Spencer Heath Archive

Item 3002

Two carbons of unknown authorship found together, dated April 15 and 27 of 1938.

 

 

 

April 15, 1938 (D)

Prospectus of ‘THE ECONOMIC DIGEST’ — new monthly.

Editors: Padelford, Codman, Hayes, Ingersoll. 

Object:  reviews, discussions, conclusions, and action based upon corrected and simplified economics. First move to review such papers as L. and F., N.T., Freeman, Cause and Effect, ‘democracy’, etc.

Method: Divide these up among editors. Each to mail his review promptly to “Editor-In-Chief”: 4 copies to be made of review and mailed back to editors. Unless corrections are offered, reviews will be published.

Published monthly, say 1000 copies.

Financial: Simple formula like stock company. Each editor 25%: each to share in profits and loses.

Mimeograph edition to be gotten out weekly, say 100 with current material to be included in monthly.

Subscriptions $5 a year: get second hand privilege.

Subscription for monthly, $1 a year: get privilege.

Eight or Sixteen pages, tabloid or half size. Editors would get other assistance in financing.

CHI current events and other economic material to fill up monthly.

Name can be ‘democracy’ perhaps.

 

 

April 27, 1938 — A

 

THE LAND RECOVERY ASSOCIATION or LEAGUE FOR LAND NATIONALIZATION

 

OBJECT: to make idle land available to idle capital and labor.

     Land and Labor are the prime elements in the Production of Wealth: when these are idle, the suppressed production produces all the evils present since 1929. The remedy is to get the idle hands at work on the idle lands.

     Not all our idle millions wish or are competent to work directly on the land: but enough will go to the land if impediments are removed, to make the labor market normal so that there will be no longer two or more workers looking for every job.

     Reports indicate that well toward half the land area of this country is in default of taxes: it will be the purpose of this Association to procure what legal changes are necessary to secure title to tax default vacant land, in the government — local, state and national — and to make such lands available on most favorable possible terms — preferably the payment of the Annual Economic (land) rent — to all persons who will engage in production — the employment of labor and capital upon it.

     The relation of this condition of land tenure to possibly 10,000,000 of unemployed is obvious to the student of economics: since the only source of employment of either capital or labor is land, the conditions that render possible the vast unemployment and only fractional use of available capital, are vital to business distress and poverty, amidst a potential plenty.

     The contrast of providing opportunity for self-employment, to the providing of doles of money or work, is the crucial distinction between Jefferson , Lincoln, George democracy, and the Marxian State Socialism, we are rushing toward.

     Failure to utilize the opportunity to secure and distribute democratically, the possession of and, would leave the accomplishment of a great reform to the indefinite future. This method of direct action will appeal to the average mind better than any other. The method of procedure is as follows:

1. Select a state or states where legal and other conditions are favorable.
2. foreclose and perfect tax title in the selected taxing district.
3. when title is perfected, list the land for rent on perpetual or long term lease.
4. Rental to be the fair economic or land rent.
5. annual appraisal by regular assessing authorities to the measure of value.