REVIEW: ERAS CRISIS OF EMPIRE Dutt sees break with imperialism as Britain's solution of crisis IN 1764, we learn, the youthful Edward Gibbon musing amid the ruins of Rome and meditating on the meaning of the decadence of a civilization was moved to write his monumental Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The period in which we are now living will probably be known to historians as The Decline and Fall of the British ‘Empire. R. Palme Dutt's little book, Britain’s Crisis of Empire, may wel] prove to be the first draft of a critique of the decline of a great empire. In spite of the wealth of learning generously dis- played and the fascination of a most elegant English prose, few critics would hold that Gibbon had grasped the central factor in Rome’s imperial decline. A comparison of Dutt’s book with Gibbon’s many volumes suggests the transformation that has come over historical writing as a re- sult of the work of Marx, Engels and Lenin. Instead of a literature exercise and an essay in moral edification ott has become a science. Dutt’s book i. spare, lean and economical. But it grasps with the firm mastery of a skilled poli- tical analyst the essential factors in a given situation. He has a ruthless skill to pare away the irrelevant, to emphasize the signi- ficant. He has produced a book _ that every progressive and every one who wants to be fully aware of the-main historical currents of our day must study, and with ~profit. _ Dutt sketches first in sharp so- iological terms the growth of empire-colonial exploitation, mer- chant capital, industrial capital- ism, and finally finance capitalism or imperialism in the strict sense. He shows how at every stage the balance sheet of imperialism, how- ever profitable for the big mono- polists hag been disastrous for the mass of the people. He shows the real meaning of _ the present surge for independence that is sweeping through the whole colonial world. — - This chapter ‘is set off by an effective quotation from an ear- lier historian of the British Em- pire which rings with a savage irony today. “The moment a muti-. ny is but threatened which shall _ be no mere mutiny, but the expres- sion of a universal feeling of na- tionality, all hope is at an end, as all desire ought to be, at an ‘end, of preserving our Empire.” . But Creech Jones, the British Co- Jonial secretary, can only des- eribe the patriots of Malaya as bandits. Event in China, Vietnam, Bur- ma, Malaya, Africa and India, ‘Dutt argues, “amount to a quali- tative change in the whole char- acter and stage of the ee liberation movement.” ' Dutt argues most forcibly that that older structures of imperial- ism is threatened not only by the surge of “backward” peoples for independence but by the vora- cious ambitions of the American dream of an American century. “The Anglo-American antagonism remains the main antagonism of _ the imperialist world.” He describes how inexorably America is taking over the Bri- tish Empire, endeavoring to use the older skills of imperial re- ‘the men of Wall Street. pression in the interests of Ameri- can monopoly profits. He shows by frequent quotation from American sources’ the sup- reme ambition that has arisen in “Ameri- ca is the natural heir to the lega- cy for power and world leader- ship so long held by the British Empire,” writes Hearst’s man Friday, Karl von Wiegand. Dutt shows quite concretely how far this process of assimilation has gone. At the same time he shows in masterly fashion that this dream is only a dream — how American imperialism is itself involved in an inextricable contradiction, “American capitalism has to sus- tain the sinking capitalist struc- ture in every other country of the still surviving capitalist world, at the same time as its lusty compe- titive power continues to enfeeble still further and knock out the same structure which its diplo- macy is striving to maintain.” Dutt quotes with approval the words of Mao Tse-tung, “The Am- erican reactionary has a heavy burden. He must sustain the re- actionaries of the entire world. And if he cannot sustain them the house will fall down. It is a house with one pillar.” * * * WITH MASTERLY incisiveness Dutt exposes the shallow pretense that recent constitutional chang- es in India and elsewhere amount to “independence”, He shows how a native capitalist class has been drafted by the senile masters of empire to continue the work of repression and prevent any real - movement for real independence from. getting under way. He demonstrates how wistfully the masters of empire, while in process of losing their “second empire” are dreaming of a third to be created with the help of American capital in Africa. He exposes. the essential weak- nesses of this dream — Britain does not have the surplus capital available any more without Am- erican help, and American capi- talists will naturally want the profits. After all what could be more pathetic than a capitalist without capital. Moreover these plans run head- long into the growing desires and aspirations of the African people themselves who cannot be insu- lated from world events, : If Britain lacks capital to car- ry out grandiose plans, she equal- ly lacks military force. Empire means war, but war in these new circumstances with inadequate military resources. “Britain had to dispatch half its mobile expe- ditionary force to Malaya; and at the same time Tory and Labor MP’s were rising in indignation to demand where were Britain’s expeditionary forces to fulfil the obligations of the Brussels pact; and Shinwell was left ati hi tied for an answer.” kik. * WITH EQUAL SKILL Dutt de- molishes the argument that the election of a Labor government | means a decisive break with the, old policy of empire and imperial repression. Following closely in the foot- steps of Lenin, he shows how the leadership of the Labor govern- ment represents a small labor ar- istocracy completely corrupted by the super profits of imperial ex- ploitation. But in the new situa- tion, Dutt argues, Tory “Social- ism’ can no longer bring home the bacon; “Whereas previously _ social democracy could claim that its empire policy brought results in the shape of social conces- sions to section of the workers, the reverse is now the case. The prosecuticn of the imperial policy requires cuts at the ex- pense of the working class — lowering real wages, inflicting crushing burdens on the people and carrying the country along the path leading to economic catastrophe.” : The catastrophe of which Dutt speaks is imminent for the Bri- tish people. “In the plans of the superior American strategy, so abun- dantly claimed alike in their ‘military journals and popular press, the prospect of the des- truction of the greater part of Britain or of a large part of its population in the contem- plated third world war, will be a sacrifice amply justified in the higher imterests of the de- fense of the United States and Western civilization.” This way lies madness and de- struction for the British people. They must find the alternative route which promises them a bright and secure future in free and equal association with the formerly dependent peoples. “The time has come when the great alternative must be faced. Britain must either break with imperialism or go under. The ending of foreign domination and military interventionist ad- ventures ig mot only indispen- sable in the interests of demo- cracy and peace and of the colonial peoples struggling for freedom. It is equally the life and death need of the British people, if they are to solve their problems at home and advance to socialism.” * * * WHAT DOES ALL this mean to, the Canadian worker and pro- gressive? Canada is emerging as an independent imperial power, the third strongest in the imper- jialist world. But she is entering this historical stage at a time when world imperialism is alrea- dy a bankrupt system. Canada as an imperialist pow- er is in an impossible position. Her products are in constant com- petition with the overwhelming productive power of America, Her raw materials face not only the competition of America’s greater resources, but her markets are bound hand and foot to a declining world system. . The Canadian economy in recent imperialist terms is probably more vulnerable than that of any other country. Those Canadian publi- cists who lull] us to sleep with opium dreams of Canada’s bright future under the present system are deceitful or self-deceived. Canada has a great future — as bright as any country in the world. But this she can only realize, as Britain can, by a deci- sive break with imperialism and the cold war or lose her national independencé and tread the path of decline. The choice for the Canadian people is just as ur- gent as the choice for the British. Britain’s Crisis of Empire, ob- tainable at the People’s Coopera- tive Bookstore, 337 West Pender, - at. 90- cents, “is. -a’.- book for every Canadian worker and progressive to syndy, and master. —D.C. , SPONSORED BY CONGRESS gress. later. judging and for rehearsal. winners. acters. ing the fight for peace. nor longer than 80. Peace play contest A NATIONAL CONTEST for a Canadian play around the theme of peace is announced by the Canadian Peace Con- It is hoped the winning play or plays will be performed by drama groups across Canada on or about October 2, which is to be marked as International Peace Day. Prize-winning plays will be entered in the world contest for literary or artistic works, sponsored by the World Congress of the Defenders of Peace, in which prizés totalling five million francs are being offered. Prizes will be offered by the Canadian Peace Congress—a first prize for the best play, prizes for the best two three-act plays and for the best two one-act plays. Deadline for all entries will be August 1 to allow time for A board’ of judges headed by Dr. James G. Endicott, Peace Congress chairman, will choose the In making the announcement, the Congress office urges con- testants to keep their plays as simple in construction as possible. Do not employ elaborate scenery or backdrops or too many char-~ The play should be based on Canadian experience, stress- It must not be shorter than 40 minutes, Contestants may obtain full detailed instructions and entry form by writing the Canadian Peace.Congress, Peace Play Con- test, 49 Walker Avenue, Toronto, Ont. Prize list will be announced GUIDE TO GOOD READING New tract on jobs to be issued May 1 WITH AN ESTIMATED 400,000 men and women unem- ployed _at the beginning of April, despite government efforts to minimize the effects of the growing economic crisis by representing unemployment a3 z ” ae ” as “‘regional”’ or “‘seasonal, people is jobs. the issue uppermost in the minds of most And that’s the title—Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!—of a new © popular tract written by J. B. Salsberg which will be available through- out the country on May Day. In this new tract, Salsberg, who is LPP member of the Ontario legislature for Toronto-St. Andrew and a widely known and respec- ted figure in the trade union move- ment, strips from the problem of unemployment the propaganda with which governments are try- ing. to conceal its seriousness, shows its underlying causes and offers a practical program to put | unemployed Canadians _back to work. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs! will be the second popular tract to be issued by the Labor Progressive party in recent months. The first, Tim Buck’s The Yankee Occupation of Canada, has already gone into two editions and a third edition is now in preparation. These tracts sell at three cents a copy. In May, a third edition of Stan- ley Ryerson’s popular book, A World to Win, thoroughly revised and brought up to date, will be published, and in July the Labor- Progressive party will publish a 5-cent, vestpocket size pamphlet, What the LPP Stands For. Bank takes subs for Tito journal If further evidence were needed of the Tito clique’s tie-up with Western imperialism, perhaps this will provide it: At the top corner of the Jugo- slay Fortnightly, a journal which in its last issue gave front page prominence in picture and story to the welcoming of U.S. Ambas- sador Allen to Belgrade, it tells | its readers how they may sub- scribe to the paper. Simply send the Shesaatien price in Canadian money to the Bank of Montreal, Montreal, Que- bec! Readers in the U.S. may sub- scribe through the Bank of Mon- treal, New York City. In Britain, — Barclays Bank and the Midland Bank do the job for Tito. | Can anyone imagine a Canadian bank receiving subscriptions for & progressive paper from the So- viet Union, or any of the New Democracies? “Everything in Flowers” FROM .. EARL SYKES 56 E. Hastings St. PA. 3855 Vancouver, B.C, STANTON & MUNRO Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries ’ SUITE 515, FORD BUILDING, 193 E. HASTINGS ST. (Corner Main & Hastings Sts.) MArine 5746 ae; Castle Jewelers Watchmaker, Jewellers ¢ . Next to Castle Hotel 752 Granville MA. 8711 § A. Smith, Mgr. 5 an NEW SOVIET FILM COMING TO STATE THEATRE ONE WEEK Starts Sunday, Midnight, April 16 "VILLAGE TEACHER’ Watch For Further Details Next Week’s Issue PACIFIC TRIBUNE — APRIL 7, 1950 — PAGE 10