146 FLIGHT FROM THE CITY 



feet upon food production was cumulatively bad. 

 Today, in spite of their five-year plan, in spite of 

 their pathetic faith in the efficacy of socialism, the 

 whole of Russia is on a starvation diet. True, some 

 sections of the population the proletariat are spe- 

 cially favored. But then so are certain sections of the 

 population with us, only we call them the rich. And 

 as for the unfortunate fact that with us some of the 

 unemployed are subjected to inhuman suffering the 

 Russians match that by subjecting the kulaks, the 

 nobles, and the clergy to similar inhuman suffering. 



The truth about the matter is that neither the 

 things proposed in previous depressions nor the eco- 

 nomic planning proposed in this one is capable of 

 ending the insecurity from which we suffer. 



Insecurity and industrialism are Siamese twins. You 

 cannot have one without having to accept the other. 



Insecurity is the price we pay for our dependence 

 upon industrialism for the essentials of life. 



A very old Biblical story makes it clear that when 

 one man becomes dependent upon another for the 

 opportunity to secure the food with which to keep 

 himself alive, he may be forced to sacrifice his birth- 

 right of freedom and happiness. Isaac, it will be re- 

 membered, was a wealthy man. He had rich lands, 

 large flocks, and many servants. Esau was his oldest 

 son and favorite. Custom made him his father's exclu- 

 sive heir. But he was a reckless hunter, while his more 

 conservative brother Jacob, who coveted Esau's birth- 



