Evening star., 1936-10-25
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

II
L small audience which under
stands fine distinctions in this field
is another thing. What would be
written for the smaller audience
would be too technical to be under
stood by the larger. And what is
written for the larger audience runs
risk of being challenged by the
smaller.
There are several types of collectiv-
ism. There Is communism, there is
| sociaism-several varieties of this;
there Is fascism, there is the totali-
tartan state, there is the authori-
tartan state, there is the popular
'front.'" All differ from each other.
Many Of the differences are hair-fine
All are, just now, In ferment. All are
changing. To be exact in using the
various terms Is practically impos-
sible.
This difficulty Is capitalized by the
radical propagandists and dialecti-
clans. II a conservative speaker or
writer says some one Is "a Commu-
mist" when actually he is a Socialist,
the radicals are able to deny and to
jeer. The condition operates to pre-
| vent the whole issue of collectivism
from being ventilated.
But this diffculty must not be per-
mitted to stand in the way of dealing
with the most important issue of this
campaign. For convenience I shall
dismiss refinements Of definition and
use. in a broad sense, the general
term collectivism. Some such device
Is necessary In any attempt to be clear
to the average reader.
System Needs Notifications.
Since ! write in the closing days
OF the campaign, let me at once set
down an estoppel. do not assert
that either outcome of this campaign
will necessarily end the threat of col
lectivism to America. In the way in
which the voters are lining up, it is
frequently assumed that election of
Gov. Landon would end the threat,
end 1t finally and completely. Those
who think this will fail pathetically
to understand the forces that are
loose in the world. Even if Mr.. Lam
don should be elected, even If he
should dedicate himself with high
intelligence to saving America from
collectivism, even If he should be
served in this effort by the best con-
science and intelligence of the coun-
try. the rescue would take years to
effect.
In one alternative. 1t Is conceivable
that election Of Mr.. Landon would
not be an aid to resisting collectivism
at all. II Gov. Landon should be
elected. and If he should be a mere
standpat conservative trying to take
the country back to old conditions, he
would not avoid social commotion, he
would further it. The American sys-
tenn imperatively needs certain modi-
flcations. Mr.. Landon understands
this. To mention one example, we
must bring about greater degree of
farm ownership, must reduce the pro-
portion Of farm tenancy, which in
several of our best farm States runs
as high as so per cent.
| Only by making these notifications
and making them-to adapt "Al"
Smiths phraSe-"within the four
walls" of the American system, can
the system be saved. Under any con-
ditionS, no matter how this election
goes. America is destined for-1 quote
an elevated and essentially conserva-
tive periodical, The Commonweal,
long, long years Of anxiety"
Point of View Shifts.
| With respect to Mr.. Roosevelt the
assertion is occasionally made, or the
question asked: "Is the President q
Communist" To that the answer Is
no. Mr. Roosevelt is not a Communist.
Some times the question is. rs the
President a collectivist?" If the an
swer must be in one word the answer
will again be, think no. ut should
be added at once that some Of his
closest advisers are thoroughgoing
collectivists. determined to take Amer
lea toward that form Of society)
But it is no easy task to flx with pre-
cision the place of Mr.. Roosevelt's
personal point of view in the long
gamut Of varying social theories that
are now in ferment in the world. The
task is the more difficult because Mr..
Roosevelt's point of view seems not
to remain always the same He says
in this campaign. vehemently and re-
peatedly. that he Is not collectivist.
In his Chicago speech he said: II be-
lieve. have always believed and
will always believe in private enter
prise"
With respect to the record of Mr..
Roosevelt's administration, I think
every competent Judge would say that
some of the New Deal, especially N. r..
A. and to some degree Triple-A. were
collectivist innovations. If they had
been allowed to remain they would
have carried America, by the opera
ton of automatic forces within them
selves, to a collectivist form of So
ciety and the changed form of gov
ernment made necessary by the new
form Of society.
Some other portions Of the New Deal
are not collectivist at all. They are
wholly American. Some Of the things
done by the Roosevelt administration
have been precisely those things which
must be done in order to enable the
American system to survive. I refer,
for example, to the control Of securi-
ties, control of the Stock Exchange;
the banking law-though this is grossly
inadequate and must be changed, and
phere for the promotion Of Pam
American understanding. due partly
to the liberal and friendly attitude
/ nan. foa.ud af NIa shiranfax, and ma rtlu