OCTOBER,1946 esarytoplacegeneralinterestsabovetheantagonisticin- terestsofprivateinterests."Hisimmediatemotive:toget unlimitedfundsforhismilitaryprogram,whichcomesto halfthetotalbudget. nationalizedthenewsprintindustry(asacluboverthe newspapers). backedthegreatstrikelast'Marchofpacking-house workreesrsu.meddiplomaticrelationswithRussia,after28years ofnon,recognition. issueddecreesputingtheentirebankingsystemdirectly underthenationalizedCentralBank,wbichcontrolstheir loans,fixesrediscountrates.Itisestimatedthiswillcutbank profitsatleast50%andmaydriveoutofthecountryforeign banksliketheNationalCityBank. —putthroughtheChamberabilltobuyout,for $95 mil- lions,theArgentiniansubsidiaryoftheInternationalTelephoneandTelegraphCo. arangedwithBritaintosetupamixedArgentin-British company,underArgentinecontrol,totakeoverthegreat networkofBritish-ownedrailroads.Atthesigningofthe treaty,Peronpromisedthatbeforehissix-yeartermasPres- identends,"notaninchofsoilnorabreathofair"inArgentinawillfailtobelongtotheArgentinepeople;hemadeit clearheproposedfortheStatetotakeovernotonlyallforeign-ownedenterprisesbutalsomostprivately-ownedbig buI st inisesns.otsurprisingthattheliberaljournalist,CarletonBeals, shouldwriteinarecentissueof TheProgressive: "Inspirit andpractice,IshouldsaythatArgentina,atthemoment,is probablythemost'democratic'countryinLatinAmerica." Onecouldhardlyexpectaliberaltoperceivethatwhensuch measuresaretakenbysuchaleader,theconclusionshould benotthathisregimeisdemocraticbutratherthatthecommonlyacceptednotionofdemocracyneedsre-examination. TheSquatters AweekafterGeorgeWoodcock'sLon- BecomeNews donLetterarrived,theBritishCommunistsmovedinonthesquaters' movement.Ourpress,whichhadignoredthemovementuntil then,wasinstantlyfiledwithnewsaboutit.Theimpression givenwasthatthemovementwasorganizedandledbythe Commeis;butinfact,asWoodcock'slettershows,itbegan spontaneouslylastspringandhadspreadtonation-wideproportionsmonthsbeforethecomradesmuscledin.Withtheir usualflairforpublicitywhichmeansunderstandingthelack ofimaginationofbig-circulationeditorstheCommiestooka movementwhichwasnot"news"solongasitwasonlya messy,sprawling,disorganizedseriesofactionsbytensof thousandsofuninterestingordinaryfamiliesinvariousundramaticpartsofEnglandtookit,andmadeitfront-page copy"byafewdramaticseizuresofLondonluxuryapartmentbuildings.Tothem,then,allcreditforshowmanship. TheLondondemonstrationswereexecutedintheCommunist style:withsmoothorganization,tightdisciplineandnore- gardfortheinterestsofthesquaters.Theybeganwiththe captureoftheDuchessofBedfordHouse,abouttoreopenat rentalsof$42aweekup."Asifbymagic,nearly2,000people fromallsectionsofLondonstartedgatheringonKensington HighStreetinthefashionableWestEnd.At2o'clocksharp theymovedenmassetowardtheDuchessofBedfordHouse. Theygainedpossessionquickly,andtooknineotherbuildings ofvaryingsizesintheexclusiveneighborhood." (N.Y.Times, Sept.14).Theverynextday,theGovernment,delightedto haveapopularexcuseforcrackingdown,denouncedtheCom- munistsasfactionalistsseekingpoliticalcapital(whichthey wer0.and—forAhefirst3fedirethemovementbeganlast Bibliotecauino It! Maydaredtobeginlegalaction.OnSeptember17,thecourts isuedordersforeviction.TheCommunistsgaveupthefight instantly:theyhadmilkeddrythepublicity,andfromthen ontherecouldonlybedificulties.Thefollowingday,therefore,thedemonstrationwasdeflatedwiththespeed(anddig- nity)ofaprickedbaloon.Theimpresariosissuednew"directives,"andthesuperstrudgedobedientlyoffthestage, manyofthemnodoubtbewilderedandresentful,buthelpless oncetheyweredesertedbytheleadersinwhosecompetent handsthyhadfoolishlylefttheircause."Asswiftly,butfar lesdramaticalythanitbegan,theLondonsquatters'move- mentcolapsedtoday. . .Thecapableorganizingtalentof theBritishCommunistParty,soevidentintheseizingofthe buildingslastweek,wasabsentthisafternoonasthesquaters struggledoutofthebuildingswiththeirfewbelongingsto seeknewshelters." (N.Y.Times, Sept.19). Mr. Bevanand Ironically,thecabinetministerwho PropertyRights hashadtocopewiththesquaters' movementisAneurinBevanwho wasallthroughthewarthefieryspokesmanoftheextreme leftwingoftheLaborParty.(HisAmericananalogueis WalterReuther,whomheresemblesbothinhisProgressive ideologyandhisoppositiontotheCommies.)AsMinisterof Health,Bevanisresponsibleforthehousingprogram.Forced togoeasyformonthsbecauseofthegreatpublicsympathy forthesquatters,BevanfelthecouldcutlooseoncetheCommunistsenteredthepicture.Hisreaction,assemsalwaysto bethecasewhenthesemuch-advertisedProgressivesgetinto positionsofpower,wasindistinguishablefromthatofany Tory.Talkingof"violenceandlawlessness"(thoughthere wasnoneofeitherinthewholecourseofthemovement), Bevanevendenouncedthesquattersas"anarchists."*Aletter fromWoodcock,justcometohand,givesaglimpseofBevan's futureplans: "TheemphasisplacedbytheLaborministersonproperty rightswasmostiluminating.Nowtheyareproposingtomake thelawsagainsttrespassandenteringbuildingsmorewater- tight.Uptothepresent,itisacaseofcivilaction,andhas tobetriedinindividualandspecificcases,sothatanofender canonlybesenttoprisonafteracourtinjunctionhasbeen isuedandhehasrefusedtoalowit,thusperpetratinga contemptofcourt.NowtheLaborministersproposetomake itacriminalofense,andarethusmorezealousintheirpro- tectionofpropertythanseveralcenturiesofWhigandTory pa I rnliamaleenadts."editorialintheSeptember13issueof Tribune, theorganofBevan'sgroup,theeditorsadmitedthat,"emo- tionaly,"itwashardnottosympathizewiththesquaters. Buttheyafirmedthat"emotionisnotagoodenoughbasison whichtofoundapolicy"(whynot?)andadmonishedthe squatersthatprioritiesmustbeobservedandproblemsmust besolvedinaplanned,orderlyway.Theyremarkedthatifthe Communistswereallowed"togoaroundseizingpropertyin- discriminately"(noting,withjustatouchofwistfulness,that *Thistermhasacurioushistory.UptoWorldWarI, itwastheonly wordtheAmericanrulingclassknewtodescribethosewhorebeledagainst capitalism;andtothisday,suchbackwardinstitutionsastheStateDepart- mentandtheimmigrationauthoritiesstillsolemnlyaskapplicantsfor entryintothecountrywhethertheyhave"anarchist"beliefs.Ingeneral currency,however,thewordhasbeenobsoleteforgenerationsbecauseof thesadfactthattherearesofewanarchistsandsomanycommunistsand socialists.Butit isoddhowoftenit isrevivedasaswear-wordwhenever theAuthoritiesgetintoatightplace.(ThusBevan'susageismatchedby theroyalistpremierofGreecewhorecentlydenouncedhisCommunist opponentsas"anarchists"—whichmusthavebroughtasmiletothefaces ofsuchKremlinoficialsasstillpossessunatrophiedfacialmuscles.)Odd, andpossiblysignificantasaninstinctiverecognitionbyAuthoritythat anarchism,andnotcommunismorsocialism,istheoneirreductiblechallengetoitspretensions.
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