The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-02-10

W Ills ON PpOAb VI
Martin Dies
Chairman Martin Dies Of the
congressional committee on in
vestigation OF un- American actiy.
tiles. by various sorts OF revolu-
tionaries in this country, seems TO
have convinced his fellow law
makers pretty generally since he
launched his quiz several years
ago.
The inquisition was voted. as
matter OF politeness 10 the
Texas legislator, who sponsored
the idea. and whose feelings nat
urally would have been hurt II
it had been treated contemptu-
ously.
However few OF his associates
believed, at that juncture, that
enough un-Americanism was
abroad in the land TO amount to
anything. scarcely. That there
were a handful OF its missionaries
abroad in the land was recognized,
but hardly anyone thought that
they were making an appreciate
number OF converts. The YER
dict was that. il they did become
at all troublesome. deportation
would dispose OF them quite ade
uuately.
Nevertheless, Dies got his
committee.
1t was a good deal laughed a
in the beginning. Fascists and
Nszis were still consolidating
their control OF their home coun-
tries in that period. They did
not appear TO be a serious men
ace on this side Of the Atlantic.
nor was there any worrying con
corning the Japs, on their shore
OF the Pacific
Still. Martin kept plugging
away. His committee required
rejuvenation every so often and
he got two or three such extern
sions. again 10 the accompani-
ment OF considerable amusement.
Nazism and Fascism were de-
veloping by that time. but they
had not yet reached the war
stage. and Martin had to rely
largely upon Communism for his
main appeal.
Now. Communism was not wide
ly regarded as any particular
threat in the United States, to
begin with. Ii isn't Socialism
which we are additionally afraid
of, but a weird doctrine that we
do not regard ourselves as suf-
ficiently subject TO. TO take root
here. Socialism supposedly a
couple OF different forms OF the
same) we had assessed and did
not like its appearance.
Accordingly, when Congress
man Dies sounded his latest
alarm. on a Socislistic character.
he got himself listened 10 with
plenty OF attention.
II Is a nuisance that his cam
paign involves, on a Comnunistic
basis. the cause OF Josef Stain,
the Russion leader. who is fight.
ing on our side today, so that
the Dies folk have to be very dis
Greet how they express them
selves concerning Moscow's phil.
osophy.
Nevertheless. Martin was any
thing but laughed at the other
day, when he reported on uu-
American activities and asked for
authority to continue investigat.
ing them.
Contrariwise. he was roundlv
applauded Many interviews
have Endorsed him cordially. lie
got another extension vote for
his committee in short order.
II was not altogether an admin
istration victory.
The Texans story is that ad-
ministrative bureaus have been
stuffed with totalitarian person
nels. The story is that totalitar-
isns have oozed in wholesale.
This inward oozing. If any, has
not been OF alien conspirstors. It
must consist principally OF Amer.
lean totalitarisn sympathizers.
Have we got as many OF them as
Congressman Dies saws we have?
IL we have, they do not count
for so much right now. II is
their postwar influence which
would signify.
Dies forecast is that these
theoretical temporary official an.
thorities will slop over into sub
sequent peacetimes-that they
will boss us permanently.
And a lot OF his fellow congress
men are suspicious. with him.