U IN THESE TIMES SEPT. 29-OCI 5,1982 seems to consist of two small, mean regional today because gossipy worlds normally well anything nationwide is so easily CANADIAN THEATER separated by the language bar- dominated by American cor- rier: La Sagouine toured for 11 porations. years in French before Leger be- Right now 35 percent of Can- gan peforming it last year in ada's manufactured goods are English. I consider myself very imported. But when it comes to lucky to have stumbled onto her cultural goods—paperback Odes to the outlands guest appearance at Blyth. books, records and feature films The Blyth festival is enthusias- —the figures range from 80 per- time I needed to be nudged my- groups, obviously had a ball tically supported in its rural' cent to 95 percent. Despite the By Barbara Garson self. So I accepted a ride to with the 'wonderful fiddle community. But the company it- artistic prowess of the National Blyth, home of a smaller festival music, the local jokes, and the self is drawn from English Can- Film Board, Canadian television This season Canada's only na- in the region. large lively cast that spilled off ada's rootless cosmopolitan is a complete rout, with Charlie's tional theater is presenting plays "Population 1,000," said the the stage. theater professionals. They are Angels and Three's Company by a German, a Hawaiian, two sign as we entered town. "Blyth The evening show, La Sa- ideologically committed to pro- easily overrunning the poorly Irish and four dead Englishmen. Summer Festival. ALL CANA- gouine, consisted of five pol- viding entertaiment for their financed Canadian shows. Faced No wonder some living Cana- DIAN PLAYS." "So you've ished monologues delivered by southern Ontario audience: pro- with such powerful capitalist dians resent it. But these nation- come from Stratford," the the superb actress Viola Leger. vincialism in the most self- armies to the south, Canadian alist grumbles are not audible, at players greeted us. Then, with La Sagouine, a 72-year-old Aca- conscious sense. theater troupes fight guerrilla least during the season, in the derision, anger and shame, dian scrubwoman, is presented In Canada, nationalism al- actions in localities like Blyth. Towne of Stratford itself. So for "Canada's national theater de- as rich with a peasant wit that most always means regionalism. Quite naturally they denounce the first two days I glided peace- voted to a dead Englishman." verges, just once in a while, on This is partly because the re- dead Bardism and call for subsi- fully from play to play along The productions at Blyth went the precious. About her employ- gions were settled by separate dies to companies doing Cana- with the swans and paddleboats on to develop the theme of their ers she says "We wear the old and thrivingly unhomogenized dian plays. on the Canadian Avon. highway sign. clothes they give us for the sake groups. But to cultural nation- Right now Canadian artists Arms and the Man was as airy Country Hearts by Ted of Jesus Christ. It's a lucky thing alists, "Canadian" still has to can still feel they are fighting and delicious as an Amaretto Johns, with music by John imperialism when they try to mousse. Julius Ceasar featured a Roby, seemed to be set in the preserve regional culture against Method Acting mob that gave tavern across the road from the television culture; that they are Anthony something to play theater, or at least it had the fighting foreign domination against. But Brutus and the rest same pickled eggs in a jar, the when they fight to get a local were still so boring that I'm now same signs tacked on the wall, magazine on the newsstand next convinced that the play is Shake- the same southern Ontario pall. to Cosmopolitan. But as Cana- speare's noblest dud of them all. In this loosely written musical dian capitalists grow stronger All's Well That Ends Well, dir- the tavern proprietor decides to they are proving themselves ected by Richard Cottrell on the "get with it" by importing a capable of creating their own small Third Stage, was clear, sin- country and western band called national media to peddle their cere and unadorned. It was my Sam Slick and the Slowpokes. own meaningless pap. And soon favorite play at the festival and The Slowpokes will bring a big- Canadians will be up against it the only one that stayed with me town (Toronto) flavor, which is the way we are here, where Cos- afterwards. Finally, I saw a Tem- of course watered-down Ameri- mopolitan and Three's Com- pest that began with "ohhs" and can. But as it turns out, the mis- This is pany are foreign in a much *' "ahhs" (my own included) as fits washed up at the tavern for us they got some religion." more profound sense. • the winds swirled silky waves. have the talent among them- As an Acadian confronted by provincialism Barbara Garson is the New But it soon became so figurative- selves to create a glorious local the census taker ("It's worse York-based author of MacBird ly as well as literally overblown group eventually called the than confession") Ca Sagouine and All the Livelong Day: The that some women in the aud- Country Hearts. Though the is stumped by limited choice of in the most Meaning and Demeaning of ience nudged their nodding hus- play became soap-operatic in nationalities: Canadian, English, Routine Work (Penguin Books). bands as we approached famous the second act, the matinee au- French Canadian, Quebecois. self-conscious She also writes for The Village lines. ("Harry, wake up! Here dience, a sea of white-haired Nothing fits. Voice, where a version of this comes a sea change.") By this elders bused in by church Indigenous Canadian theater sense. piece first appeared. to play.) They also added the before they produced it, the dozens of reporters and writers Ralph Anspach and his "brain- Community Chest, the $200 bon- game would be in the public do- who have published articles and child." There is also a picture of us for passing GO, and the "Get main, beyond their exclusive comments on the game over the reality; what Anspach's research Game Out of Jail Free" cards. control. years. This includes coverage in shows is that while Charles Dar- None of these people were in- This cover-up was so success- the most prestigious periodicals row did not "invent" Monopoly, Continued from page 16 terested in trying to sell the game, ful that Anspach found only one in the publishing industry, in- neither did any other one person. die of each row; a waterworks even though almost everyone article that penetrated it. In the cluding The New Yorker, the Lizzie Magie Phillips started it. and electric company in the same who learned to play it became Jan. 27, 1936 Washington Star, New York Times and others. But the game evolved from the places; and ascending rents and fascinated with it. "We weren't there is an unsigned article about But this hidden history has playing and tinkering of hun- property values around the business people," Ruth Hoskins Lizzie Magie Phillips, then a now, thanks to the work of An- dreds of other people over three board. said primly 40 years later. "We gray-haired matron living in Ar- spach, been recovered and made decades. Maybe that is how the The parallels are obvious. But were schoolteachers. It was a lington, Va., and her games. The public. In late August, the U.S. game came to evoke the commer- there are differences too: the good game the way it was." An- article, besides identifying her as Court of Appeals for the Ninth cial spirit of our culture so well; it properties have no names; there other early player, remembering the originator of Monopoly, Circuit in San Francisco accepted is not only in the public domain, is no Chance or Community the anti-capitalist origins of the features a photo of her holding Anspach's evidence and ruled it may even be said to embody Chest; the name is not the same. game, said it was a point of hon- the boards from two of her ear- that Parker Brothers has no right our public domain. But even so, Charles Darrow or among early devotees not to lier editions of the game, one of to exclusive control of the term But I still say Boardwalk and doesn't merit much credit for think of commercializing it. which clearly has the word Mon- Monopoly. Thus the professor Park Place are worth more than the game's evolution. Lizzie But if they didn't want to sell opoly on it in large letters. She can sell his Anti-Monopoly whe- any other two monopolies and all Magie made some copies of her it, Ruth Hoskins and her friends was still a follower of Henry ther the company likes it or not. four railroads put together. • game and dozens of people, did enjoy sharing Monopoly. George, the article noted, and Parker Brothers and its cor- mostly Quakers in the mid-At- Ralph Anspach's research has es- did not regret losing the for- porate parent, the General Mills Chuck Fager writes regularly lantic states, played, enjoyed tablished that about a year later tune from the game that Parker Fun Group, has said it will carry for several weekly publications, and modified the game in the members of Hoskins' circle Brothers and Darrow were reap- its case to the U.S. Supreme including the Boston Phoenix following years. What Lizzie taught the game to a young man ing. Except for this short article, Court. and Washington, D.C.'s City Magie created thus became es- living in the Germantown section the official version of the game's There is more in this court rul- Paper. He has played Monop-. sentially a folk product, in of Philadelphia. Charles Dar- history has gone unquestioned by ing than just vindication for oly for many years. which many people played a row, one of his tutors remem- role. When Magic's small sup- bered with considerable under- CHICAGO, I L ply of boards was used up, peo- statement, "showed a great deal CALENDAR ple began drawing their own on of interest in it." He did indeed, October 3 linen or oilcloth, giving names but he also lacked scruples about Women Organized for Reproductive to the streets, using thimbles and trying to profit from the game. Use the calendar to announce con- gers Student Center. For informa- Choice presents a tribute to Rosie buttons for markers and altering In late 1934 he sold it to Parker ferences, lectures, films, events, etc. tion, call (201)247-6768 or (201) Jimenez, the first victim of the Hyde the rules as they played. Brothers as his own invention... The cost is $20.00 for DIM Inser- 932-7589. Amendment that cut federal funds One key group of players gath- the rest is history, or at least tion, $30.00 for two Insertions and for abortions. The program includes $15.00 for each additional Insert, WASHINGTON, DC a dramatization of the "Herstory of ered in 1929 around Ruth Hos- mythology. Reproductive Rights" and feminist Once Parker Brothers discov- for copy of 50 words or less (addi- kins, a teacher af the Atlantic Ci- October 1-3 singer Kristin Lems. 3 p.m. at Cross ty (N.J.) Friends School. Hos- ered Darrow's deception, they tional words are 50« each). Payment must accompany your announce- National Conference, "Implications Currents, 3206 N. Wilton. Childcare kins had learned the game in In- bought up all the early Mon- ment, and should be sent to the at- of a Nuclear Freeze." Join Admiral available. diana from her brother, who opoly sets they could find and tention of Bath Maschlnot. LaRocque; Rev. Robert Drinan, Dir- learned it at college. By then, it paid Lizzie Magie, now Mrs. ector, ADA; Representative Jon- NEW Y "6 R K . NY had already been renamed Mon- Elizabeth Phillips, $500 for the NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ athan Bingham; William Winpisinger, opoly. Hoskins taught it to her rights to her Landlord's Game. President, IAM; Michael Harrington, October 8-10 acquaintances, mostly couples Then they began their immensely October 1-2 Chair, DSA; Richard Healey, Direc- Celebrate labor education at Local from Atlantic City and Philadel- successful campaign of propa- Democratic Socialists of America: tor, Coalition for a New Foreign & 189's 60th Anniversary Conference, phia. These players decided to ganda for the official line that Conference on left politics for the Military Policy. Registration-FREE. District 65's UAW, 13 Astor Place. give the properties familiar local Charles Darrow was the inventor '80s "Turning Things Around." Parti- NEA Center. Sponsored by—Student Speakers: Tony Mazzocchi, Cheryl cipants: Noam Chomsky, Michael Alliance for an Immediate Freeze, Schaffer, Roger Keeran, _Miles Gal- names, such as Boardwalk, Ver- of Monopoly. They did this most vin, Kathy Kahm, Michael Law and of all to protect their right to ex- Harrington, Stanley Aronowitz, Cor- ADA Youth Caucus, Student NEA, mont, Oriental and Marven Gar- nell West, Kate Ellis and others. Rut- USSA, DSA Youth Section, Young David Dyson. Plus workshops, films, dens. (It was later misspelled as clusive control of the game, for if gers University, Friday, 2-10 p.m. Democrats. Information: (202) 638- and a party. Call Cydney Pullman, as Marvin Gardens by the perspn it could be establishecHhat Mon- "ledge"; Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.rn. Rut- 6447. , . . „ (212) 674-3322 for more information. who taught Ch'a'rle's Darrow how opoly, had" been made and played LICENSED TO UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED

IN THESE TIMES SEPT. 29-OCT. 5,1982 15 But we all know what the IMF wants, so sis in Mexico is grave but so is the one on bered for taking over the banks. But he the debate continues. As usual the IMF the northern side of the border. And now will also be remembered for a number of says it can improve the economy by put- Mexico will be able to buy fewer Ameri- other things. During the first five years ting a brake on the economy, cutting can goods and that will affect the U.S. and nine months in office, Lopez Portil- Mexi back public spending, freezing salaries, The differences between the U.S. and lo carried out economic policies that dir- freeing up prices and taking other unpop- Mexico over Central America are serious ectly contradict the sort of progressive Continued from p@ge 9 ular measures. But we have already been and it is logical to expect the U.S. to exert policies that would lead to bank nation- failed economic pslsssss, Would you in through all of that. In fact almost all of some financial and political pressure to alization. For this he will also be remem- Latin America is now in a severe crisis try and modify the Mexican stand on El bered. He accomplished some positive ! think that balk the govgrKmsat and thebecause of these sort of measures always Salvador and Nicaragua. In addition, the objectives, however. He accepted the banks are respOEsibie for ihs present cri- favored by the "Chicago Boys." Reagan administration's economic attack legalization of leftist opposition parties, sis. The current situation :.§ :z smny ways Mexico now has the largest foreign against American workers is also being he implemented political amnesty and he traceable t© fee poiides of President debt in the world—more than $80 bil- felt by Mexican workers; our economy is has met the U.S. challenge in Central Lopez Portillo, who, during his first five lion. The interest alone on this debt is 70 percent dependent on the U.S. for America. years and nine months is office did little about $14 billion dollars a year. foreign trade. But in short, Portillo will be remem- to improve the ecoraondc status of the Mexico's income from its oil exports is President-elect Miguel De La Madrid bered as the president who most allowed majority population. Asst OE Ihe other also about $14 billion a year; in other takes office in December. He's a grad- the country's financiers to amass illegiti- hand the banks directly organized the de- words, just enough to pay back the in- uate of the Harvard School of Business mate fortunes, and he will be remem- bilitating financial speculatics and dollar terest. Income from other exports is less and is known to be very conservative. bered as the president that most hurt the outflow of the pas': 'period. than $4 billion a year. What impact will he have on the future of same financiers. The private seei&s- sMms thmt mssny in the So the truth is that with the IMF or the nationalized banks? Mexico has a foreign debt of $80 billion, PRI are guilty of exporting hugs sums of without the IMF, Mexico cannot pay off There are those in the government who there.is something like SO percent unem- dollars @i&t of the souwtvy ami. that the its foreign debt. Therefore, what is abso- already want to water down the expropri- ployment, inflation is at 70 percent, you move against the bmnhs yym a diver- lutely necessary is a moratorium on the ation, mostly by allowing the private sec- are being pressured by the U.S. and the sionary one, payback of the debt, let's say something tor to somehow participate in the running IMF and yet you give the impression of Yes, there we many government officials like an 18-month grace period. This would of the banks. But the government itself being optimistic. Is that correct? who have gotten rich by speculating with give Mexico and countries like Brazil, doesn't have the strength and clarity to Yes it is. I have a lot of hope for the dollars. But ihs aatio3isiizal:o:i of the Peru and Bolivia a breathing period. carry this out. It will depend on the abil- future. Our crisis is very sharp, but our •banks was an ej^srgsncy measure taken During this grace period we could figure ity of the left to mobilize and exert pres- f crisis has taught us a lot. It has swept by the president >o stop what had become out some alternative solution. We poor sure. And there are other sectors within away a whole array of myths and there a conspiracy agaiost Jhs peso. I am sure countries can no longer afford to pay. the PRI itself who oppose any backward are many more than soon may disappear. Lopez Portiiio never imagined he would The banks need to collect or go broke. movement on the banks, and they too The left has many of the answers to solv- have to take swch a bold step. But he had We poor countries must form a united will have to mobilize. The future is very ing the present crisis and that is very ad- to act as the representative of fee state to front to force changes in the world much up in the air. We in the PSUM have vantageous to us. This crisis can be over- literally save the present system. The fi- money system or there will soon be a glo- just helped to form a broad united front come and that can happen with increased nancial bourgeosis in Mexico had broken bal crisis of unpredictable proportions. to present a left response to the crisis. politicization and increased popular par- away from tias rest of its class and in a Recently, U.S. Ambassador John Gavin And we are trying to reach out to those ticipation. The left, in many ways, now sense began to enrich itself al the expense other progressive forces outside of the or- 3 expressed some reservations about the has the initiative. 9 of the systerr, itse .: . nationalization of the banks and he ac- ganized left. Marc Cooper is news director at KPFK in Will the Mexican government give in to cused the Central Bank director of being As Lopez Portillo's term of office comes Los Angeles. He has won a number of pressure being ex&fi

These Times}. Ask your library to sub- "Nuclear Free Zone"; "Work for a rect"; "Question Authority"; "Take VOLUNTEERS scribe now. $50/yr. The Left Index, Nuclear-Free World"; "Freeze Nuc- the Toys Away from the Boys—Dis- ASIA OFFER: BUI.I.P.TIN OF CON- 511 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060. lear Weapons"; "Make Love, Not arm". Buttons: 2/$1; 10/$4; 50/$15; PARTNERS FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE CERNED ASIAN SCHOLARS, Vol. 14 War"; "Solidarity" (Polish); "Beware 100/525. Ellen Ingber, P.O. Box seeks U.S. and International volun- (four issues) $15. #'i. Asian modes of HELP WANTED the Actor" (Reagan graphic); "Let 752-T, Valley Stream, NY 11582. teers for one year social justice min- production; 92. Japanese fascism. Them Eat Jellybeans"; "Money for istries. Begin January and September. Micronesia; £3. Taiwan repression, JOURNALIST/CIRCULATION DIREC- Jobs, Not for War"; "Politically Cor- ATTENTION Box 15, 4920 Piney Branch Road NW, South Asia; #4. Philippine martial law, TOR—Multinational Monitor, a month- Washington, D.C. 20001. Kampuchea, agribusiness. Subscrip- ly magazine exposing the activities of MOVING? Let In These Times be giant corporations, seeks person to the first to know. Send us a current tions S20. free list. RCAS, Box R, Bert- Free Catalog BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES houd, CO 80b13. complete small staff. Duties: write ar- label from your newspaper along ticles, edit, promote publication. Pub- with with your new address. Please al- HOME COMPUTER BUSINESS under THE LEFT INDEX: "A quarterly indox lic interest salaries, health plan, two- Hundreds of low 4-6 weeks to process the $500 with best available software dis- new Titles to periodicals of ths left" provides week vacation. Write P.O. Box 19405, change. Send to: In These Times, counts. Information $3, refundable. subject access io literature written Washington, DC 20036, or call (202) In All Circulation Dept., 1509 N. Milwau- Subjects! Andrew Savage, 311 Montford, Attn. from a left perspective (includes In 833-3932. Deadline: Oct. 15. kee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622. Prout, Asheville, NC 28801.

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16 IN THESE TIMES SEPT. 29-OCT. 5,1982

By Chuck Fager Q'ne of the longest and most complete cover-ups in modern American history is finally coming unravelled. I'm not talking about filling in the 18-minute Photographs by Paul Comstock gap on Richard Nixon's famous Water- gate tape, nor of establishing the identity of Deep Throat. No, this cover-up was longer than Jan. 5, 1904, 30 years before Charles Watergate, more successful than Water- Darrow supposedly thought it up. Magie gate, and has left its mark on two genera- was a believer in the anti-capitalist tions of Americans. I'm talking about the economics of Henry George, who taught cover-up of the true origin of Monopoly. that speculation in land values was at the That's right, Monopoly. The number root of modern society's social and finan- one best-selling American board game of is seeping out, thanks to the research cial problems. Her game was aimed at ex- all time; the foundation of the long-run- and struggle of Ralph Anspach, profes- posing these evils. ning prosperity of Parker Brothers; the sor of economics at San Francisco State The sketch of the gameboard filed with game practially all of us grew up with. University. Ten years ago Anspach in- the Patent office shows striking similar- According to Parker Brothers, Mon- vented a game called Anti-Monopoly, in ities to the present game. The Landlord's opoly was the "brainchild" of one which players competed to see who Game included four corner spaces, espec- Charles Darrow, who thought it up in could most effectively bust up imaginary ially the Jail and "Go to Jail" in opposite his Philadelphia kitchen while he was corporate monoliths. Parker Brothers positions; four railroads, one in the mid- unemployed during the Great Depres- didn't cotton to either the game or An- Continued on page 14 sion and then made millions from its un- spach's name for it and sued to stop him precedented success. Most of us have from selling it. But Anspach counter- read this account as an introduction to sued, charging that the name Monopoly the game rules, in any one of scores of predated Parker Brothers' game, and magazine articles on the game, or in was thus in the public domain. While Maxine Brady's "definitive" 1974 tome, doing research for his suit, Anspach dis- The Monopoly Book. covered the true story ofjVlonopoly. But the story is a lie. Darrow did not Monopoly was first The Land- invent Monopoly; he stole it, and lied to lord's Game. Its inven aryland Parker Brothers about being its creator. woman named Lizzie ranted When the company discovered the lie, U.S. Patent Number the game had already become a best- seller and was pulling Parker Brothers back from the edge of Depression-in- duced bankruptcy. But rather than risk losing control of its hottest property, the company joined Darrow in a campaign to bury the game's true origins. For almost 40 years, this campaign succeeded brilliantly. But now the truth

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