The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-03-01
AN OPEN LETTER TO KCHL

very much debtor nation to thos
"furriners." I would also like to re
mind you that our own democrac
began with revolutioni Also that tn
British people got their socialistic gov
eminent in free election But PAL
ticularly will l call to your attention
that these two countries borrowed
money from the United States lon,
BEFORE they had communistic or SO
cialistic governments! Where may
ask would capitalistic United States
be today if it hadn't been for the he
roic stand of communistic Russia anC
socialistic Britain in defense of theil
homelands
l deny that this country has ever
produced enough of all it's goods ant
services for its own needs if ALL the
population is taken into consideration
Just one example-decent housing
Statistics show that we do not have
adequate medical care; the same is
true of educational facilities, and in
some sections we do not have even
adequate diet for many, many people
| The facts are there if you care to
check them. These examples are just
few of many that could be given.
To raise our standard of living we
must expand our foreign trade We
must have a better distribution of our
wealth. We will of course have sur.
plus of some commodities to sell to
other nations. To purchase these sur
plus goods foreign nations must have
dollar exchange.
Just what we are going to do with
the surplus goods, and the goods not
surplus, we hope to sell abroad if Rus
not buy because we refuse to loan
them dollar exchange and have prac-
tically all the gold in the world buried
at Fort Knox?
Just what are we going to do with
surplus goods or even normal" pro-
duction if the people at home because
of unemployment, low wages and high
prices are unable to buy the produc-
ton of industry and the farm? 1t is
possible that once more we will be
drowned in a flow of goods that no.
body can buy
The economic situation in the world
today is critical. The struggle is be-
tween monopoly and democracy. The
war has brought both to maturity, and
one must triumph
Nv nj 10 II
ent monopolistic control of business.
press, radio and world trade, then
from those of us who believe in de-
mocracy the answer to your question:
Doesn't it look as though this CAPT
talism is something so good we had
better keep il" is NO.
We cannot maintain a real democ-
racy in the political and social life
while Monopoly has a throttle hold
over the productive and financial life
and over the press and radio.
If by capitalism you mean a genu-
inely free competitive business. real
freedom of the press and radio, a fair
distribution of our wealth to the peo-
pie, decent standard of living and
security for all the people then we
can answer your question with eyes"
The sad truth is that capitalism to-
day is represented by monopoly direct
ly opposed to everything democracy
stands for in the minds and hearts
of the American people
Must we continue to weigh the lives
of our American youth against the
greed of the monopolists of the world
Must we risk the complete destruc-
tion of our nation by the atomic bomb
to get more gold to bury at Fort Knox?
If democracy fails to win the peace
then the last paragraph of your six
billion dollar question will most GER
tainly come true. If we do not solve
the economic problems at home and
abroad we will have another war in
a few short years There won't be any
country we can borrow from but it
won't matter because an atomic bomb
or two will put us completely out of
the picture. Too many are entertain
ing the fallacy that we can keep the
atomic bomb a secret.
In the public interest K G H IL
should present this side of the six
billion dollar question. Let the peo-
pie judge.
You are confusing the issue-it is
not capitalism but democracy that we
must keep.
CATHERINE LAVELLE.
Montana,
February 8, 1916,
Copy to Peoples Voice.