davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
Trouble Ahead

Automobile manufacturers, in Washington recently, want to manu-
lacture 100000 new cars the first year after peace, and keep up this
ace for several years-until the market has been glutted with new cars
This can mean only m thing--the auto manufacturers have their
yes only on the billions of dollars saved up by Americans in wa bonds
md they want that cash as fast as they can get their hands ON it.
They intend to work day and night, Saturdays and Sundays, to get
this money-and a soon Is all who want new cars have them. the
automobile industry will fold up to a fifty per cent or less of working
capacity.
Therein lies the tremendous danger to this naton-the grasping
andustrialists knowing VIZ have money in u banks, want it and they
@ant it fast
Oness some orderly system Of rationing of durable goods is pro
yided fOf after the War-and unless manufacturers are forbidden to
work their plants more than 80 or 35 hours a week, W e face another
errible depression within a few years.
The warning has been issued on many occasions, but has gone
anhceded.
The laboring man, the organized worker, apparently will be forced
TO take the bull by the horns and refuse to work more than 80 To IS
aours d week if he is to survive.
Another thing which auto manufacturers know, and which the
pubic has not yet learned, is that the first automobiles to be turned
out IN the postwar era will be 1912 model cars-which will sell at from
~ to 40 per cent more than the same cars sold for in 1941 and 1912.
Here IS a warning we want to repeat: Don't buy any durable goods
for at least six months after the war! The prices will be higher at least
that length of time, and you may get stuck with inferior merchandise.
Wait until the nation has settled down to real peace time work
when merchandise will be available through competition, and until you
can see for yourself just how the new economy works-The Progressive
Miner.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
Who Will Run
SociuIized Industry?

The other day, in speaking to a group of educated ladies and gentle
men, w e attacked the advocates of free enterprise and urged the
Socialist alternative of a planned economy that would be socially owned
and democraically operated.
Whereupon a gentleman asked us the following question:
DO you believe there is enough ability in the government service
to take over and operate the entire industrial machine of the nation?"
We answered that we really did so believe and pointed to the fact
that the government is indeed exercising a constantly increasing
authority over our economic life. EH*@#
We now revamp the gentemans question a trife to ask and
answer? M
Who will run socialized industry?
We believe we know who will do ii. Our answer is that the same
people will run socialized industry IS are now running it.
It's really not important WHO run the job, 81 long as it is III ably
and efficiently. What we're concerned about is WHY il run-that is,
the PURPOSE that is being served by the national economic machine
We have never made a point of questioning the ability of the people
who give the orders under capitalism. What we assert is that such abil-
ity as has been employed is directed AGAINST the general welfare and
TOWARD the welfare of selfish interests.
The president of our favorite railroad provided he knew his
business = would not be removed if Socialists took over by popular
mandate. He would be invited to remain. And, if he refused, it might
be that he would yer be drafted for the job. But his success would
be the pubics gain, not the advantage of a group Of stockholders and
managers.
We Socialists want social ownership and a planned economy be-
cause we recognize such al arrangement IS the necessary base for the
erection of a n economy which will produce for Use instead of for private
profit. An abundance-and-use economy simply can't function sc long
Is private interests must be served first.
The free enterprise" system has given is depressions and wars
because those social ills re the natural consequence of the private
profit system. Likewise abundance and security would be the natural
fruits of ar economy in which the best brains and abilities of our people
were enlisted on the side of cooperation and social Misunderstanding
Labor Advocate. #8n4
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
No I ur ming Back

If the United States can perform miracles of production and provide
millions more jobs during the war, who can say it is impossible TO
increase production and employment similarly in time of peace?
That is n Of the questions CLIO Pres Phillip Murray has put to
Congress.
He pointed out that the number Of Americans gainfu1y employed,
including the armed forces, was increased from 409 millions in 1899 to
574 millions in 1943.
Steel production in the same period increased from So, 799O00 net
tons to 88,837 900 net tons; the number of military planes from 214l
to $500; and merchant shipping from 341219 to Is, 1896 900 dead
weight tons.
For full employment after the war, it will be necessary to provide
Jobs for millions more than are employed now, since returning service
a we'll as war workers will have to earn livelihood.
Murrays proposal for a central administration to seek full prOduc-
ton, full employment and full consumption, o a rising standard Of
living, suggests the machinery whereby government, labor, business and
agriculture a work together in planned fashion for the achievement
of these goals.
To turn back after this war to defation, curtaled production and
wholesale unemployment would be to lose the peace. The CLIO points
the way forward to the economy of plenty whose possibilities have
been demonstrated by u war effort-The CLIO News.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
CASE OF THE
TROTSKYISTS

The Civil Rights Defense Com
mittee has issued a 32-page pam
phlet, Who Are the Is Prisoners in
the Minneapolis Labor Case? A
foreword by James T. Farrell says
that this is "the major case of the
present war period involving the
rights of labor and freedom of
speech. The 18 defendants (Trot-
skyists), now serving their senten-
ces in federal jails, have been made
convicts merely because of their
opinions. The Smith Gag" Act
under which they were convicted is
in fragrant contradiction with the
Bill of Rights I. Despite this, the
Supreme Court has three times re-
fused to hear an appeal -"
The conviction of the Trotskyists
established a precedent which was
recently cited in the proceedings to
deport Harry Bridges as an alien
Communist-under the Smith Act
neither overt action nor "a clear
and present danger" need be prov
ed, only subversive opinion.
Copies of the pamphlet can be
obtained for 10 cents from the Civil
Rights Defense Committee, 100
Fifth Ave, New York 10, N. Y, to-
gether with petitions for a pardon.
= Luton NJ. Oak, N. Y.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
WHAT A DREAM!

And what an awakening awaits
the Pollyannas who believe that
this war is going to end when the
shooting stops!
Yes, the world is going to be
ruled. Otherwise civilization is
doomed.
We don't know yet how it is
going to be ruled or who will do the
ruling. But we do feel able to make
a general prediction.
After this war is over the world
will be controlled -
(a) either by a combination of
the RULERS of SOME nations -
n which case the seeds of another
conflict will again be sprouted-or
(b) by a combination of the
RULERS of ALL nations-in which
ase the racketeers who exploit the
;ommon people may be able to get
long together for a time-or
(c) by a combination of the
COMMON people of all nations - in
which case peace and economic
Justice will have a chance to de-
velop and live.
Socialists prefer that the world
be ruled by the people who live in
it. That's why a workers interna-
tional has always been the ultimate
objective of the Socialist parties of
he world.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10

preston; long range planning and
the need for translating principles
into action.
The program part III of the re-
port) is much narrower than the
principles. It's first paragraph de-
clares that international coopera-
ton is necessary, but this coopera-
ton does not involve the creation
of a world government" In
stead, security, livelihood and
justice on a world scale are to be
provided through such organiza-
tons as the Init. Labor Office, the
United Nations Relief & Rehabiti-
tation Administration, the Food &
Agriculture Organization, "a Unit
ed Nations economic organization
with consultative and advisory
functions and a Permanent Court
of International Justice.
The reason for the sharp differ
ence between International princip-
les and program is made clear in
the last two parts of the report
dealing with domestic problems.
Postwar America should provide
quittance allowances for those leav-
ing the armed services and sever
ance pay for workers in wal indus
tries. It must also guarantee free
dom on the job and freedom to
organize. These freedoms must ex-
tend to a Organization of business,
of finance, of farmers and of the
various professions, as we'll as of
labor"
The argument is summed up in
Principle g: Free enterprise is an
essential part of the democratic
way of life -. VIZ believe whole
heartedly in free enterprise as an
essential in personal freedom. The
right to start a business and the
right to choose a job are the basis
of a free life"
The report starts with bold, stur-
dy assertions concerning the need
ed social changes. 1t ends lamely by
accepting the profit system which
gave the human race wagery,
slums, unemployment and World
Wars / and III.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR
AMERICAN WORKERS
Iowa Farmers Have UnSatiStac-
tory Experience With War
Prisoners and Jamaicans

Des M0ines, Iowa. - It's pretty
hard to find a substitute for a good
American worker, Iowans have dis
covered.
Farmers in this state were per-
suaded last year to use prisoners of
war and imported Jamaicans to
harvest the crops, but Floyd John
ston, state supervisor of emergency
farm labor, predicted there
wouldn' be much demand for them
this year.
There is still an urgent need for
more workers on the farms, but last
years experience with the prison
ers and Jamaican Negroes was none
too successful, and there's not Ii
kelly to be a repetition, Johnston
said.
He forecast that the farmers
would obtain their needed labor in
large part from among city work
ers, who would pitch in during
their spare time. College faculty
members are due to help, too, he
explained.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
Profit System
Will Frustrate
Postwar Plan
Hopes For Better World Can't
Mature In Order OF Wages
and War
BY SCOTT NEARING

Postwar planning by organized
labor is not new. The British Labor
party, through which British unions
channel their political activities,
drafted an ambitious program after
World War I. AFL leaders have fol
lowed suit in the Postwar Plan,
presented at a public forum in New
York on April II.
The first section of the report
offers eight guiding international
principles" No. l reads: WAR is
the enemy. The American Fedora
ton Of Labor believes that war
among nations waged by the mod
ern engines of death and destruc-
ton is the supreme enemy of the
well-being of the common people
of the world. We recognize that
our w movement of organized
labor has no future promise in
a world living under the threat and
burden of the war system"
Principle 2: Lasting peace must
rest on social justice and include
all peoples"
Principle g.: 'The only safety
from war is in the international
organization of peace"
Principle 4: Victory is not
enough In order to maintain
international peace, political and
military programs must be asso-
ciated with a far-reaching economic
program which will be designed
not to advantage certain nations at
the expense Of others but to organ
ize and utilize the new productive
powers of industry and agriculture
for the advancement of the STAN
dards of living of all peoples" Y
Principle 5: Prosperity can be
achieved by a free people under a
regime of social justice 1t will
be necessary to get rid of that kind
of exploitation which tends to con-
centrate income in the hands of the
few and prevents the great mass of
workers from having the purchas-
ing power to buy the things they
need for daily life. 1t also will be
necessary to lessen the barriers be-
tween nations"
The other three principles deal
with freedom of thought and ex-
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
Who is Going to Rule the
World And For Whom?


ruling class of Germany will have
forgotten all about expansion and
power. Then they'll look at the map
of Europe and say ia wohl' with
a resigned shrug of their shoulders.
And then the japanese aristoc-
racy will look across the narrow
strip of water that separates their
island from Asia and say, "Well,
there's China. We really could do
a good job of building an economic
empire there. But that's out. It's
been decided that we're to stay on
our islands,
And Soviet Russia will never
more try to influence middle Eu-
rope. And Giraud and DeGaulle
will shake hands and split a bottle
of wine. And General Chang will
make peace with the Communists
within his country. And the Jugo-
slav Partisans and Chetniks will
live together in peace and friend
ship. And the Poles and Russians
and Firms will abide together in
harmony forthwith and everlast-
ingly. And Britain and America
will withdraw to their own do
mains and smile with detached
benevolence upon a safe and peace
full world.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
MR.. VlNSON ON
DANGEROUS DOLLARS

Fred M. Vinson, director of the
Office of Economic Sterilization,
spoke in Philadelphia the other
night. He congratulated his audi
ence that, THE general trend of in
creasing wage rates has been al
most brought to a halt"
AS long as the freezing process
can be maintained, Mr.. Vinson is
sure the Ship of State will not
founder on the rocks of initiation.
However, he warns that there are
lots of dangerous dollars ready to
go on the loose to disrupt 'stabili-
zation."
Presumably those dangerous
dollars" are in the workers peck
cts, having escaped the profiteer
and the tax collector. Clearly, if
Mr.. Vinson has his way, they will
not remain there very long.
The strange thing about Mr.. Vim
sons speech is that he didn't say a
word about the dangerous dollars
which are pilling up in the bank
accounts of the rich and in the re
serves of the great corporations
which have profited so extrava-
gantly from war contracts. These
accumulations, according to the
most authentic reports available,
total somewhere between rs billions
and 100 billions.-Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
IN THE WIND
From THE NATION

Clifton's, a Los Angeles Restau-
rant, publishes Food for Thot, a
weekly bulletin of jokes, poems,
ana bits OF homely philosophy. In a
recent issue is a letter from a guest:
Il have always likel Clifton's
but yesterday, while having lunch,
two Negroes came and sat at my
table. After that the food tasted
like sawdust. / like the Negro peo-
pie but | refuse to eat or slep with
them l will hereafter go to
Schaber's, where they do not have
Negroes Watch out, Clifton's."
The management replied: Frank
ly, we know of only one line Of con-
duct consistent with our conscience
| and obligations as a citizen. 1t is
our duty to serve all who enter our
doors +. If the ruin so often pre-
dicted is around the corner, then
we prefer to be ruined"
The Industrial Worker, publish
ed by the remnants of the old I. w.
w, defines fascism as 1.-THE leftist
movement of the middle or socially
reproductive class" and goes on,
"The Nation and the New Republic
pulp magazines financed by so
cially conscious international fin
anciers) have always beer the
organs of this neo-fascism posing as
advanced thinking"
Surplus aeroplanes which have
been used in War Training Service
can be bought from the Defense
Plant Corporation through the Civil
Aeronautics Authority, on a
where is and as is" basis.
Trend? From a speech by Mon
signor Fulton j. Sheen, as reported
in the New York Times: Every
morning after low mass / pray for
Joe Stain and for Russia, as does
every Catholic priest in the world"
In The Union Labor News of
Santa Barbara the Southern Cali
fornia Edison Company advertises
thus: Planning to fix up your yard
after the war? You're right, mister,
a yard is fun when you have a bar
becue lighted garden per-
haps a badminton court or swim
ming pool. Why not plan your post
wal yard noW?.. Remember,
you'll need plenty of light . The
Edison Company will gladly help
you plan the wiring" And a note at
the bottom of the ad reads, Con
servation of electricity will help
win the war"
Festung Europa: The Rexists
belgian FascistS) will soon open
special elementary schools for their
w children, because, says a Rex
lists paper, "our children are being
heckled most of the time in the
schools which they are now attend
ing. No eggs, meat, butter, or
fats are obtainable on Czech ration
cards. These are some typical black
market prices: butter, $40 a pound;
eggs, SIS cents each; pork, 81 a
pound; lard, $14 a pound; flour,
S2.25 a pound; geese, 500 each.
No clothing or shoes have been OBJ
tainable since the spring of 1913.
except for Germans.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
Franco Takes a Trick

The Anglo-American agreement with Generalissimo Franco is a
defeat for American policy, ard it is no good pretending otherwise. We
cut off oil shipments to Spain in January for the purpose of stopping
Francois shipments of tungsten ire to Hitler. The oil shipments are to
be resumed and the tungsten shipments are not to be stopped.
= All n a N say is that Francois defeat of our policy is not as bad
as it might be. He has agreed to curtail tungsten shipments if not stop
them. Even SC, the approved schedule Gf Franco odheres to it, would give
the Nazis a total of $50 tons for 1914, IS compared with 800 tons received
in 1843. If our invasion disrupt the schedule, s. much the better. But
that will be a victory for military power and not for our diplomacy.
The State Department takes pains to make clear that w abandoned
our demand for a tungsten embargo at the instance of the British, who
m dependent on Spain for certain critical materials themselves. That
does not make the agreement any easier to swallow. Wheter the motive
be appeasement or necessity, it is humilatng, while blowing up Hitler
isms main office, to shake hands with the branch respresentative-The
Chicago Sun.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
Confounding Confusion

Daddy isn't home," said junior
answering the parsons knock on
Sunday afternoon. 'Heiwent over to
the golf club" 4
Then, noting the shocked expires
sion on the pastors face, he added,
helpfully: ''Oh, he isn't playing
golf, of course He just went over
for a few highballs and poker"
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
Why Not Throw All Doors Wide Open?
Labor Porley Only International Conference
Where The Cards Are on the TobIe, so
People Moy See Them

open covenants openly arrived atn' Do you remember Woodrow
Wilson's famous slogan, SO popular during the first World War? We all
thought IT sounded mighty good, but it doesn't seem to be 81 popular
Just now, except here and there.
For example, the international Labor Office is meeting in Philadel-
phla. More than 40 nations III represented. Everything is done with the
complete publicity of the proverbial goldfish bowl.
Here IN Washington and over in London, a dozen conferences as
considering tremendous postwar probems-oil, aviation, ocean ship
ping, the establishment of a world bank, stabnization of the currencies
sone OF ne participants give guarded statements to the press.
Why should all the cards be or the table, when questions of Inn
mediate interest to the workers ire being considered, and why should
all the cards be under the table when governments discuss with Big
Business issues involving countless billions of dollars?
We still believe Wilson's idea of open covenants openly arrived at"
was sound. We still believe when public officials, behind locked doors
discuss matters of great moment with representatives of the predatory
interests" the plain people will be lucky if they escape with their under
yea Perhaps w are unduHy suspicious, but we don't think so-Labor
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
FEWER SHOES

The problem of keeping properly
shod is going to be more difficult as
the result of a War Production
Board order this week making a
5000, 900 slash in the number of
pairs of shoes that may be manu-
featured this year.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10

General George Paten, who gain
ed unWelcome fame some time ago
by slapping some shell-shocked SOL
diers, has now slapped the admins
tration promise = I almost write
"pretense," although that might not
have been fair-of a specified num-
Der of freedoms everywhere in the
world.
Speaking in London at the open
ing Of a welcoming club for U. S.
soldiers, the General, like his Com
mander = in = Chief in the White
House, let it be known that he, too,
is convinced that this nation has "a
rendezvous with destiny" Unfor-
tunately for the General, however,
he was more specific than his Chief.
He went the limit by stating his
conviction that the destiny of the
American and British people is to
rule the world"
One can't be quite certain how
many policy = making Americans
share the Generals viewpoint.
However, comments out of Wash
ington containing such adjectives
as irresponsible" unfortunate"
and ''nonsensical" leave no doubt
that, whatever the opinions of wise
politicians may be on that point,
no aspiring candidate would say
what the General has said.
There is recollection of a radio
address in which the late Wendell
Willkie Numbered the prediction
that American democracy will
rule the world" This column COM
mented upon that statement at the
time to the effect that it was some
what at variance with the ideals
which were being handed to the
people as an excuse for hampering
the activities of a guy by the name
of Hitler with similar ambitions for
German totalitarianism.
However, whether n agrees or
disagrees with Willkie and Patton
about who will do the ruling after
the war is over, the fact stands out
that somebody is going to do it.
It's pleasant to say that the PEG.
pie will rule themselves. It's cas-
to say that, because such a state
ment requires no thinking what
ever. But can such a happy ending
come to the present worldwide
slaughter
Let's be idealists-and optimists
Let's imagine.
The war is over. Germany and
Japan have surrendered-uncondi-
tionally - like Italy already has
done. The announcement is made
that we have won the war, the vic
tors give three cheers, stand by
while the people of all nations, in
Guiding their own, hold elections,
and then go home. There will be
no butting in by Britain and Amer
lea.
Well, then what? Well, then the
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
IN ACCIDENTS

A z per cent decline in accidents
last year dropped them from fourth
to fifth place as a cause of death of
civilians, the National Safety Coun-
Gil reported recently.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
JOBLEsS IN N. Y.

Albany, N. Y. = Unemployment
insurance benefit payments in Feb
ruary amounted to 1888, 1923, the
highest monthly outlay since last
October, the State Department of
Labor reported. Approximately
$4,000 unemployed persons collect
ed benefits.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10
POOR OIL

CHICAGO.-Federal bureaucrats
r causing the oil companies to
operate at a loss, complained Pres.
Henry M. Dawes of Pure Oil Co. in
reporting a 1943 profit of $13, 800,-
900, an increase over 1912.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-05-10

If the whole world were put into
one scale, and my mother into the
other. the world would kick the
beam.-Lord Langdale.