Evening star., 1937-02-20
us. CONDONAT|ON
OF "S|T-D0WN" HIT
DR.. Walsh Calls Flint Case
"CoIIeCtive Attempt at
Grand Larceny"

An audience that filled Memorial
Continental Hall for the opening of
DR.. Edmund A. Walsh's series of lee
lures on Communism, the Constitu-
ton and the Supreme Court" last
night heard the Georgetown Univer-
sity official denounce Government
condonation" of property seizures by
sit-down strikers as "a definite ad-
vance in leftist psychology"
DR.. Walsh directed his attack
mainly against the obvious insinua-
ton" Of Secretary of Labor Perkins
that "the attempt at collective grand
larceny at Flint, Mich" might be
held legal, which would have meant,
he said, "the end of the Bill of
Rights"
Had the argument of the cabinet
officer prevailed, the Georgetown
priest warned, lit would have been as
valid against the greatest corporation
in the land-the United States Gov
ernment-as against the General Mo-
tors Corp"
Points 10 Situation Abroad"
The United States might well heed
what happened in Russia and Italy,
he warned, when the workers were in
cited to occupy the factories.
There is profound and disturb
ing significance in the fact that such
a phenomenon could happen in the
United States" DR.. Walsh added,
with the virtual conformation by a
high Government official under oath
to support the Constitution and the
laws enacted under 1t. That is why
I consider the sit-down strike as a
definite advance in leftist psy-
chology."
There is danger to the Government
itself in the defiance of fundamental
law" growing out of such strikes, he
warned, had the argument Of Secre-
tary Perkins been upheld.
What would legally prevent every
disappointed Office seeker in the land
from claiming himself to one Of Mr.
Farley's letter boxes until appointed
at least a postmaster or rural free
deliverer?" he asked. who could
fairly prevent all unemployed elec-
tricians from riveting themselves to
lamp posts on the White House
grounds until employed by the Ten
neSsee Valley Authority?"
In reviewing the events of recent
months, Dr. Walsh maintained three
other significant things have hap
pened In addition to the "sit-down"
strikes to reveal to historians the ten
dency and direction Of developments
in the United States.
Names Significant Events.
He named the United Front" as
developed by the Communist party;
the Trotsky controversy and its pene-
tration into the United States and
the constitutional issue created by the
proposed legislation by Congress af-
fecting the Supreme Court.
DR.. Walsh predicted the next de-
velopment in the Trotsky affair would
be an agitation to admit the Russian
exile to the United States as political
refugee.
The fourth and final significant de-
velopment, he declared, has split the
United States into two opposing
camps" on the Supreme Court issue.
Not only is the vigilance of the
entire citizenry aroused" he said, "but
the attention of every chancery Of the
civilized world is focused on this last
act. Experienced statesmen know that
the form of things to come in America
is now in the hands Of the potter and
they have great interest in the pattern
that shall come forth"
DR.. Walsh will give the second Of
his lectures next Friday evening.