The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-06-15
Worth Fighting For
Cleveland Plain Dealer)

The House sets up a seven-man committee to study un-Amercsn propaganda in the United States. A two-hour debate preceding adoption of the resou ton indicates a wide difference of opinion among the representatives as to whether it is really worth while for the Federal Government to spend time and money devng into the alleged subversve activities of groups hostile to American political institutions
 Between MT. Mavericks opinion that this is four flushing and balyhooing' and MT Dies belief that shocking" activities induged in in camps man- taned by the German American Bund there should be for the common sense opinion that while the country is probably safe enough from the minorities which would like to it wrecked it is worth while occasionally to check up sanely on their actions
 Many will be surprised to find Earl Browder general secretary of the Communist party in the United States, saying that everywhere in America Communists giving yeoman service to the strength ening of every democratic movement of the people.
 If communism and democracy not mutually repugnant doctrines the American public will be to relearn the meaning of words in every day use. And if the Communists devoted to de- mocracy in this country, what further utility can there be in maintaining a Communist party?
 In the House debate on the Dies resolution chief fire was directed at the Nazis rather than the Com munsts. The Texan Dies himself declared the German American Bund maintains 32 camps with 480000 members who pay homage to the swastika and the American flag to the symbol of Nszsm.
 
 tion Such statements usually subject to eXaggera- ton. That democracy should be alert to the perils which assail it. however should need argument to sustain.
 good deal has been said about the duty of democracies to save the world. Their prime obga- ton, however, is to save themselves. With millions of people living under forms of government alien to every principle of individual freedom, those who happily still enjoy the privileges of representative government cannot be indifferent either to the value of their priceless heritage to the pers which press in them to destroy it.
 If g camps maintained by some foreign group to propagate political faith inimcal to American institutions, a hundred times that many camps should be operated to preach faith in democracy If Communists, at least willing to overturn popular government by force busy vocing their subyersye maxims advocates of democracy should be infinitely buster defending and expoundng the sounder doctrine of the peoples right to rule their political des tinies.
 Unless democracy stand up against it's enemies il will, and perhaps should succumb finally to some other form of government But it need not expect to withstand the attacks of it's enemies if it's own ad- herents take too much for granted unwilling roll up their sleeves to meet their enemies
 Thus. while the House committee goes about its appointed task of uncovering the alleged activities of subversve groups which outrage the hospitality of the government they would destroy some attention should be devoted to the constructive task of building up a democratic defense against democracy'S enemies For if popular government is worth living under it worth defending If it is not worth fighting for it cannot be worth all the fine words of praise give it a matter of course
 The best argument against Communism is Russia The best argument against Naziism is Germany The best argument against Fascsm is Italy. Democracy needs no better argument than the century and half of American experience.