The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-28
Liberal Viewpoint
by DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES

/
TTAvING just returned from six-week tour
L il Of the West and Southwest, I may report
briefly on some of the more interesting situa-
/ tons which came to my attention.
While the sage Of the EPIC plan is in reso-
Lutte seclusion. working on educational movie
| scenario the Sinclair campaign still goes march
ing on deeply affecting mally aspects of Cali
fornia life.
It is doubtful if anything since the gold dis
covery in 1849 has so deeply stirred Californians
Not even Hiram Johnson's classic battle with the
| Southern Pacific Railroad and other great
vested interests a decade ago so raised the hopes
of liberals or the fears and vindictiveness Of the
reactonarles.
The cd lament, Would that mine enemy
had written book" did not arise to plague
Sinclair's enemies. He had written book, and
many of them. But one, in particular, was just
q natural" for his foes, namely, THE Profits
Of Religion"
This is not only slashing attack upon re-
| iigion in general, but selects particular creeds
and sects for specific attack in successive chap
tiers.
SO the reactionaries made pamphlets out of
selections from each chapter. When a Cath
! Ole Church service was over the communicates
no sooner reached the church doors than they
were handed Upton's observations upon THE
Church of the Servant Girl" The Methodist
congregations were being handed at the same
time his appreciation Of the followers of John
Wesley.
This, together with rash and probably I'M
intentional invitation to the unemployed Of the
nation to come to California after election and
a courageous but unpolitic denunciation of the
unsoundness of the Townsend pension plan,
served to sink Mr. Sinclair.
DUT the results of the campaign are still evil
- dent Extreme liberalism and moderate
| 'adicalism have for the first time become re-
spectacle in California among the educated and
thinking classes What once was limited to select
pink teas and radical assemblages was for
months expOunded from platforms sponsored
and dignified in form at least by the ghost of
Thomas jefferson and the ticket of the Demo-
cratic party. What was once said under the
breath is now spoken openly-though for how
long remains to be seen.
It is no wonder that the Sinclair campaign,
together with the San Francisco strike, has
brought the filters to the vested interests of the
state and Mr.. Hearst has not overlooked what
he believes is an opportunity to round them up
veritable crusade of reaction is being
preached against liberalism in California under
the guise of suppreSsing Communism, Anarch
ism and MuscOvite maneuVerings. The Bible of
the White Guard is the so-caIled Red Net
work. weird book by curious and credulous
lady which almost outdoes the list of radicals"
compiled in New York State during the days of
the notorious Lusk episode of Is years ago.
had my own little experience with this. An
nounced to give a lecture in the Masonic Audi
forum of Long Beach, the authorities barred
from the hall on the ground that my men,
bership in the American Civil Liberties Union
proved me a Communist. The "Red Network"
said So The result was that my sponsor Sc
cured the Civic Auditorium and accommodated
a much larger crowd than could have crowded
into the hall originally engaged.
San Diego liberals are waging a vigorous
fight to secure the right to use public school
buildings for forum purposes but the reaction
aries are determined to prevent it. spent the
afternoon previous to my lecture there testifying
in court before a legionnaire Judge in the effort
to convince the court that the Civil Liberties
Union was not devoted to any plot to overthrow
our government by force.
THE prosecutor at once impugned my integ-
a rity and credibility by producing "The Red
Network and exposing my Muscovite affilia-
tons. But he was soon abashed when the coun.
sci for the Civil Liberties Union showed from
the same work that was in good company-that
Mrs Franklin D. Roosevelt, Secretaries Harold
L. Ickes and Henry A. Wallace, DR.. ReXford
Tugwell and many other worthless, were likewise
listed as under the thumb of Stain.
The most absurd and repressive measures
designed to terrorize teachers and educators are
being introduced into the Legislature at Sacra-
mento by the bale. shall have occasion to say
more about these later.
1t may take more than a Supreme Court re-
buke to California justice to secure the release
Of Tom Mooney in such an atmosphere. I rode
part way across the continent with prominent
San Francisco merchant who did not know my
political or economic opinions. He made it clear
that Mooney is now identified in the conserva-
tive mind with the strike and the Sinclair move
ment. To free him would be to put the stamp of
approval upon these subversive episodes. This
seemed to be the opinion of other California
conservatives with whom I spoke concerning
Mooney.
Sinclair has been beaten, but poverty has not
been ended in California. I was told for ex-
ample, by reputable relief officers that no less
than One-third of The inhabitants of the great