Book O'Dead
8th November 2011, 16:39
TRANSCRIPT OF PARTIAL RECORDING OF
JOE PIRINCIN'S 1956 OHIO GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN RADIO ADDRESS
APROXIMATELY 12 MINS, 14 SECS. DURATION
(Originally recorded on magnetic reel-to-reel tape. Later transferred to cassette format and subsequently converted to digital format. Presently it is the basis for a visual storyboard.)
[Preceded by approx. 23 secs of barely audible conversation, possibly recorded over the original material. I presume that the missing initial portion of this recording involves a comparison between the SLP and rival or capitalist political parties.]
...Political parties ends. They emphasize men. We emphasize principles. They want capitalism continued. We want capitalism ended.
Now, there is more at stake in this campaign than the mere election of men to public office: The world is in a crisis of tremendous magnitude. The survival of civilization and global life itself is at stake. So the issue in this campaign, the burning issue confronting mankind, is socialism versus capitalism. Until it is resolved, mankind's aspirations for the abundant life in liberty and happiness are doomed to frustration. We must therefore think and act with knowledge, courage, vision and decision. Let us then go over the problem that we face and the solution that the Socialist Labor Party urges you to consider.
Humanity stands today on the threshold of a new social order. The old order, capitalism, is doomed. It is an outmoded system, shot through with fatal contradictions. For the time being, the capitalist economy is prevented from collapsing by two major props. One is the bubble of consumer credit; the other is government spending for arms, a multi-billion dollar military boondoggling program. Sooner or later the credit bubble will burst and set in motion the forces leading to economic paralysis. Society then will be confronted by an economic crisis of the first magnitude. In this crisis the warehouses will groan with unsold surpluses while the mass of the people suffer increasing want. Unemployment among the useful producers, the working class, will be on a scale that will make the depression of the 30's seem mild by comparison. And business failures will spread like a plague among the petty capitalists while the capitalist giants, the great corporate empires, concentrate even more economic power in their power-greedy hands.
A world war that quickly consumed the piled up surpluses enabled capitalism to extricate itself from the depression of the 30's. And war remains today the only real alternative the capitalists have to ultimate economic collapse. But war in 1956 means the H-bomb war; a war of annihilation and therefore a war that is suicidal, not only to capitalism but to civilization and to much, if not all, of the human race. Practically, capitalism today can postpone economic breakdown only by plunging the whole world into a veritable hell of hydrogen-bomb destructiveness and deadly radioactivity.
At the Geneva conference the political heads of the two rival imperialisms, Soviet Russia and the United States, solemnly agreed that war in these circumstances is unthinkable, their agreement underscored the fact of atomic stalemate. But atomic stalemate, however, is no protection against a catastrophic third world war. Ruling classes faced with the breakdown of their system and the consequent loss of their property and class privileges become desperate. And desperate men do desperate things. It is cause for the most sober reflection that today a few hundred top capitalists and their military and political pawns or their imperialists adversaries, the Russian despots, can, when their material interests so demand, set in motion fateful forces that could destroy the world. The Socialist Labor Party declares that the only alternative to social ruin and possible atomic war is the abolition of capitalism and all forms of class rule and the establishment of socialism. We must add that bona fide socialism has nothing in common with the bureaucratic despotism, which, despite the collective leadership that has replaced Stalin's one-man rule, masquerades as socialism in Soviet Russia. Nor does socialism mean making the politician the boss. Socialism, as Karl Marx conceived it, as Daniel Deleon, the great American Marxist developed it and as advocated by the Socialist Labor Party, is a society of industrial democracy in which the factories, mills, mines, railroads and land are owned collectively by all the people; where production is carried on for use instead of for sale and profit, and where industries are operated and administered democratically by the workers themselves, organized in socialist industrial unions.
In the Iron Curtain countries the bureaucrat is the master. In the West too the bureaucrat is tending to replace the capitalist as the overlord of modern society. The Socialist Industrial Union government, as proposed by the Socialist Labor Party is, in reality, the only form of social and industrial administration that eliminates both capitalists and bureaucrats and gives the workers a brain and brawn; a collective mastery of their tools and products.
Socialism is the answer to all social problems. Socialism is the cure for every evil spawned by capitalist class rule. It is the cure for recurring war because it eliminates the competition for markets and raw materials that is the basic cause of war and brings universal economic cooperation, thus creating a foundation for a durable peace. It is the cure for recurring depression because it replaces capitalist production for sale with production for human needs, thus freeing social production from the anarchy and restrictions of private ownership and a capricious market. It is the answer to the threat of technological unemployment, a threat underscored by the rapid spread of automation, because democratic socialist control of industry insures that instead of kicking workers out of their jobs new machines will kick hours out of the working day. It is the cure for social strife and the class struggle because socialism terminates exploitation of man by man and creates the economic basis of collective interests essential to social harmony. It is the cure for race prejudice because it cleanses society of the sordid material interests that profit from fomenting racism and creates the cooperative climate for human brotherhood. Socialism is the answer to crime and juvenile delinquency too, and to the alarming spread of mental illness, alcoholism, dope addiction and other similar manifestations of capitalist insanity. For it will replace irrational, inhuman relationships with rational, human ones.
To bring to birth this sane society of peace, abundance and freedom the Socialist Labor Party appeals to the working class of America and to all other enlightened and social-minded citizens to support its principles at the polls by voting for the candidates of the Socialist Labor Party. It appeals to all enlightened elements of our population to repudiate the Republican and Democratic parties, which are the Siamese twins of capitalism. It appeals to them to repudiate the self-styled radicals and liberals whose platforms consist of reform demands, measures that are meant to sweet-scent capitalist rule, and that when granted by decadent capitalism, are in fact concealed measures of reaction. Finally, the Socialist Labor Party appeals to the working class to repudiate the present unions, all of them accept capitalism as a finality and are under the domination and control of labor lieutenants of the capitalist class. It calls upon the workers to build a new union based squarely on working class interests one, which has socialism as its goal. And it calls upon them to build the integral socialist industrial union as the only power capable of enforcing the socialist ballot and of assuming the administration of social production. This is the peaceful and civilized way to accomplish the socialist revolution in America.
As we said at the outset, the issue in this campaign, the burning issue confronting mankind is socialism versus capitalism. Until it is resolved mankind's aspirations for the abundant life and liberty and happiness are doomed to frustration. We urge you, therefore, to unite with us to save civilization from catastrophe and to set an example in free industrial self-government for all mankind. Unite with us to establish the democratic socialist republic of peace, plenty and international brotherhood. If you disagree with us, vote us down. But first make sure that you know what you are voting down. If you agree with us, make certain that you know what you are agreeing with, [and] then express your agreement with us at the polls. In either case, you should study our program. You may do so without cost or obligation. A letter or card addressed to the Socialist Labor Party, 61 Cliff Street, New York 38, New York will bring you the necessary free literature. I'll repeat the address: Socialist Labor Party, 61 Cliff Street, that's six-one, Cliff--C-L-I-F-F--sixty-one Cliff Street, New York 38, New York. Do that, friends, do it now. Thanks for listening.[END]
JOE PIRINCIN'S 1956 OHIO GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN RADIO ADDRESS
APROXIMATELY 12 MINS, 14 SECS. DURATION
(Originally recorded on magnetic reel-to-reel tape. Later transferred to cassette format and subsequently converted to digital format. Presently it is the basis for a visual storyboard.)
[Preceded by approx. 23 secs of barely audible conversation, possibly recorded over the original material. I presume that the missing initial portion of this recording involves a comparison between the SLP and rival or capitalist political parties.]
...Political parties ends. They emphasize men. We emphasize principles. They want capitalism continued. We want capitalism ended.
Now, there is more at stake in this campaign than the mere election of men to public office: The world is in a crisis of tremendous magnitude. The survival of civilization and global life itself is at stake. So the issue in this campaign, the burning issue confronting mankind, is socialism versus capitalism. Until it is resolved, mankind's aspirations for the abundant life in liberty and happiness are doomed to frustration. We must therefore think and act with knowledge, courage, vision and decision. Let us then go over the problem that we face and the solution that the Socialist Labor Party urges you to consider.
Humanity stands today on the threshold of a new social order. The old order, capitalism, is doomed. It is an outmoded system, shot through with fatal contradictions. For the time being, the capitalist economy is prevented from collapsing by two major props. One is the bubble of consumer credit; the other is government spending for arms, a multi-billion dollar military boondoggling program. Sooner or later the credit bubble will burst and set in motion the forces leading to economic paralysis. Society then will be confronted by an economic crisis of the first magnitude. In this crisis the warehouses will groan with unsold surpluses while the mass of the people suffer increasing want. Unemployment among the useful producers, the working class, will be on a scale that will make the depression of the 30's seem mild by comparison. And business failures will spread like a plague among the petty capitalists while the capitalist giants, the great corporate empires, concentrate even more economic power in their power-greedy hands.
A world war that quickly consumed the piled up surpluses enabled capitalism to extricate itself from the depression of the 30's. And war remains today the only real alternative the capitalists have to ultimate economic collapse. But war in 1956 means the H-bomb war; a war of annihilation and therefore a war that is suicidal, not only to capitalism but to civilization and to much, if not all, of the human race. Practically, capitalism today can postpone economic breakdown only by plunging the whole world into a veritable hell of hydrogen-bomb destructiveness and deadly radioactivity.
At the Geneva conference the political heads of the two rival imperialisms, Soviet Russia and the United States, solemnly agreed that war in these circumstances is unthinkable, their agreement underscored the fact of atomic stalemate. But atomic stalemate, however, is no protection against a catastrophic third world war. Ruling classes faced with the breakdown of their system and the consequent loss of their property and class privileges become desperate. And desperate men do desperate things. It is cause for the most sober reflection that today a few hundred top capitalists and their military and political pawns or their imperialists adversaries, the Russian despots, can, when their material interests so demand, set in motion fateful forces that could destroy the world. The Socialist Labor Party declares that the only alternative to social ruin and possible atomic war is the abolition of capitalism and all forms of class rule and the establishment of socialism. We must add that bona fide socialism has nothing in common with the bureaucratic despotism, which, despite the collective leadership that has replaced Stalin's one-man rule, masquerades as socialism in Soviet Russia. Nor does socialism mean making the politician the boss. Socialism, as Karl Marx conceived it, as Daniel Deleon, the great American Marxist developed it and as advocated by the Socialist Labor Party, is a society of industrial democracy in which the factories, mills, mines, railroads and land are owned collectively by all the people; where production is carried on for use instead of for sale and profit, and where industries are operated and administered democratically by the workers themselves, organized in socialist industrial unions.
In the Iron Curtain countries the bureaucrat is the master. In the West too the bureaucrat is tending to replace the capitalist as the overlord of modern society. The Socialist Industrial Union government, as proposed by the Socialist Labor Party is, in reality, the only form of social and industrial administration that eliminates both capitalists and bureaucrats and gives the workers a brain and brawn; a collective mastery of their tools and products.
Socialism is the answer to all social problems. Socialism is the cure for every evil spawned by capitalist class rule. It is the cure for recurring war because it eliminates the competition for markets and raw materials that is the basic cause of war and brings universal economic cooperation, thus creating a foundation for a durable peace. It is the cure for recurring depression because it replaces capitalist production for sale with production for human needs, thus freeing social production from the anarchy and restrictions of private ownership and a capricious market. It is the answer to the threat of technological unemployment, a threat underscored by the rapid spread of automation, because democratic socialist control of industry insures that instead of kicking workers out of their jobs new machines will kick hours out of the working day. It is the cure for social strife and the class struggle because socialism terminates exploitation of man by man and creates the economic basis of collective interests essential to social harmony. It is the cure for race prejudice because it cleanses society of the sordid material interests that profit from fomenting racism and creates the cooperative climate for human brotherhood. Socialism is the answer to crime and juvenile delinquency too, and to the alarming spread of mental illness, alcoholism, dope addiction and other similar manifestations of capitalist insanity. For it will replace irrational, inhuman relationships with rational, human ones.
To bring to birth this sane society of peace, abundance and freedom the Socialist Labor Party appeals to the working class of America and to all other enlightened and social-minded citizens to support its principles at the polls by voting for the candidates of the Socialist Labor Party. It appeals to all enlightened elements of our population to repudiate the Republican and Democratic parties, which are the Siamese twins of capitalism. It appeals to them to repudiate the self-styled radicals and liberals whose platforms consist of reform demands, measures that are meant to sweet-scent capitalist rule, and that when granted by decadent capitalism, are in fact concealed measures of reaction. Finally, the Socialist Labor Party appeals to the working class to repudiate the present unions, all of them accept capitalism as a finality and are under the domination and control of labor lieutenants of the capitalist class. It calls upon the workers to build a new union based squarely on working class interests one, which has socialism as its goal. And it calls upon them to build the integral socialist industrial union as the only power capable of enforcing the socialist ballot and of assuming the administration of social production. This is the peaceful and civilized way to accomplish the socialist revolution in America.
As we said at the outset, the issue in this campaign, the burning issue confronting mankind is socialism versus capitalism. Until it is resolved mankind's aspirations for the abundant life and liberty and happiness are doomed to frustration. We urge you, therefore, to unite with us to save civilization from catastrophe and to set an example in free industrial self-government for all mankind. Unite with us to establish the democratic socialist republic of peace, plenty and international brotherhood. If you disagree with us, vote us down. But first make sure that you know what you are voting down. If you agree with us, make certain that you know what you are agreeing with, [and] then express your agreement with us at the polls. In either case, you should study our program. You may do so without cost or obligation. A letter or card addressed to the Socialist Labor Party, 61 Cliff Street, New York 38, New York will bring you the necessary free literature. I'll repeat the address: Socialist Labor Party, 61 Cliff Street, that's six-one, Cliff--C-L-I-F-F--sixty-one Cliff Street, New York 38, New York. Do that, friends, do it now. Thanks for listening.[END]