The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-08-06
COMMENT ON WORLD
EVENTS

A determining difference between the
enemy aliens in this war and in the
last is one of theology rather than
nationality. The simple fact of mans
birthplace gives no clue to his mind
and heart. Applying this analysis to
the problem of enemy aliens, Attorney
General Francis Biddle in the August
issue of Free World asks, 'Who
among the more than million Ger
enemies in this country are our
friendS?"
"Who are our enemies?" Biddle asks.
No Xray machine exists that will
show up the marks of fascism in
mans mind and heart. If we cannot
get down to cases and Gull the loyal
and disloyal individuals; if we cannot
make special arrangements, how can
we be fair, impartial, and most i'm
portant, safe under the circumstances
that there are more than million
enemy aliens in this country today?
Acknowledgement Biddle writes in
Free World that this war is not only
between armies; it is also a fight be-
tween ideologies; between democracy
and fascism. "The latter" he explains,
sis simply the self-assertion of preda-
tory strength over the lives of human
beings"
"In declaring for a fascist world"
Biddle continues, 'our enemies sounded
call far beyond their national bor-
ders. To their own initial advantage
they enlisted the sympathies and learn
ings, if not the actual military col
laboratiOn, of lesser, outlying nuclei
the world over-individuals and groups
that either saw eye to eye with them
of were infected with some smattering
viduals, there are groups-yes, even in
the DemOcracieS-whO have shared in
varying degrees of harshness that
viewpoint. The devices for human op-
preston of the body, the mind, the
heart, are many. Some are traditional,
are used by unquestioning habit. Some
are employed through the subconscious
"There are people, decidedly non
fascists or actively antifascist in their
desires and hopes for the world, who
nevertheless have been taught to look
upon certain nationalities or races as
subservient i and to be Kept so, by
force if other means fail.
"In America, where slavery was
ended three generations before the
NaZis took it up, there are still some
who are unwilling to concede equal
economic rights and privileges to the
Negro. There are still instances of dis
elimination in employment, still gross
inequalities in the division of benefit
of our material progress.
'"These AXis-sponsOred concepts of
race, class rule, expressions of all
sorts, are definitely on the wane in our
country. But where they have been
fostered, blindly, through the years and
generations, it is not easy to end them
in q day. And war-war against the
very powers that would put them into
universal practice-came in a day"
Paying tribute to the fact that many
people now labeled enemy aliens hate
Hitler as much as any true American
does, Biddle points out that we are
providing opportunities for these people
to help us with the war effort. He sug-
gests, further, that after certain pre-
cautionary measures have been taken,
that we remove any vestigo of blind
prejudice against enemy aliens as such.
We can broaden their job opportunities.
I'VE can seek out the sources of
propaganda designed to keep prejudice
alive" the article states, 'and give a
more active wartime cogniZance to the
damage which such propaganda is
working upon our cause. Without null
lifying the effect of safeguards set up
against sabotage, espionage, and all
forms of fifth column activities, we
can liberalize our regulation of alien
GnpmiaS