Evening star., 1941-09-08
Text of Dies Letter Askinq
O. P. A. G.. S. Clusters

gramme was, In short, q Fascist
programme in idea, in principle,
and-in the main-in structure" "
This was merely a reflection of the
Communist party Zine" of the year
in which Brady was writing.
knowledge of the facts and a
little reflection will show that the
issue does not turn on Fascism' per
Sc. but on that form of capitalism
OF which it is no more than the
politically conscious phase. For
better or worse, the deeper issue
now being squarely faced is whether
capitalism as coercive political
and economic system should be
allowed any longer to survive. = >
AS all parties realize, the end result
will be either the triumph OF re-
action and a new lease on life Tor
capitalism, or else a victory for
socialism and the determination of
the rich and powerful of bank,
factory, bivouac and cloister."
1t is of the greatest Importance.
Mr.. President, that the people OF
this country should know whether
Leon Henderson and his head con-
sultant. Robert A. Brady, are using
their present important Govern
ment posts to arrive ultimately at
the goals which Brady has described
so frankly in the foregoing passages.
Mass Poverty Blamed
On Breakdown Of System.
"Present-day mass poverty exists
not alone because the privileged
have squeezed all there is to have
out of the system, but because the
system itself has broken down" In
connection with this statement, l
wish to point out that 1t was mace
by Brady in the year 1887 and not
in the period of the collapse OF
1e2o-As was inferred by MI
Henderson in his testimony before
the Banking and Currency Com
mittee.
I'm the changed modes of life
which the industrial system has
compelled, and under which in
creasing masses of people are
herded together within the confines
of giant cities, the old security re-
serves of family and return to the
land are denied to all except the
occasional few. There is nothing lef1
for those who remain except idle
ness, privation and the charity dole
Nothing else except revolt" In his
testimony before the House com
mittee. Henderson described Brady
as "a qualified observer of condl'
tions." I raise the question, Mr.
President, whether Brady is fit tc
occupy his present strategic posi-
ton in eur Government if his inter
pretation of conditions" has lee
him to the conclusion that moth
ing else except revolt" is left fol
| the underprivileged in our land.
Quote on Price Policies
Called Interesting.
Far more important than the
mere fact of Capitalization, how
ever. Is the truism that control ovel
business policy means central COM
mand, and central command means
maSsed strength. 1t matters LITTLE
whether the controls exercised re-
late to mere formation and focus
ing of opinion. or to the enforce
ment of decisions as though theI
had the effect of law The principle
| is the same. And the principle il
that massed strength is politica
strength. Power to influence legis'
lation is political power; power II
coerce trade unions, is politica
power; power to enforce prict
policies is political power: power II
command more or less exclusive us
of media for manipulating publi'
opinion is political power
This is a highly interesting pas
sage in view of the authors presen
official relation to the fixing O
prices.
Every business establishment is
in other words, completely auto
cratic and completely undemocrati
in structure, theology, and pro-
cedure. 1t is, by the same token
completely intolerant of all op
position without or without, or o
any criticism which does not re
dound to the advantage of the profit
making possibilities of the enter
prise" The author of this state
ment, Mr.. President, has disqualifie'
himself utterly from any fitness Il
| hold q covar,p,ayt pocitio,o c,
vitality related to the functioning o
our system of free enterprise.
Kind of Society
Natural to Business.
THE condition of society in which
the businessmen would rule would b.
that one which is natural to them
1t would, as a matter of course, b
centralized, autocratic and intoler
ant and it would be so constructed
that each would get exactly wha
he deserves for the simple reasol
that according to the rules he de
serves whatever he can get. It /
the well-accepted business view tina
most, if not all, of the unemployet
are shiftless, worthless, irresponsible
and undisciplined. 1t is taken a
automatic that the lowest wage
Garner receives all that is comini
to him. since if he could get NOR
by any means which does not dis
turb business routine 1t is obviou
that he would" 1t is wholly un
necessary for me to point out tina
this is simon-pure Communist doc