The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-06-05

luupdTdlel0Q service WeSLDrOOK reg
Ter is rendering through his daily col
umn Of incisive, fearless comment
But 1t is doubtful If more than hand
lful have ever written him a word of
thanks and encouragement. 1t would
be splendid II the readers Of this Bull
letin would address few lines Of
appreciation, as individuals to Mr..
Pegler (23O Park Ave-, NYC)-refer-
ring not SO much to the especially
significant column which is enclosed,
but to his entire SERIES"
The column enclosed is headed IRE
printed from The Cleveland Press
Sept. 49,, 1941" Mentioning free
speech and criticism in this perilous
time, Pegler continues:
"Some days / am frightened by my
own stuff and wonder if it wouldn't
be better citizenship on my part and
more helpful journalism to throw in a
sentimental one about the death of
my dog. +. But when l get to think
ing about this dangerous union thing,
this invisible empire of the irresponsi
bilities which President Roosevelt has
set up in our country, I find l am
more afraid of that than of Hitler. +.
l know quiet few young Americans
who are under arms or will be under
arms soon and facing a war, and
just can't see myself at their age
making such sacrifices to the end
that, even if our side wins, we then
settle down to a life under lot of
American-born brownshirt gangs not
much different from Hitler's and GER
tainly no more desirable just because
we call them pickets or goons. :"
PegIer AS Fascist Stooge
In calling Pegler a Fascist stooge,
labor unions are not indulging in
name-calling and SANDER; they are
stating fact The Cleveland Asso-
ciated INDUSTRIES, which disseminates
Pegler's anti-labor poison, with the
consent and approval of Pegler's en-
ployers, was exposed as a Fascist or
ganization by the LaFollette commit
tee in 1888. Testimony showed that
| the Associated Industries employed
spies, thugs, stoolpigeons, paid one
strikebreaking spy agency $4,000, and
that it received a $3.50 donation to its
anti-labor fund from same spy agency.
In the Al books which the LaFollette
committee seized, was notation "Spe-
cial service rendered the Ohio Rub
Der Co." Evidence was given that
the Associated Industries faxed their
books, made every attempt to cover
up relations with spies. LaFollette
committee showed "that the AL used
newspaper ads furnished by the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers,
the American Family Robinson a
radio program sponsored by NAM"
and Fascist in viewpoint. VIM. Frew
Long, manager, Associated Industries,
admitted under oath that Al supplied
scabs, hired stool-pigeons, and des-
troyed all records of these transac-
lions.
The Cleveland Fascists naturally
also corrupted the so-called free press.
Seized in their files was the follow
ing:
Between June 1941 and December 7,
1912 Pegler expressed the hope that
Germany and Russia would extermi-
nate each other. It is true that when
Pegler covered the Olympic games in
Germany in 1886 he wrote several
columns against Hitler, but as be-
tween Germany and Russia, Pegler
did not hide his preference for the
former. However, America was not
in the war when Pegler wrote he
feared the liberal New Deal and the
few gains labor had made under it
more than he feared Hitler. But since
December z Pegler has followed the
line which Director of Facts and Fig
ures MacLeish denounced before the
publishers convention as defeatism
and diyisiOnism. In attacking Amer
ica's Allies, In attacking labor, in at
lacking the negroes, Pegler has done
what Hitler predicted would aid his
propaganda in America.
First Column Favored Lynchlng
In 1888, when Pegler went from
sports to columning, the first piece
he wrote was in favor of lynching
There followed a consultation with
Roy Howard, who heads the Scripps-
Howard chain, the Unietd Press, and
other big properties, and it was de-
cided OF hold the pro-lynching column
up. However, it was run within the
week, and the blame must be shared
equally by the two hoodlum-minded
journalists.
Incidentally the lynching in ques-
ton was of white men in San Jose,
California However, since then Peg
Ter has come out against the Anti
Lynching bill and he has repeatedly
attacked the negro people.
September Is, 1910 the Guild Re-
porter, official organ of newspaper
men, reported that James P. Kirby,
Cleveland Press unit, "has hurled the
lie back at Westbrook Pegler -.
giving documentary proof of his
charges" Said Kirby: ITO Mr.. Peg
ler's denial that he defended lynching
I quote from his column of December
10, 1888 in which he said: AS one of
the rabble, 1 will admit that I said
fine, that is swell, when the papers
came up that recent day telling of
the lynching of two men who killed
the young fellow in California, and
I haven't changed my mind yet"
Pegler topped his pro-lynching col
umn with a pro-murder column March
81, 1912. Referring to dirty smear
Of Interior Secretary Ickes by a
Comm paper, Pegler
wrote: 81 don't blame Ickes for re-