davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
a. +. Of |. "SectoriQnism

Seldom has the top American Federation of Labor hierarchy
shown more shortsighted sectariansm than in it's stubborn refusal to
affiliate with the new World Federation of Trade Unions.
1t is a matter of principle" says President William Green, be-
cause Russian unions aren't free" and because the World Federation,
furthermore, has admitted the CLIO, which the AFofL. considers
a dual" movement.
Yet labor craftsmanship surely would require the closest CO.
operation between AFofL. and CLIO. when n direct clashes of in
terest are involved. Both groups are going concerns, and it is IS foolish
cause the CLIO is in it, a it would be to refuse to join CLIO. spokes-
men O. the War Labor BOARD.
AS for the Russians, their whole structure of society differs in
many ways from ours, but these differences cannot be allowed to
prevent close collaboration in all types of world organization-for in
ternaional law, for the control of Axis countries, for social, economic
and educational development. For the AT. of [. to sit outside the World
Federation deprIVes America of part of it's trade-union voice in feder-
alton councils and deprives the AFofL. of the mutual benefits of the
federatons work-The Chicago Sun.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
IN THE WIND
From THE NATION

GET TOGETHER, BOYS: Char
les w. Kellogg, president of the
Edison Electric Institute, told the
New York Times on August s that
atomic energy would have little
effect on the electric light and
power industry, since its fuel costs
were relatively small anyhow, and
intimated that prices would not be
materially reduced. In the same
story an unidentified representa-
tive of the electric companies" was
quoted as asking, whats the use
of the government embarking cd
further expensive hydro-electric
projects when the future of power
production is about to be revolu
tionized?"
P. T. WONG, an American of
Chinese descent and a veteran of
World War II, recently tried to
buy a laundry at 1925 Geary
Boulevard, San Francisco. He met
the requirements of the City
Health Department for operating
a laundry, and DR.. ]. c. Geiger,
Health Officer, granted him a Der
NIT. But the purchase was never
made, because the Geary Boule-
ward Merchants Association and
the Park-Presidio Improvement
Clob protested. The secretary of
the Club said it had tried to keep
this a nice district" and added,
whats Geiger trying to do, any
way?" The secretary's name is c..
E. Rankin.
A WASHINGTON FIRM of
speech-Writers sends us a catalogue
of it's wares. It features two "Spe-
cial Political Addresses: 1850 -
Anti-New Deal - A sizzling ap-
praisal of the New Deal; facts,
humor, sarcasm. Over 5000 words,
So. 1851 = ro-New Deal The
other side of the question. Answer
w IAC NAAC1So. campaign IluIlOCI
and lightning that really strikes.
So. Both addresses for S."
READERS OF the Chicago Tri-
bune are best informed about
events in Washington and thruout
the world" says the Chicago Tri-
bune, because they read the dis
patches of seasoned correspondents
who know how to get at the real
facts of the news and who write
from the American viewpoint"
THIS is FROM the JJuJne issue
of the Improvement Era, an official
publication of the Mormon Church:
| When our leaders speak, the thing
has been done. When they propose
a plan 1T is Gods plan. When
they point the way, there is no
other which is safe. When they
give direction, it should mark the
end of controversy. God works in
no other way"
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
ENGLISH CLASS

The free English and Citizen
ship Glasses for. men and women
in Chicago will open on September
5th at Burns School, Central Park
Avenue near 18th Street. These
classes meet on each Monday and
Wednesday afternoon at l o'clock
All men and women who wish to
study English or to prepare for
citizenship are welcome and urged
to enroll. If you are a beginner or
a more advanced student, the in
struction will be suited to your
need. Come in to enroll on Monday
or Wednesday afternoon or for fur
Their information call Village 1890.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
WORKERS MAY STRIKE NOW

Already, with the wa only a few weeks over, the government
has abandoned all controls over workers. Employees of private industry
may strike if they wish-and there will be none to brand them is "un-
patriotic"
Wonderful, isn't it, how speedily liberty is returned to the workers
after the need for human labor gets back to normal -. and after
The employing class can pick and choose and fire workers?
Well, it's just as we predicted. When the workers have the adj
vantage the government is used to hold labor in check. But when the
owners have labor over a barrel workers may do as they darn please
and freedom may ring!
We have learned to place a very low value upon the right to strike
during periods of job shortages. For that matter, we don't think work
rs should return to the odfashioned strike at all.
Where we would like to e American workers do their striking
is at the ballot bOx-the way their British brothers did at the last cleo
ton. Our idea is that the time has come to stop gripping about what
the owners of industry do and start laying plans to discharge the
owners.
That's why e are forever urging that the basic industries of the
nation should be made the property of all the people.
So long a. the job is owned by somebody else workers will have
to live is the owners dictate; strikes never altered that fact much
Now that job shortages loom directly ahead, freeing workers from
government control, mean only that they must fight against boss
control. And so long as the means of life re owned by somebody else
WOrkes just can't he truly free-Reading Labor Advocate.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
THE NIGHT OF CELEBRATION.
By HOFSES, Editor, Reading Labor Advocate

that happy condition can't be
achieved if the PURPOSE is to
produce profits for a favored
class; we'll have to have a Socialist
purpose and democratic manage
ment to make that possibility
come true. But it CAN be done!
THERE ARE SOME who speak
gloomily of job riots and bread
lines.
Such fears are sheer nonsense
if the American people will it
otherwise. Now that the war is
over there is no reason why
American should not have abund-
ance and security.
It's silly to fear about poverty
noW-after all the waste of war is
at an end. Why, millions - yes.
mllllons!-of workers who haven't
oeen doing a single useful thing
can now turn their muscles and
their brains to the job of produc-
ing the food, clothing and COM
portable homes that people need
for health and happiness. Yes.
those millions who have been max
ing things for destruction. misery
and death can now make other
things for happiness and life. War
workers alone, freed to produce
useful wealth for themselves and
their fellow men a shatter pov-
erty as completely as an atom
bomb can shatter a Japanese citv.
But we'll have to "plan it that
way"
WE WON'T be doing what we
CAN do if we permit a few n
to tell us when we shall work and
when we shall not or if the
purpose of work is to produce
profits for those owners. Well
need to go about it the Socialist
way We'll have to make human
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
The Real War Is Only Beginning!

Contrary to the social myth so assduously spread by the agencies
Of propaganda, the war period is NOT a period of testing of mans
courage. On the contrary-war is a period when mans cowardice-and
not his courage-is paramount.
Millions of men surrender their lives and liberties to the brass
hats, not because they II brave, but because they are coWardIy! Too
coWardly to have a n opinion. Too coWardly to express that opinion!
Millions of morons have joined ersatz unions" not because they
had any idea, any faith in unions, but because they hadn't CUTS enough
to resent a shakedoWn!
Even among the few thousand men in this country who in the
past have earned the right to call themselves union" men, the war
period is a time when their coWardice-and not their courage-iS the
determining factor in their actions. Men who, in normal times would
cave fought braverly and we'll for longestablished union standards,
have, during this war period, allowed the employing class to junk
conditions and standards which have cost thousands of hours of heart
aches to establish.
The wa is now ended! The period of mans cowardce is finished.
We face the most damnable peace" in the history of the world, and
it will take men and women of guts-real honest to mackinaw CUTS
to make this peace" endurable to mankind!-Indushal Worker.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29

Just in case you have forgotten
the fact, remember this: The
American workman is the worlds
greatest producer.
Before and during the war, he
ranked 35 per cent better than the
Canadian; 155 per cent better than
the German; 18G per cent better
than the Russian or Briton, and
800 per cent better than the Jap.
If you want to know why the
Allies won the war, look at the
above production figures, which
are based on production per man
hour of work. The Progressive
Miner.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
Continued


One afternoon in Erfurt, just as
we were cleaning out the last
snipers in the town, I happened to
meet a Slovene for the first time:
he was from Ljubljana. It so hap
pened that a few burp guns were
still firing or us from the factories
where these slave laborers were
sweating it out for the Nazis, and
among them was Janez. We finally
got them out of the underground
floor and the .passage-ways con-
Meeting the factories, along with
about a hundred civilians who
were the slave-drivers in the shops.
When we marched them down the
street to headquarters the workers
went wild with joy, and we
couldn't control them from throw
ing stones or sneaking up and
giving their former bosses a kick
in the pants. That's how I came to
spot Janez, who sWore in Slovenian
when he delivered the kick. For
the next tWenty-four hours while
we busy cleaning out the rest
of the city, these half-starved
workers went on a wild rampage
in search for food. They broke into
a couple of large warehouses which
must have been stocked to the
rafters with food for the German
army. They hauled food out of the
warehouses all that afternoon and
night -. and WHAT a liberation
party they made of it! Every avail
able cart and wagon was pressed
into service-everyone was hilari-
ously busy hauling food stuff
some would be carrying half a hog
W the shoulder and pushing a
wagon full of preserves at the
same time, another would be roll
ing along a big roll of cheese as
large as an automobile tire. Every
body was overloaded and in their
haste kept dropping the stuff along
the road. 1t was really something
of a tragic comedy. By the time the
army decided to post a guard on
the place, everything had been
carried off. l imagine for the next
month or so the liberated peoples
ate like they hadn't in all the years
of enslavement put together. The
SloVene from Ljubljana was in this
mad rush for the warehouse food,
and under the circumstances, l
wouldn't want to detain him any
longer than l did, even though we
both had much to say to each
other. We moved before l had time
to visit him at his barracks.
We were dashing across the
country at this time, and it wasn't
until we got into Vocklabruk that
l got time to locate any of our
people again. We stayed in this
town during the week that We Day
was declared, guiding the German
prisoners to our prison camps.
They came in by thousands every
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
The Ens|uved PEOPLES
Are Liberated
BY JOSEPH DRAsLER
Formerly an Associate Editor of ProIeturec)
an Associate Editor of ProIeturec)
Bv JOSEPH DRASLER

day, and our hands were full. How
ever, n day l met a Slovene
family here by the name of Volk,
also from Gorica; they were doing
forced labor but they were living
in a house instead of barracks.
They told me about the hard work
they had to do, the poor living
conditions and starvation diet.
Everything for the war effort"
their foreman kept shouting at
them, and they had to keep on
working even when exhausted and
sick. When anyone dropped at their
machines the foreman kicked at
them until they got up and went
to work again. One morning Mr..
Volk and two other Slovene friends
and a Serbian came over and asked
me to go up to a store in the town
and help them get some clothes.
the German merchant had been
charging them outrageous prices
for the poorest quality articles, so
we decided this would be the op-
~portunity to square matters UP a
little. The store was closed, but a
couple bangs with the butt of a
rifle soon brought him to the door.
The boys each got a complete out
fit plus clothes for their families
without charge. 1t sui was swell
to see them so happy over their
new possessions, and their ppre-
citation kept me saying to them
ito nj mic, to nj nic", over and
over again.
From VockIabruk we went
into the Alps to clean out pockets
of SIS stroops still offering resist
nee. In Mauterndorf, before meet
ing the English army, l again met
| quite a few Slovenes who were all
ready to start homeward trek, but
who were afraid Of the SIS troops
in the mountains. The next day,
after | assured them there were no
German troops left anywhere, they
started off-with high spirits for
the moment, anticipating their re-
turn to their homeland. But like
all the rest of the refugees 1 talked
to, none of them knew what to ex-
pect when they arrived home .
would there be any family left -
any home?
One of the first questions these
people would ask Was-"when will
we be able to start homer" They
had been told by our military gov
eminent that they must stay where
they are until transportation can
be arranged for them. But now
that the war was over, they were
too restless and anxious to get
started toward their native lands
to delay any longer. | told them
about the roadblocks we had in
practically every town where all
were stopped to have passes check
ed, and it was useless to start out
without one of these passes from
the town in which they had work
ed. In most cases they were able
to get a pass easily enough through
our military set-up, and as soon as
they got them, they were on their
way home. Most of these workers
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29

hadn't heard from their families
or relatives during all the time
they were in Germany, anywhere
from a year to six years, and this
terrible, uncertain silence was a
constant torment, in addition to
their back-breaking toll and star
walton. You can well imagine a
spot these people hold in their
heart for the German.
Ito be continued.)
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
100000 JOBLESS

During the next 80 days con-
tract cutbacks will lift the number
of jobless workers to 1000, 90, ac-
cording to the War Manpower
Commission.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29

THIS is WRITTEN on the
morning after the night of celc-
bration. A few hours ago the peo-
pie for whom these words are be-
ing typed went on an emotional
spree. They became drunk with
JOY and citation because Japan had
finally said uncle" They crowded
the streets and flung confetti in
the faces of strangers. They ran
overloaded automobiles up and
down the streets and weakened
the batteries in their cars by
ceaSeless blowing of horns. Most
people laughed easily, but a few
shed tears - some were tears of
JOY that sons, brothers, husbands
and s~Weethearts were safe after
years of worldwide slaughter:
others wept because loved ones
never would meturn. Saloons and
clubs were closed, but a few fore
handed individuals who had sup
piled themselves with bottled
cheer were able to get mildly and
pleasantly tipsy.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29

welfare, not private profits, the
PURPOSE of human activity-if
we want to escape the terrors that
gloomy prophets are showing US.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29
BANKS PROFITS SOAR

Twenty-one Washington banks
increased their profits 81 per cent
Turing the first six months of
l945, the Controller of the Cur
:ency reports.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29

Having saved the world for de-
mocracy, it will be up to the vic
tor nations to save democracy for
the world.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29

advice from quarters which they
10 not regard as disinterested."-
Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1945-08-29

THE CARNIVAL MOOD is still
on and it's difficult to talk about
serious things. Fortunately, it's
possible to be both serious and
hopeful, and there are some things
to be hopeful about.
High government authorities
who refuse to be quoted give the
dlscouraging prophecy that there
will he 8,0OO,0 900 unemployed in
America by Christmas. PERHAPS
they're right. But the hopeful
thing is that they need not be
right.
With right purposes and right
management there can be less
Work for everybody but no unem-
ploymen for anybody. Of course
The Omaha guide., 1945-05-05
Given A Full Report

For the first time since the organ
ization of the Douglas County Wei
fare Administration. The taxpayers
have been given a full report of
welfare activities. expenditures. ac-
complishments and future needs.
The eight page report covering
activities of the Welfare Admin
been issued by County Welfare Adj
ministrator Philip H. Vogt and Ad-
nlinistrative Assistant Leslie F.
Johnson.
In the report, Administrator Vogt
commended the Board of County
Commissioners for setting up an
effective and business like organ
ization of the health and welfare
responsibilities Of Douglas County.
Vogt also commended the private
agencies, represented and financed
by the Omaha Community Chest for
carrying a large share of the burden
Of health and welfare services In
the county.
Among the accomplishments cited
We're: unification Of all county well
fare services under one administrat-
ion; the organization of an admiss-
ions department for the County
Hospital and Clearv1ew Home, and
the establishment of a central bus
mess office.
The outlook for his year ac-
cording to the report, IS rather dis
couraging. The biggest job in 1916
will be to keep the county institut-
ions open because of the critical
shortages in personnel, supplies and
equipment.
In the report, Administrator Vogt
recommended a more satisfactory
basis of financing because county
relief and institutional services have
been operating below the minimum
of safety and efficiency
other recommendations were that
the state of Nebraska should accept
full responsibility for tuberculaI
and mental patients, and that Doug
las County rearrange it's facilities
to provide more satisfactory care
for the chemically i'll.
The Omaha guide., 1945-05-05
be dealt with accordingly.

There is enough food. over and
above military requirements for
all of US in this country, provided
it be properly shared and strictly
rationed. To perform only a part
of our vitality important obligation
to the hungry people of Europe we
shall have to maintain strict ration
ing. We are fully prepared to do
what is necessary to make good the
liberation of subject peoples for
their lives.
Any attempt to exploit our small
difficulties in this country TO weak
en- our will to come through to vic
tory as a united people behind our
government must, and I am sure
will receive the rebuke of all good
citizens. We are a decent and pa
triotic people. We do not intend
that anyone shall seek to relieve
our minor hardships upon a con-
trary assumption. Nor do we go
along with anyone who processes
his right to deprive his n~eighbor by
Illegal means whenever he may
find it inconvenient or impossible
to come by his own share honestly
Whatever the vexation we may
have t oface. we can take it. We
are a people at war, and we intend
to act accordingly.
Price control must be continued
and fortified Rationing must be
made fully effective. These meas
ures are vital to war. and will be
no less so during the difficult days
Of rehabilitation
About aid to American farmers
for another year Of all-out record
production is what the present sit
uation REQUIRES. To that must be
The Omaha guide., 1945-05-05

status quo by fair means or foul
rather han to embark upon new
untried and speculative undertake
ngs, which, after all is the only
sure means through which pro
gress can be made"
Wartime Strike for Closed Shop:
Discussing m~achinist's strike in
San Fracisco and Oakland) THE
government of the United States
has taken no position either for or
against the closed shop; the les
perate need of the United States
for ships ought not be used as a
weapon to obtain the closed shop
where for rs years no closed shops
have existed"
Hillman; When Sidney Hillman
as Associate Director of OPM oppos-
posed award to lowest bidder to a
void jurisdictional labor dispute: IT
cannot condemn Mr.. Hillman's po-
sition too strongly. First, the United
States doe not fear trouble from
any source; if trouble is threaten
ed. the United States is able to pro
tect itself. If Mr.. Hillman cannot or
will not protect the interests of the
United States, l am in favor Of re-
placing him with some one who can
and will"
Accounting of. Funds; II think
the time has come when labor un-
J ions. ~cooperatives. and similar or
CARNATIONS which have grown to
such vast ~proportionse during tn
past few years are going to be re-
CURED to make an accounting Of
their funds and what they do with
them for the benefit Of the public
and in the pubic interest. There il
no difference between a labor lead
err with too nue. money to spend
on an election and Mark Hanna with
too much money to spend on an
election" Gan. is. 1945.)
Against Controlled Economy. II
personally am a firm believer in in
dividual incentive and / believe that
this country reached its present de-
velopment as soon as it did largely
because there was free play for in
dividual initiative. / don't want
government officials, whether Sc
lected from the ranks Of business
or not, determining who will pro-
duce and how much will be produced
The profit motive of our econ
omic sytem, l think, is superior to
any other system. We do not want
any part of the fear motive of nat
ional socialist states. But a profit
system does lead in some cases to
exesses which cause difficulties.
just as a dog that bite make it nee
essary for all dogs to be chained or
muzzled." (Sept. "a, 1922
Communion: | believe that if
there are any inhabitants here who
believe that certain forms of gov
ours, they should be sent to those
countries they admire and not be
given an opportunity to overturn or
destroy our republic" (May 81
1880
Big BUSINESS: II am not an ad-
mirer OF bigness. ] have said on the
floor of the Senate that a thousand
insurance companies with $4 million
each are better for the country than
one company with $4 billion. / think
that is true of steel factories. pack
ing plants, and grocery stores. I
want to do whatever can to help
the small businessman-the big one
will take care Of himself" March
21, 1880