awner$p--of Gene& Motors stock

he no longer news. The&troit

Free
imminent return to work of
s.: The Cleveland P&X header, +ce-president of the union
of Cleveland~ for twenty& years, as an
ator. On the whole, the fault is not with
ndents on, the scene. There are distinctive
an understanding of the
of these, it is pleasant
Another fine piece of
Flint Fisher Body No. 1

ce and, kitchen committees; runners to the

uarters, strike and .executive committees, and
assemblyevery afternoon at four have placed the
f the strike in the hands of the rank and fiIe.

program, which closes with 2olidarity Forever.

P. S. I forgot to mention the American Federation of
Labor, an easy thing to do these days. It has no members
to speak of in the automobile plants, although John P:
Frey undertook to order his followers back to work. The ,
craft unions have no contracts with General Motors. ThGr
leaders telegrams supporting the corporation against the
strikers was a piece of work worthy of a feeble-minded
Judas; The move has turned out to be a boomerang. The
strikers are comforted by the fact that the A. F. of L.
is openly against them and not among their supposed
friends, where it would be in a position to attempt a rnoe
damaging betrayal, as in 1934.

, r

sident Roosevelt, fresh from a considerable

for international good:will on the Western
caustic in condemning, the sale of
of ,war to tie recognized Spanish
who defended that sale were for the
itter opponents of the naval race and long
the international trade in armaments..This is
fe of. theinconsistencies~or seeming inconworld, wely; if eve5 has thestrugso compliceted, or have the lovers. of
arply divided, They are caught -in the
orld more keenly. aware than ever beal costs,af,world war, .yet more inclined
been &lllnemiy c&p1i&edby
iq Italy and .more especially in
fies bpth militarism and war. It
.a menace to the peace as to the liberty of
may&e:-against b@,3wqd
.ftisq
aqd
t-s-j%>km .~q=iT:gPh pyf
qq

practically, under conditionsall ,too likely to occur again

and aga.in, resolute and- e@ctive opposition to fascism
means war. Is it any;.wonder -t&t in l&is kind of world
consistency among peace lovers. is not a common virtue?.
Among the .enemies of both war and. fascism.are two
-groups which at first sight seemmore .consistent.than the
rest of us. There are on the one hand those pacifists who
hold that the great commandment csn, be summed,- up
in this: Thou shalt take no. .p+t in any kind of ,wy,
On the other. hand there. are,thoseqivocates of, collechve
security who proclaim a ;holy. crusade of democratic na-.
tions against f?scist aggressors. Roth groups, are mom
+ccessful in pt@@g -theits extppe qpowpt~~ ,t@~ kg
supporting their own positions. For neither, group have
we invented an. accurate name. To .&e first I shall. apply
the word +a&st,
pausing only ,to remind .my readers
that there are pacifists and paci&ts,~T+best
pa&&~
are. not -passivtis, individuals- concerned only. with their
own souls salvation or believers, in divine intervention
in behalf of the. martyrs of peace.The :~$ists~$n point
out that history furnishes melancholy. jq$#+@for.their

._

&,j&&$;&

days when S
still strong in Germany would have greatly increase&he
.o~~riolls to this co&e of action fairly leap &$
chancesof victory for. the republic against militarism and. mind Why should such an alliance, especially if
fascism. Today -these pacifists can make no equally, pram- tively places Russia outside its fold, succeed w
ticalsuggestion in the struggle against,fascist aggression, League of Nations has egregiously failed? The
of all nations, our own included, prove
,but .at least we owe them something for their constant
alliance would not diminish the weight
challenge to the method of war and their constant re
armament but would cause each nation to
minder of its bitter cost.
Nevertheless, the pacifism which makes mere absten- frantically, not only against fascism but to guaran$&.i~~
position in the councils of its allies. Even without .w&
tion from war the supreme command will not deliver
this race in militarism would jeopardize whatever -s.
mankind from new cycles of war and new dark ages of
oppression. It is unrealistic and mad to say that it does mocracy we had left. The minute war was declared, An&$
not matter who wins in Spain if only the guns are stilled.
ica-would become a fascist state or a military despoti@&
It matters profoundly not only for Spain but for mankind
This is the calm assumption underlying theWar Dep&$$
that the fascist aggression of whic$ Franc0 is the nominal
.ments plans for military mobilization. Moreover, a
and brutal leader be defeated. Persons who believe this
ration of war in capitalist America would not ini
must support the gallant. resistance of the workers and
new struggle to make the world safe for democracy
other loyalists.
more truly than when Congress declared war on
6, 1917. Ideals would have their place in indu
Those who cannot accept pactism as the first and last
American people to accept a new war, but the
commandment are not therefore the foes of peace. Inmotive would not be, as the Communists hope, a
c deed, the advocatesof one form or another of collective
_ security speak as its champions. Originally they sought
to protect Soviet Russia or, as Mr. Armstrong h
to unite the world against,the aggressor nation or nations.
They reasoned that if the certainty of united action were
great enough, a would-be aggressor would shrink from
The whole theory of an
putting his fortunes to the test of war or even from facing
states in behalf of demQcr
news. It is not likely that
those economic sanctions which the more optimistic believed might serve as a substitute for war. Now-and
against fascism will ever
rebellion in Spain. Yet
the change in itself sign*@iesthe historical failure of
&cause .he feared a
collective security thmugh the League of Nationsbecausehe could
those who consider themselves realists in contradistinction to the Ipacifists pin their hopes on an alliance of
democratic states against realms ruled by dictators.
ing interests in Spain were original supporters ofFrancc&
In a powerful and eloquent little book We or They,
revolt. The instinctive sentiment of the ruling class
an. American citizen sees two worlds in conflict-the
on the side of the fascists. No. abstract love of democ
world of democr;lcy and the world of dictatorship. In, the
moves the British government in its growing fe
second he places the Soviet Union. Hamilton Fish Armfascism in Spain but, rather refIection on the danger t&&
strong is, to be sure, aware of d8erences as we11as rewould threaten the Empire and its precious life.il+$
_ sembIances between fascism and communism. In my
through the Mediterranean should Italy or Germany+@
judgment he understates the sdifferences,but certainly in
both, gain a commanding position in Spain.
: -J+
t&ms of practical politics an organization of the democIt-is facts like these, added to the long and me1
r&s against the dictators which must begin with bitter
contmversy cdncerning the place of mighty Russia scarcely story of the .failures of the League of Nations,
make us chailenge the assumption of %vo w
solves any major probiem~of world peace. Nevertheless,
flict.~ There is, indeed, a con&t between
I&. Arin&rong dndtheschooi for ,which he is a petsuaand democracy---even the bourgeois democr
s&e spokesmanmake us face a dilemma which Americans
&tit
!estape.by mere opposition to war or any feasible
&*:,$f
isol&ofi.
_
I
.
:What &en? Shall intelligent Americans seek to build
I ~,k&gue of non-fascist states with the,definite objectof.
&cki$g fasci$ aggr&sion, if necessary by preventive
war, before German rearmament has gone- farther and
tribal fascism. Loyalty to democracy, even
thecon&mouss advance of. science has made war even
&r& &dly? There would be lcgic in that, but advocates democracy, may well be invoked in the
s~~~lla~~i~i~.,~~~~~
it. If is a tribute td
Ctdhn. But at best it can only win a te
The essential struggle- is still socialism against
Mr.- Arm&nggs~candor that he goes farther and,doubts
not democracy against fascism. Power-dri
whether ~libizralismcan stand the compukions which war
has forced a ,high dizgr&? of- co&ctivism
w&&d+,put upon it. Yer he: favors a form Jof- kxternae
ai~~~~? .+hi&, .:-if. 3 ;mas &ytl&g; f&&s,
great: problem ::.for*$orkers throughout.
- ..-&
_
.-:u~2~
,:
;;.;b~z;s*
..c
-_,6_:_
,.__ .,_ .:-f..
<&g&&*y:;.-
reject,

&&@+.+*:@g.lsjile&*~&&;.

think W-the workersin the$&-pqostero~~~

&~Statesp
in the supreme emergency of war, can
tier Shecapitalist state and its military organization
id their own ends. They may conceivablyact as a
&oh the state and mobilize edikctivelyagainst war;
intemationad war to achieve a
first their count$s military madefeat. But the pm&al concluns is not that- the United
isolation. Itis that in capi- ~
utopianism to believe that the
can be armed for international war against
ssion or can enter such a war at a price toler$o the American-peopleorto mankind, It is far more
e to try to
ie for the workers and all lovers of
-Americaout of -thepursuit of war proSFts and hence
war, and m theromparative sanity of this condition
ge.*t it usesits influence for peace.This is the case
$ug neutrality and an embargo on the export of
i&g$ies the&x&an rule in all ~internationalstrug:iI$ is the case against American participation in the

i_
fixed policy of the United Statesin international war--:,<
wrth exceptionsto be made by Congress,not by the President-does not meanthat a friendly, democraticallyelected ..p?
government,such as that of Spain, must be denied access, :-
to supplies necessaryto put down armed fascistrebellion., ;_ -.
*j
It is an ugly world in-which anti-fascist forces must pay
%.
tribute to private protiteers for the arms of defense.Yet
the one outstanding chance of changing -that world lies s
for the mcunentin pmserving for the Spanishgovernment
the right to those forms of help v&ich under international
law governments estend to one another. To preserve it
11
does not compel the United Statesto use its navydirectly
or indiiectly to.guarantee shipmenti, nor does it .involve.
&is nation in risk of war. To deny it is not only a dis- , -..,*
criminatory act, deliberate support of the rebel cause;. L _.
__
it is also a reversal of acceptedAmerican practice. The..United Stateshas not prevented the sale of arms to the
Nanking government for use in the slaughter of workers. _ _ !
,.:
and.in civil war againstthe Chinesered army, or to &atin
.,
American dictators engaged in suppressing rebellions,
f
It has inv~
this policy for the&st time in a civil war
to keep arms from the government of Spain-a tragic
;-j!
&T&haction of sincere and quaWed volunteers who
.
&@llingto
risk
their
own
lives
in
the
struggle
in
Spain
_
misapplication
of
the
principle
of
neutrality.
aj
$ent matter. They are investing.their own lives,
Not a method of keeping out of war but the estsblish- L 5 i
i_
,,w*
-others or involving the government. merit-of a,warlessworld must be our goal.
zof a long line of men who have said with Tom
[Zn an eady i.r.rav we shalt print an article by Vera -.j.._
1.
Where liberty is not; there is my fatherland
MicheEesDean asserting the need of a wited democratk
.sanctions and economic pressures which can be front against fascist aggresskwzin Ewope.]
:

-.

-_
Why not just cut your throa&n& savethe initiation. fee?:; - I i
2orOf this year seven@icago newsI( .!. ?iKKT@~
This is Chicago,.the town that gave the world the N&n-ii.!1
@+rmm..,sh~wed up for the regular monthly teers, the social-securitydog a. and the .Unive+ity of -;I.$
Chicago red -scare,And the &&bergs. Heros,a metro- ..;.$
:-t;-.m,eetingd-the Qicago Newspaper Guild, with
>
tts pulled .down and their coat collars turned up. p&tan area,of 4,5O~,OOO
peoplewith only fiv&n~~
;-.-.
,1.
paying members.altogether, papers~Whey it had half its present,population& had
feelingthat they were being nine paper+f youve got 4 j&hang ok3to it. If-t& boss -,L*
at WastheGuildin Chicago,after three-hard says&andon 19magnetic,Landon is magnetic:Thesaloons
t,.
,,
-_
are full ofgood newspapermen.If they cut you to@5 a I_ .:
ore than two months later, there are week, remember~youre an artist.~~Youren~.a.common
.:..:
working stiff ,like.the square heads out in&e composing: I..:.s
&es+payingmembers,and that figure will be toolow
@-five or fifty by the time this is .printed. The
room getting $60 or $74. Youre the-cream of. thecrop; 2.
%i,W has reached Chicago at last. The publishers * The Front Page*.was written about you. How about a
., $
-, :.
& their ivory towers. Freedom of the press-the
bucktillMonday2
_
: 3 .f_ :
Thus the Chicago tradition But a-.f&.we&s befom ,-i.: .
a*$%f
.f&&ss editorial workers to sing the ,songof
at the hands of
the Presidential-electionHearst capitulated~to the Guild
~j:.
room serfs drunk on Broun and Marx.
in Milwaukee, tinety mil+ away, Then came~&xxvel&I
7,:
own in America. @tober visit to C&i&go, when 15&00O.p~~ and
marched past the newspaper o@cesh&ting~~d
Join the:Guild?
..
Chicago, December 31