Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-17
PegIer Fears
Press. Labor
Curb in U. S.
End of American Wa,
After War Predicted
.(Ths opinions expressed b,
Westbrook Pegler are not neees.
soriiy those of The Detroit
Times.)
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER


serve the squirming of the
American people in a desperate
struggle to escape communism
and naziism. which are pretty
much the same.
The more we wiggle and
writhe the tighter our bonds
arc drawn.
To free the world OF this
dreadful thing and protect
American civilization from il we
resort To the very thing We
loathe and fear, and it is only
wish and not a promise to
ourselves that when the war is
over the people of the United
States again will break ranks
and discipline as in 1918 and
1919.
How can we cvet know that
we have won the war, pre-
Stunning that we viii go to war
and win. when by that time
there will be only few minor
peculiarities to distinguish our
brand of government from that
which we are so determined TO
put down?
noes any one believe seri-
~ ously, | wonder, that private
ownership Will survive this war.
when we have been observing
already. in peace time, eight
years OF unrelenting effort
from the top of the government
and all down through the de-
partments of the national adj
ministration to establish some
of the forms OF socialism?
The British. of course. never
Will be able TO pay what they
owe. and not only that but they
-theh4seites-*fii- have socialism,
when II is over, and will simply
rcpudiate the debt and use our
own words 10 justify their con-
tentlon that il never was a debt
AT all but our own expenditure
TO save our own American way
The cost of il all in spending
of our own and lending or. more
truthfully. giving to Britain will
be such that it will be hopeless
to try TO carry on in the old
American way-the only way
incidentally. under which the
American liberties can exist.
I SUPPOSE some leaders OF la.
L Dor unions really do believe
that IL is fine thing to herd all
the workers of huge nation to-
gether in two great organica-
lions. or, better still. in one or
ganlZation.
But the Communists and NaZis
must find humor in that. Know
ing. as they do what a\bandy.
compact force this would be%lth
Which 70 boss ali labor from ono
desk IN one government office.
Already millions of patriotic
Americans arc in unions-some
of them willingly and suspecting
no danger. others by force or
coercion-and are now subject
10 orders from above.
We find Sidney Hillman In
command OF iabor's effort in the
national defense. Gathered to-
gether in the unions. labor now
can be told. and will be told,
politely at first and bluntly as
times passes. to forget any frivo-
touS notions that unions are free
organizations and their own
masters.
EiE labor leaders, like the in
L dustrial leaders in Germany.
will be allowed 10 keep their
nominal authority only as long
as they please the government,
and when private ownership OF
industry has passed, labor, Of
course. will be employed - the
government and will obey the
D'NN ~ n pau
There viii be laws covering
that problem when the war is
over.
In n very short time nov
opinion in tho press will he
curbcd in the interests of the
great national effort to preserve
freedom of speech. thought and
writing. for already the feeling
is on the rise that criticism OF
the President or resistance 10
his plans is obstructive and
wrong.
Strange il is that so many Of
us see fascism and naziism in
the minds of those who oppose
RECOMMENDATION of men and the
confiscation. by indirect means.
of property. when the record
shows that fascism and naZiism
are based on RECOMMENDATION and
-confiscation,
And. of course. the Com
munists are delighted by every
new step in the direction of
facism and naziism. because.
after all, their ism differs only
in the label.
WE CAN'T see it. because VIC
w are so close to ourselves,
but the enemies, including Rus
STA and the Communists here.
can see that already we have
had TO adopt their own ways TO
deal with them on even terms in