Evening star., 1938-10-30
USE OF WORD PURGE DISLIKED
Reviewer Regards 1t Out of Place Concerning American Affairs
Because of Significance Abroad-Aricles Agree That This
Country Should Stay Out of War.

over by autocratic pirates. Instead,
observers seem to view 1t as falling
apart from the neglect Of its essential
parts and in danger Of laundering
from . preposterously heavy cargo Of
bureaucratic freight. In such q time
strength Is welcome and observers gen.
orally scan the horizon for q strong
man to take over But II they ara
doing 80 now, few Of them mention Mr.,
Roosevelt a being desirable.
TWO articles On the likelihood Of
America being drawn into an imminent
European war appear in the November
periodicals., one coming from the So
cialist. Norman Thomas, and one
from the reformed Communist, Eugene
Lyons. Mr.. Thomas, Of course, needs
no introduction. Mr.. Lyons, in case
readers have forgotten, is the author
OF that best-selling autobiogra ply
Assignment in Utopia" book which.
briefly, told how lifelong ardent up
holder Of Communism was forced by
conscience to renounce his political
allegiance after having seen the prac-
tical workings Of Marxism as it has
recently been applied in Russia.
Mr.. Lyons piece had better be con.
sidered first. because, as it happens,
Mr.. Thomas begins at about the point
where it leaves of. Mr.. Lyons is writ
Ing IN the Mercury and Mr.. Thomas in
Harpers.
Mr.. Lyons takes for his theme the
current devotion Of the Russian gov
ernment to the doctrine Of collective
security. This doctrine, he says, has
had its e1ect on Communism In Amer
lea by making the party in this coun-
try renounce (for the time being) the
old dogma Of international class war
and substitute an eager concern for
united front Of liberal governments
against fascism. Presumably our peo-
pie are to understand that the Com.
munists have undergone a change Of
heart and see in the Democratic form
OF government their ideal and dear
desire.
Not 80. says Mr.. Lyons. The new
policy comes from no conversion to
our traditional system. 1t comes in
stead by dictation from Moscow and
the Muscovite reason for it is only a
very practical fear of the military
power Of NaA Germany. In other
words, he tells us that Stain fears
Hitler and is trying to drum up
friendship with the worlds powerful
democracies as means for his own
protection. Just that and no more
or so says Mr.. Lyons, who is probably
in as good position to know as any.
body.
Beginning at this point, Mr. Thomas
takes over the discussion OF the COL
lective security idea and shoots still
more holes in its genuineness. He says,
very fAtly. that American participation
in an anti-fascist war will not save
European democracy or end fascism.
that such war Is likely to be terribly
destructive to our internal freedom,
and that there Is no need for US to get
into war anyhow.
Mr.. Thomas then supports his points
with such arguments as might be ex-
pected from one Of his political faith.
That Is. he sees any war as stemming
capitalistic imperialism. he quotes the
action taken by our Government
against objectors during the World
War Is appalling tyrany. and says that
the bulk Of our foreign trade lies in
war profits. He writes, indeed, with Q
sort OF professional bitterness.
But, his arguments and manner
apart. no one can quarrel with his
theme-that America has no possible
justification for mixing in any Euro.
pean conflict Of any description what.
soever. That would seem to be so
plain, indeed. that one wonders that
any argument at all is needed to sup
port 1t.
What is interesting in the pair Of
articles is that, from such different
points Of view, each attacks the idea
that We must be drawn into" a new
world conflict. Mr.. Lyons sees the
Vaccinations which would do the fatal
drawing coming from the extreme
left. Mr.. Thomas, while noting these
leftlst maneuvers, sees imperialistic
trade ambitions as the essential viii
lain. Evidently free mind is hard
to keep in these days of ideologies!
The reviewer, who belongs to no school
Of thought whatsoever and is a cheer
full ignoramus in those higher spheres
where common sense must needs be
justified by theory, still feels that both
gentlemen may be right. They don't
want war. Well, any reason Is good
enough for that Just not to want war,
for example, seems to the reviewer