davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1946-01-15
$40, ,l70 Left by AL Smith

NEW YORK, Jan. Is tP.-Alfred
E. Smith left net estate of $40, ITO
when he died october 4, 1914, an
estate tax appraisal showed yester-
day.
Evening star., 1946-01-15
Revolt Reported Put Down.

CARACAS, Venezuela Jan. Is
P).-The revolutionary junta last
night said it had put down a coun-
ter-revolutionary movement.
Evening star., 1946-01-15

Miss Garland said. Marilyp
said in Beverly Hills that she and
Deverich were married in Yuma,
Ariz., January s.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
Mr.. HoFFMAN's REAssURNG FORECAST

big Business Executive Insists RecOnVersiOn Is Making
Amazing Progress; No Occasion to Get Hysterical over Strikes
On several occasions LABOR has pointed out the unfortunate
tendency in some quarters to overemphasize the importance Of strikes.
daily newspaper screams that work stoppages are "paralyzing recon
version" and that only the prompt passage of antiunion laws a save
lis from serious consequences.
That there 81 very little reason for this hysteria is demonstrated by
a statement issued by Paul G. Hoffman. Needless to say, Mr.. Hoffman
is not "a trade union agitator." He is president of the Studebaker Cor
poration and also chairman of the Committee for Economic Develop
ment.
Mr.. Hoffman says that reconversion is almost so per cent completed
n many sections of the nation. The situation in New York state is parti
cularly gratifying. There, according to Mr.. Hoffman, reconversion is
fully so per cent completed and industry is planning on producing AZ
per cent more goods than in 1910.
Being possessed of unusual foresight, MIR. Hoffman is not satisfied
with even that goal.
Jobs must be provided for several million still to come out of the
armed services he says. "Once we have attained a satisfactory employ
nent situation, after reconversion and rehabilitation, we must devote
our full energies to maintaining it.
ut is thing to attain a high level of employment, and it is
another thing to maintain it."
It is gratifying to find a Big Business" executive talking in this
sensible fashion. Americans made a great record during World War II
it far surpassed the best efforts of any other country-and we seem
10 be maintaining the pace, now that u enemies have been overthrown
Of course, the workers ar demanding more money. Unless they
Get more money, w won't have the market for the goods we are urging
industry to produce. That's as plain as the proverbal nose or your
face" .
Wage demands always lead to controversies, sometimes sharp and
short, and sometimes bitter and prolonged. Every land where men are
free has such experiences Therefore, there is 20 reason why w should
get undu1y excited about them.
Finally, in the opinion of LABOR, President Truman is making
a most commendable effort to win peace IN the industrial front. Con-
gress should aid him, not hinder him, and we are quite sure that is what
Congress will do-Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
a SOCIALIST NTERNATI0NAL-AND WAR

We note that the Socialist Party of the United States has gone on
record favoring the reconstruction of a Socialist International-com-
posed of Labor and Socialist Parties fighting for Democratic Socialism
AS a section of the national organization We approve that action
What we want to say now is not intended as a bubble, but as a
precauion. It has to do with the attitude n international war which
a Socialist International should take.
We don't believe unyielding opposition to support of war should
be one of the tests of fitness for membership in any Socialist Party or
in an International of Socialist parties We say this now, not because we
are one of those who is ready to scrap our concept of universal working
class brotherhood at the drop of a capitalist politicians hat, but be-
cause experience compels us to believe that no group a write a code
of action in time of a without at the same time providing the rock
upon which Socialist Parties and Socialist Internahonals will split.
We believe that very few Socialists will disagree with us-or with
he late President Woodrow Wilson-When we assert that the capitalist
economy is the fertile field in which wars are so and harvested. We
all believe that capitalism breeds war, that class exploitation and the
cause is to effect.
the law of cause and effect or to abridge its functions to suit our desires
The fact is that we just can't make anything more than that stick. By
demanding the impossible we provide in advance for u own disinte-
grafton.
In one sense, which appears very real to us, wars are right -
under capitalism; as right as it is for a man who jumps from a tall
building to be crushed to death O the pavement below. Socialists
would have less justification for their cause. if it were possible to con-
tnue the present economy without bringing grief and threatening de-
Struction to mankind.
We believe, too, that it should be one of our jobs to convince the
common man that it is up to him to work out his salvation; that
few people act and that unless he accepts his responsibility and does
the right thing about it he neither "a nor deserves to escape the con-
sequences of toleratng error.
By all means, however, let all Democratic Socialists unite in an
international organization. 1t is needed as al instrument to unite the
people of the world in the light for a higher social and economic order.
But let us know in advance that, if we lose that fight, wars will again
scourge Misunderstanding Labor Advocate.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
LABOR FOLLOWS THE LEADER"

We know that there are many steel unioniss who feel Ied-down by
the action of CO President Philip Murray in reducing the demands of
the steelWorkers from a n increase of 25 cents per hour to n of 1912
cents and delaying the steelworkers' strike for a period of one week.
1t is not our desire or intention to criticize Mr.. Murray in this par
icuar instance. We IT willing to concede that he was using his best
judgment and even that his action "a the wisest that could have been
taken under existing circumstances.
What we want to say to the rank and file of the United Stee1worl-
ers, and to American workers generally, is that Murrays action was
in line with the general policy followed by the majority of workers
all down through the Franklin Roosevelt era.
We mean the policy of depending upon the president upon a
1t should be noted that Mr.. Murray made his compromise after
Il conference with President Harry s. Truman. All down through the
Roosevelt administration that "a how workers got their opinions and
tehir strategy-by accepting them from a President of the United States
who frankly and repeatedly asserted that the salvation of the private
profit economy a his basic objective.
We never ceased to deplore the fact that labor was following a
leader rather than thinking and acting Independently. We commended
and still do-that the Roosevelt objective should have caused labor to
break with him. But workers either didn't think much about what we
were saying, or didn't think at all And SO, with nauseating repetition,
we heard the president lauded and saw him setting the pattern for the
workers of America.
Workers who tolerated the policy which made them followers Of
Il leader" all those years should not be too harsh in their condemna-
did when he goes to the President of the United States instead of to
his own organization for a plan of action.
We believe that the working people of this nation-and especially
those who m union members-should look to themselves at this time.
We believe they should recognize the mistake they have made. We be-
lieve that for the future they should chart thr own course and pro
coed under their WI steam.
Frankly, we have long been tired of seeing workers swayed and
We want them to make their own plans for the future and to insist
that leadership, whether political OF economic, shall act according to
Labors plan.
And we want that plan to be one that will not fit with the idea
that an owning class should be bolstered by law in. their claim to a
share of the wealth that workers create-Reading Labor Advocate.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
THE UN-A AMERICAN COMMITTEE
WORKING I'M OLD dies TRENDS

The "Judcal' spirit in which the House Committee on Un-American
Activiies-successor to Martin Dies and Co.'s carrying on its labors
is we'll illustrated by the following chronological account of its recent
dealings with the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee.
December :. Ernie Adamson. counsel to the Un-American Com
mittee. asks the Presidents War Control Board to cancel the Joint
Committee license to collect and distribute funds for relief of refugees
in Europe.
December8 The Joint Committee receives a letter from Mr.. Adam
son saying in part: In the interests of saving time suggest that you
permit one Of our Investigators to make a preliminary investigation of
your organization to determine whether o. not this committee is in
terested in your organization.
duce all its books and records at a hearing of the n-American Com
lmItee O January %.
Thus, after trying to execute a death sentence O. an organization
whose work for the relief of Francois victims is a matter Of public
records, the Un-American Committee low wishes to launch a fshinG
expedition in the hope of finding something that looks like evidence to
back the verdict it has already reached. There is nothing surprising
about these tactics. The Un-American Committee was created by
representative Rankin to carry on just such political Ratchet work
against left and liberal organizations. What is surprising is that even
a conservative Congress should continue to tolerate in its midst a group
which, as Representative Ellis Patterson has said: has violated every
concept of American democracy"-The Nation.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
THIS a UNION HAS DONE

The Columbia Typographical
Union, which claims the proud
distinction of being the nations
oldest labor organization in con-
tinuous existence, has celebrated
its 131st anniversary. Anyone who
imagines workers have not pro
crossed during that period will find
profitable reading in the story of
the unions history.
Nineteen printers met in a
friends home in Washington to
start the union. Nov II has 5000
members. Those 10 printers got SO
for a week of "a hours. That was
about ten cents an hourl Now the
minimum wage fol- newspaper
printers doing Cay work is "a for a
35-hour week. The night shift mini
mum is $50, and for the lobster
shift" the minimum is STA weekly.
Furthermore, a printers life ex-
pectancy" has doubled since Wash
ington printers first decided that
Sin union there is strength"
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
"STRIKE WILL COST
US NOTHiNG!"

One Of the frankest admissions
SO ia r made that employers are
using tax savings" to finance a
war against labor has come from
a big textile plant in Union Point,
Ga.
1t is owned by the Union Man
ufacturing Company and union
workers have gone on strike be-
cause the management refuses to
put into effect National War Labor
Board orders.
In response the company, in a
circular distributed to employees,
brazenly boosted that it will lose
nothing from the walkout.
amy loses we sustain in 1916
will be made up to us by the gov
eminent out of our profits in 1914
and 1945." the circular declared.
What the company referred to
was that, under teh 'carry-back"
provisions of the tax laws, passed
by Congress to facilitate reconver-
sion, it will be entitled to rebates
from Uncle Sam, which will be suf-
ficient to take care of any losses it
sustain in the next two years.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
SWEDEN SETS
a GOOD EXAMPLE

Sweden had many trying eXpe-
ricnces during the war and even
low is uncertain whether her big
neighbor, Russia, is friendly or hos
tile, but Sweden refuses to get jit-
terry. Instead, she makes bold plans
for the future.
Opening the Rikstag, or Parlia-
ment, the other day, King Gustav
said the national budged would not
be curtailed, but funds heretofore
set aside for national defense would
be devoted to social reforms-S6OO-
aver pensions for aged couples
free meals for school children, paid
vacations for housewives.
Old-age pensions will start at So
two years earlier than in rich
America-and it is predicted will
be sufficient to support the bene
ficiaries, according to Swedish
standards.
Thus, there is hope that the peo-
pie Of this comparatively small
country will be relieved from the
crushing burden of military expen-
ditures. When will the great pow
ers" follow this wholesome exam
ple?-Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30

An article in Labor Record" a
Philadelphia publication, written
by Elliot Carlton, makes some
statements that deserve the atten-
ton Of the American people.
He says that initiation is a sign
post on the road to fascism.
He says that right now we are
approaching that signpost.
If those statements are correct
and recent history appears to
Justify them - then it seems to me
that the working people of this
nation (and working people"
m practically everybody
should be sufficiently concerned
by the menace that confronts them
to study the general economic and
social situation and adjust their
viewpoints and actions to the task
Of preventing initiation from de-
Veloping.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
On Denouncing Russia

Leabor leaders of high and low Importance in the last several
months have taken a keen delight in ripping Russia up and down the
back on any and all occasions.
There is no way to be sure that they are right r wrong, but -
right O II wrong-their policy Of denunciaion of Russia is very, very
short sighted.
When Utopia reaches America-When labor in America is perfect
when our government is perfect-When our people have all the rights
end privileges guaranteed them under the consttuion-when there
are no poverty stricken-When there are no slumS-When there arc
no bread lines and no unemployment-ai in America, THEN and NOT
UNTIL THEN, have W any right to denounce Russia, o Iran, or Pata-
gona, or any other nation, big or little.
It is high time the kettle quit calling the pot black.
If w e don't like the way Russia u her affairs, we don't need to
go to Russia to live, but that is no reason why w e can't deal with
Russia. And that goes for England, or France, or China, or any other
nation.
For leaders have enough on their hands to clean up their own back
yards-and so do industrialsts and manufacturers and bankers and all
sticking their noses into some other -aEons back
yard-The Progressive Miner.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
AUSTRALIA COMPLETING
B~ROADCASTING SYSTEM

The Labor government of Aus
tralia is constructing II new broad
casting stations. When they are
completed, there will be SO govern
ment-owned stations. The Island
Continent will be completely COW
cred.
There will be privately owned
broadcasting stations, too, but the
people of Australia will not be al
the mercy of a small group, ar
rogantly exercising control over
the anyways.
Great Britain and Canada are in
substantially the same position.
When will the United States wake
up and use the only weapon which
a block radio monopoly-a gov
ernment-owned and operate d
b~roadcasting system?-Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
HERE'S "PAPPY'S"
MEANEST ACT!

Oscar H. Smith is blind, but he
manages to make a living by sell
ing cigars and candy. He memoriz-
ed the route from his home in
Washington to his cigar counter, SO
he could go back and forth alone.
Senator "Pappy" O'Daniel Dem.
Texas has just evicted this blind
and aging man from one of the IA
apartments in the $40-room Wash
ington building O'Daniel claims he
needs to house himself and his
family.
Smith had to move to Arlington,
a suburb across the Potomac. The
route from there to his cigar stand
is SO long and complicated he has
to hire a guide to take him back
and forth.
O'Daniel also evicted the other
ID tenants in the midst of the des-
perate Washington housing short
age, but putting out the blind man
was his meanest performance.
"Pappy" has been subjected to
SO much criticism because of these
evictions that he now protests he
must have the building so he may
set up a free home for veterans
OF course, no one accepts his
alibi. Heretofore, "Pappy' has con
tended he needed the IA apart
ments for his family.-Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30

Have you ever heard of the Ma
tional Tax Equality League? Well.
it's a propaganda agancy, and as
propaganda agencies can't exist
without plenty Oh money, the
league concentrates on projects
which will appeal to the very rich.
It's latest move is to form organi-
cations throughout the country to
back up a demand that the Fed
eral gOVernment-and state gov
ernments, tOo-endeavor to check
the cooperative movement by inn
posing onerous taxes.
AS everyone knows, a real CO.
operative doesn't make any money
It divides it's profits between its
customers and such reserve funds
as may be necessary to carry or
and expand the business.
The growth of ''co-ops" in this
country has been rather slow. Now
the movement is booming. Some
businessmen are alarmed. Propa.
gandists take advantage of theil
fears, induce them to disgorge ade-
quate "slush funds" and begin
bombarding state and Federal law
makers.
We don't underestimate the
strength of the propagandists, but
we don't think they'll get very far.
We feel the "co-ops' are too strong
and too intelligent for that. -
Labor.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30

l think it is of utmost Importance
that we should be absolutely
honest with ourselves in consider
ing the imminence of initiation and
of the super state that will come
into being as a result of it. l sub
NIT that we should think more
about systems and basic economic
laws, and less about people whose
immediate economic interests are
different than our own. We will be
more likely to act wisely if we
think less of who" and more of
what" and why"
What, then, is initiation, and why
does it happen?
Reduced to the simplest possible
language, initiation is a condition
under which money loses its value.
With that definition, a comparison
of what a dollar will buy today
with what it would have bought
even during the war warrants the
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
Depression?

The American people simply have not such a bad memory that
ihcy have forgotten the last depression =. the hungry millions, the
breadlines, the children and old pepole stricken with manutrihon, the
young men marked forever with bitterness and the fear of insecurity
the migrating thousands who found nothing but a deeper hopelessness
at journeys end, the shuffling, shamefaced, desperate unemployed and
their reproachful Or stocal wives.
And now we have been cordially invited by the House of Repre-
sentatves of the Congress of the United States to go through it all over
again. When? Beginning about 1949, economists and business men are
estimating. e.8Yl .G.
No, thanks. The o-caled "hgh-empoyment bill passed by the
House won't do. Either Congress and the Administration accept the fact
that the American economy has grown % complex that depression must
be planned against, to be avoided, or another and greater economic
crisis will come to force u far down the road to Socialism-St Louis
post-Dspatch.
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
in THE WIND
FROM THE NATION

OUR SPECIAL AGENT for
UNO affairs swears this story is
true. Before the United States de-
legates left for the UNO conference
they asked the British embassy in
! Washington whether there would
be any customs restrictions on the
baggage they took. After consul
ting the regulations, an attache in
formed them that the delegates
may bring an yamount and type OF
baggage they desire, except that in
firearms they will be limited to
one rifle and 500 rounds of am
munition per person"
AFTER SURVEYING Midwest
ern editorial opinion on the UNO's
decision to locate in the East, we
can't understand why the United
Nations ever passed over the Mid
die West in choosing a permanent
site. The Indianapolis "Star" OF
December 80 said the commission
obviously hadn't realized n adj
vantage of the section: "The Der
centage of foreign-born population
is low and alien ideologies make
little impression on the majority"
The Chicago Tribune" merely
groWled that "the United Nations
have decided to locate not in an
American but in an alien seat"
THE WHEEL HAS COME full
cycle. Randolph Churchill's syndi-
Gated column from Rome, publish
ed here Januery 2, led off with q
''fervent wish for the year 1916
that Italian trans start running on
time again.
UNDERGROUND HUMOR is
now coming out of Palestine in the
best tradition of the anti-Hitler
gags that used to filter out Of &c
cupied Europe. Here's the latest:
why is the British Labor govern
ment like a violin?" Answer: BE
cause it's held by the left and play
ed on by the right"
THE AMERICAN VETERANS
COMMITTEE reported a big week
in the January l issue of its BIZ
monthly publicity bulletin. Legis-
lation signed by President Truman
liberalizing the CT. Bill of Rights
included several AVG recommen-
dations; the Marine Corps announ-
ced acceptance Of Nisei enlistments,
a result of AVG needing of the
Navy Department, and Bill Maud
lin signed up as a new member.
AN ARMY OFFICER who taught
political warfare to G.I.'S at a camp
in the Southwest told us about an
examination he gave to 800 pros
pectiVe trainees. Part of the test
was a Word-association affair. He
says that the three responses most
frequently scrubbed in reaction to
the word Russia" were lamar
chists,' "godlesness," and free
love"
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1946-01-30
Will Repeui Obnoxious Labor Law

1t has taken 20 years to do it. The British Labor party is about to
repeal the Trades Disputes Act, put through Parliament in 1928 by
Conservative chieftains, including Winston Churchill.
The unions attempted to stage a general strike. 1t vas a failure.
Their enemies seized the opportunity to put owe a statute which they
we're confident would keep Labor in its place" for an indefinite period.
One provision on which Conservatives placed great stress had to do
with political contributions. The old rule was that if a member Of a
union did not object to the proper union official, the political assess
ment was valid. The 1926 law specified that a political contribution
could not be collected unless the union member agreed in advance.
The Conservatives argued that workers did not wish to contribute
to the Labor party, that they were being dragooned by their leaders.
We hear the same talk in this country today. For a time the law did
curtal the Labor partys funds, but not enough to head off the great
victory of last year-Labor.