The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-04-24
THE MIppLE GROUND

As the legislative committee in.
vestigating subversive activities in
the New York city school system
charges that Communists have
worked out = plan Of ultimately
subverting the entire educational
system 10 revolutionary ends. We
wonder just where Communism
starts and liberal thinking leaves
of
The committee says SO far as the
Communists are concerned, the So
called democratizati ton plan for con-
troll OF the city colleges by their
faculties was a crafty scheme"
By which they hoped and planned
TO obtain actual control Of the city
colleges to use them as feeding
ground for Communism and as
precedent for such control in other
institutions of learning
Their report criticize the New
York city boards OF education and
higher education Tor failing 10 make
a real effort to cope with the
problem OF Communism.
The committee approve the prin-
ciple OF increased faculty control
OF city colleges. but declares that
the Communist plan OF using il for
subversiye ends was "nipped in the
bud through exposure Of Commun-
ist teachers by the investigating
group.
There is no doubt whatever
the report adds. that there are
hundreds Of Communists and inten-
tional fellow-traYelers in the school
system. Their Vaccinations and
conspirative tactics are now we'll
known. This committee has ex-
posed So individual teachers as Com.
munists by legal evidence. 1t has
in its files information and evidence
tending TO implicate 434 others, in
Guiding SO teachers who signed
Communist PARTY nominating pc.
titions in 1888 alone"
Major steps in the scheme had
been achieved. The report adds,
through capture Of the teachers
union: achievement OF much influ.
ence in the college field by the un.
ion. and establishment of means OF
ultimate conquest through the
characterization plan.
On this characterization plan
there is room for long argument.
just how much OF II is Democracy
and how much is Communism.
As our "leyeiing or process
gains momentum through increased
taxes, restrictions on profits and
conversion OF industry to war work
our plan OF life comes closer and
closer TO the plan OF equal sharing
as exercised in communistic states.
On the other hand. as Commun.
ism yields 10 the necessity OF pay
ing special bonuses for industrial
leaders and workers Of superior
ability, and bounds OF ownership
are broken down TO allow broader
privileges in way OF private owner
ship, there Is a noticeable trend
away from the original ideals OF
AAAF NHNiAAlAA AAAA7AAA HAaAF ~ = d u III =
basic. principles or Democracy and
Capitalism.
In between the extremes OF state
ownership and private ownership
there seems then 10 be a middle
ground toward which our democra.
tic administration IS working and
toward which the Communists are
electing 70 travel. Eventually the
two may come close to meeting.
Speaking in a very general way,
they aren't so far apart as we are
inclined TO think, and they are con.
tinuing TO grow gradually closer.
How. then. and upon what premise
should arguments Of q democratic
people be based and what should
be sound objective To achieve
the right objective the majority
must first agree upon its exact ma.
ture. Next the majority must work
unitedly for il. About the only OBJ
jective we are agreed upon now Is
victory in the war, but II In the
meantime we fail TO unite upon
plans for cur political. religious
economic and industrial future. v.
shall find ourselves in sorry mes!
when the war is over.