What Is the Cause and Cure
of the Static Condition
of the Henry George Movement?

Charles R. Eckert

[An address made at the Washington, DC Woman's Single Tax Club, March 1936. Reprinted from Land and Freedom, March-April 1936]

I was invited to give a brief talk on "The Cause and Cure of War." This subject was suggested because it was the hope that members of the Peace group would be present this evening. On account of the inclemency of the weather or other good and sufficient reasons, none of the group are present, and inasmuch as the cause and cure of war are so intimately related to the economic problem, it seems futile to discuss that subject in this presence, as every one here knows that the cause of war has its roots in the impediments that have been placed in the channels of trade and the monopolization of the natural resources of the earth. The philosophy in which we are all interested contemplates the removal of all tariff barriers, so that the channels of trade would be free and open, and to make the earth accessible to all on equal terms. This, we of the Single Tax movement believe, would not only solve the problem of involuntary poverty, but likewise the problem of war. Hence I suggest that, instead of discussing the subject assigned, we convert this meeting into a round table discussion of the question, "What Is the Cause and Cure of the Static Condition of the Henry George Movement?"

It is more than fifty years since Progress and Poverty was given to the world, and during this period much has been done to promote and disseminate the message contained in George's epoch-making book. Much energy has been spent, considerable money has been given for the cause, and a goodly number of the most forward-looking and substantial men and women of our time have given their best thought and labor to the movement. Yet in spite of it all, the movement is quite backward and immobile, and so it would seem quite appropriate that we who are so devoted to this cause should give some thought to the reasons why there should be such halting progress, and, besides, the times seem to be quite propitious for such an examination, as the world is stirred more deeply about matters pertaining to the economic welfare of the people today than any time during the entire history of the movement.

Frank E. Gannett, the Rochester publisher, some time ago sent a questionnaire to leading citizens throughout the country, with the purpose in mind of ascertaining what the Republican Party could do, first, to enable industry to abolish the ten or more million of unemployed, and second, to increase the income of our agricultural population. This questionnaire was widely distributed and Mr. Gannett received a very liberal response. A report issued by the Rochester publisher shows that more than 300 different proposals were suggested that, if adopted, would enable industry to absorb the great army of unemployed and the income of the agricultural population be considerably increased. Among these hundreds of proposals, not one suggested the remedy proposed in Progress and Poverty.

A Belgian economist declared that:

"There is in human affairs one order which is the best. It is not always the order which exists, but it is the order which ought to exist for the greatest good of humanity. God knows it and wills it. Man's duty is to discover and establish it."

If the Belgian economist and many other prophets and economists, including Henry George, are correct in their conclusion that human society is governed by certain fundamental natural laws, it seems passing strange that among political leaders, statesmen and educators today, not one even hints at the truth embodied in the statement of the Belgian economist.

There seems to be an absolute dearth of correct thinking, and so it would seem, in view of the confused and bewildered condition of the economic mind, both here in the United States and throughout the world, that now of all times is the most propitious for a drive on the part of those who believe in the philosophy of Henry George to bring to the attention of statesmen and leaders of thought the economic philosophy which means so much for the salvation of the race. Why would this not be an appropriate time to set forth in brief and concise form the fundamental tenets of the Henry George philosophy and memorialize the President of the United States, the Members of Congress and the leaders of the various political parties, to the end that the great truth of the George philosophy may be brought to the attention of the present political leaders. The present administration has set up an economic laboratory in Washington where devoted persons are engaged in experimenting with various proposals intended to improve and ameliorate the economic lot of the American people. As the experiments that are unsound will have to be discarded, one by one, may we not confidently hope that the proposal of Henry George in due time will receive at the hands of the political leaders of our time the attention that its soundness and importance entitle it?"