Posted on 10/19/2010 3:36:43 PM PDT by nuke rocketeer
New Deal Fellow Travellers On the question of Communist support of Franklin D. Roosevelt, let us look at some of their fellow travellers supporting the President officially in Washington. If Mr. Roosevelt doesn't want their support why doesn't he fire them?
Here are a few:
Rexford Tugwell, Governor of Puerto Rico: "Business will logically be required to disappear." This was in 1932 and Tugwell is still on the payroll.
Adolf Berle, Assistant Secretary of State. Berle says: "Over a period of years the government will gradually come to own most of the production plants in the United States." Does that sound like Stalin's program or not?
Henry A. Wallace, Vice President: "They will not be Socialists, Communists or Fascists, but plain men trying to gain by democratic methods the professed objectives of the Communists, Socialists and Fascists." What are the objectives of the Communists except Communism?
Mrs. Evelyn Burns, a British-born Socialist, and the chief author of the National Resources Planning Board report on post-war America which Mr. Roosevelt urged on Congress last year! "Society will have to devise methods . . . that would refuse individuals the right to make what use they wish of their own labor and property." Is that Communism or is it New Dealism?
Clifford A. Durr, of the Federal Communications Commission: "The government will provide the market and say what and how' much is to be produced." Stalin does that in Russia.
Paul Porter, of the War Labor Board: "All owners of stocks, bonds, mortgages, land, buildings, or equipment affected shall be required to surrender them in return for Commonwealth bonds." This would effectively abolish private property as in Russia.
Thomas R. Ajmlie, named by Roosevelt to the Interstate Commerce Commission, and later made Special Assistant Attorney General: "Congress shall have power to enact laws to provide for the ownership, operation and management . . . of business, manufacturing, commerce, industry and banking." Is this a Bolshevik program or not?
Paul Blanchard, employee in the State Department: "Having once captured the government and shelved the Supreme Court, we Socialists would nationalize as many large industries as we could chew. We would do it peacefully, if possible, and otherwise, if necessary."
Leland Olds, recently reappointed by Mr. Roosevelt to the Federal Power Commission, was for years a contributor to the Communist "Daily Worker," and a co-editor of the Federated Press of which Earl Browdor was a director. Olds says: "Ownership will become more and more divorced from any active part in the business of society. The owners will cease to be necessary."
Tom Trippet, employed by OPA: "Take control of industry and government, abolish the present captalistic system and build a workers' republic." Paul Sifton, in the Department of the Interior: "The whole caplalislic shell game can sink and bcdamned . . . Tell them we've got another war 011 . . . a war to establish a workers' government."
Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor: "The legality of the sit down strike is yet to be determined. Economically, the sit down strike is just the same as any other stoppage of work." This form of strike was invented by French Communists. Alvin Hanson, Adviser of National Resources Planning Board: "Congress will surrender to the Administration the power to tax . , . and to direct when and how the money will be spent." This would give the President a blank check on every dollar in America. Freedom could not survive such power to punish or reward.
None of these persons was ever elected by anybody to anything. They were appointed by Mr. Roosevelt. If he doesn't want their support why doesn't he can them? George Washington said, "Put none but Americans on guard."
Interesting that Henry Wallace was replaced as vice-president for FDR’s third term by then relative unknown Harry Truman. Wallace was reputed to be passing secrets to the Soviets possibly including the existence of the atomic bomb project. Had Wallace become President by FDR’s death, he would not have pursued Truman’s hard line against Stalin.
The Forgotten Man by Amity Shlaes is a great book with a new and disturbing perspective on the socialist/communist influences in the Roosevelt administration during the New Deal. She documents how Roosevelt’s misguided leftist policies actually prolonged the Great Depression.
Yes, it is an excellent book.
Wallace was dumped on the insistence of southern democrats. They did not want him in 1940, and refused to support him in 1944.
“Adolf Berle’s Notes on his Meeting with Whittaker Chambers”
http://www.johnearlhaynes.org/page100.html
Very good info.
Very good info.
I wonder just how “misguided” FDR actually was? Perhaps his goals were other than what we have supposed. Perhaps he idolized Stalin just a bit too completely.
FDR lived a priviledged life, like many liberals do, and this seems to give rise to elitism. He certainly had this belief in a "benevolent" government telling the little people how to live. At the very least, he and his fellow travellers were enchanted with the idea of socialism. Amity Shlaes' excellent book "The Forgotten Man" delves into this. Its eye opening. Regards.
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