The Beginning of the Harvest of Russian Recognition in the United States. The New Deal Still an Unsuccessful Experiment. The Chaotic World Conditions and the Hopeless Outlook in 1935

All Russia was jubilant when President Franklin D. Roosevelt established diplomatic relations with their government. As England's recognition had been termed the "Government's fatal step" so it was a fatal step for the United States. The Soviet ambassador appeared in Washington, D. C, and many Soviet consular offices were opened. Most of these so called "consuls" are in reality propagandists, who began a seed sowing in revolutionary activities which soon became most evident, though the full harvest is not yet. The Communists in the United States took much courage. How the American Communists Revolution was brought nearer may be learned from the largest Soviet Daily in the United States The Daily Worker. A short time after recognition, we read: "The Communist International is the only international force that has for its program the dicatorship of the proletariat and Communism, and that openly comes out as an organizer of the international proletarian revolution. Let the ruling classes of America tremble at the Communist revolution! Workers of the world unite!" The fact soon leaked out, that in spite of the promise Litvinoff had given, that the red propaganda should cease, Moscow instituted a more intensive campaign. It was a brazen announcement the Communist press made, that the Moscow dictator had urged them to increase their activities in the United States. Immediately after recognition, on November the 25th, fortyeight Communistic official meetings were held in New York City and hundreds more in different parts of the country. These meetings continued to be held from coast to coast, while the Bolshevik Schools throughout the country announced that from now on special classes would be formed in revolutionary Communism. A special plan was also revealed, emanating from Moscow, to cripple and defeat the American Federation of Labor.  

The Daily Worker in its next issue, after recognition, was published much enlarged with nearly tripled advertising patronage from those who heretofore were the "secret" friends of the Bolsheviks, but, who now in view of the recognition felt that they could come out into the open. In the November 25th edition, there were forty individual advertisements of physicians, Art Shops, Health Food Stores, Radio Companies, Clothing Stores, besides moving picture places and theatres. The sale of Russian Government Bonds was announced through the "Soviet-American Securities Corporation." In the same issue we find long tirades against President Roosevelt and the United States Government which had just officially announced the recognition of the "Fatherland of Communism." It also contained a quarter-page feature entitled "Wall Street's Capital" which street the Reds likened to a happy hunting ground for bankers, industrialists, labor fakers and hack politicians. The author of this feature is Seymour Waldmann, Washington correspondent for a Bolshevik publication and formerly of the "Libby National Council for the Prevention of War."  

Soon after recognition had taken place it was discovered that from coast to coast many strong units of the Moscow directed and controlled "International Seamen's Union" were organized and are now functioning on the Atlantic and Pacific coast. Branches of the organization are the "Marine Transport Workers" and "The Marine Workers Industrial Union." They have instructions from Moscow to commit sabotage whenever it is needed.  

"If war should strike our nation today, doubtless the greatest government obstacle would be this communist organization which has deeply penetrated organizations of seamen, longshoremen and dock workers at every seaport. The great danger is their sabotage work. A chemical formula recently discovered in use by this organization consists of an inflammable compound for use in arson, and many oil wells, ship, dock and forest fires have been charged to the use of this chemical. The chemical which also serves as a  cleaning fluid, poured on a newspaper and thrown aboard a ship, into a forest, in an oil field or elsewhere, evaporates, leaving a deposit, which, when the atmosphere reaches forty degress Fahrenheit, ignites and inflames the paper."1 — Nat. Republic.  

The Soviet Ambassador arrived in Washington January 8, 1934, and on February 3-5, a national convention was scheduled by the Communists "National Unemployment Councils" headed by Comrade Herbert Benjamin, who led the so-called Hunger March on Washington in 1933, and who only recently was released from the New Mexico National Guard stockades, where he had been locked up after his arrest with other Moscow agents for having agitated miners in Gallup into violence during a strike which forced the Governor of New Mexico to declare martial law, extending over a period of several months.  

The convention call was sent out a few days after the "Third Internationale" in Moscow ordered "More action by Communists in the United States." The convention urged to force the nation, city and county authorities to pass workers' and social insurance bills with huge appropriations. They attacked the N. R. A. and C. W. A. and other administration projects and within the relief groups of our country they started their work of undermining, and organizing their own unions. Then Congress appointed in the fall of 1934 a special committee on "Un-American Activities." Before us is that section of the report which contains the statements of Walter S. Steele of Washington. (Dated December 29, 1934) We quote a brief section from this lengthy report:  

"There are nearly as many Communists and affiliates, in the United States today as there are in the Communist party in all Russia at the present time. The Communist movement has shown greater gains since November, 1933, than in any period of such short duration, and that in spite of the fact that on November 17, 1933 (the date of the 'Esau deal') the Soviet Government entered into a solemn written  agreement with the Government of the United States to respect scrupulously the indisputable rights of the United States to order its own life within its own jurisdiction and in its own way, and to refrain from interference in the internal affairs of the United States, its territories, or possession (Page 2).  

"I might add that before the ink was dry on the signatures to the agreement, the Soviet Government issued a special document of complete instructions to the Communist Party in the United States, in which they gave orders for the organizing of strikes in this country and the overthrow of the United States Government."  

How the Communists carried out these instructions and strikes and lawlessness increased everywhere in the United States, we shall point out latter.  

Mr. Walter S. Steele gave at length the full text of the contract between the Third Internationale and the Communist party in the United States and then adds:  

"It is our opinion that the Communist movement in the United States is distinctly an alien conspiracy; a declaration of war on our government and our people by a foreign Government. In other words, we believe that it is treason ... If any American citizen would do, or attempt to do the things in Russia, which are being done in the United States by Russia's agents, you know what the result would be. Sixty-six people have just paid the price in Russia. They were accused of being counter revolutionists."  

And these agents are well supplied with money. The blood money comes from Moscow and with it they support the red propaganda in more than 2,000 cities. There are 600 red revolutionary organizations in the United States. The report gives their names in full. We quote from pages 22-23 of this report:  

Mr. Steele: The Communists teach their followers to love and honor the Soviet Union and to hate the United States Government, which they call "capitalistic." The Communists have a program for Federal employees and have organized many relief workers and many of the unemployed now on relief rolls. Communistic literature is spread through the F. E. R. A., financed workers' schools, and Communists have been paid public funds for writing on Communism.  

The unemployed councils, under Communist control, direction, and leadership, are organized within 36 of our States. They maintain a national office in New York City, and State offices have been set up within 39 principal cities. Local branches have been organized in hundreds of cities and towns. The unemployed, it is asserted, are told that they cannot obtain Government relief unless they belong to these councils. It is said that the councils have a membership of over 150,000. The Communists claim a membership of over 125,000 in the Trade Union Unity League; of 25,000 paid members in the Communist Party; of 50,000 in the International Workers Order; to control over 150 independent unions with more than 60,000 members; of 200,000 members in their 20 foreign-language groups, over 25,000 members in their anti-war and anti-Fascist movements; 12,000 paid members in just one of its youth groups; and 6,000 members in the Share Croppers Union of the South. These are only a few of the 600 or more movements in the United States.  

The Communists and their cooperating movements maintain 400 or more regular newspapers, magazines, and Communist news bulletins in this country. They claim to have a circulation of 131,000 for their foreign-language papers. Some of their English-language publications have a total circulation (daily) of 51,000. The "Rank and File Federationist," the official publication for the rank and file movements which have been formed within the American Federation ranks, has a circulation of 25,000 and the publication is only 1 year old.  

One publisher of communistic propaganda brags in one of his advertising dodgers that two of his writings which were put into pamphlet form have attained a circulation of over 3,000,000 in the United States. These pamphlets are not only Communist propaganda but are designed to reach the youth of our land, and criticizes the ministers and religion of our Nation. They also deal with the theories of Marx and the Russian Revolution.  

It is noticeable that the Soviet Government agencies use large advertising space in most of these Communist publications. That may be a very significant point.  

Mr. Jenkins: Let me ask you a question there. You seem to be an expert on this, Mr. Steele. As I gather from the newspapers, at the time this man Litvinoff was here from Russia I thought that the agreement was that all this Russian propaganda should be stifled; but according to your statement it looks like it is rather rampant.  

Mr. Steele: It is increasing.  

Mr. Jenkins: Do you know whether or not any agencies of the Government have done anything or called the attention of anybody to these remarkable increases?

Mr. Steele: Well, I cannot say as to that. The attention of the Government has been called to the matter.  

Mr. Guyer: The agreement has been abrogated.  

Mr. Steele: Practically so. That is our opinion, and it is also our opinion that it is not only continuing but it has increased since last November.  

In other words, there have been new publications, new organizations, and new activities. We have experienced more strikes and more turmoil since November 1983 than previously.  

Every industry is being invaded by them and communistic societies and organizations come into existence everywhere. They are active in the South among the citrus industries and along the entire pacific coast. But the most insidious propaganda we find among the young. Says our report: "Communism is penetrating into our public schools, colleges, and campuses. Its influence almost reaches the cradle, taking boys and girls at the age of eight. The Communists maintain their own 300 and more schools in the United States, where revolution, strike tactics, and hatred to our Government and its institutions are taught." (page 25) We cannot give all the names of these schools, established now in almost every state of the Union. We give only a brief quotation:  

With the start of summer vacations, the youth who are trained in "drills for the Red revolution" on the campus by the Communist student organizations and who are given their "higher" education in bolshevism by radical school teachers during their legal school periods, are enrolled in Communist camps and schools of revolution, which Communists open for special instruction in the "deeper" and more "secret" phases of revolution and communism. While in some districts these schools are operated the year round, in many sections only Sunday or evening instructions are carried on during the public-school season with full-time schools during summer vacations. The leading school of the Red movement in New York City is a yearly affair, as are the Chicago and Boston schools. These are usually over-crowded.  

The spring term of the Workers School in New York City, located at 31 East 12th Street, opened with an enrollment of 1,500 students. This school, the leading school in the United States by the Moscow directed rebels, is headed by A. Markoff, who is also "Grand Klegel" of the entire Bolshevik school system in the United States. Among the New York schools' numerous instructors are Art Stein and W. W. Martin. The executive committee of the Communist Workers' School consists of Max Bedacht, Scott Nearing, Sam Darcy, William Z. Foster, William Weinstone, and Beatrice Carlin. The national advisory council includes John J. Ballam, Cyril Briggs, Rev. William Montgomery Brown, Prof. John D. Passos of Columbia University, Robert Dunn, Elizabeth G. Flynn, Joseph Freeman, Ben Gold, Mike Gold, A. Heller, J. Jerome, Robert Minor, M. J. Olgin, Mark Rosenberg, Grace Hutchins, Anita Whitney, Mary Heaton Vorse, and S. De Leon. This school has fifty-seven instructors. Over sixty-three courses are given in Communist Party functions and history, including strike strategy and military communism.  

Max Bedacht, chairman of the executive committee, says, "The course of studies in the school are for the training of young workers in the Marxist and Leninist teachings so as to help in the development of trained revolutionists who will be able to effectively lead the working class in the performance of its historic role to overthrow the capitalist system of society and to establish a dictatorship of the proletariat."

It is said that some of these schools have been functioning through Government money, probably obtained under false pretenses.  

Does President Roosevelt and his cabinet intend to allow Russia to flout her treaties one after another and permit these insults to American intelligence to continue? Is our Government going to permit these well planned revolutionary efforts to continue, and stand by with folded hands allowing these foreigners, and their traitorous American associates, to continue their conspiracies? Just as we go to press our government has sent a vigorous protest to the Reds. A diplomatic break looms up. May it be soon!  

Some years ago a young lady brought a cunning little baby lion from Africa. It was a playful little thing. She fed it with the bottle. After some time it growled and meat had to be given to the beast. It grew. A little more was thrown to it to devour. And still the beast growled. Under its benefactor's kindness it became stronger and stronger, till one day it was ready to jump and to tear the woman to pieces. Our Government has nourished the beast, by making concession after concession, by permitting its activities. Instead of curtailing with a strong hand these activities, it has been lenient and the beast has developed and may soon undertake a murderous leap.  

Anti-war propaganda, anti-military training, militant pacificism is one of their chief approaches to our youth. They urge revolt against military training and denonuce the increased army and navy appropriations of our Government. Our guileless youth is being deceived by them and thousands fall into their trap. But why not raise an agitation for the disarmament of the best military equipped country Russia? Why not start a campaign against the powerful red army of a million well trained soldiers? Here is another extract from the Investigation Committee:  

A report was made on the success of the Communists in organizing the "U. S. Congress Against War," held in New York City early in 1934, in which they brought many non-Communist organizations into cooperation with them. The local joint (anti-war) meetings which followed throughout the Nation were all reported on. They boasted that all those conferences held on a "united front" basis had resulted in the strengthening of the youth sections of their "American League Against War and Fascism" and in the establishment of new sections. The meetings in New York, Boston, Chicago, and New Jersey, it was reported, attracted over 100,000 youths. Following these meetings, the report says, the student committee organized a number of successful conferences in colleges and high schools as, for example, Columbia University, Cornell, New York City College, Hunter and Michigan Universities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Brooklyn University, New York University, Amherst University, etc. Plans were laid for a national convention of the American League Against War and Fascism to be held in Chicago in September.  

And now these agents of hell are attempting to sneak into the United States Army and Navy, to create discontent, hoping to inject the fatal poison and produce mutiny. They did this in other countries. Last summer Rear Admiral Andrews, chief of the battle forces of the U. S. fleet ordered a thorough probe in the fleet to uncover "red" agents. The order was issued after four Communists were arrested in San Pedro, California, for activity among ship crews, where much literature had been circulated calling for a mutiny.  

But it is simply impossible to record in our pages the strikes and disorders which have taken place since "the fatal step." The loss connected with these strikes amounts to hundreds of millions. We mention only a few of the more prominent ones: The longshoremen strike in San Francisco which resulted in a general strike. The Imperial Valley (California) strike; the truck drivers strike in St. Paul and Minnesota, which ended in a general strike and martial law; the Toledo automobile workers strike; the packing industry strike in Chicago; the textile industry strikes in New England; the milk, taxi and fur strikes in New York; the coal strikes in West Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. And more strikes and still more East and West, North and South. With all of them violence and bloodshed were connected. The source of each of the major strikes, as clearly proved, have been the Communist agitators.

As to Litvinoff-Finkelstein, the lying diplomat, Psalm lv: 21 illustrates his case: "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords."  

The Communistic propaganda became bolder than before recognition. Thus Moses J. Olgin, a Russian Jew of the atheistic type, in a booklet "Why Communism" says: "We Communists say that there is one way to abolish the capitalist state, and that is to smash it by force. To make Communism possible the workers must take hold of the state machinery of capitalism and destroy it" . . . "Under the leadership of the Communist party the U. S. A. will proceed from struggle to struggle, from victory to victory, until, rising in a revolution, they will crush the capitalistic state, establish a Soviet State, abolish the cruel and bloody (?) system of capitalism and proceed to the upbuilding of socialism."  

Within a year after the "fatal step" some fifty new publications advocating revolutionary Communism came into existence financed by Soviet money.  

According to a very lengthy article in the Minneapolis Journal Communists have made Minneapolis the center of red action for five states. A school for Communists was opened in St. Paul in November 1934, to instruct in revolution. A few days before the recent truck drivers' strike in Minneapolis which was put down only after martial law was declared a communist school in strikes was opened in Mineapolis. Over twenty Communist school groups now operate in Minneapolis. A textbook in revolution used at the strike schools, according to the Journal, teaches how to "seize arms by attacking arsenals" and calls for "civil war." Norman Bernick conducted the school. Labor defections are taught as "class wars" leading ultimately to a revolution by the communists. Chapter VI of the the textbook paints a vivid picture of the proposed revolution, the arrest of the President and the seizure of the government; it says in part: "Armed workers and soldiers and marines seize the principal governmental offices, invade the residences of the President and his cabinet members, arrest them; declare the old regime abolished, establish their own power, the power of the workers and farmers."  

Since the Fall of 1934 there has been no let up in these agitations. In the Spring of 1935 there was held in Madison Square Garden, New York a meeting called "Rally Protest of New Anti-Labor Gag Law" attended by 20,000. We let the National Republic of June 1935 speak:  

"The official organs of the Communist Party said that the speakers were 'cheered to the echo on every reference to a united struggle,' and that a 'stormy applause greeted the remarks of the speakers who represented what was probably the widest united front of recent years.' Here are the speakers of the Red-Anti-Christian Conclave.  

"Methodist Bishop Francis J. McConnell of the Federal Council of Churches and chairman of the Methodist Social Service Bureau; Francis J. Gorman, vice president of the United Textile Workers; Clarence Irwin, president, Sixth District Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers; Congressman Vito Marcantonio of New York; Elmer Carter, New York negro editor; Rev. Harry F. Ward, national chairman of the League Against War and Fascism and official of the Methodist Social Service Bureau; Roger Baldwin, director of the American Civil Liberties Union; Congressman Paul J. Kvale of Minnesota; Mary Van Kleeck, of the Russell Sage Foundation; Prof. George S. Counts, of Teachers College; Rabbi Israel, of Baltimore, connected with the League for Industrial Democracy and chairman of the Social Service Commission of American Rabbis.  

"More than $1,500 in cash was collected and $500 or more was pledged, in addition to $15,000 or more received in paid admissions. This money will be used to fight anti-communist and anti-alien legislation now before Congress and forty-four State legislatures. Bishop McConnell is quoted by a communist organ as loudly denouncing all sedition bills, as well as criticizing veteran and patriotic organizations which have given endorsement and support to the anti-Red legislation. According to one official communist publication, he is quoted as saying, 'If those good women (D. A. R.) are daughters of the Revolution, then I'm through with revolutions forever.' Representatives Dies, of Texas; Representative McCormack, of Massachusetts, and Representative Dickstein, of New York, all came in for a verbal trouncing by the radicals. The meeting ended with Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here! Unfortunately it wasn't, for if only 20,000 were connected with this radical engagement there wouldn't be so much to be concerned about."  

And what more could we say about the insidious work done in many of our colleges and universities! It is an alarming fact that many thousands of students of both sexes are listening to the siren call of Communism. In all the leading institutions there are organized groups led by certain atheistic professors, who advocate revolutionary measures. We could fill scores of pages with the evidences of this dangerous propaganda. We could begin with Harvard and Yale in New England, clear to the coast, mentioning the different educational institutions, ending with the California Universities. Well said Mr. E. R. West, President United States Junior Chamber of Commerce in the first part of 1935: "The rising tide of Communism is now sweeping the nation with an accumulated force and momentum that threatens the very foundation of our social and economic structure. This menace today is infinitely worse than most of us dream. In 1930 the number of Communists, active workers and sympathizers in America exceeded 600,000. According to a careful estimate this number exceeds 1,500,000 today. It took less than one tenth of this number to overthrow Kerensky and to establish the present Soviet Government." Others sound the same warning. Every American citizen should be grateful to the American Federation of Labor for their solid stand they have taken against Communism.  

And other prominent men have shown that the Soviet Government has no intention, and never had, of living up to the pledge made by that fellow Litvinoff when he fooled Roosevelt and his advisors with his deceptions during the recognition negotiations. The Federation through its president Mr. Green, is now taking energetic steps to bar all Communists from the different unions. Other voices of warning were heard, including a strong address condemning brutal Sovietism, delivered at the 234th commencement of Yale University, by its president Dr. Angell. Then came in February, 1935, the complete collapse of the soap bubble of recognition. It took our Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, not quite ten minutes to reject the Soviet offer in regard to the debt Soviets owe the United States, and also to reject the audacious demand for a loan. The whole settlement negotiations collapsed hopelessly. The hope of a great Russian American trade vanished completely. That "red pottage" had not materialized. All that was left was an intolerable stench, disgusting in the extreme. What did the United States gain on the day of the "fatal step" November 17,1933? Strikes upon strikes with the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. An increasing vicious anti-government propaganda. A menacing increase of Communism and a spread of this terrible virus in our educational institutions. The godless Litvinoff lied in order to bring about this recognition. And let us remind ourselves of the shameless feast given to him by great industrial leaders and the "pink" clergy. And now the whole bubble had burst. The recognition of the most vicious government in all history was, and is, the major, the most deplorable blunder of the present administration. Is the administration going to rectify this blunder? Is the Administration going to follow England's noble example and disown them and tell the Red Ambassador to go where he belongs? Perhaps this may happen soon. Should not the following facts be sufficient to terminate the alliance at once? The Reds attempted to cheat the United States out of $700,000,000 and then had the audacity to make a demand for $100,000,000 more.  

"The time has come for a showdown on the Russian question. The American public, as President Roosevelt well knows, widely protested American recognition of Russia. The American people will not purchase Russian goods; there is a silent national boycott on against them. They will not stand for the United States government or a bureau to loan or make credits to Russia. They demand that Russia stop the bolshevik propaganda in our country. They demand that every Russian Red be deported. They demand that the appropriation for an embassy in Russia be turned down by Congress. They demand that relations with Russia be withdrawn. In this the President will have to admit his error of 1933, but better now than later. The public will be solidly behind him in this decision."  

National Republic, May, 1935.  

And now what about the "New Deal" to bring recovery and restore former prosperity? The author confesses incompetency to understand the intricacies of the different industrial, financial and political measures, organizations and laws which have been formed and established during the past two years. We are convinced that the new administration which came into power in 1933 started with the sincere desire to end the economic and financial depression which began in 1929 and increased in severity during the years which followed. President Roosevelt was given extraordinary powers of a nature which no former President had exercised. Soon voices were heard charging him with having developed into a demagogue, while others charged him with assuming an un-American dictatorship. The best definition of a demagogue we have seen is the following: "A demagogue is a self-seeking politician or zealot, who passionately plays on ignorance, prejudice and inferiority complex by cajolery and flattery and who irresponsibly promises benefits which he well knows he cannot deliver." Sir Josiah Stamp, Governor of the Bank of England, said at the sixty fourth commencement of Syracuse University in June, 1935: "Everywhere democracy becomes the victim of demagogy. Everywhere the politician does not lead or even follow the experts. He gives way to mass prejudices or even has to promise pleasant things to be a politician at all." Those who claim knowledge of our politics charge the present administration with having broken nearly all the pre-election promises. Only recently Representative Woodruff of Michigan made the following charge: "President Roosevelt has kept only one pledge made to the people in 1932—repeal of prohibition. The people were promised economy, they were specifically told the budget would be balanced and that borrowing to meet deficits would cease. Instead, Roosevelt has himself put into effect a regime of wild-eyed borrowing and reckless, useless extravagance." Mr. Woodruff demands from the President "a full accounting of broken pledges" and added—"the administration cannot dodge such an accounting for the people will insist upon it. The President must face a day of reckoning for the rapidly vanishing credit of the nation under his administration, for the billions of debts created through catch-phrases, plans that merely pile up financial burdens for generations to come."  

How enormous the expenditures of the present administration have been and will be by 1936 may be learned from the following figures which we obtained from Washington. The Federal Government spent from the years 1789 to 1913, when Woodrow Wilson was President, the sum of $24,521,845,000. This is a period of 124 years. This includes a number of wars, including the civil war. The actual expenditures of the Roosevelt administration during 1934, plus the estimated expenditures during 1935 and 1936, total $24,206,533,000, that is we expended $305,312,000 less in four years than was spent in 124 years. No wonder that well-balanced economists and expert financiers have branded this spending as leading to national bankruptcy and suicide. Some say it is akin to insanity. But more serious is the charge which has been made, whether true or not, that much is used to secure the next election, to keep the present administration in power. If true, this is certainly the worst form of political corruption and outdoes anything of the past. In an enlightening editorial of the N. Y. Herald Tribune July 3, 1935, we read the following: "Mr. Roosevelt, it is charged, has lobbied on Capitol Hill, not by logic and persuasion but by threats to cut down relief allotments to states. According to Representative Brewster of Maine, speaking on the floor of the House, a White House Representative told him that unless he voted for the 'death sentence' in the utility bill his state would lose the money for the Quoddy project. Here are charges so scandalous that their investigation are inevitable."  

Step by step the administration has been discredited. Already in an excellent article on "The President loses Prestige," published in Current History April, 1935, Mr. Charles A. Beard says: "If face value is to be given to the signs of the times—transactions on Capitol Hill, announcements from the White House and opinions of the press— then it must be recorded that the disintegration of President Roosevelt's political prestige proceeded with staggering rapidity during February and early March * * * contradictions in the "New Deal" have reached high tension. President Roosevelt's spell of leadership has been definitely broken for the moment, if not for good."  

Since these words were written, one thing after another has come to pass which indicates that the "New Deal" is heading for a collapse. The Supreme Court pronounced the N. R. A., the leading recovery scheme, unconstitutional. It met with almost universal approval. This showed that after all there is still enough decency in the United States to bow to the Supreme Court and the Constitution, though some in high positions made slurring remarks about the Supreme Court, which public opinion was not slow to resent. Then came the defeat of the President in connection with "the death sentence" demanded by him for the utility operating companies, a bold step towards the nationalization of our industries. He was defeated 323 against 81. We quote again from the Herald Tribune Editorial July 3: "The President's power for good or ill, puffed into Hitler-like proportions by his high handed tactics and the applause of his over-enthusiastic followers, is deflated to normal American proportions. The Supreme Court really pricked the bubble." Then followed his announcement of a program which has the strong flavor of Socialism "Soak the Rich," make them pay the bill. Soak corporations! And do not let even the smaller ones escape. It brought a flood of protests. Some see in it nothing less than the "Kremlin philosophy" the Soviet tactics. The Chamber of Commerce of New York State warned that such a taxation would endanger the work of charitable, religious and educational institutions. Said Mr. Melvin C. Eaton:  

"Five days ago the country was told of the Roosevelt tax plan for the first time, and now Congress has been ordered to pass it within five days. In the interval the New Deal propagandists have been given opportunity to speed their message to the people of the country, seeking to array class against class, seeking to incite the fires of class prejudice for political purposes, and striving to bring to the people of the United States a philosophy which was born in the shadow of the Kremlin—(Russia)."  

Ex-Senator James A. Reed of Missouri declared: "It is inconceivable that any honest man, in his right mind, would propose, by force, to despoil a citizen of the property he has honestly acquired. The doctrine might be entertained in Russia and indeed Russia is the chief exponent of this species of robbery." Says a keen observer, Mr. Mark Sullivan: "One surmise says the President realized that the discussion he had provoked by his opposition to the Supreme Court decisions was hurtful to him politically, and that he put forward 'the distribution of wealth' proposal as a way of changing the subject." And others charged that he, knowing he was losing the conservative elements, turned to the left to save himself. In other words "playing to the galleries of the radical element."  

This so-called "New Deal" in a little more than two years has spent for various schemes more than fifteen billion dollars. Since President Roosevelt took office the average monthly expenditures have been $570,000,000, that means about $20,000,000 every twenty four hours. The National income during this period was only $7,303,048,740, leaving the treasury $8,090,286,936 in the red.  

And what has been accomplished?  

The clamorous aim of the "New Deal" was to end unemployment. Has this been achieved by this wild spending of money? It has not. Here are the figures given by the "National Industrial Conference Board." At the end of October, 1933, two weeks before the President announced his relief program, the number of the unemployed was 9,645,000. The latest figures available, published by the same organization show that there are now 9,711,000 unemployed in the United States. Two months later in mid-summer, we are told that 10,000,000 unemployed comes nearer the truth. The Government doles out now $115,000,000 and more each month. It has resulted in giving us a new class of human beings which might well be called the "dole-loafers." Here is an illustration which might be multiplied. About one third of the $500,000 raspberry crop in Southern New Jersey was lost to the farmers, because pickers have not been available. "In other years the crop was harvested by laborers who brought their wives and children with them and set them to work, but this year most of them are on relief and are satisfied with their lot. If they accept jobs as pickers they fear they may lose their relief status." It is said that in many parts of the country there is a shortage of labor, because thousands receive the "dole" and would rather loaf than work. The administration has now nearly $5,000,000,000 to spend on work projects and expects to put millions back to work. One wonders if they will find enough men and women willing to work to use up this enormous sum of money.  

Nor has the "New Deal" brought recovery in economic, industrial and business spheres. We quote from "Current History" June 1935, page 297:  

"In operating economy, apart from politics, no noteworthy alterations were recorded in the indices of business. With monotonous regularity the black line on the graph showing major economic activities crawled forward on the low level  to which the country has long been accustomed. According to reports by the National Industrial Conference Board, annual production was still from $30,000,000,000 to $50,000,000,000 below the peak of the boom days. Prime stocks were strong in the market but not spectacular. The number on public relief did not diminish with startling rapidity, and expectations of 'the Spring rise' did not materialize. Railways showed, in the main, lower net earnings. Two or three strategic companies moved steadily forward into the shadows of bankruptcy or reorganization. Notwithstanding the allowance of certain emergency increases in rates, railway managers found little improvement in the outlook. Their spokesmen sought to stave off the proposed Senate inquiry into railway finances, and to expedite the bill regulating competing forms of transportation. The chief basis for hope was that on May 6th, the Supreme Court handed down an adverse opinion on the Railway Pension law, thereby reducing the railways' burdens."

Experts like Mr. Ogden L. Mills, Secretary of the Treasury under President Hoover, claim: "that the only thing which stands in the way of the nation's economic recovery is its government." In an address given in the N. Y. Town Hall, June 28th, Mr. Mills said: "The road to recovery lies straight before us. All that keeps us from it is an administration that has not the capacity—and, perhaps not even the desire—to find it." The retiring President of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, Mr. H. L. Harriman, sounded a warning. Among other things this able citizen said was, "that the growing spirit of criticism of the New Deal measures is an indication of real recovery." In other words stop the "Brain Trusters" in their recovery failure and recovery will be here. The message was endorsed by the editors of the leading and sanest newspapers of the country.  

The writer's humble opinion is that the United States has never faced in all its history such a condition of things as now. One of the most serious aspects is the utter lack of confidence. What is coming next? Fear controls big capital, big business, the middle classes and, it seems, everybody. Everything is chaotic. "Hopeless"—is the right word for it.  

And now comes the information that a certain woman has suggested a Brain Trust of Women, to save the nation. The "Women Brain Trust" is to be headed by the following: Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt; Carrie Chapman Catt and Mary E. Wooley the rationalistic president of Holyoke College. If this comes to pass—may the Lord have mercy on our country.  

Oswald Spengler is a keen far-seeing historian and a great scholar. His "Decline of the West" and "The Hour of Decision" are books well worth while reading. In an interview he said: "What do I think of Franklin D. Roosevelt? Either he is your first Caesar, or quite unconsciously he is a sort of John the Baptist to make ready the way for the coming ruler. Previous presidents, from Washington to Hoover, generally have represented wealth and the wealthy classes which are the American aristocracy. Always in history, the only aristocracy that a democracy can have is the aristocracy of money. Now the United States has in power a president who does not represent this element, but the great masses. Once this change has come, the course must never be retraced, and in the future always, the president must represent the American masses and in policy oppose wealth and capital, even seizing and confiscating it, when necessary. America will have anarchy if a movement arises which puts into the White House a president who represents the wealthy classes as McKinley and Coolidge did. This is the historical course of a dictator rising out of a democracy, and it is significant that Julius Caesar in ancient Rome was hated by the wealthy senate, because he first appealed to the Roman masses." This ought to be food for thought. We hope he is wrong.  

The United States is a country of wonderful natural resources. It produces sufficiently for our increasing population. We do not know who made the suggestion, probably some radical, infidel "Brain Truster" to destroy the gifts of a kind Creator. Carloads of bananas were destroyed. Tons of wheat suffered the same fate. Millions of little pigs were destroyed. Apples and other fruits were permitted to rot on the ground. Hundreds of fields planted with cotton were plowed under.2 Tons of fish dumped back into the ocean. And why this wicked, criminal waste and destruction? It was to help recovery. The over-supply must be disposed of, for prices must be kept up. Then something happened. Droughts came, such as had never been known before in our country. As Mr. Gard, a member of the editorial staff of The Dallas News writes: "Blinding duststorms, the most calamitous in American history, have been sweeping powdered topsoil from the Western plains across the broad Mississippi valley and on toward the Atlantic seaboard. Thousands of farms have been literally blown away. For two years in succession there have been many days in which the sun was blotted out over the Central States. Automobiles and trains have been halted; schools have been closed; farm animals have died as their lungs became clogged with the inescapable dust." It is said that at least 50,000 families must be moved from the devastated regions, where starvation stares them in the face. Agriculturists and scientists have different explanations for this national disaster. We look upon it as a judgment from God. When a Government wantonly and wickedly orders the destruction of immense quantities of the products of nature, then God can also speak. As He did in Israel's history when He withheld the rain, so He can still send droughts and change the fertile fields into a wilderness, a desert of sand. It is God's hand we see in this visitation.  

And what more could we add! We could give the statistics of the Twentieth Century as to earthquakes of such immensity unknown in former history. Millions lost their lives in such catastrophes as Mount Pelee, Messina, the Japan earthquakes, the Indian earthquakes and many others, and then the recent one in Central Asia when 50,000 perished. What more could we say of the horrible famines in Russia, China and other countries! And then the pestilences which continue, which man in spite of his boasts cannot stop nor prevent. Are these things to continue? Is this the eternal history of the human race? Then indeed all is hopeless. There is no bright morning in sight, but only hopeless night.  

Before we end this first part of our work we must glance briefly at European conditions as we find them in 1935.  

After lengthy and most careful research, consulting newspapers, source books and magazines in English, German and French, we are forced to say the European political and economic conditions baffle description. Here are first of all such military preparations which are both astonishing and alarming. The war preparations which we described during the first decade of our century appear now almost like child's play. Realizing that the next war will be fought by way of the air a wild race is on building powerful planes. As it has been expressed by a correspondent, "Europe hears constant roaring of war planes." Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the smaller nations extend their aerial programs. They are turning out and testing scores of models of advanced planes of every description. All Europe knows the phrase 'The next war will be fought in the air." The United States are in the war game also, as the Navy Department recently purchased sixty large patrol planes, whose specifications were closely guarded. It was an eight million and a half order.  

Great Britain has a number of "mystery" airships. One can carry five large guns. France is frightened over Germany's rapid air growth and is building a number of new types. Germany's plane manufacturing plants are working at top speed on what Air Minister General Hermann W. Goering has called "The most modern equipment possessed by any nation for aviation." The entire nation is being drilled in either air fighting or defense. Rumania and Jugoslavia have their own "mystery" planes. Still greater are the activities of the Soviets. They have plunged into the development of large multi-motored planes. They are also experimenting in building a small but very swift pursuit ship.  

Much of the war fear seems to have come on account of Hitler's re-armament of Germany. A wild rumour was started that ten million men were being trained by him. Closer investigation showed that it was a myth. Hitler himself has given clear assurance of peace intentions. But can he be trusted? In an interview, reported in the Literary Digest of May 11, 1935, he said:  

"Nobody in this Germany, nobody in this unified and disciplined State, wants war. Nobody here ever will take any step to cause war. Have we not proved our desire for peace? Toward the West, Germany is bound by the Locarno pacts. Toward the East, she is in treaty with Poland not to employ any kind of force for ten years. And I will say now that at the end of the ten years we shall be ready to extend the contract. This treaty of peace, mark you, was not made under any compulsion. It was influenced in no way by the League of Nations or any other extraneous factor. We entered into it voluntarily. We entered into it gladly, though wrong had been done us in that direction. Our just resentments we subordinated to a larger consideration—that of peace. Germany moreover, is a signatory of the Briand-Kellogg Pact, which, as everyone knows, outlaws war as an instrument of national policy."  

Then he spoke of the Treaty of Versailles as a moral, political, and economic monstrosity, but that Germany submitted and disarmed.  

"Our conquerors were treaty bound to follow us on the way to disarmament. They did not follow. They went in the opposite direction, and they kept on going for half a generation. And, now that, acting compulsory for our national salvation, we meet the actual situation, they talk of our tearing up treaties and assume the posture that we cannot be trusted."  

If these words are not another scrap of paper, they let in a ray of hope. But evidently Germany has the same fear complex. On the West, France; on the East, Soviet Russia. Then suddenly France entered into a strong alliance with Russia. Czecho-Slovakia made a similar pact with the Soviet Union. Interesting it is to read that the Soviet Government has made an unilateral declaration explaining to the French Communists the necessity of not interfering in France with the establishment of a strong national defense, held to be a means of preventing war. In other words the Soviets admit that Communists interfered with the French preparations and that their destructive work in sabotage is now to be stopped since friendly relations have been established. Will they keep their promise?  

Germany evidently fears this combination. Hitler hates Communism and had stopped its destructive program in Germany. Similar anti-war pacts, and pacts for mutual assistance are sought by Russia with smaller nations, especially the Balkan States. At the same time war-preparations continue on land and sea.  

Germany has made a pact with Great Britain not to have a navy more than 35 percent of the British navy, inasmuch as Great Britain feels it must maintain its supremacy on the seas. On account of this Anglo-German naval agreement, Navy Minister Francois Pietri of France asked for an appropriation of two hundred million Francs ($13,240,000) to counteract this agreement and to build at once a 35,000 ton battleship. This is now being done. European armies, led by the Red Army of Russia have numerically increased since the beginning of 1935.  

By 1937 the United States expects to have used $387,000,000 in the construction of new battleships. The U. S. Army is now recruiting 46,250 new men. And what does it mean when recently the immense gold wealth of the United States was moved away from the sea-coasts to be securely sheltered inland? It was bluntly stated that it was done in case of an attack made from the sea.  

Surely all these things are sinister signs of the times.  

And the economic conditions in the whole world! During the last week in June, 1935, there was held in Paris the annual session of the World Chamber of Commerce. One leader made the following statement: "World economic conditions are worse than two years ago, despite regional improvements. Economic recovery is out of reach as long as world currencies remain unstabilized." Unemployment, poverty, lawlessness, crime, lust and all forms of vice continue their onward march.  

And the League of Nations, that greatest of all the hopes to bring about a change in world conditions? Japan severed its connection. Germany entered but soon left it. Russia, that pariah among the nations, the Government of Cruelty and vicious brutality, has been welcomed with wide open arms. The League could not prevent the bloody war which has been fought for over two years, between Bolivia and Paraguay, in which over 100,000 were killed. The League was helpless in preventing the Chino-Japanese Wars and the aggressions of Japan. And in 1935 she is helpless to stop Mussolini in his ambitions to annex Ethiopia. The mask is off from Mussolini's face. He defies all Europe. All nations tremble. Mussolini tolerates no interference. He threatens to be through with the League of Nations. And Ethiopia appealing to Geneva found no help nor had she any encouragement in her appeal to the United States. Even as we write these pages Italy's war preparations continue. Ships for the transportation of troops have been purchased. It looks as if another terrible war cannot be averted.3  

Turning our faces to the far East we meet conditions, perhaps worse, than the European conditions. We do not enter into this question. Japan is preparing for great things. There are many who predict that a conflict between the United States and Japan has to come. We do not prophesy. Others again see the possibility of a gigantic struggle between Japan and Soviet Russia.  

We have finished our task to give a brief historical survey of world conditions in the Twentieth Century. We have shown there has been no progress. Universal Peace is further removed than in 1900. Lawlessness and unrighteousness have increased. We have recorded the religious and moral decline. We have learned the next to hopeless situation. The world is at its wits-end. It is nearing one great bankruptcy. It seems to be beyond man, beyond human leadership, or anything else that man may do. The point in history is reached where intelligent thinking men and women must say, "Vain is the help of Man."  

HOPELESS! YES—AND YET THERE IS HOPE!

1 An official of Havana declared that the Motto Castle disaster was brought about in this way.  

2 One of the big American markets is the Cotton Market. It has been steadily declining. A year ago Manchester's imports of American cotton declined 100,000 bales. The chief competitors of America—Brazil, Peru, Egypt and India showed a gain of 543,000 bales. And here comes Russia with a great cotton raising program in the districts where cotton can be raised. Experts say that cotton raised in Russia is of the finest and best quality, far superior to the American cotton. Sixty or more percent of cotton raised in the South has to be exported. Reliable reports say that Russia is planting thousands of acres of cotton. If it is true, the South where cotton is king, will no longer benefit.  

3 Since the publication of the first edition last fall the war has started. Hospitals have been bombed, hundreds of innocent women and children have been wiped out. How will it end? England trembles; all Europe fears a frightul disaster. Will it come now or will it be delayed?