Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-10-14
COLLECTLVISM, MADE IN
AMERICA.
(By Mere Thorpe, in Nations
BusineSS.)

by Mere Thorpe, in Nations
BusineSS.)
One of the hardest fallacles still IN
circulation is that the American plan
has failed and therefore some form OF
collectivism is necessary for amer
ica's salvation. This loose thinking
has sired brood Of alien policies and
practices. From it has issued the fix
ing of prices for pants-pressing and
potatoes, the handling of relations be-
tween employer and employe, the
building of houses, the selling by in
stalment Of electric coasters by
the Federal government.
Caught off-balance in the early
'thirties, the nation was stampeded
into the belief that the old-time home
remedies of thrift and fortitude must
he replaced by foreign elixirs. Mr..
Russell Greenman in this number
clearly describes one reason for this:
our folly in Jumping everybody not
working as employable, and therefore
deserted wards of industry. The alien
panaceas assumed various forms of
collectivism: socialism, here; fascism
there; in this. communism; in that,
syndicalism.
Virile America, with a morning
after headache, was stood up in
corner and forced to swallow Euro
pean remedies of last recourse
promises of security against disease,
unemployment, speculation, long
hours. low wages, competition-every
thing from security against the mex
perience of youth to the incapacity of
old age.
With true American impulsiveness,
the plans were hailed as new and as
made in America. What irony! Amer
lea had had its own private brand of
collectivism, had grown strong on it
and. in fact. because of it, was the
envy and the despair of the older
countries.
There was this difference: The
American collectivism was a volun-
tary one The new brands prescribed
were based upon coercion and COM
pulsion True. the pill was sugar-coat-
ed. The schemes were introduced as
cooperative" but the cooperation
turned out to be OF the shotgun
variety.
Voluntary group effort, as opposed
to the European brands, has been a
part of the United States since the
first town-Eleeting. Group effort
fought the Indians. Benjamin Frank
lin said it: Hang together Or" Con-
sciously or unconsciously the name
chosen for that unity of interest and
action exemplified it in 1.-The United
States Of America We carried on
from learning teamwork on the base
ball lot, to the community effort of
chamber of commerce, and to indus
try's effort Of trade association.
Americas collectivism is a social,
economic and political voluntarism. L:
is the action of free men. 1t has this
virtue: If the plan of q voluntary
group proves abortive, it is promptly
washed up''-there is no political in
hibition against admitting a mistake
Interesting enough that every one of
the group efforts spawned by political
compulsion over the world since the
war were discovered and practical by
free individuals working togethe.
voluntarily, everything from social
security" in the gu;se of insurance, to
employment agencies, collective bar
gaining, house-financing through build
ing and loan associations
Some day, when the fever runs its
course, perspective will return Amer
lea will recall that the rest of the
world once gazed with env.ous eye
at our ability to get things done thro.
ugh teamwork. once coveted the ma
tional advantages such "collectivism"
gave us. Ultimately the attempt tt
regain our national stride through bu
rcaucratic computsi.n will be recos
nized as impossible. This stride wi
again be possible only when free me
voluntarily pool their enterprise an
enthusiasm to make their community
their industry, end their country mo.
prosperous
The world series may not have bee.
Il settled at lca 81