The following is a statement by the Communist Party USA on the current economic crisis. It was adopted at the national board Sept. 22-23 in Chicago:

The U.S. economy was already suffering record job loss before the terrible events of Sept. 11. In August the AFL-CIO estimated that 800,000 manufacturing jobs had been lost in the current economic downturn, which for the working class was already a deep recession.

When the terrorists slammed planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, murdering thousands, they also drove thousands of families into deep economic crisis. While some had substantial life insurance or union-negotiated death benefit packages, many had nothing or next to nothing.

The explosions also had a devastating impact on an already shaky economy. In the month just before the tragedy, approximately 158,550 job cuts had been announced. Within days, major airlines and Boeing announced over 100, 000 job cuts.

The ripple effect into the hotel, rental car, tourist and travel industries will be substantial. Between Sept. 11 and Sept. 20, companies announced in excess of 120,750 job cuts.

Those who were laid off in the beginning of this current economic downturn are already running out of benefits.

This number is in addition to the hundreds of thousands, especially in racially and nationally oppressed communities, who never took part in the boom times,. It includes those, especially women and children, thrown into even deeper poverty by so-called welfare reform.

The American people have poured out their hearts and pocketbooks in immediate support for the victims' families.

Working people from around the world have donated every imaginable kind of aid, money, blood, material and labor, to help the rescue effort and comfort the families. This is humanity at its best - even while mourning, they are fighting for the living.

Yet, this immediate response from ordinary people can only go so far.

Now Congress and the Bush administration have to follow suit. In the aftermath of the terrible events of Sept. 11, they approved a $40 billion emergency package, in response to people's sentiments that all necessary resources should be spent.

Now strict oversight is needed to insure that the funds actually go to help the working people of New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, rather than becoming a slush fund for corporate bailouts and military contractors.

The terrorists who took such a dreadful toll on the American people must be brought to justice. But our country's security also rests on the economic and social well-being of our people.

We cannot forget the economic crisis side of this national emergency. Already there are those voices of home-grown extremism who want to use the national emergency to cover their own corporate economic interests.

Some in Congress and the administration want to take advantage of the situation to ram through Fast Track trade negotiation powers that will kill any democratic discussion or control over the Bush administration's trade policies.

This would allow quick passage of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Some have described it as "NAFTA on steroids." NAFTA has been very much a factor in the destruction of so many good-paying manufacturing jobs; FTAA would be worse.

Under the cover of this crisis, other extremists are calling for even more disastrous tax cuts for the rich and corporations. The Republican tax cut has been a disaster and done nothing for economic recovery.

Indeed, a new tax cut for big business would only deepen the economic crisis by taking funds needed for people-helping programs, like a prescription drug benefit plan.

Congress, at the urging of the Bush administration, has passed a bailout for the airline industry. While it might save the stockholders' assets, it contains no provisions to save workers' jobs or protect passengers' interests.

The $15 billion bailout must include re-regulation to protect the service levels and security of airline passengers, and the jobs and livelihood of airline workers. Further, in light of the critical, central role the aircraft and airline industries play in our economy, they should be nationalized for the public good. This is the only real way to stabilize and protect this valuable national asset.

We cannot forget in this crisis that the same old bunch of anti-labor, anti-people Republicans in the White House and the Congress are running the government. The economic security of this country cannot be left in the hands of those who represent the

corporations' interests. Defending freedom and democracy means involving the people, including the vital mass organizations of our country - unions, churches, civil rights organizations, environmental, youth, women and seniors' movements.

The working people, who are the overwhelming majority of the American people, must be heard in this discussion of our national emergency. The widespread support for helping the victims of the attack highlights the need for widespread rebuilding of the nation's physical and social infrastructure.

Here are some ideas for an emergency response we need for working families:

*Guarantee adequate income and benefit levels including health care for all families of those killed or injured.

*Emergency legislation to extend unemployment compensation for the duration of the crisis. This must include increasing benefits, expanding eligibility and covering first-time job seekers.

*A massive federal rebuilding project, not only to rebuild New York but to rebuild the crumbling infrastructure of the entire country. This would be the best economic stimulus for vital industries like steel and related production. This could put millions back to work. It must include affirmative action and union apprenticeship programs so that the hardest hit communities can also see some recovery.

*A comprehensive rural and farm relief package. This must include special aid to family farmers, small businesses and rural communities to preserve and protect small town life.

*Suspend the federal tax cuts to top income brackets for the duration of the crisis to fund human needs during the crisis.

*Take "Star Wars" and other expensive giveaways to defense contractors out of the military budget. These would have done nothing to protect us from this terrorist attack and any new legitimate military expenditures, like air patrols or air marshals, can be easily paid for out of existing budgets.

*No Fast Track and no FTAA.

*Any bailouts must come with regulation to ensure the public interest.

*All new jobs created, both in public safety and in infrastructure rebuilding, must guarantee full union protection and benefits.

As we provide for the victims of terrorism, let us provide for all the victims of the economic crisis, let us provide for all American workers. Let this be our answer to terrorism.

We urge the fullest possible debate on this bare-bones emergency relief package. We are facing powerful capitalist interests that want this crisis to be resolved by increasing corporate profits and power.

This national emergency can only truly be resolved with the full participation of all the people. Our security depends on the security and well-being of working families in the first place. We do the work, we pay the bills.

*************************************************************

By Todd Tollefson

People's Weekly World

SEATTLE - Boeing's decision to lay off as many as 30,000 employees is set to be a harbinger of many more job cuts by U.S. manufacturers in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, analysts predicted.

Forecasters say Boeing's decision - and the shaky state of the aerospace industry in general - probably will be enough to push the Puget Sound region's economy into recession, if not most of the entire U.S. economy.

Aerospace Machinists Industrial District Lodge 751, the union that represents most Boeing machinists, called on the U.S. government to take steps to protect jobs in the industry and urged Americans to keep flying.

"Aerospace is the industrial future of America. We would hope that some of the $24 billion government airline bailout would be earmarked to preserve American aerospace jobs," said Mark Blondin, president of IAM Lodge 751.

*************************************************************

Special to the World

WASHINGTON, DC - Boeing announced Sept. 20 it planned to reduce its work force at its commercial aircraft division by 20,000 or 30,000 workers by the end of 2002 as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"This is a horrible situation," Boeing Commercial President and Chief Executive Alan Mulally told reporters. "We were on a very positive track and this is a very sad thing for all of us."

Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) expressed her dismay at this decision.

"Boeing needs to do the patriotic thing and not layoff these workers. Every American, every industry, every business has been effected by this horrible tragedy," she said.

"Now Boeing plans to put 30,000 hard- working Americans out of a job. Meanwhile, Boeing CEO Philip Condit raked in

$18, 697,991 in total compensation last year. And while I'm sure [Mulally] is very sad about putting so many loyal employees out on their ears, his $8.5 million paycheck will probably help ease his pain," McKinney said.

The company will likely start handing out pink slips within three weeks and layoffs will begin two months later. Layoffs will be made across all airplane models and across the country. In 1995, Boeing laid off 25,000 workers, yet Boeing CEO Phil Condit received a 14.6 percent pay raise and a $3.3 million windfall.

"It is ludicrous that Boeing is claiming financial crisis while the CEO and president of Boeing are making unprecedented salaries. The average Boeing worker would have to work until 2733 to make what CEO Condit made last year. The top four salary earners at Boeing made a combined $41.9 million last year alone," she said.

"Perhaps Boeing is only using this tragedy to hide its true intentions, corporate downsizing. I challenge Boeing's leadership to do what is right for their workers, to do what is right for America," said McKinney, "and tighten their bloated salaries to prevent the loss of thousands of jobs."