Evening star., 1941-02-19

Other prominent sponsors OF the
United Americans are Admiral Byrd,
Jim Lands, William Green, Maury
Maverick, Michael Williams, as well
as number of conservatives. But
the United Americans is not a big
name" or "letter-head" outfit.
Administration support is based
on the following considerations:
% 1t is an authentic MidWestern
movement. which was started by
Orville Mcpherson, published OF the
Kansas City Journal. following the
election last November. His edi-
torial call for support for a move
ment to back up the President
brought in $4,000 memberships and
voluntary contributions which were
returned to the donors.
~ It is a rank-and-f1le move
ment-the first such to appear IN
relation TO the national crisis. The
So-called William Allen White Com
mittee was, in the main, Repub-
lican pressure group, with white-col-
lar and highbrow overtones, It did
useful work but did not appeal 70
broad popular membership. Organ
liza atoms like the America First Com
mittee were similar in character and
originated as from-the- -top-doUn
movements TO manufacture publicity
and political pressure.
Name Is Master Stroke.
(3) Its name-"United Americans"
is a master stroke of simplicity.
Two years ago. when the adminls-
tration was seeking support for its
program, q similar movement failed
to click because it could not find a
name which would command popu-
lar support. Liberals were skittish
at the idea Of national unity"
which seemed to suggest 'Fascism."
"a Its program contains the es-
sentials for popular movement
toward unity: Vigorous public sup
port of the Presidents foreign poll
cies and all emergency measures in
furtherance thereof for the dura-
ton of the world crisis; subordina-
ton of purely partisan pickering;
steeling of the Nations defenses
through sacrifice and unceaslng ef-
fort by all Cbut not exclusively or
even predominantly at the expense
of labor or social gains; an en-
lightened public opinion that un-
derstands the aims, methods and
significance of axis assault upon CIV
ilization: implacable opposition 10
all forces deliberately attempting to
miSguide the American people.
80 And once again. because It
IS an honest Midwestern movement,
not made in Wall Street or fo-
mented by La Sale street or
dreamed up in Washington. Kan
sas City, Mo, is nearly at the geo.
graphical center of the United
States and that is where the United
Americans started.
Rally at Kansas City.
The movement is due to get of
to a flying start with a big rally
at Kansas City on February 21--
the eve of Washington's Birthday
with a national radio hookup and
a good show. 1t plans to create its
political effects by impressive DEM
onstrationS of mass s-membership
and to discard the recently devel-
oped method of mail-order pressure
on Washington. Since its member
ship comes from the rank k-and-hle,
it will represent people who can't
afford the time or money TO write
or wire their Congressman. If our
national politicians want to know
what the United Americans are do
ing they will have to go back to
their districts and see with their
own ewes. And oh yes! the United
Americans will wear buttons by
which they may be identified and
will be organized nationally as well
as locally in a mobilization of public
opinion for the duration Of the
crisis.
1t is my opinion that this IS the
first movement since the organiza-
ton of the c. l. o. which promises
to attain mass-membership rapidly.
because it represents the simple
deep-seated feelings of the broad
masses of Americans. Since it is
an inclusive-rather than an ex-
clusive-movement, it ought to
mushroom up rapidly During the
last national crisis we had the Ma
tioral Security League, which was
anti-labor in the name of defense.
This time. national defense is not
the exclusive property of the great
industrial interests, many of which
are in fact appeasers and defeatists,
so such a movement as the United
Americans offers the prospect that
this time all of our people can be
brought to harmony and essential
unity on essentials, whatever their
Differences of opinion on minor
issues.
(ReIeased by Consolidated News Festurs&
Inc)