davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
"Ruinous Overproduction"

During the past week the words, "runous ovcrproducion" have
come to our attention. They were used by an advocate of free enter
prise" who apparently was willing to have the government exercise
such economic controls a might be necessary to prevent the production
of goods which the public could not buy.
We suspect that any really important private owners of industry
who talk about controlling the market have in mind that they will be
given government franchises to produce-that competition will be limit
cd by the government to fit their convenience. And if our suspicion is
correct, that will not be free enterprise, but IN economy controlled
along fascist lines
However, the question we now rise is
Why should OvcrprOductOn be ruinous?
Why must people be ruined because they have too much? To
ask the question is enough to show that the system under which the
world is operating is anti-social.
To answer it is to reveal the difference between an economy of
use, Is advocated by Socialists, and an economy of private profit, as
now exists.
People do not suffer because they have too much of anything. Not
if they produce for use. When we have too much food in the family
pantry we certainly do not starve-because the food is ours.
Neither would society suffer from overproducion if the surplus
were the property of society as a whole. However, under private cap
itahsm SURPRISES are produced by the labor of society as a whole, but
they belong to only a few people. They are not produced for use but for
sale. And the owners will not permit the producers to use SURPRISES
unless use is accompanied by private profit.
The time is overdue when people should reject a n economy that
makes surplus synonymous with calamity. Under Socialism SURPRISES
woul mean higher living standards, greater security and more leisure.
Under capitalism they mean unemployment, fear and, as is now being
demonstrated, war.
End the private profit economy and you end the fear of the abund-
ance which the apostles of free enterprise are now foreseeing. Con-
tnue to tolerate that system and you produce a situation under which
government controls must be established in America no less fascist in
character than those set up for the preservation of class privilege in the
nations against whom America is notwithstanding Labor Adj
vocate.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
We Should Break
with Spain

Sumner Welcs recently analyzed with searching honesty a grow
ing doubt that confronts# the people of the world. They begin to fear. he
SAID, that a struggle is being Waged within the Western powers between
sWo groups: those on the M hand who know that a world revolution is
q The march and that t must be turned into constructive channels FOR
human advancement, and those who seek "bindIy but passionately 10
nave our victory mean nothing more than the patching together of The
outWorn structure OF the past"
The great majority of Americans are 0 n the side OF advancement
aut III Ill o. many spheres u national action bellies and undermines
DUR intent. In no sphere is this trucr than in our relations with Spain.
To set those relations right, Representative John NJ. Coffee e(Dem-
Wash) IS pressing in Congress for a resolution calling for a break of
relations with Franco and a consistent policy of assisting democratic
Spaniards to supplant his Fascist government. AS Mr.. Coffee told a
Chicago audience Sunday, after all the blood We have shed against
world Fascisn,o VIC still give Fasism strength in Spain. Whether he
Will secure a congressional resolution is doubtful. 1t seems patent,
moreover, tina the State Departments recent slapping of FRANCOIS
wrists is to lead to another adjustment with him. If SO, it is disgraceful
We have said before that, in the midsts of war, the timing of a rup-
lure IS a subject o which the military have the right to speak. But
we know no evidence indicating that true military securit; will be
served by another day of appeasement. America has relatively little
to fear from Frances military or economic strength; it has everything
to fear from the establishment which butresdng this Fascist means.
Why not act accordingly?-The Chicago Sun.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
LABOR GIVES
$500, 900 TO RUSS RELIEF

Organized labor contributed
100000 to Russian War Relief
during 1943, Edward C. Carter,
president of the organization, re-
ported to the board of directors
this week. This sum was contribut-
ed by the CLIO National War Relief
Committee and the AFL relief
agency.
Goods purchased with CLIO con-
tributions we're transmitted to the
All-Union Central Council of
Trade Unions in Moscow for dis
tribution among destitute union
members in the Soviet Union, Car
ter said. Nearly ST, 200, 900 worth
of relief supplies were consigned
to the Soviet Union during the
year.
Contributions in 1943 we're more
than twice greater than in 1912.
Carter attributed the increase to a
deepening appreciation by the
American people of their Soviet
allies.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
DON'T WEAKEN,
SENATOR PAT

Senator Pat McCarran makes an
other effort to clean up Washington
slum areas and asks Congress for
$40, 600, 900 as a starter. The real
tors and the big land owners i'm
mediately register opposition. If
that sort of socialism" is tolerated,
they say, it will turn the real estate
situation in Washington upside
down."
They are quite right, but the real
estate situation in Washington
should be turned upside down."
Rich landlords are drawing enor-
nous dividends from the slums,
while the realtors are collecting
great profits from "Jerry-built'
houses in the suburbs.
The sooner Congress turns that
situation 'upside-down" the better
it will be for Washington, and for
the nation, too. More power to Sen
ator Pats strong right arm!
Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
PROFITS PLUS

When we got into the war we
had reason to believe the enemy
might bomb our cities, SO the Gov
ernmrnt asked the insurance com
panies to provide Insurance protec-
rates that were prohibitive. They
agreed to do this, but set premium
rates that were prohibitive. Their
proposal was turned Gown and the
Government set up the War Dam
age Corporation which took on the
business at Is cents a hundred, in
stead of the $1.50 demanded by the
insurance companies.
When the War Damage Corpora
ton winds up its affairs it will
turn over to the Treasury Depart
ment about $500, 600, 600 in profits
earned at the lucent rate. If this
seems a lot, just imagine the profits
of the private companies at S1.5O
a hundred!
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08

OltOA, 4eCdOlllS ddNOI IAoFONdtC
that they have been kicking about
whether they know it o r not.
People can do something about
price. That's why there is a gov
eminent Office of PRICE Admin
istration instead of an Office of
COST Administration.
But in order to do something
about PRICE it is necessary to
understand what makes the diff
ference between COST and PRICE
and to eliminate that difference.
Because, if workers paid only what
a thing COSTS to produce and
market, then the only limit to
prosperity would be mankind's
ability to produce.
But to arrive at PRICE some
thing must be added to COST.
And that something" - except
when there are business losses
is PROFIT.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
5O,OCO WOMEN IN
RUSSIA GET CLOTHES
FROM UNION

New York City. - More than
$4,000 warm garments, represent
ing an expenditure of almost $500
900 in material and labor, will be
sent to the heroic women of Russia
by members of Locals %, 10 and
60 of International Ladies' Gar
ment Workers Union through the
Labor league for Human Rights,
the AFL's official relief arm, ac-
cording to an announcement made
by Charles S. Zimmerman, man
ager of Local %.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
RAITOR"-AND
OF
EXPLOITERS

1t is worth recording that Char
les f. Bedaux, who committed
suicide recently while under in
dictment for treason, was an as
sociate and a favorite Of what are
sometimes called 'the better peo-
pie"
He was an intimate of the for
mer king of England as well as of
the more-frankly fascists dictators
of this era. And, because he had
devised a system for speeding
energy, he was likewise the dar-
ling of American labor exploiters
whose patronage enabled Bedaux
to escape from the ranks of labor
and become a multi-millionaire.
If Bedaux had been a labor
union advisor or a Socialist, how
the capitalist press of this nation
would have capitalized his union
and political activities! But since
he was a foe of the workers and
a friend of the parasites Of the
world, the fact that he worked
hand in hand with the owning
class is not considered of sufficient
significance to emphasize.
Yet it frequently is a fact that
birds of a feather flock together"
Bedaux preferred death to the re
vealing ordeal of a treason trial.
The capitalist moguls of America
- who organized cartels with their
likes in other nations as a means
of better exploiting the common
people of the world for their own
personal gain - prefer profits to
patriotism.
All of which is logical enough
to those who understand the work
ings of a class society. The exploit
ers of labor have a common in
terest-which they recognize.
The workers of the world have
a common interest to-which they
fail to recognize. 1t is that failure
which causes workers to think
with their masters minds and do
their masters bidding in peace and
in war.-Reading Labor Advocate
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08

Topflight officers of the u. S.
Navy r lavish in their praise of
the Scabees-construction batta-
ions spanked by union men risk
ng their all and doing their best
under fire and most adverse cir
cumstances. This sort of pick-and-
shovel marine corps go in with
toughest assault troops and often
precede them. At Salerno, the Sea
bees reached beaches first; at
Tarawa they prepared the airfield
Cor full use in four days. There are
about $4,000 Scabees overseas;
close to 10000 more are ready for
shipment; and about 10000 are in
the midst of their basic training
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
PROSPERITY

Here we are, we Americans, the
richest people on earth, the richest
in history, in the midst of a splurge
of war prosperity. But according to
a joint statement issued by the
chairman of the Senate committee
on education and labor and the
chairman of a Senate subcommit-
tee on health and education in
wartime, twenty million Ameri-
cans aren't earning enough to
make both ends meet and have
to borrow money in order to live!
Tho Call.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
GOOD WILL
WITH LATIN AMERICA

In an effort to build greater good
will between the workers in North
and South America, the A. F. of l..
began publication of a bi-weekly
Spanish-language bulletin contain
ing news of the United States labor
movement. The bulletin will be
sent by airmail to labor organiza-
tions, union periodicals, daily
newspapers, radio stations and pub
lie figures throughout Latin Amer
lea.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
SENIOR CITIZENS"
FOREGO PENSIONS

Many senior citizens" are con-
tributing their bit to the war effort.
More than 1OO, 900 who T entitled
to claim old age pensions prefer to
continue at work, the Social Secur-
ity Board revealed. 1t said that the
number of workers retiring under
social security has gone down dur
ing the emergency.
Last year the board paid out
$155, 10000 in old age and sur
vivors' insurance checks to $50, 900
persons, more than half of them
women and children.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08

| a remember - and so can
you, regardless of the date of your
birth-that one of the first things
l ever heard working people wor-
rying about was the high cost of
living"
Way back around the end of the
last century men aspiring to the
presidency Of the United States
made the cost of living an issue of
their campaign, with the picture Of
a dinner-pail that was supposed to
be full and the symbol of their
ideas of good government. And as
recently as the Hoover administra-
ton we were told by the presi-
dent of the United States that, at
long last, the living problem had
been solved, that Americas flu
ture would be one or two chick
ems in every pot and two cars in
the family garage.
And now, IL years after the New
Deal was launched by President
Roosevelt with heartening assur-
ance that I'VE have nothing to fear
but fear itself" the problem which
is agitating working people still re-
mains-the high cost of livingl
1t should be obvious by this time
that we, and the generations who
have passed to the great beyond,
have been tackling the problem in
the wrong way. And, since this
column is being written by a So
c~ialist, here is the place to be set
right.
Why, then, has the cost" of
living continued to plague people
in spite of all their crying about
it? The answer is that they were
crying about the wrong thing. 1t
isn't the cost of living but the
price of living that really has
been bothering humankind.
Cost" is the amount or human
labor-or the length of human life
necessary for the production of
the things people buy and use.
There's nothing much to be done
about cost except to work faster or
to devise nor efficient methods of
production or to lower living stan
dards. When a machine is invented
that doubles the number of shoes
a man can turn out in a given time.
then the cost of shoes is reduced
so per cent.
But PRICE-now, that's a diff
ferent thing again.
Price is what people pay for the
things they make when they want
to get those things for their own
use. And it is that thing PRICE"
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
AT THE PEARLY GATE

A man stood at the pearly gate,
His face was worn and old;
He merely asked of the man of fate
Admission to the fold,
What have you done, st. Peter
asked,
To seek admission here?
Why. / tried to estimate my income
tax from now to the end of the
year.
The gates swung open sharply,
AS st. Peter touched the bell;
Come in, he said, and take a harp,
You've had enough of hell.
From the Congressional Record.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
AMERICAN EQUIPMENT
O BRAZILIAN
RAILROADS

American equipment is helping
to electrify the railroads of Brazil,
Nelson E. Rockefeller, U. S. coor-
dinator of inter-American affairs,
revealed. The first two of 10 cleo
trio locomotives being built in this
country for Brazil have been COM
pleted at the Westinghouse plant
in Pittsburgh and are to be shipped
with switching equipment, Rookie
Teller said.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
BIG NAVAL BUDGET
HAS JEPS IN MIND

The largest naval budget in his
tory - $50, 789, 0oO, 00O-was laid
before Congress for the 1945 fiscal
year. The items deal mainly with
anticipated operations against the
Japanese.
The estimate for the War De
partment is expected to be only
1901, 600, 600, compared with
this years appropriation of $780,
OBS. 900, 900.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
ARMY ASKED BILLIONS
MORE THAN 1T NEEDED

Evidence that Congress was over
generous in meeting requests of
military leaders for war funds was
seen in announcement that the War
Department has surrendered $27,-
378 ,000 600 of its appropriation for
this year because it will be unable
to spend it.
The navy has turned back &c.
900, 000, 900, making the total of
unexpected appropriations in ex-
cess of $50, 000, 0OO, 900, or more
than u share Of the cost of World
War l.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
Why The First?

Harlem went wild, the Mayor of New York shook hands and
uttered his usual political welcome, bands blared and parades waited
and marched to greet the arrival of a flight of army planes bearing 81
members of the Army Air Forces "frst class of Negro aerial navi-
gators"
opportunities being given Negroes to fit themselves for skilled special
lied combat duty carriers over into the pursuits of peace. But, old cynic
that we aae, we can't help asking:
Why did it take o long? The United States has been at war over
two years. 1t started preparing for this war long before that =.
Why all the celebration because Negro Americans m being given
the chance to do what other, non-Negro Americans have been allowed
to do a. a matter of course? It ought to be taken for granted-The Call.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
Entire Town Heated by One Plant

Here is something unique in the way of municipal enterprise. vir-
ginia, Mimi, has a population of 1900, and its 5000 homes are heated
by a municipaly-owned heating system. When the temperature drops,
Virginia citizens simply turn up the thermostat a bit" The cost per
home per year is about $40.
What would happen if the entire country adopted the Virginia
idea? Well, one gentleman who likes to figure estimates that more than
Is billion dollars could be proftably expended for jobs and material
and about 100000 persons could be given useful employment for
10 years. $500"
The thing would pay for itself through the savings o n fuel and
Labor. f nNa@@~~
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
IN THE WIND
From THE NATION

Number, please! The command
ant of an army camp tried to tele-
phone an officer at his home in a
nearby community. The officers
phone was on a three-party line,
and for an hour the commandment
got nothing but busy signals. Fin
ally he called the operator and
asked il something couldn't be
done about it. After ALL" he said,
1T isn't such a long distance. l
could walk there in half an hour"
"Okay, Bud" replied the operator,
get Walkin'."
The British government has TAX
en- official cognizance Of the SER
want problem. The London Daily
Mail reports that Md. Bevin's of
flee is going into the matter and
will probably make recommended
tons as to minimum wages and
maximum hours.
Phonograph-record collectors tell
us they r no longer allowed to do
any international swapping 1t
seems that some records have UNI
Ineligible b ackground noises
which the authorities fear might
possibly be code messages.
Georgia'S Supreme Court has
declined for the second time to re-
view an examination on the basis
of which the State Board of Bar
Examiners has refused to recon-
mend a license for George Elmer
Ross, a Negro. The law requires
the board to recommend licenses
for all who pass its examinations,
Mr. Ross, a graduate of the Univer-
sity of Chicago Law School, insists
that he made more than a passing
| grade. In refusing to look at the
evidence, the court held that the
board is the sole judge of grades
and that there is no appeal from
its decisions.
Seventeen lives were lost when
the steamer Northern went down a
year ago. The Union Steamship
Company, owner of the ship, was
recently tried and found guilty OF
providing insufficient lifeboat ac-
commodations. The penalty was a
fine of $100.
The quality of the news broad
casts of the Nazi-controlled Paris
radio is indicated by this item:
ALVAREZ del Vayo-typical repre-
sentative of those Soviet-minded
politicians who led Spain to her
Calvary-has been in Casablanca
since January 15." The staff of The
Nation wonders who that man is
who comes into the office every
day. He looks, talks, thinks, and
writes exactly like Alvarez del
Vayo.
FESTUNG EUROPA: German
reserve officers employed as sup
ervisors in Belgian factories have
been recalled to Germany for ac-
tive service Several members
of Vidkun Quisling's private body
guards have been arrested for lis
Jennings to news broadcasts from
London The greatness of the
Nazi soul wa recently demonstrat~
ed in Holland when a quarrel over
precedence between two officials
of Dutch Chamber of Culture"
made it necessary to hold two for
NAL openings of an exhibition.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
WAS CRY OF wolf"

Like many other scare stories,
a report early in the year of a
serious feed shortage turns out to
be another cry of Wolff Stock
raisers and poultry men refused
to take the warning seriously and
went right ahead increasing their
herds and flocks, the Department
of Agriculture disclosed.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08

To know how TO grow old is the
master-work of wisdom, and one of
the most difficult chapters in the
great art of living.-Somerville.
Nothing is more disgraceful than
for a man who is nothing to hold
himself honored on account of his
forefatherS.-Plato.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08

Princes r never without flatter-
ers to seduce them; ambition to de-
prave them; and desires to corrupt
them.-Plato.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
FREE BOARD

FREE BOARD
Sambo-So youalIs in Jail for
foah weeks. What's de charge?
Moe - No charge, everythings
free.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08

Paradise is open to all kind
hearts.-Beranger.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-03-08
It Isn't the Cost of Living
But the price" Of Living

By RAYMOND S. HOFSES, Editor, Reading Labor Advocate
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-02-16
Charges British
Betrayed Jews.
ApVDeaSed Arabs
IN DAVID SENTNER
n.nnn lms. Wa.hInsIon nuI,aa

WASHINGTON, Feb. l6-Charging that the
British white paper restricting Jewish immigration
into Palestine after March 81 was betrayal of the
Bafour declaration and the result of the British
appeasement policy Of 1889, Rabbi stephen s Wise
Of New York today made an imPassened plea for
Of the Jewish national home.
Rabbi Wise, foundcrof the Zionist organization
of America 40 years ago, appeared before the House
foreign affairs committee, holding hearings on the
ioint congressional resolution calling upon the
American government to use its Offices to open the
doors of Palestine for the creation of a Tree and
democratic Jewish commonwealth.
The British white paper an attempt to appease
Hitler and his Arab adiutant the Mu who melted riots
and hloOdshed in Palestine declared Rabbi Wise.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-02-16
Soldiers
To Vote i'm
= Locals

Tlpo LAW.CIO locals in the
Ford Motor Co, today announced
that their members overseas
would be asked 10 vote for locsi
officers in forthcoming elections,
in contrast 10 the stand OF Ford
Local 500. IN the Rouge plant
which barred unionistS on foreign
shores from It's election.
Both Local 50 Of the Willow
fun nuTT1f1UT-- p1TrTr- anu ttuCTt--tft1d
Of the Lincoln plant will mail ball
lots 10 members overseas.
Ballots for Local 900 already
wore in the mail today bound for
foreign theaterS Of action The
election count viii be held up I'LL
March % 20 allow time for their
return. - was announced 10y PreSi-
uT-rTt JufTT7 t-ttIT- fTyr1rr
Names OF candidates for leader
ship Of Local 30 being nominated
tins week viii be forwarded 10
overseas members by V-mail as
soon as they are determined. The
local IS election is ~ the fiSt week
Of Marsh
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-02-16
AnziO Radio
Closed 10 News

FIFTH ARMY HQ ITALY,
Feb. 16 1NSD BY order of Gen.
AlcNander'S headquarters, short
wave radio facilities 10 Naples FOR
correspondents covering the Anzio
beachhead have been Cancelled
No explanation was made
"a Reuter- dispatch from
Don Campbell it's correspond
ent with the Fifth Army. said
that The Allied command was
annoyed by some news reports
Of bcachhcad operations, and
closed down the radio station
temporarily 10 insure full cen
SorShip OF all correspondents
copy az base headquarters }