The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-06-08
Facing the Facts
With PHILIP PEARL

hunting season is open. Last year the
Dies Committee focused its glare on
the pediculous plague of the Commun-
lists. Now it is turning over few
stones and exposing the Nazi-Fascist
bugs.
While the publi's first impulse is to
yell for the exterminator, a flit-gun
is not really necessary. The best way
Of dealing with these crawling crea-
lures is to expose them to the light.
They thrive only in the dark.
Enough has been revealed by the
Dies Committee and in the illumin-
ating articles by Stanley High in the
Saturday Evening Post to warrant
few comparisons between the habits
and activities of the Communists and
the Nazi- Fascists, as we'll as their
relative danger as pests.
1t is our opinion that the Com
munists are more clever, more subtle
and more dangerous. Like termites,
they bore from within established in
stitutions. They extol democracy, al
though in Soviet Russia they have kill
ed the last vestige of freedom. They
pledge allegiance to the Constitution,
although they recognize no law but
their own. They have even made over
lures to religion. A wide following
of fellow-travelers (they used to be
called parlor pinks in the old days)
are placed in influential positions
They operate from within the schools,
the press, the Government and the c.
| |. o. Moreover, the Communist Party
appears to be well-fnanced and we'll
disciplined.
Grubbing Grafters
The Nazi-Fascists in this country
have no central organization. The
propaganda groups are widely scat
tered and disassociated. Many of these
organizations are run by fy-by-night
grafters who are in the business of
selling misinformation to suckers for
their own profit. Their ideology of
hatred and their heroes, Hitler and
Mussolini, are repugnant to the vast
majority Of Americans. One would
have to entertain very low opinion
of public intelligence to fear that the
bund-boys will make much progress
in this country.
Nevertheless it would be folly to
underestimate the potential menace of
Communist and Nazi-Fascist prop
uganda in this country. The investi-
cations must go on and must be pur-
sued thoroughly. The American Fed
Grafton of Labor has given it's full sup
port to the Dies inquiry, whether di-
rected against Communists, Nazi-Fas-
cists or any other un-American group.
1t is interesting to note that the Com
munists, who screamed blue murder
when the Dies Committee stepped on
their toes, are applauding it's present
activities. ss
Secretary Treasurer Frank Morrison
tells us that he expects to be able to
report to the Cincinnati convention in
October a paid-up membership of a
full four million in the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. Best estimates place
the C. l. O.'s paid-up membership at
not more than one million. They don't
dare give out any official figures. 1t
is important to remember that the c.
|. O.'s public claims do not specify
paid-up membership, the only kind
that counts in any organization.
Even the smart-a alecks who thought
the extreme sensationalism of the C.
|. o. was going to sweep the country
by storm are beginning to revise
They have seen the A. F. of LIS nu-
merical strength grow steadily even in
depression times. That's sure sign
Of health. They have seen the c. l.
O. pull in it's horns at the first de-
preston scare and its membership
dwindle rapidly under pressure. Those
are unfailing symptoms of congenital
anemia.
But Any Jury Would Free Us
We could be arrested for what We
think of the way labor news is pre-
sented (or misrepresented, take youl
choice) in the Daily Worker, the
Washington Merry Co Round Column
and the C. l. O. News.
POsies
Roses are blooming in Washington
and bouquets are plentiful and mex
pensive. So we think it's timely t.
bestow a few Of them on some Of oul
deserving but unsung sirs and broth
ers and sisters in the Federation. Her,
! they are:
To the Legislative Bureau of the A
F. of l.. (Bill Roberts, Bill flushing
and Paul Scharrenberg) because O.
their efficient service and because
they are so influential with and high
ly respected by the lawmakers OF
Capitol Hill.
To Chief Organizer Frank Fentol
and his aides in the field, for thei
fine work in recruiting membership
, even in hard times.
To the Research Department (Mis
Florence Thorne, Miss Margaret Scat
tergood and Boris Shiskkin) for tn
preparation Of regular reports on un
employment, business conditions ant
Legislation which command the highes