The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1941-05-29
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Washington-This column is a
plea to all Americans to guard
against hate and bitterness in the
present controversy over our for
eign policy. I have sounded that
note before, but things have heard
and that have been written to me
in recent weeks convince me that
it is a plea that cannot be made
too often.
We are all Americans, first, last
and all the time. We are all think
ing Of the welfare and security of
America, trying to do what is best
for her in these troubled times.
Honest men and women can and do
differ as to what course is best
for our country, but we should
differ without impugning one an
others motives, without recourse to
name-calling or mud-slinging, and
above all, without kindling the hor-
rid flames of racial and religious
intolerance in this democracy of
ours.
I am writing this because have
noticed, in the letters on our for
eign policy coming to me, a tend
ency by a small but growing min
ority on both sides toward the most
vicious kind of racial and religious
intolerance. 1t is not true of the
overwhelming majority on either
side Of the issue, but believe the
tendency should be squelched now,
and that all of us should be on
our guard against such appeals.
A few who write me favoring an
even stronger interventionist policy
than our present one have ten
dency to denounce those opposing
them as "pro-Nazi" or traitors"
and to question the motives of
leaders of the isolationist side.
And a few extremists on the 9TH
er side, the isolationist side, resort
to the same tactics, calling the in
terventionists "war mongers," can
glophiles" and worse. More dan
gerous, I notice an increasing man.
Hesitation of anti-Semitic. or anti
German or anti-British feeling in
some letters.
Racial and religious hatreds and
intolerance seem to me one of the
most vicious diseases OF mankind.
Like the Frankenstein monster,
they are likely to destroy their
creators along with our society. The
blacklist chapters in our American
history, from the witch burnings
in Massachusetts to the cowardly
burning and beating of the Ku
Klux Khan in this century, have
been due to racial and religious
hatred and intolerance run wild.
Whatever may be our view on
this present national issue, let us
all join in stamping out this vic
ious doctrine Of hate wherever and
whenever it appears.
While I am on the subject, I
would like to mention one more
thing. Many persons opposing our
present foreign policy apparently,
from their letters, are convinced
that there is tremendous pressure"
of some kind or another on MEM
bers of Congress to support the
Administrations position.
For the record. want to state
that no one, either in or out Of
Congress, has ever asked me to
vote for the lease-lend act or any
of the measures to implement it.
I have received letters urging me
to support the Administration pol
icy but they have been dignified
and restrained, and have contained
no threats, direct or implied. I
have been aware of no pressure"
whatever, except my own convic-
tions, to support the present for
eign policy.
Unfortunately, that has not been
true Of the other side. The pres
sure" has all come from the isola-
tionists, from a minority Of them.
Many personal callers and many
letters have threatened me with
political reprisals If did not OPP
pose the Administrators policy.
Some have called me unprintable
names, and a few have even told
me I would be tarred and feather
ed If I did not change my position.
Most Of the latter type letters,
were, Of course, anonymous.