THE SOCIALIST PROGRAM

Those who heard Norman Thomas speak in the Winthrop Common Room yesterday enjoyed the refreshing spectacle of a man who adds to trenchant criticism of the existing economic situation a concrete plan to remedy it. Men who are uncompromisingly at odds with the essential factors of a system are not usually capable of such objectivity and moderation as Mr. Thomas displayed. The candor with which he revealed his pessismism about the present social apathy of the American people, combined with a hope of organizing them before it is too late, makes one feel that Socialism, whatever its other merits, has a grasp on reality which is not conspicuous in the orthodox political oratory.

This sense of reality is particularly acute in analyzing the sources and remedies of the depression which has currently afflicted the capitalist world. Unfortunately, the specific way in which those remedies are to be applied in this country, should the Socialists come into power, is not apparent. The interview with Mr. Thomas in today's CRIMSON outlined such a plan, but reveals no assurance that it could actually be introduced into the American governmental system without grave disturbances. A National Board of Strategy to plan and correlate industrial enterprises would cut sharply across the duties and prerogative of existing American Institutions. When one considers how strongly those who have those duties and prerogatives will cling to them, buttressed by the system of which they are part, it is difficult to share Mr. Thomas' conviction that the change could be made without violence, especially in a country which, as he himself says, has a long tradition of violence.

It is this weakness in the Socialist program which is likely in the long run to hurt it more than the transient prejudice which the average man now feels toward its very name. Until the Socialists have bridged this gap between theory and practice and given assurance that control of business by experts can be brought about within the fabric of present system, they are not likely to make great progress against the planless but firmly entrenched older parties.