The Washington times., 1938-08-25
When in Doubt, Call It
Communism

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ArAME calling in political fights is time-honored
~ strategy You hang unpopular label on your
opponent and call him by that at every opportunity
Thomas Jeffersons enemies called him Jacobn-be-
cause the Jacobins in France the Revouoniss of
the time corresponding the Russian Communists of to-
day. and much detested by the propertied classes of
America. Alexander Hamilton dirty Monarchist to
the Jeffersonans.
Andrew Jackson was called a barroom brawler and
rabbe rouser by the Eastern respecabes whom Jackson
in turn called Moneybags and tools of the United States
Bank. Lincoln "ape" to Southerners, Jefferson
Davis traitor and Simon Legree to the Northerners
Theodore Roosevelt was Socialist and robber to the
Wall sreeters of his day. they maleactors of great
wealth. in T. RS book Woodrow Wilson's foes called him
dreamy college professor deast-the original Brain
Truster, so to speak.
We are now getting some broad indications of what
form the Old Deal calling strategy will take from
now until the 1910 election is over if not longer.
New York State American Legion
L1GU0fGL0 ana Commander jeremiah F. Cross is in
<7..a.,,o 1~oo a much pubczed tussle with Mayor
"0' QUIZ ~ LaGuarda of New York City. The
issue whether LaGuarda should have ousted Simon w.
Gerson Communist, from city job given him by Man.
haitian Borough President Stanley M. Isaacs.
Legionnaire Cross appointed Legionnaire LaGuarda
committee of to do something drastic about Gerson
group Cross barred him from the floor of the
Legion Convention at Endicott N. Y.
LaGuardia is sympathetic with the New Deal Enemies
of the New Deal trying to pin the Communist label on
LaGuarda because he refuses to enforce law which is
not on the books-namely law forbidding believers in
Communism to hold public office.
We think LaGuardia is right, and that the incident
shows him up once Presidential material in
he should be nominated for President We dsapprove
heartily of the Communist religion most people
feel that religions other than their not quite
sound.
Coming back to the name calling strategy-Representa-
tive John j. OConnor (Dem N W unoaded good speci
of it in antNew Deal speech recently before the
,,. New York Rotary Club Various New Deal
AIoIOI1U" measures, OConnor said, are leading us
O,Tonnor toward Fascsm and Fascism, he continued,
leads to Communism.
Mr.. O'Connor has his history in reverse Communism
led to Fascsm in Italy and Germany not Fsscism to Com
munsm and Communism seems to be giving way to
species of Fascism in Russia.
But the point we're getting at is that Mr. O'Connors
speech, and the episode in
dcators showing what the Old Deal calling strategy
is most likely to be for the next few years.
The game will be to hang the Communist label every
body and everything connected with the New Deal-be
is hoped that will everybody with savings
bank account into voting for people like Representative
O'Connor, and Senators George (Ga) and Cotton Ed
Smith (S CD.
WE'LL we're in favor of letting the callers both
sides go it. We not in favor of shutting anybods
mouth by law, long he she doesn't ncite to mob
violence or produce mob violence.
AHeV VeII-AHOOH It is far more sensible to let
A1,orcn,, Wn,, everybody sound off to his hearts
content on political matters.
To close the safety valve to drive minority ee-
ments underground where in Czarist Russia they at
once begin plotting to with pistols and bombs rather
than with words belched from soapboxes.
Our system is what is called democracy. We do not
think the time has come to abandon it.
York NswE
THOSE GERMAN COLONIES
We to be talking good deal about international
affairs in this space but anyway here goes another
international comment.