Hartford chronicle., 1946-08-17
MAGAZINE RACK
By Samuel P. Perry, Jr. PROGRESSIVE DISUNITY James Roosevelt (July-August,
Free WorId)


 Free World
 The present dilemma of Amer ican Liberals and Liberalism has been much-discussed topic of late. With the loss of such leaders as the late President Roosevelt and Sidney Hillman, the average citi- zen watches with apprehension the continual fight of monopolies vs. free enterprise, of mob rule vs. law and order, of federal power vs. states rights in instances where the states have been proven power less. He is confused whenever out standing liberals" equivocate on basic issues; whenever they con- done segregation or state com placency that it is impossible to legislate racial relations by the FEPC while protesting belief in the equal rights of all men. Seemingly such professors of liberalism are dwelling too much in academic ivory towers" and not facing is- sue as it stands. The inevitable result is that MT. John Q. Public is not inspired with confidence in the cause of liberalism.
 Public education is a necessary factor in the struggle of present day liberalism against the reaction aries. Both Roosevelt and Hillman endeavored to keep the average person abreast of the state of the nation even though the big syndi- cates wouldn't print most of the news. The use of a national OWI for propagating the truth about America would aid immeasurably in the dissemination of information about labor unions. minority groups and other pressing problems. It would allay the fear of the bogey of radicals" upon which reaction aries harp in confusing the public. Public indignation against the tao tics of the forces of reaction can only be aroused through public edu- cation.
 Explicitly, MT. Roosevelt cites "the displaced persons in Europe the worlds needy and starving peoples, the civil-war stricken Chinese, and the pickering foreign ministers of the recently victorious Allies" as "facts from which there is no escaping" Internal problems include the leaderless liberal cause, the resultant public confusion over the issues of housing, OPA, and UNO pickering. "The forces of re- action and greedy power, seeing this condition, have very naturally taken full advantage for them selves. And make no mistake about it, they are still a powerful force and their generals are well-educat- ed in the strategy of political maneuvering."
 Emphasizing the fact. that in- teral confusion has weakened the liberal cause in the eyes of the general public, MT. Roosevelt re- states the causes of liberal and pro- gressive forces as support of the right of collective bargaining and organization on the part of labor. The weapons of financial power, adroitly used, are still more formidable and powerful than those of organized labor. The battle therefore, is still an unequal one."
 On the immediate agenda for the liberal program in America, as- severates the author, should be: CD legislation accomplishing the fright to work"; CD adjustment of wage levels; (9) employee participation in corporation income as against wage-cutting competition to protect profits; (4) passage of FEPC; (5) Public Health measures; (6) Slum clearance; CD Old-Age benefits and unemployment programs; (8) Equalization of the education sys- tenn; (9) control of finance in Washington, the seat of the