The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-19
BY pEc,,.

wv 1o.-Our MA
friend Harold L. dor I,ou., va
1ckes has been sounding e'
which no artist can harmoni7, AoIe
any chorus of national unitv "'a
Speaking at the d~eplorabip ~
union dinner of The Nation '-V4,
The New Republic thu Other apa
ming, Mr.. Ickes proposed that sye'
der proper safeguards" but Win a'
out visas or diplomatic forma Gi.a'
asylum be offered in the VirnS,
islands for men and won0 nsl
Intellectual achievement and a.. a
ocratic thought who are nou ue'i'
danger of the firing squad" Ill
my own department" he s,;,
lis doing what lies within its no oaia,
to open the way. We are n pu%ss
the h%ospitable reception Of al S4s
whom there may be room and ,s so'
they. be allowed to Sly in the va'
gin islands until they are otbas
wise provided for" NA'e''
Noble in Purpose
Like the experiment of nr,,a.
ton, MIR. Ickes' proposal nav r,'b v,
noble in purpose but, again ILL., w.
prohibition, it is charged with sAs
astrous possibilities, as the neo WIZ!
of France could warn us o,t Vps
their experience.
Most Of these refugees are an.
Fascist, although there will Sn u.l.
be among them some Nazi any
Fascist agents. But it Stands '4 ~
reason that a greater proportiou "
OF them will be communists uba
fled over the border into Fr,n II
after the Spanish civil war snI
other communists who, earlier IN
the general European ~revolrrtion
now in full eruption, escaped frona
Italy and Germany. France onpnsd
her doors to political pariahs NJ
all varieties, and her hospjta1tr
was wickedly abused by a great
horde of parasitic ingrates. but ths
communists came 10 outnumbp,
the others, and they certainly CON-.
tributed to the fall of the nation
The communist, of whatever ma.
tional origin, feels no gratitude n
anyone and only contempt, in sd.
dition to his normal hatred, for any
economically comfortable nation
which is fool enough to save his
life. The Spanish loyalist cause
was the communists cause re.
CARELESS of whether it be agreed
that they ran that side of the fight
under direction from I1oscow. And,
although there doubtless are many
among those refugees who are moi
communists, it is almost imposi.
BILE to discriminate in any mass
rescue.
Hard To Identify
Again, it can easily be agreed
that many of the refugees from
Italy and Germany are not com.
munists, but still is dangerous
to take the individuals word. It is
hard enough to identify under-cov.
er communists here at home, for
they will deny their principles for
convenience, and their political
faith permits them to do so.
The danger of permitting a mass
of refugees inevitably including a
heavy proportion of communists,
and, inevitably, some razi and
Fascist spies and saboteurS, 10
settle in an outpost of the Amer
can Atlantic defense needs no de-
tailed explanation. And certainly
Mr.. Ickes' notion of proper safe
guards need not be accepted, at
least until he explains just what
he has in mind. 1t hight be re-
membered that the Safeguard'
which were considered proper IN
the case of HAIR: Bridges WEI
not safe enough
On this subject it should be Oh
served that there is in progress III
New York and Hollywood a cam
paign to import a lot Of Europeans
who are described as intellectuaS
and writer's, and that some Of t1eS'
are the beneficiaries of a grea'|
ballyhoo which disarms Suspicion
Americans are told that so'aho'
so is a great German or French VI
Spanish liberal and the author VI
some magnificent work, and lF!
believe it without trying to aScs.
tain whether the person IN queS!|4
is a communist or without reaoms
his book. ,rI
But at a recent dinner on oeAal
of this movement in HOLLYWOOD u.
committee in charge included HUE
of the anti-American, native C~r
munist film writers and lew"
travellers, and the character Oh III. .m.
sponsorship naturally creates IN.
picion. Communists are hos ~
terested in relieving distress ias
are concerned only III lmp0i"
reinforcements. ..t
Does this propose, then, ina. asi,
ugees should be excluded loI wv.
political belief? But yo7' Oh euu
when this country was Welcon-
swarms of oppressed Europeans IN
the days of mass immlsts asra
most of them joyously emoie ..s
American ideals. But IN 'hl' ~,
the nation is on notice thaL ~r
of the refugee element IS os' M.
to the task of destroying ne''
eminent. Il,
Mr.. Ickes needs Watchlhs'
has great powers and Is al
abusive and high-handeo' vi,
he seems to be showing lh'o n,
,,C VI