Smyrna times., 1939-04-20
How the United States Should Act
Toward SubYersiye Groups

How the United States Should Act
Toward Subversive Groups
One of the basic principles of
democracy is that minority groups
should be allowed the right to ex-
pose their views and to attack the
principles and practices of the
group in power
1t can hardly be denied that the
attitude of most Americans to-
ward Communism and Nazism is
not the tolerant one demanded by
our democratic principles. Com
munist and other radical groups
are often not allowed the freedom
of Democratic institutions. Those
of us who would like to shake off
these left-wing rallies defend our
selves by saying that in this case
the end justifies the means; that
groups openly or secretly opposed
to the rights of free press and
speech should not be entitled to
use those institutions in order to
ultimately destroy them.
The real problem is not how we
can handle certain inf1ammatory
groups of alients; it is whether the
restriction of dictatorial groups
would be more harmful to democ-
racy than helpful. The restrictions
on alien groups would set a dan
future undemocratic steps by the
federal government toward minor
tiles opposed to the party in pow
er. The latter, in my opinion is
much more dangerous than the
former.
Communism and advanced forms
of group activities are not likely to
get start in the United States
Firstly, Americans are too selfish
and ambitious to give up their
rights to earn wages in proportion
to their abilities and ambitions.
They are self-assertive enough to
think that they will be able even
tually to earn an income above
that of the average American and
hence do not desire to share equal
ly.
Fasicism, and Communism have
never come into power except in
countries with a low standard of
living where an uneducated prole-
tariate has absorbed oppression for
centuries until at last they have
risen to crush the bourgeousie and
rule
I According to the Communist
theory, Communism can never
come about except by the process
of forcible revolution. America
with it's high standard of living is
still a long way from proletarian
revolution. Since our natural re-
sources are the secret of our high
standard of living, it is here we
must look for the protection of our
democracy. We should spend the
time we give to worrying about
alien groups to the problems of un-
employment and poor living condi-
tions among the poverty stricken.
America is not likely to succumb
to organizations openly plotting
the overthrow of the government.
RED batting" has been a parlor
sport so long in America that the
Communist party, whose member
ship in the United States has been
declining, has little chance to for
ment trouble. The few Nazi
"Bunds" scattered through the
land have proved the wrath of an
intolerant citizenry. Americans
are too susceptible to 'f1ag-wav-
ing" to give up the country to
alien hands.
What the United States has to
fear Is undemocratic principles
masquerading under the guise Of
democracy. The New Deal, at
present, is carrying out the plat
form of the Socialist Party Of
1882. President Roosevelt has had
unusual support from the people in
carrying out his program. 1t IS
not inconceivable to suppose that
another personality as magnetic
as Roosevelt might come to Pres
idency with extremist ideas, and
with the support of the proletar-
lat, suspend our democratic sys-
tenn.
AS long as the subservise organ
izations have admitted alien ties,
the United States has little to fear.
We must be on our guard against
organizations which claim to be
democratic but whose policies have
iundemocratic leanings.
Randolf Russell
An Amateur Show
On Friday, May 5th, the Junior
Classes of J. B. M. will present an
amateur show in the school audi