Evening star., 1938-03-21
TOWN HALL TALK
HIT AS ARROGANT
GuedalIa's Assumption of
British Superiority to
Teut0ns AssaiIed.

rapher. condemned the German race
In an all-inclusive indictment, the
Town Hall forum last night ended on
an acrimonious note with two members
OF the panel accusing Mr.. Guedalla, the
lecturer Of the evening. with arrogance.
John Franklin Carter, syndicated
political commentator, better known as
Jay Franklin; Msgr. John Augustus
Ryan. Catholic University professor
aSsailed Mr.. Guedallas assumption
of British superiority over the Teu-
tonic peoples, who, they insisted, are
basically much like anybody else ex-
cept for their misfortune to being ruled
by a bunch of crooks" -
Mr.. Guedalla held by his guns and
remarked:
When I see a complete lack of
freedom of prayer and a lack of DO
litical' thought in Germany, I know
that our (the British) form of gov
ernment is right, when We have free
dom and they do not. If that is arro-
gance, then I'm arrogant"
Germany Is Blamed.
The Englisnman blamed Germaiiy
for the current rise of despotism in
Europe as he belittled the argument
that the cause Of the growth of regi-
incentive government is found in the
Versailles Treaty. Totalitarian lead
ers, he said, ARE representative of a
simian community who quote Wood
row Wilson"
An appreciative audience heard Mr.,
Guedalla declare that periods of die
tatorships and lack Of freedom were
only short and unsuccessful intervals
in the process of liberation and free
dom In the course of history. NO
poleon looked impressive while he
lasted. and so did Napoleon III" he
declared, but they didn't last long"
Mr.. Guedalla spoke on The Biog-
raphy of Century" laying particu-
lar stress on recent developments in
Austria and Europe in relation to
historical perspective.
In the foreground of the European
picture, Mr.. Guedalla said, there are
two strident figures borrowing from
the activities of gangsters, and in
the background are the uncertain
movements of the rest of the human
race. The frame is history. These
representatives of governments deny
ing freedom will not survive, just as
similar despots have not survived,
but the germ of danger is there, he
declared
Think Virtnrv Cnr{o;n
War is only started by those who
think it will be easy" Mr.. Guedalla
said, "and war would not be started
If it was thought that there would
be an unhappy ending" He pointed
out that what success had been at
tanned had been gained without real
opposition, and without a threat of
real disapproval from democratic
countries.
Calling the government in the to-
talitarian states a travesty Of the
democratic process, Mr.. Guecalla
compared the forthcoming German
and Austrian plebiscite on the ac-
ceptance of German rule in Austria
to wolves voting on whether or not
to eat the lamb" He said that when
a portion of the more prominent
citizens of country commit suicide
rather than submit to the rule of
another country, he could not believe
that country was being liberated.
But Austria has at last been freed
from the Austrians," he commented,
land the land no longer groans under
the Austrian yoke"
Finding no justification for the
invasion Of Austria by Germany, Mr..
Guedalla pointed out that 81 per cent
of the peoples in Europe were ruled
by governments made up of people of
their own nationalities following the
Versailles treaty. But, he added,
middle Europe Is a newcomer to polit-
ical freedom-they have no experience
to back them up.
Urges Discount on Conduct.
The experience of the United States
and Great Britain, is good, and they,
a. adult nations, should not be i'm
pressed by Errope's political back
woodsmen." he declared, except for
the fact that they are war-minded.
We must get it into the heads Of
var-mindeds persons that We are
strong" Mr.. Guedalla declared. "And
We must be strong. Armament races
don't necessarily lead to war, and
strength will demand respect"
"The minds of the United States
and Great Britain care about one
thing" he concluded, "the life Of the
common man.. -, ...... ....
Robert Lincoln o'Brien Of the
Tariff Commission and Lothrop stod-
dard, writer on international rela-
tions, completed the panel
The next Town Hall program, sched-
uled for March AZ, will have Reinald
Werrenrath, American baritone, IN .
concert lecture His s1bject viii be
Tho etogy q Ansrioan e1bg."