Montana labor news., 1938-05-26
BOOK REVIEW
THE PEOPLES FRONT"
by Earl Browder

munist Party, has recently made its
way into Montana through the
Workers Book Shop at 119 Hamilton
Street in Butte. The book is of in
terest to every trade unionist and
progressive whether he or she favors
Communism or opposes its doctrines,
because it presents the program and
policies Of an active and rapidly
growing force in American life.
Earl Browder writes clearly and
directly. He meets all arguments
against his party in a straight-for-
ward manner which wins the respect
of the reader. MI. Browder outlines
the position of his party on current
events and issues, such as: unity in
the labor movement, the Supreme
Court, the political realignment,
American youth, Negro rights,
American foreign policy, war in
Spain, Japan's invasion of China,
building of socialism in the U.S.S.R.,
the Soviet trials.
Mr. Browder makes no attempt to
deny that the Communist Party po-
sition has changed considerably and
is in contradiction to the position in
different periods. In his foreword
he states that "far from wishing to
hide such contradictions, it is the
authors wish to emphasize them"
In explaining how his party can
change its position and still remain
true to its basic principles, he writes:
The world is changing most
rapidly. The relationship of forces
between the various class groupings
in society is shifting from day to day.
Political parties and programs are
all, without exception, in a state of
flux. Everything which lives and
grows is changing; everything which
decays and dies also changes, though
in a different way. It is only the
petrified, the mummified, that re-
mains the same through these days
of feverish change" Our Commu-
mist policy" continues the Commu-
mist leader, represents a constant
struggle to meet more adequately
the problems of a rapidly changing
world. Every step we make in this
direction is a contradiction of the
position from which we stepped. Far
from wishing to hide these contra
dictions,' we would push them for
ward for the more serious student as
the highest lesson we have to teach
the cause of change, its technique,
its timing-the why, how, and when
in short, the process of history in
the making and the role of political
consciousness therein"
As the title of the book shows, Mr..
Browder proposes the formation OF
an American Peoples Front as the
way to preserve and extend Ameri-
can democracy. This is necessary,
says the author, because the issues
today revolve around the struggle
between two main forces: the forces
of progress and democracy which are
Striving to maintain the rights and
living standards of the masses in the
midst of capitalist crisis and decay.
and to maintain world peace; and
on the other hand, "the forces OF
fascism, striving to wipe out popular
rights and throw the full burden
of the crisis onto the masses, and
driving toward a new world war"
Mr.. Browder outlines the program
of his party to ease the burden Of
the crisis. He says that when pri-
vate industry does not provide en-
ployment at a living wage, it is uI
to the government to step in and fill
the breach. He proposes a guar
anteed income to all denied work
through no fault of their own
whether due to curtailment of in.
dustry, unemployment through sick.
ness, or old age. He calls for educa-
ton and vocational training, with
part-time work, for all young people
from 16 to rs years, at government
expense.
In presenting his arguments fol
the need of a Peoples Front, Mr.
Browder answers those who argue
that this means that the Communis'
Party is n~eglecting or forgetting its
final goal of socialism. He writes
that:
"The problem for practical build.
ers of socialism and fighters for so.
cialism is everywhere and at al
times to find the connecting linl
which ties up the life problems o.
the masses of the toiling people a
the present moment with their larg.
est historical interests that are rep.
resented in the future socialist so,
ciety. They, the tens of millions
who provide the moving force Of
history, must be convinced upon the
basis of their own experience in
struggle of the necessity and newt.
ability of each successive step Of
their movement toward socialism
The more they are organized anc
reused in struggle against the evils
of capitalism the quicker they car
understand and assimilate the teach.
ings of socialism, and consciously
take the path to the new society"
The book is alive with answers t
the many misconceptions of the
average citizen as to what the Com.
munist Party stands for. To the