Montana labor news., 1938-06-02
OPEN FORUM
Letter 10 I'm Anony-
nous Friend OF The
Farm-LabOr Party
Musselshen.

N1&1L
questions are representative of many
similar inquiries ! have received, II
am taking the liberty Of replying
publicly, Withholding only the vari-
Gus names of yourself and others
who ask similar questions.
As to questions number n and
two. Are the Communist, the
Farmer-Labor parties affiliated, and
is the Farmer-Labor party connected
in any way with the Daily, and Sun
dayWorker?"
The Farmer-Labor party and the
Communist party are two separate
and distinct parties, nor is the
Farmer-Labor party connected in
any way with the Daily, and Sunday
Worker, which is the organ Of the
Communist party.
We Farmer-Laborites find many
things in the teachings of the Com
munist party with which we are in
hearty agreement, such as, national
ization of the major industries, gov
eminent operation of the manufac-
ture of munitions of war, abolition
of the wage system, etc, and we
concede to the sincere Communist
the same desire for the welfare and
betterment Of the human race, par
ticularly the working class, as we
ourselves hold.
In all these efforts toward the i'm
proyement of conditions of the lower
classes, elevation Of the living stand
ard, enlarging civil liberties, etc, the
Farmer-Labor party has, and will
continue to cooperate with Commu-
nists, Socialists, Labor and all other
progressive groups regardless Of the
name under which they travel.
The Farmer-Labor party is essen
TALLY a radical party, that is, we be-
lieve in and work to bring about
basic or fundamental changes in our
economic system. We feel that
nothing less than such fundamental
change will ever restore prosperity
to our people.
We hold that profit is nothing
more nor less than a payment for
which no service has ever been per
formed and that in an equitable
economic system profit has no place
and should and eventually will be
abolished. Consequently we strive
for the establishment Of industry on
a production for use basis under
which the worker will receive the
full product Of his toll or its equiva-
lent. In this both Communists, So
c~ailists and a large number Of the
milder progressive agree with US.
One of the main points of differ
ence lies in the revolutionary atti-
tude. Many Communists hold that
such basic changes will not be effect
ed without revolution, though to be
strictly accurate l believe only the
more violent Communists avowedly
advocate revolution and I believe
those who openly advocate violent
revolution r not in reality Com
munists but what would be more
properly termed "Nihilists."
Also to be strictly accurate it must
be admitted that there are many
Farmer-Labor party members who
hold the belief that basic or funda-
mental economic change will come
only through, or be accompanied by
revolution, but that revolutionary
methods are only |justifiable as a last
resort after all peaceful methods
have failed.
Your question numbered "3".
what does the Farmer-Labor party
see in store for American" requires
a more detailed answer.
Speaking for myself, and believe
I voice the sentiment of a large ma
jority of the membership, America
is now in the ninth year of the tran
sition period otherwise known as
the depression) Concentrated wealth
upon one hand, concentrated poverty
and misery upon the other. So long
as the factor of profit continues to
play a part in our system Of eX-
change the concentration of wealth
and concentration Of poverty will
inevitably continue. That is a nat
ural economic law, is memorable ano
cannot be evaded.
We know that the change from a
profit system to a non-profit pro-
duction for use system MUST be
effected. But HOW? America faces
these alternatives-frankly, with the
/ possibility of revolution in each and
every one.
First, we HOPE that by education
/ and the use of the ballot the basic
change from a profit to a production
| for use system may be %peaceably
, effected, and IF the masses of the
common people will take sufficient
interest in their government and its
democratic processes this a be
done. BUT-The common people
are so woefully ignorant of then
: own governmental processes, ignor-
ant of economic questions, and SC
} dishearteningly apathetic toward &
study Of these processes and ques-
tons that this very ignorance anc
r apathy may bring about the very
! revolution which we as p%eace-lovinG
intelligent Americans wish to avoid
The real danger of revolution which
} we face through this method o.
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