, foreign" markets. Abov,
all, at the present time, they seel
new outlets for capital investmen
itself, new fields outside of thei
| own national territory where cap
ital can be poured in and an addi
tional market created. It is thi
last feature particularly the driv,
for external capital investment
for which is called "the export O.
: capital" which is the distinguish
ing mark of imperialism on (
world scale.
Thus the finance-capitalists c.
each of the six great powers arr
,, faced with the same set of nee
essities, which they must striv,
for if capitalist production is Il
be kept going. These necessitie
; depend not on their wills" or ode
sires," but upon the very natur
Of capitalist production. TIL
choice of each group Of finance
capitalists is: these things, or ruin
: ~ Each group must strive t
: gain crontrol over the grea
sources of basic raw materials
= (2) Each must fight for commod
; ity outlets in foreign markets.
Z Z must attempt to build up expor
: trade. (3) Each must find neN
outlets in extra-national territor
for capital investment, in order t
employ profitably the idle capita
s funds for which there is no use a
: home. In addition: "a Each grou
= of finance-capitalists must strue
e gle to monopolize the home mar
e ket by means of tariffs, inlpor
s and exchange restrictions, etc
o and (5) each must contend fC
control for incidental sources {
profit, such as shipping, insul
ance, tourist trade, etc.
ITO be Continued)