The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 7, 1925, Page 16

we HE ‘present work is devoted to a consideration of the ultimate desti- niés of England, a subject that may be of interest to the American reader for tWo réasons: First, because Eng- land Oceupies ‘a very prominent posi- tion inthe world; second, because the United States and Great Britain may be regarded as twin stars, one of which grows dim the more rapidly as thé brilliancy of the other in- creases, The inference to which I am led by my study “is that England is heading rapidly toward an era of great revo- lutionary ‘upheavals. Of course, the English se¢ret service men and their American disciples will declare that 1 4m engaging in propaganda for a proletarian revolution, as if it were possible for an outsider, by means of pamphlets, to alter the course of evo- lution of a great nation! As a matter of fact, I am simply. attempting, by analyzing the most important factors in the historical development of Eng- land, to explain the historical path by which that country will be made to encounter obstacles—internal as well as external—to its continued -exist- ence... To accuse me of revolutionary meddling in the affairs of foreign countries, on the basis of such state- ments; would be almost equivalent to accusing the astronomer of bringing about a solar eclipse because he has predicted its occurence, UT do not understand me as saying P that astronomical phenomena are parallel to the phenomena of society. The former are accomplished outside of us, the latter thru our agency. Which does not mean, however, that historical events may be achieved by our mere wish or directed, with the as- sistance of pamphlets. Far more books and newspapers have come out and are still coming out with the avowed purpose of defending and maintaining capitalism — including British capitalism—than have ever been published to attack it. Ideas of ed kind may be effective only when y are based on the material con- aitioas"8t Social evolution. England is‘headed for revolution because she has already entered the stage of capi- tarist disintegration. If the guilty must be faund, if we must ask: What accelerates England’s progress on the path of revolution, the answer is, not Moscow, but New York. This answer may appear paradoxi- cal, yet it is the simple truth. The powerful and constantly growing in- fluence of the United States: on world affairs is rendering more and more impossible and hopéless the situation of British industry, British trade, Brit- ish finances, and British diplomacy. HE United States’cannot but tend to expand in the world market, fail- ing which its own industry will be threatened with apoplexy because_of the riehness of its blood. The United States ¢an only expand at the expense of! the other exporting countries, which means, particularly, England. In view of the patented Dawes method of harnessing the economic life of an entire mighty nation in the traces of American supervision, it almost pro- By EARL R. BROWDER OR capitalism, the key problem of economics is, how to increase profits. And for this, the principal means is to reduce the proportion that goes to labor as wages, out of the values labor created, and to in- eréase the proportion that goes for interest, rent and profit. This can be done directly in two ways; by reducing the wage rates, or by increasing the intensity of labor. And there are various indirect ways, one of which is to keep money wages stationary while the cost of living goes up. All these means are in active oper- ation today. Government, statistics disclose to some small degree the successes of the capitalists in their schemes for increased exploitation. In “Commerce Reports” of November 2nd, for ex- ample, the following figures can be , ALU Rc Nm HOW WAGES ARE BEING SLASHED Thig article is the special’ “Phleface For America” writ- ten in May, 1925, by the brilliant Communist writer to the American edition. of his latest book“ Whither England?” pubd- lished by the International Publishers, Inc. of New York, thru whose courtesy this is being reprinted. The capitalist press of America has become alarmed over the book. Not only has this preface been generously quoted in the leading Amer{can journals, but other parts of the book as well, both in America and England, have been pointed out as “open advice to the workers to .overthrow their governments.” Many journals in both countries have begged in alarm for the suppression of the book. LEON TROTSKY wa vokes a smile to hear people speak of the revolutionary significance of one “Moscow” pamphlet or another. Under the cover of what is called the pacification and rehabilitation of Europe, immense revolutionary and military conflicts are preparing for 'the morrow. Mr. Barnes, who enjoys the confidence of the department of com- _\found which are very illuminating: Cost of living index figure (relative to 1924) Sept, 1924, is 147..For Sep- tember, 1925, it is 159. That is an increase of about 8 per- cent, If real wages are to remain constant, money wages must be raised € per cent also to cover the increased cost of living. These figures are compiled by the National Industrial Conference Board, |e a private organization of capitalists, which has certainly no bias in favor ef the wage workers, But what really happened to money wages during the same period? They remained the same or were actually reduced. Which means that reat wages have been out to the amount of 10 per cent or more. This gained for the capitalists an extra profit of between one billion and a billion and a half dollars, Simple figures from a few states merce at Washington, suggests that the European debtors of the United States be asSigned to exploit such por- tions of the world market as will not bring the impoverished and indebted European cousins of the United States into competition with the expansion of their creditor across the seas. In aiding to restore the European mone- will show how that has gone into effect. The index figure, for number of workers employed in New Jersey (1928-100) was 87 in September last year, and 91, this year, an increase of ¢@ points. The total payroll for these same per- iods was 86 and 89, an increase of but 2 points, and therefore a positive de- crease in earnings. The official index for average weekly earnings, relative to 1923, showed September last year 00, while this year it is 98, When Sharea with the cost of living -here is a clear wage slash of 19 per cent. in Illinois the average weekly earn- figs, (relative to 1922), dropped from 110.1 in September 1924, to 107.6 tm September, 1925. Delaware weekly earnings averaged 4 per cent less this year than last, And in the Meantime ~> Production has been increasing by lhaps and bounds. All the indicators of production and trade, point to 1925 as the banner year of eee in- dustry in America. capital today nowhere feels itself = ByLeon Trotsky tary system, the United States is simply exploding one ‘inflated’ illusion after other by’ giving ‘the’ Buropeans “ an opportunity to express their.poyer- ty and dependence .in the language of. a firm currency. By exerting pressure on its debtors, or giving them an ex- tension, by granting or refusing credit to European countries, the United States is placing them in a gradually tightening economic dependence, in the last analysis an ineluctable situa- tion, which is the necessary condition for inevitable social and revolution- ary disturbances, The Communist In- ternational, viewed in this light, may be considered an almost conservative institution as- compared with Wall Street, Morgan, Dawes, Julius Barnes -—these are among the. artificers of the approaching European revolution. | N its work in Europe and elsewhere, the United States is. generally act- ing in co-operation with England, thru, ;. i the agency of England. ‘But;-this-¢ol- laboration means for; England an jmyy koi creasing loss of independence.» Eng: ;, land is leading the United States to hegemony, as it were. Relinquishing their world rule, the diplomats and magnates of England are recomthend- ing their former clients to deal with the new master of the world. The common action of the United States and England is the cloak for a pro- found world-wide antagonism between these two powers, by which the threatening conflicts of the perhaps not remote future are being prepared. This brief preface is not the place in which to speak of the fate of America itself.. There is no doubt- so strong as in America. American capitalism grew marvelously, chiefly at the expense of the European belligerents at first, now by reason of their “return to peace,” their “rehabili- tation.” But in spite of all its huge power, American capitalism is not a self-contained factor, but a part of world economy. Furthermore, the more powérful “the “Industry ‘of thie United States becomes, the’ more in- imate and’ profouid becomes its de- xendence’ on the world market.’ Driv- ing the Buropean countries farther and farther’ down their blind alley, American capitalism is laying the foundation for wars and revolutionary upheavals, which in their frightful re- bound will not fail to strike the econ- omic system of the United States also. Such is the prospect for America. In revolutionary development, America does not stand in the front rank; the American bourgeoisie will still enjoy the privilege of witnessing the destruc- tion of its older European sister. But the inevitable hour will strike for Amerikan capitalism also: ‘the Amer- ican oil and steel magnates, trust and export leaders, the multimillionaires of New York, Chicago and San Fran- cisco, are performing—tho — uncon- sciously—their predestined revolution- ary function. And the American ‘pro- letariat will theirs. NOTE:—“Whither England,” from which this is reprinted, can be secured thru The Daily Worker rite ts Co. Price $1.75. ultimately discharge Not only have money wages been reduced. Not only have wages been cut still more thru the higher cost of living. Also the workers have been forced to speed up, and in some cases to work longer hours, so that produc- tion has enormously increased. This year’s mass of surplus values expropriated by the capitalist class is doubtless the greatest ever known. That is why the Wall Street stock market is so joyous, and why the price of stocks has flown skyward. All of this is “cashing in” on the accumulat- ed and perspective “surplus values” squeezed out of labor in such rich abundance during 1925, Postal Receipts on Up Grade. WASHINGTON, Nov. 5—Postal re-" ceipts, regarded as a barometer of’ business conditions,. continue on the upgrade, totalling $32,489,042 im’ 50 selected cities during October, as compared with $29,118,862 in October, 1924, an increase of $3,370,179, or 11.57 per cent, the post office department announced today.