The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 2, 1927, Page 4

oho ek mmm mae Se alal em oe ra 1 1 1 ‘ ‘ Page Four THE D. es ! GLE TAX ECONOMICS. THE BASIC FACTS OF ECONOMICS. By Louis F. Post. Author. Washington, D.C. Fifty cents. This all primer has just been published by Louis F. Post, former assistant secretary of the Department of Labor of the United States. It has been printed y by the author with th d of donati from well-to-do liberals, m he book betrays confusion a Th ments ar Published by the nd prejudices ature of the ies of s 5s proved 2 of Post re id unchallenged, in order to fit His prejudice ucing it to “a ons as the special view of the nature of w: c ary (p. 56). flourishing and that the capitalist is dominant over the recipient of wages and of rent is forgotten in this process. * * * Capital is defined with the usual timelessness as wealth used for the production of further wealth. ording to this definition, capitalism is eternal, since wealth always has been and always wil! be i for the pro- duction of more wealth. The capitalist extraction of surplu of labor is veiled in the he According to Pc “the wages for superior land” (p. 77). He even reassur reduce wage quantity “except in the ¢ (by th ans deductio’ pt for such deductions, he writes ignable to produ 5 tionate to the desi worker want? Wages, a , labor cos the capitalist joins little difference betw is a confusing t at something e dividends are a mixture of w for natural resources (land)” (p. vt. does not ions for $ nor bility of their respective according to Post, are colloqui ided into or “tery a form of di ¢ (labor) and of rent x As one would naturally exp field of taxation, though he doe obviously into the foreground. ing to abilit tion of a Mr. Post has a sl doctrine in the not thrust his sin, tendencies too He analyzes the theory of “taxation accord- to pay” and declares that it “puts the government in the posi- hwayman whose ‘loot’ corresponds to so much of the propor- tionate property of his victims as he is able to extract.” (pp. 79-80). With this neat little remark he d 1 plans for putting the major burden of taxation upon the wealth: ies the recent Mellon pla: ste of shifting tax: n from th prejudices in favor of plutee: portion to benefits received Thus gle tax reveal y. He rejects payment of taxation in pr because such benefits cannot be measured.” He advocates single tax, out making the exaggerated claims for it that the single tax propagandist usually does, In fact, he does not make a case against the present system in general, nor has he any serious criticism to make of it. Where one does not see a disease there is no need for advocat- ing cures. About the only things that are seriously attacked by Post are the ter- 1 ed ity econor the terminology used in every-day: speech, and y) the sy of taxation. He seems convinced that everything lly if we only adopted a different terminology This the little (cautiou would be all right economi and a really good set of definitions of all the words we use. book tries to do, without even suspecting that we live in a changing world and that economic categories are not fixed and eternal. that the book tries to do it fails miserably. * In the one thing * * While I do not know how much money Post’s wealthy friends may have ~donated for producing and advertising the book, yet, basing myself on its contents, I venture to predict that it will sink as surely as a stone does when thrown into water. It will not even make the customary ‘one or two bounces that a small boy can elicit from a stone on the water because it has not been hurled with enough force for that. —B. D. W. ‘TEN YEARS THAT ASTOUND THE WORLD. THE TENTH YEAR: The Rise and Achievements of the U. S. S. R. By J. Louis Engdahl. Workers’ Library Publishers. $.15. “This is our day of triumph, and you cannot take it from us.” vember 7, when the enlightened workers of the world unite ebrating the success of the Russian Revolution, the figst will be brought to a close. will end. This decade is no ordinary period in world history. It assumes propor- tions that not only make it seem to the contemporary historian the most important of historical eras, but one of the most difficult adequately to 24 describe. Perhaps this is because the chief elements in the story of ten years of Soviet rule must be told, not in names of battles, or places of treaties and ententes, but in cold figures. This decade confronts the historian with a gigantic task; but much of this burden has been carried by those who are playing important roles in the history of the Workers’ Republic, Information bureaus, academies, and many other departments have been created by the Soviet government to procure this invaluable data, and place it within the reach of all interested. On No- act of an epic drama The first decade of the proletarian dictatorship * * “The Tenth Year” is no dry compendium of statistics. Nor is it simply an effusion of eulogy and oratorical heights. (And on so great an event as the tenth anniversary of Soviet Russia, it would be easy for any of us to be guilty of it!) Engdahl has brought into thirty-two neat attractive pages a restrained recital of glorious fact after fact in a tematic racy fashion that makes reading a pleasure and leaves the reader h a complete bird’s-eye view of the greatest achievement in history. We learn from the introduction by Bertram I). Wolfe, that the Work- ers’ Library has proved possible by the generous gifts of individual com- rades, the first of whom are Comrades B. and S. Rubin. To them in the next few weeks, thousands of workers will surely express their thanks for the support that-makes possible the publication of such books as this one. —WILIL DE KALB. SCIENTIFIC FLEECING. YOUR MONEY’S WORTH. By Stuart Chase and F, J. Schlink. Macmillan Co. $2. This is an excellent study in the methods used to defraud workers by means of adulteration and misrepresentation of goods, Thru means of high psessure salesmen and widespread advertising trade mark products are sold at exorbitant prices. This “new competition” as the authors call it has brought billions of dollars to the coffers of the exploiting class and left the workers in a wilderness. Does capitalism suffer as a result of these frauds? Of course not. The bourgeoisie has the Bureau of Standards, Federal Trad Commission, and other government institutions at their disposal, in addition to their own private laboratories which make elaborate tests as to the relative value of similar products. The present day manufacturer buys goods by specification and not as a result of passionate appeals or widespread advertising. Manufacturers have made tremendous savings as a result of the sts conducted by the Bureau. This government institution does not disclose the findings of any of its tests under the pretext that it might hurt some faker that is extracting millions of dollars from the workers. The authors make a plea for standardization of production,—in other words, planned economy. How this can be done the authors fail to say. Planned economy or real standardization can only be accomplished in a socially organized society, where production and distribution are organized by society itself in a single _ system which bears no traces of separateness, contradiction, or anarchy. The first steps in this direction are being taken by Soviet Russia where the work- ers are supreme and production is carried on under the direct supervision of a planning Commission. Stuart Chase, as an expert with the First American Trade Union Dele- gation to the U. S. S. R. which has just returned to this country, had an ity to observe how standardization of production is being used there to better the condition of the working class, —JACK PERILLA, |" ‘THIS-DEPARTMENT WILL APPEAR AGAIN IN SATURDAY’S ISSUE: in cel-| appeal cases of disp: sion. rt — among employers in the present coal lock-out to drive miners al Judge Schoonover has ruled they may not collect funds to “Efficiency | Unionism” to Fight It Some Ways | The tipples at the Illinois mines |are now busy hoisting coal. Thei miners are back at their jobs, work- ing under a six months truce ar-) jrangement. In Indiana a_ similar tithe has (been made. ‘Meanwhile | | the union is facing a life and death |struggle in Ohio and Western | Pennsylvania. | The policy of national agreements {based upon the Central Competitive |Field has been abandoned by the union leadership.. This is playing | directly into the hands of the opera- |tors and weakening the union. The strategy of the coal operators is clear. They aim to keep the miners |of Illinois and Indiana at work while they continue their efforts to smash |the union in Ohio and in Western | Pennsylvania. Later they hope to {be ina stronger position to deal with the former. Frank Open Shop Statements | The operators have now been able | to strike a real blow in their union |smashing campaign through the |sweeping injunction secured from the Federal Judge F. P. Shoomaker for- bidding practically all strike activities and even compelling eviction of the miners from their homes. Upon this injunction the Pittsburgh Post Gazette commented editorially as | follows: “Many declare that this ac- | tion of the mine operators is the final drive to make this great. state open- shop throughout. A number of lead- ing industries of the state are now on that basis. In Ohio a similar campaign for the “open shop” i8 being carried on. And when recently the officials of the United Mine Workers of the district, moved by the truce arrangement in Illinois, made overtures to the opera- tors asking that negotiations take place, the President of the Ohio Coal Operators association, S. H. Robbins, declared: “Ohio operators have ex- jhausted all efforts to deal with the United Mine Workers of America, and we are not interested in any further | proposals.” | Breaking Down Illinois Conditions The intention of complete destruc- tion of the union in these two im- tant fields, while the Illinois and iana miners are working, is clear. igh the policy of separate dis- eements John L. Lewis and de- | de-} wv bureaucrats have y aided these efforts of th operators. Meanwhile in MWlinois the operator: ng their program of doin; ions within! ing machines are be-} installed eliminating labor. The? surplus miners are told to go to other industries. Working rales for opera- |ting of machi are to he settled b | the com eted to study {district m ‘oblem composed of the presid id vice presidents of the union ict and of the ope tors’ association. On disputed points this com ion may enlarge itself, jaccording to the temporary settle- ment, and a majority vote then he- |comes binding. In other words such | disputes will be settled, not by agrec- |ment, but by arbitration. | “Yellow Dog” Contracts. Cheating the miners in weight on | coal loaded has be: long established jpractice. The loaded jso rapidly over the that the checkweighmen, representing the union, have no time to make a proper check. Actual yellow dog contracts are being put into operation here and there and where miners could for- merly leave the mine when sufficient cars had been loaded to make a da wage, that is now something of the past. Fishwick Forecasts Wage Cut. The Illinois truce extends existing prior to the the strike, including the Jacksonville seale to April 1, 1928, Meanwhile the com- , In mission, formerly mentioned, is to | Study the problem and report its findings by Feb. 1. Indicative of ‘what this report may be is a state- ment already made by the district Harry Fishw that sufficient reasons can be shown war- ranting a wage cut such recommended. The operators in the organized fields will point to the ever increasing competition from the unorganized fields (from mines mostly owned by themselves) and such arguments seems to take well with the high paid officials. The lat- ter will perhaps point to the fact that the illinois district is compelled to face the battle alone—made possible only by the treacherous policy of’ dis- trict settlements. One thing is cer- tain, already now throughout the state a campaign of propaganda is being carried on for the inevitability of a wage cut, Concreate Fighting Measures. For the Illinois coal miners there is no other course open than to continue the fight although now under dif- ferent forms. The rank and file have a great fighting tradition and only their militant actions can save the union. It is necessary to take up an intensive campaign to prevent the de-! signs of future annihilation, with par- ticular concentration on the following points: 1. Decisive condemnation of the splitup policy embodied in the district settlement basis, and more SO, con- demnation of the arbitration clause. Relief actions must be carried on for the districts still on strike as any weakening of the miners in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio will spell disaster to the Illinois district, 3. In every locality the rank and file Should fight vigilantly for com- plete restoration of union working rules within the mines. Any weaken- ing at this point means weakening of the union as a whole. 4. United opposition is’ necessary to any victimization attempts by the operators or expulsions by the union bureaucrats. 5. A widespread campaign should be initiated against any wage cuts so that both the operators and the union officialdom may know that the miners will not stand for any deterioration’ of their standard of living. Such a campaign well organized will help steel the miners to meet the en- evitable onslaught of the operators. 6. An important part of the gen- 1 activities iFa live struggle within union for reestablishment of the ational agreement basis and a na- tional united front against the opera- tors. , v 7 Vith this must follow The NewPlaywrights Theatre 40 Commerce Street, near Sheridan Square Greenwich Village TELEPHONE WALKER 5786. THE ONLY HOME FOR LABOR PLAYS IN AMERICA if | will be|s an in- cycle collided w Illinois Mines: By ARNE SWABECK sistent demand and actual measures for the organization of the unorgan- | zed fields. 8. In order to more effectively mect the united front of the operators and the governmental institutions the iners s should take the leader- formation of local labor par- where. lly the rank and file mem- bership should demand complete con- trol of the negotiations being carried on for the future agreement and de- mand that a special district conven- tion be called, or that the regular convention date be so fixed, to con- sider the report to be made by the |~ commission by Feb. 1, 1928. No reement to be finally entered until ratified by the rank and file worxers. The militants are naturally ex- pected to take the leadership in initia- ting these measures. Upon them rests a great task. It is the life ot the union itself which is at stake. Nicum Runs in Dayton On a Pure and Simple “Jim Crow” Program DAYTON, Ohio, Nov. 1—W. V. Nicum, who recently in a campaign speech anounced that “any man who sells his property to a Negro in a white territory should be tarred and feathered,” has got out a leaflet boosting himself for the city com- mission which continues the argument against Negroes in slightly modified lanruage. Nicum declares for “keeping the control of the destinies of Dayton in the hands of the white citizens,” and | “favors the use of every legal and fair | means to prevent the colonization of | colored people in white streets and blocks in any part of the city.” | Neither does Nicum define in this leaflet what he means by “legal and fair” means. A further plank is for “Jim Crow” | schools, “Jim Crow” parks, “Jim Crow” playgrounds and “Jim Crow” | community centers. Dayton is a large industrial center, the home of the National Cash Regis- ter business, and desperate measures are adopted to keep white and col- ored workers from solidarity with each other. i KAISER’S STEPSON DIES. BERLIN, Nov. 1. — Pr George | Wilhelm, second son of Princess Her- | mine and stepson of the former Kais- er, died today in Silesia as the result motor- of injuries received when his Presents Paul Sifton’s play THE BELT | The first modern labor play to debunk company unionism and the | so-called prosperity in the Ford factories. | WHAT LABOR CRITICS SAY OF “THE BELT” “The Belt is the truest revelation of our industrial life that has for some time pounded tho stage."-—Joseph ‘T. Leader, “This play is labor's own, and {s far ahead of anything of the kind It should receive the ‘support of all mili- tant chassconscious workers.”"—Ludwig Landy, in the Daily Worker. Jielp support this theatre and The DAILY WORKER by buying tickets at The DAILY WORKER office, 108 East 14th Street. attempted in this country, | i Shipley in the New HOSE of us who have forgiven royalty for its hypocritical enslav- ‘ing pretensions and are good-humored enough to see in it the comedy, clown- ‘ery and tomfoolery that make up its | lighter side, are journeying these days |to the Bijou Theatre, where Chamber- pls Brown is presenting Lawton ; Campbell’s satirical comedy “Immoral Isabella?” One hates to be disappointed. Mr. | Campbell had an excellent opportunity to depict, in the “modern” manner, one |of the many probabie reasons for the very of America. But his gags didn’t click, his satire became farce, nd before the play had run half its h, the comedy suggested burles- | que. His theme, for a satirical comedy, had much promise. Columbus, poet, d more adventurer than navigator, ms more than passing attention | from Queen Isabella, and to get him ‘out of the way, King Ferdinand per- mits an appropriation to outfit him for an expedition to the Indies. Whether his history ig correct is no concern of ours. When one must listen, however, to the most ridiculous of wisecracks, and look at nonsensical situations, one must admit that Campbell hasn’t done his best by us. Aside from that, the comedy is well worth seeing if one is out for a gay evening, and doesn’t ask too much from his hosts. Even though he over- does it, Myr. Campbell has accomp- | plished his purpose if it was to make |the royal court of Spain ridiculous. And then, it must be admitted that thing new. Royal quadrilaterials, pentagons, sextagens, and polygons are old stuff. But to find a royal court with a skeleton in the closet that had, in its time, only been the corner of an almost moral (for royalty) triangle, is unique. Frances Starr, in the role of Queen isabella, is well deserving of praise. Much of the comedy in the piece may be attributed to her efforts; her in- telligent handling of the seript made er ice sparkle with brillance.—s, On the Screen “Dress Parade” at The Strand Is a Glorified Boost for Jingoism “DRzSs PARADE,” the jingo film now showing at the Mark Strand Theatre is a brilliant example of joy- ous collaboration between the U. S, War Department and ingenious movie producers. An- nounced as a “sereen ° classic,” the picture suc- ceeds in being a : clumsy and badly disguised bit of military propa- ganda with noth- ing better to re- lieve the ghastly monotony than the anaemic Bes- sie Love who, with William Boyd Boyd, play stellar roles. The militarists, flaunting their part in this picture, brot several hundred bright and shiny cadets from West Point to the theatre in an effort tc provide the proper “atmosphere.’ | a play about a royal triangle is some-4 Lawton Campbell’s Satirical Comedy Pokes Fun | at Royalty o— JOE LAURIE, JR. Is featured in the new Willard Mack racing play “Weather Clear-Track Fast,” at the Hudson Theatre. And before various recruiting sta- tions around Times Square are found alluring posters advertising “Dress Parade,” accompanied by the caption: “Join and Go to West Point.” The entire epic centers around the austere adventures of one Vie Dono- van, a high school athlete who got himself appointed to West Point by the congressman from his district, who possessed. this priviledge in addi- tion to the privilege of distributing garden seeds to his constituents in the springtime. Well, to make a tedi- ous story interesting, Vic falls in love with a girl whom, curiously enough, another cadet rejoicing in the name “Stuart Haldane,” also loves. Vic then frames Huldane by misdirecting the signals during artillery practise. Haldane is hurt, but for some mys- terious reason his rival saves him from possible w: injury. Vie for a time is in mortal fear of being bounced from the Academy, but his “heroism under fire,” in the words of the commandant, save him and eventually he and the girl whom he so faithfully loves are married. Only an intense curiosity as to whether the pic would have a happy ending kept this tolerant re- viewer from dashing out into the com- paratively free atmosphere of Broad- way before the leal was over. The acting is as fatyBus as the story, and with sub-titles to match. The program is one mad symphony of jingoism. Even the news reels,— which usually confine themselves to a showing of U. S. Marines lolling in the Hawaiian sun, or riding on camels in far-off Egypt, or enjoying a snappy boxing match on the deck of a spacious and delightful battleship, this time were completely mono- polized by army dope. “Waring’s Pennsylvanians,” the col~ legiate orchestra, simply concluded the program.—sS. G. ‘Big Polish Militarist Budget Is Presented the WARSAW, Nov. 1. — The huge Polish budget, thirty per cent of which is devoted to military expendi- tures, was presented to the Diet today by the Government. The expenditures of the War De- partment will total well over $90,000,- 000, while appropriations for educa- tion are but a little over $5,000,000. An Actors’ Theatre Production — < ” » with Jacob Ben-Ami 4 Constance Collier iF z 45th St. W. of Bway. Klaw Thea. yivs.$:30.Mats,Thurs, &Sat The Desert Song. with Robt. Halliday & Eddie Buszell | aH ane nd St. and Central Pa Century West.” ‘pvenines 8:30, at 0. Mats, presents Brwes, $6 St Eves, 8.39 Mate Wed & Sit, 2.30 West 44 St. Evenings 8:30 HUDSON Mats. Wed, & Sat., 0 WILLARD MACK'S COMEDY DRAMA Weather Cle r Track Fast with Joe Laurie Jr. & Wm, Courtleigh FULTON Win. Fox presents the Motion Picture Directed by SUNRISE oh 'Ntheiv By HERMANN SUDERMANN Symphonte Movietone Accompaniment . Sq, Thea. 424 St. W. of Brway Times Sq. wit DaiLy, 2:80-8:30 rk with Janes Rennie & Claudette Colbey -| “AN BNEMY Or en "The Actor - Managers presents Lord Dunsany's comedy, “4K” LITTLE THEATRE, W. 44th St. Eves. 2 ¥ ) us | Evenings 8:30 REPUBLIC yg) ane Wed. «Sat, The Mulberry Bush { The Theatre Guild Presegits PORG) GALSWORTHY's Lat Play Guild Thy W. o2d Bye. §:40 I m Y ‘i with oo - se KSCAPE How aa re = er LESLIE HOWARD i Theatre, 41 St. W. of B’way waitin anes Er, aaa wet; | Nati 1 Evys.$:30. Mts. Wed.&3at.2:30 “Audience Quaked Delightedly.” “The T - f M ” Sess avonas | vial of Mary Dugan } By Bayard Veiller, with ANN HARDI --REX CHERRYMAN r WALTER Vn Ork s M | in Ibsen's comedy THE PROPLE” | 9o Thea., B'way at 62d St. | Hampden’s Evenings at 8:30, | Matinees Wednesday and Saturday 2:30 G, Thea., 65 W. 35th, Ey. 8:80 GARRICK Mats. Thurs. & Sat. 2:30 BASIL SYDNEY and MARY ELLIS in THE MODERN TAMING OF THE SHREW with the GARRICK PLAYERS WALLS :-: with MUNI WISENFREND John Golden Thy 58 State CIVIC REPERTORY THEA. 14 St. & 6 Ave, Prices 50c to $1.60 EVA LE GALLIENNE ‘Tonight— “THE GOOD HOPI" Matinee—'MASTER BUILDER" The LADDER LYRIC THEATRE, 42 St, W. of Bway. Byes, 8:30, Mats. Wed. & Sat, 2:30, j