Montana labor news., 1938-10-13

5O~EN
Because the duty of a citizen is as
plain as before-to know what's up
and what the shouting is all about.
There is a debate going on in
America today, the meaning of
which some of US are not going to
grasp until it is being continued with
bayonets. That is the debate raging
over Americas role in world affairs
and how her weight may best be
thrown on the side Of world peace.
That it is a genuine debate is proven
by the fluency with which the terms
"isolationism" and collective Sc
curity' are being used as cuss words.
One or the other of these labels is
probably a term of vile reproach to
most of you. Let's investigate.
We should begin the study of
terms used in a debate by examining
the definition of each by the persons
who oppose it. In this way we can
distance ourselves from what the
debaters are saying, and concentrate
on why they r saying it. Motives
always shed a lot of light on con-
troversial issues.
Earl Browder is the chief spokes-
man for the collective security side
of the argument. He is general sec
rotary of the Communist party,
which is chiefly interested now in
building a democratic front for
jobs, security, democracy, and
peace" This front Browder en-
visions as a coalition of all progress
sive or democratic groups and or
CARNATIONS against all reactionary
forces. To this end the Communists
propose to submerge all their former
theological and programmatic diff
ferences, even in some instances
their party identity.
The Communist line is clear on
what isolationism in international
affairs means in the mouths of in
dustrial and finance capitalists. 1t is
the old hogwash about avoiding en-
entangling alliances and leaving
everything be unless it interferes
with investments or balances OF
trade. The Communist line punctures
that lie of isolation and exposes it as
a fraud behind which capitalism con-
tinues its murderous scramble over
reparceling the world. Such isola-
tionism is plainly fascistic in intent,
and the Communists call it that.
In opposition to this isolationism,
Browder outlines his party's pro-
posal for concerted action or collec-
tive security. This proposal rests
upon the basic observation that the
world is divided into honest nations
or predominantly honest nations
(democracies) and mad dog or bandit
nations (fascists). The Communist
proposal calls upon the democracies
to join hands while there is yet time
and purge the world Of the fascist
nations, or at least purge those ma
tons of their fascist governments
AS an authority in support of this
line Browder is fondest of quoting
Franklin Roosevelt's Chicago speech
which called for a quarantine Of
aggressor nations.
The Communist proposal appeals
to the noblest human motives. What
could be more reasonable to suppose
than that, if there are good and bad
nations, the good nations should gel
together and sit on the bad nations?
Browder's continually reiterated
question is; why should not America
France, Britain, and the Soviet I'm
ion form a united front and stop
fascism? He nowhere makes any
attempt to answer that question, nor
does he attempt to describe the ways
in which the nations named are fail
ing to do what he suggests.
The Communists do not stop al
c%ondemning as fascists all the capt.
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