Ask the Scholar
Page 2 of 2
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
FORTUNE
Volume XXXIX
Number 3
March 1949
SOCIALISM
BY DEFAULT
Without admitting it-maybe without knowing it-the Truman
administration is giving the U.S. another push toward socialism.
How far have we gone and how do we measure it?
by John Davenport
D
URING THE LAST few weeks a number of Americans have
the world into a new way of life, will meet the issue. Patriots
had an uncomfortable feeling that the state of the
are in general optimists, but it does not follow that patriotism
American union is not quite SO good as President Harry S.
and optimism are the same thing. There are times, as when
Truman says. The malaise is born partly from the apprehen-
this country entered the war, when it is the duty of all men to
sion that the long period of super-prosperity occasioned by
back their government to the limit. But there are other times,
the war is drawing to a close-that, in the words of one busi-
as in the years leading to Munich, when the part of patriotism
nessman: "1949 will be a good year to take in sail and watch
is to face the real dangers openly and publicly. A British
for signs of a falling barometer." The malaise is born, second,
statesman (originally not Mr. Churchill) once referred to the
from the fact that Mr. Truman's Fair Deal looks more and
early thirties as "the years that the locusts have eaten." We,
more like an accelerated New Deal, which, whatever its
too, need to guard against the locusts.
virtues, was never able, until saved by the war, to create and
Definition is obviously called for in the beginning. It is
maintain even a tolerable level of employment and prosperity
apparent that, internally at least, this country is in no danger
in the U.S. The malaise is born, third, of something more
of collectivization by the Communists. We know the Com-
elusive and profound-the feeling that, whether prosperity
munists, and their technique of confusion is well understood.
lasts another month, or another year, or another five years,
Equally certain it is that the U.S. is in no danger of formally
there is at present working in this country a whole series of
espousing Socialism in the sense that a sincere Socialist of the
forces and ideas that, without conscious choice by the people,
stripe of Norman Thomas uses that word-i.e., public owner-
are shoving the U.S. republic down the path of socialism.
ship of the means of production. But socialism and collectiv-
This feeling may be wise or foolish, justified or unjustified.
ism do not always have to enter a country by the front door,
If it represents a foolish fear, born of seeing ghosts under the
especially if the rear door is left ajar. The economies of Great
bed, then the sooner it can be brought out into the light the
Britain, France, and what is left of Germany are socialist
better. But if it is based on real evidence, then no amount of
despite the fact that governments and occupying authorities
easy assurances that "happy days are here again," or that Mr.
do not hold in their hands legal title to the factories and farms
Truman's heart is in the right place, or that the U.S. is leading
of those nations. The essence of European socialism is not that
69
Page data
- Page
- 2
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- ffbf740deb5d24a4
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 354583925
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "354583925",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/354583925",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Image of Inaugural Parade in Fortune Magazine",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/354583925",
"collections": [
"Verne E. Chaney Papers",
"Subject Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-vec/648564/333233629/333233629-25-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-vec/648564/333233629/333233629-25-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-vec/648564/333233629/333233629-25-001.tif",
"imageCount": 2,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "354583925",
"label": "Image of Inaugural Parade in Fortune Magazine",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/354583925"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "354583925",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/354583925",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Image of Inaugural Parade in Fortune Magazine",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/354583925",
"collections": [
"Verne E. Chaney Papers",
"Subject Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-vec/648564/333233629/333233629-25-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-vec/648564/333233629/333233629-25-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-vec/648564/333233629/333233629-25-001.tif",
"imageCount": 2,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/354583925",
"naId": 354583925,
"levelOfDescription": "item",
"productionDates": [
{
"logicalDate": "1949-03-01",
"month": 3,
"year": 1949
}
],
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 2,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-vec/648564/333233629/333233629-25-002.tif",
"mediaId": "ffbf740deb5d24a4",
"ocrText": "FORTUNE\nVolume XXXIX\nNumber 3\nMarch 1949\nSOCIALISM\nBY DEFAULT\nWithout admitting it-maybe without knowing it-the Truman\nadministration is giving the U.S. another push toward socialism.\nHow far have we gone and how do we measure it?\nby John Davenport\nD\nURING THE LAST few weeks a number of Americans have\nthe world into a new way of life, will meet the issue. Patriots\nhad an uncomfortable feeling that the state of the\nare in general optimists, but it does not follow that patriotism\nAmerican union is not quite SO good as President Harry S.\nand optimism are the same thing. There are times, as when\nTruman says. The malaise is born partly from the apprehen-\nthis country entered the war, when it is the duty of all men to\nsion that the long period of super-prosperity occasioned by\nback their government to the limit. But there are other times,\nthe war is drawing to a close-that, in the words of one busi-\nas in the years leading to Munich, when the part of patriotism\nnessman: \"1949 will be a good year to take in sail and watch\nis to face the real dangers openly and publicly. A British\nfor signs of a falling barometer.\" The malaise is born, second,\nstatesman (originally not Mr. Churchill) once referred to the\nfrom the fact that Mr. Truman's Fair Deal looks more and\nearly thirties as \"the years that the locusts have eaten.\" We,\nmore like an accelerated New Deal, which, whatever its\ntoo, need to guard against the locusts.\nvirtues, was never able, until saved by the war, to create and\nDefinition is obviously called for in the beginning. It is\nmaintain even a tolerable level of employment and prosperity\napparent that, internally at least, this country is in no danger\nin the U.S. The malaise is born, third, of something more\nof collectivization by the Communists. We know the Com-\nelusive and profound-the feeling that, whether prosperity\nmunists, and their technique of confusion is well understood.\nlasts another month, or another year, or another five years,\nEqually certain it is that the U.S. is in no danger of formally\nthere is at present working in this country a whole series of\nespousing Socialism in the sense that a sincere Socialist of the\nforces and ideas that, without conscious choice by the people,\nstripe of Norman Thomas uses that word-i.e., public owner-\nare shoving the U.S. republic down the path of socialism.\nship of the means of production. But socialism and collectiv-\nThis feeling may be wise or foolish, justified or unjustified.\nism do not always have to enter a country by the front door,\nIf it represents a foolish fear, born of seeing ghosts under the\nespecially if the rear door is left ajar. The economies of Great\nbed, then the sooner it can be brought out into the light the\nBritain, France, and what is left of Germany are socialist\nbetter. But if it is based on real evidence, then no amount of\ndespite the fact that governments and occupying authorities\neasy assurances that \"happy days are here again,\" or that Mr.\ndo not hold in their hands legal title to the factories and farms\nTruman's heart is in the right place, or that the U.S. is leading\nof those nations. The essence of European socialism is not that\n69"
}