The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-01-17

on d program 1OE congress 'OlI0ES
for the first time a definite and
fairly complete summary of what
the Liberty League stands for. 1t
is unfortunate that the loose Ian
guage and careless reasoning of
the statement leaves many ques-
tons unanswered. However, the
general policies of the organiza-
ton are made clear, and they COM
pletely vindicate the position TAX
en- by the American Common
wealth Federation, that it is use
less to stop at the halfway Gre
covery" measures of the RooSe-
welt Administration, or to proceed
in the hope that the men who
own American industry will CO.
operate with other citizens for the
common welfare.
The Liberty League has follow
ed a definite policy Of attempting
to nullify the acts of congress. It
has encouraged wholesale law
breaking by powerful business in
terests on a scale which cannot
be long tolerated if constitutional
government is to survive. Such an
attitude, by. a powerful organized
! group, constitutes the most Seri-
Gus threat today to democracy and
the liberties of the people. 1t will
convince a growing number Of
men and women that the only
hope for the preservation Of the
American democracy lies in the di-
rection advocated by the Ameri-
can Commonwealth Federation
that of an economic system social
ly controlled and responsive to the
needs Of all the people.
THE 12-POINT PROGRAM
which the League proposes as an
. alternative to President RoOse-
velt's none-too-iberal program il
} based on the superstitions Of ar
: age which has passed. This is
best illustrated by its pronounce
: ments upon public works. "Thc
t test of each project should be
!. first, is it of a character which
3 makes private undertaking i'm
possible, and second, is it wortl
;, the COST"
: Thus the League speaks i
: terms of a scarcity system at
time when the pressing problem
9 is to keep our people employed a
!, useful labor; puts money cost
above the social costs + unem
ployment; and holds up the ideal
Le of Mammon when we have an OF
It portunity, for the first time j
g history, to consider a large catC
CORY of public projects purely fro
lie the point of view Of their soci'
IN desireability. The same idea rur
ne through most Of the other pr
posals.
ID OF the budget, it says: "Trea
re ury deficits should be brought
an abrupt end by reducing expel
ditures to the level of receipts
Apparently the reduction is to
\ made by cutting of relief expeno
lures, If the League has its wa
and not by reducing the war bu
get of nearly a billion dollars
year, or by reducing or ehmlns
ing the interest charged on t
Il public debt. The ideal of Ma
mon is again uppermost, but t
ael League has no suggestion as
IRE what to do with the victims of t
IN economic system which it cham
ions.
Nor does it own any respon
7as bility for the malefactions of
at ownership in the past few yea
lge' It serves notice that "poiti
M control over the banking syst
i should be rejected" but has
Law suggestion that the credit of
he United States government VIII
rel has bolstered that system sho
be withdrawn. 1t comes to
defense f the public utility CT
Re- panies, and apparently rejects
less idea that the government has
7. duty or any right to protect
public of consumers and invest
,eTS from their n1isdeeds.
'olo Of taxation it proposes "
vision of the revenue laws
r. a view to the elimination of
~ ~ equities" It is not supposer, n
c en-. ever. that the League would
0''O port, or even accept, laws WI
placed their full share of the
was den of government upon the
ming who have been able to prosper
wav profit most under the protec
of the government, thus part
correcting the terrible inequ
more which exist today among the
inter erican people.
ince. On the question of the Wa
E. Labor Relations Act and the
few coal control act the LeagT
again on record as opposed to
pus- man rights. It wants these
'oay' repealed or amended, though
l necessityfor this is not immed
w clear, since the League hai
49,. ready declared these acts III
stitutional.
FOR AGRICULTURE the
was que has a set of principles er
D of " different from those apple
d by its own members to the bus
In institutions which they domi-
sew "The theory of scarcity as ap
in the AAA program is ra
rs in IS u.s. 5n o11 cansine q new set Of
J6lll anu Causing q nov 49,
MI; ficulties." This is the most
!. ana lightened part of the state
RS, u and is perhaps the most Sc
sen. Indictment against the Roo'
,r;,,z Administration. If the l..
SAllIn'' wo11ld also repudiate the t
ms mlS of scarcity as applied by Big.
,1 anu ership to the operation Of tt
-lDaliy dustrial machine, the public
have more confidence in its
Sales cerity.
decor But the most amazing pa
work the statement is the rejectl
Silva. a most important section Q
-. Constitution of the United :
mona,
er had STATE COURT POINTS
I ms To NEW LAW WHEN
DON HANDS DOWN OPP