Montana labor news., 1945-05-31
THE WASHINGTON
SCENE
whittier America?
By TRAVIS K. HEDRICK

Whittier America?
WASHINGTON -QP) Before its toe
late. all of us might well stop and con-
slider where we are headed with the
present foreign policy of the United
States.
The policy currently pursued by our
state department is not the policy laid
down and so ably directed by the late
President Roosevelt It could even be
said that it is almost precisely the op-
posite of the Roosevelt policy.
We have reached a point now, where
if the U. S. carriers on as it has since
We Day it would take only a tory vic
tory in England to swing us into the
most undemocratie and reactionary orbit.
Roosevelt never conceived it to be our
function as a great nation and the hope
of the democratic world to act as an ap-
pendage of Britain. Rather, he operated
as a mediating force, using the power Of
the u S. to iron out difficulties between
the British and the Soviets.
Since We Day, however, American
policy has swung toward Britain and al
lowed the Soviet Union to regard US as
part of an Anglo American bloc oper-
ating against them
If our foreign policy is directed at iso-
lating the Soviet Union, and of organ
izing Polish bloc against her in Europe
and another here in the western hemi-
sphere through our pressuring of the
Latin American nations at San Fran
cisco and our insistence on being broth
erly to fascist Argentina, well and good
only let's say so.
If on the other hand, we are still de-
termined to carry out the Roosevelt pro-
gram of a peaceful post war world, with
an effective general security organiza
ton to preserve peace and International
harmony and trade, we must immediate
ly change our tactics.
The path we are on today is not one
charted by FDR There are breakers
ahead. It is high time the lookout saw
them.
Machine Builders
Wisps Of smoke around Democratic
headquarters hint of a fire being zeal
ously famed. Which brings US to spec
ulate on what's going on in the organi-
rational mind of Democratic Chairman.
Robert E. Hannegan, the new postmaster
general.
Hannegan was definitely annoyed by
the active role labor played in the last
election AS a party man he didn't like
the subordinate part regular organiza-
tional workers had to play in our indus
trial centers
Because Of these things, Hannegan is
moving toward Strengthening the Dem
ocratic party itself for the 1916 cam
paign in the hope that he will have
less need to give the spotlight to people
and organizations outside the formal
party group.
Undoubtedly the Democratic party
machine sorely needs reyitalzng. But
all the shakeups in the bag won't help
that machine if it decides to cut loose
from the Roosevelt program, both for
eign policy and domestic program.
Unless the Roosevelt program-the
fights for the economic bill of rights
and full employment, for real world
security organization and free flow of
International trades carried out by the
Democratic party, it won't elect a dog
catcher in the big industrial areas in
1896
American workers have not given up
the economic bill of rights, Mister Han
negan They remember the very words
used by its author, FDR.
The right to useful and remunerative
jobs in the industries, Or shops Or farms
or mines Of the nation;
"The right to earn enough to provide |
adequate food and clothing and recre-
alton,
THE right OF every farmer to raise
and sell his product at return which |
will give his family decent living;
The right of every businessman, large
or small to trade in an atmosphere of
freedom from unfair competition and
by monopolies at home or
abroad
THE right of every family to a decent
home; the right to adequate medical
care, and the opportunity to achieve and
enjoy good health
The right to adequate protection from
the economic fears Of old age, sickness.
accident and unemployment; the right
10 a good education"