Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-01-09
THE "RED NETWORK"

Editor Askov American:
Mrs. Elizabeth billings Red Net
work. has been quoted as an author
ity on who is Who" in Red" ac-
tivities. The publication is described
as a compilation of 400 Communist
Anarchist. Socialist, l. w. w. and
Radical-Pacifist controlled organ liza.
tions and 1900 individuals who have
contributed in some measure to enc
or more phases of the Red movement
in the United States. Naturally a
person would expect to find in this
list facts to prove the truth of the
statements made concerning these or
CARNATIONS and individuals. 1t ap-
pears however that the book contains
a lot of INSTRUMENTATION.
Published in the January 8 issue OF
the New Republic" there appears a
brief article disclosing some of the
Measurements made by Mrs. billing
A Chicago group of liberals engaged
in preparing a booklet of anti-radica al
activities in the United States wrote
to us persons mentioned in the RED
Network" asking them if the state
ments about them in the volume were
accurate. Here are a few of the re-
plies they received:
Rev. Norman Barr never debated
for the Atheist forum; he always
spoke against Atheism.
Prof. Paul Douglas was never a
member of the Socialist party.
Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick brands
it wholly false to say that he is pro-
soviet.
Carl Haessler was never a member
of the Communist party or a lecturer
for it.
Rev. John Haynes Holmes brands
as absurd that he changed the name
of his church to Community church
to show his change of heart from
Christianity to Communism.
Margaret Sanger's husband was not
Dr. William Sanger nor was she ever
associated with Emma Goldman or
Alexander Berkman.
Bishop William Scarlet is not
dean" of the Christ Cathedral and
was never delegate to Russia.
]. ?. Warbasse is not a Socialist
was never on any committee for
Thomas.
Howard Y. Williams is not a mem
Der Of the Socialist party and was
never Unitarian minister.
There are many more answers of
this kind but these should be suf-
ficient to brand Mrs. billings RED
Network as pure fiction.
However, in dealing with Fascism
Mrs. Dilling seems to be on more solid
ground. and certainly she leaves no
doubt in the mind of her readers as
to where she stands. Of Fascism she
says:
1T seeks harmony between all
classes and comedies to fndustrialfsts,
white-collar, professionals as we'll as
labOring workers a place in the social
order. but under state control. 1t de-
tends some property rights and re-
ligion . 1t is the only enemy
feared by the Reds, because it is the
only system which opposes militancy
and puts down one dictatorship with
another. As the strength of Social
ism-Communism increases, the chan
ces to preserve democracy decreases
until eventually Fascism becomes the
only alternative to Socialism Com
muniSm.'
Well, there we have at least clear
statement. May we ask, since some
property rights and religion will be
defended; whose property and whose
religion? If we look to Germany we
find that the great industrialists are
secure in their property and only that
religion which accepts Nazism as the
creed and Hitler as the God, will be
protected. We also find that far from
limiting its prosecutions to Socialists
and Communists. German Fascism has
destroyed all labor unions, all CO.
operative organizations, Boy Scout or
CARNATIONS, athletic clubs, not to
mention it's ruthless persecution OF
non-aryans and churches.
Is it fair to say that those of us
who can not accept the beauties OF
Fascism must be in favor of Russian
style Communism? l believe there
is a middle ground and that we Amer
leans will find solution for eco
nOmic and social problems without
either the extreme German Fascism
or Russian Communism. We believe
in democracy and we believe in> lib
erty. Russians never knew the mean
ing of either of these terms, hence il
could not be expected that they should
change from czarism to democracy
overnight. Germany under the Kai-
ser enjoyed only a very mild form oil
democracy. Hitler mislead that suf-
fering people by false promises and
had himself elected dictator In
America we have the right to use the