The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-01-25
SATURDAY. JANUARY 25. 1871
pIcrAToRlAL FRIENDSHIP

Ralph Townsend, former Amer
can consular officer in the Orient,
and author OF a pamphlet, Seek
ing Foreign Trouble, charges that
newspapers. radio and motion pie.
lures are engaged in a colossal
publicity campaign to get the
United States into war.
He says that one purpose OF his
pamphlet is.to show that American
editors, radio commentators and
CROOKED politicians deliberately
conceal facts and do IAN immense
amount Of lying. in the hope OF
in,olv ng this country in foreign
quarrels.
Townsend declines 10 state how
many copies OF his booklet, which
he wrote 10 promote peace.
have been distributed throughout
the nation. but he hopes, he says.
TO circulate 100000. He main
talns that dictatorial powers have
always been more friendly and
beneficial 10 the United States than
QemocTacies. that Great Britain has
been antsgonistic 70 this country.
especially in its most democratic
era, and that the only times France
supported this country was when
il was ruled by dictators, particu
larly Louis XIV and Napoleon.
Praising Germany and Japan,
and criticizing the American po-
litical record. he says America was
the last great nation 10 abolish
slavery Japan. which our Editors
currently reyile as barbaric, abol-
ished slavery peacefully l65 years
sooner than we abolished it in the
Civil War and certainly ~
the matter OF war we cannot claim
TO be more peaceful than others.
Few nations have gone to war on
slighter pretexts than we in 1898
and 1917
He contends that it is 'un-
American 10 agitate for involve
ment OF the United States on the
side OF Great Britain. China or
Greece as il would he on behalf Of
Germany or Jap~n. He favors in
telectusl rule. il there Is any such
thing. and declares so-called
British Democracy would be a
worse victor at a peace conference
than Hitler.
Townsend has written several
books, including For Ways That
Are Dark-the ruth About Chit
ma, and Asia answers He is
also author OF another pamphlet
The High Cost OF Hate. Now
comes Seeking Foreign Trouble
The best thing about Il IS that II
ref ects q freedom OF speech that
is denied practically all other ma
tons. He takes advantage Of that
freedom 10 write his book. yet
he advocates form Of government
that would deny him the privi-
lege as dictators have denied the
privilege wherever they have come
into power
As regards our course toward
war, he may be right in his opposi-
ton. Many agree that We have no
more business in this war than We
had In the previous European war.
But he is certainly wrong when he
says all newspapers are assisting
the radio and motion picture pro-
ducers in a campaign 10 get the
United States into war. Many are
opposed to the war trend and they
hope that President Roosevelt real.
~ means all that he has said bout
keeping the United States out o.
war
Only a very small percentage Of
the people ~ THIS nation favor
war The ma 'ority opposed to wa
should be active now II war is 70
be ayerted The President and tho
Congress should De kept constant.
" aware % tho wishes % the PEG.
pie as a whole not merely aware OF
the selfish wishes Of a few.
DR.. J. Howard Crum OF New York