The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-07-26

Ths Mexican Confederation OF
Labor called a meeting to de-
nounce Nazsm and Fascism. Since
we're against 'em also, the state
department was much gratihed.
When the meeting was pulled OF,
however, II turned out that the
reason why most Of the crowd was
so strongly anti-NaA and anti
Fascist was that it predominantly
was so vehemently Communistic.
There was a bit Of democratic dis
sent, but not much. We ourselves
are pro-Russian versus the Axis.
We're not pro- Communism, though,
whereas 1t wasn't Russia but Com
munisn that this Mexican gather
ing hohered for.
The state department was
tickled pink awhile ago over an
article by Jose Domenech In the
American Federationist, organ of
the Argentine General Confedera-
ton Of Labor, calling on his coun-
trymen to Join in a pole to pole
effort" against totalitarianism.
Pro- ommunistic
o. K, II Jose meant to include
Communism as one Of totalitarian-
isms manifestations. But now the
departments wondering il he isn't
like those anti-AXis but pro-Com-
munistic demonstrators in Mexico.
At that meeting one Of the princi-
pal Communistic orators was Vim
cent Toledano, one Of the founders
Of the Mexican workers organiza-
ton but today president Of the
whole Latin-American labor con-
federation, which includes the Ar
gentine group. and II the Argen-
tinos aren't Communistic, why do
they acquiesce in the leadership Of
as loyal a Stalinist as Vincente?
I've already had occasion to re-
mark that the state departments
worried over the possibility Of in
:reasing activity in Latin America
W agents of Caudillo Francisco
franco Of Spain. frances strong
ly pro-AXis, and his missionaries,
by reason Of racial, ancestral, lin
guistic and religious ties might be
even more effective In our southern
western hemispherical republics
than Naz propagandists. Indeed,
dispatches relate that Cuban au-
thorities seized a whole shipload OF
his literature and medals at Ha-
vana the other day.
The fact that they seized the
stuff doesn't imply that Cuba's
pro-Axis. Nevertheless, neither
does it imply that there isn't con-
siderable Communism there. The
Cubans may be anti-Axis for the
same reason that the Mexicans are
because they're pro-Communis-
tic and Communism at war with
the Axis today. We used to have
in Washington Cuban ambassa-
dor, Orestes Ferrara, who was an
outspoken Anarchist, and Anarch-
ism and Communism are pretty
closely related. There can't but
have been, then, at any rate, a
good bit Of that kind Of sentiment
on the island, or II wouldn't have
sent Orestes to Washington The
state department remembers him.
He was a radical but smart guy.
Anti-Nszi Signs
The departments becoming pref
ty well satisfied that the Latin
Americas are anti-Nazi. Bolivias
expulsion Of Ernst Wendler, Ger
man minister at La Paz, testifies
to H. President Vargas suppressed
the Nazis in southern Brazil. Uru-
guay's scattered EN- at Monte
video. Chile's got EN- under sur
veillance. Peru and Ecuador have
turned cold toward EN-, on the
ground that they stirred up the re-
cent clash between the two repub-
lies. It probably didn't require
much stirring up; they're on bad
terms, anyway.
But the truth Is that those Ger
man agents are too Grass; they get
themselves spotted as dangerous
mischief makers.
But Communism Won't that be