Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1944-07-12
Socialism And The Test
Patriotism

If the standard of patriotism is established by the willingness of a
citizen to serve the common welfare, then the Socialists of America
tower high above any other political group of America.
For the Socialists have the only program that gives thought to
common interest-the only program, in fact, that makes common inter
est possible. If there is one thing evident in American life today it is
that, despite the war, group interest and self interest commanded the
activities of the American people.
That is the fruit of the capitalist private profit system.
Consider the ugly facts that confront the American people.
Consider frs. the plan of the National Association of Manufacturers
to become the real rulers of America when the wa ends. The big corpo-
rations of America have billions of dollars in their reserves with which
they say they will make new jobS-if they are given a free hand in their
operations. What they mean is that they want to control workingclass
Americans. They want to set the rules of the game. They want to hire
and fire az they see fit. And, above all, they want the government to
have nothing whatever to do with the control of national resources upon
which all the people of the nation depend.
Isl patriotic to plan to become the economic dictator of a nation?
Consider next the scheme launched by representatives of the biggest
percent of gross. Twelve state legislatures already have approved a con-
shtutional amendment to make that a Federal law. It's results would be
interest of master and slave. The functions of government would be
destroyed. Social security would be killed. Relief for veterans of war
would be starved to death. Wealth and power would center in a few
private hands and fascism would be inescapable consequence.
Is it patriotic to plan for such a America?
Consider now the big international bankers who are planning and
schemingt to exploit the workers of the world while the common men
democrats, n 0 fascsts, no national boundaries when the masters of
wealth get together. Their loyaities are to their wealth and to their
power to rule the people of all nations.
Theirs is the patriotism of the dollar.
We assert that Socialists manifest the highest patriotism when they
challenge a system that breeds class divSions-and when they present
an an economic program that will make human unity logical, real and
lasting.
Socialists want all men to work together for the common good.
Socialists want America to be owned by the people of America instead
OF by a few individuals. Socialists seek economic freedom and industrial
democracy for this and every naton-the basic freedom and democracy
upon which, alone, all others car stand. +.
+" Patriotism is love of country. But the country is not the land, the
factories or the "rocks and rils and tempted hills" The country is the
people who live in it, And with that definition Socialists can take their
stand as patriots.
For Socialists seek to free the people from bondage; to unite the
people in justice and brotherhood; to end the evils which have burdened
the people with insecurity, greed, group interest and war. - Reading
Labor Advocate.