The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-03
By WEsTBROok PEGLER

BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
NEW YORK.-In one of the more resound-
ing moments of his visit with Mr.. Churchill
President Roosevelt protested ''everla sting
anger at those who attack the Atlantic Charter
and its four freedoms and said that if they
tried to discredit the Declaration of Independ
ence, the Magma Charta and the Command
ments This is the second time the first oc
casion having been his Washingtons Birth
day address last February that the Presi-
dent has modestly classified this writ of his
and ChurchilFs with the Declaration of In.
dependence and the Decalogue and inferen-
TALLY placed himself and the British prime
minister in very fast company, considering
the authorship of those documents, particu-
larry the Ten Commandments in the pres
entation of which Moses was not the valid
author but only a stenographer. I believe
this is the first time the Magma Charta has
been cited as a comparable work.
Such pride of authorship is seldom encoun-
tered even in Hollywood or around the Stork
club, but it is interesting to observe that
Mr. Churchill, himself old-time professional
journalist. who turned out many pot-boiler
to keep himself supplied with those chair
leg double-coronas. apparently regards h e
charter as just something that he helped to
toss off while riding at anchor on battle
ship. He has had little to say about it since
it was first released and, although he is rec
ognized as a first-class angry man in matters
by which he sets particular store skepticism
regarding the charter has moved him to no
large annoyance or boastfulness. Josef Stain.
the man who wasn't there, may have thought
it tactless document in view of the fact
that, by inference, it might be construed as
criticism of the governmental processes of
Russia with which, however, he may be
sure, the American people and the British
have no intention to interfere
In fairness, it would seem that if belief
in and loyalty to, the Atlantic charter is to
be made binding on Americans. t hi step
should be taken formally by Congress be-
cause up to now it is merely a statement
of ideals which are lovely, although unreallZed
as yet anywhere in the world and of objec-
tives which, in the belief of many patriotic
but practical Americans, lie far beyond the
range of the guns with which it is purposed
to enforce them. IT, however. Congress, after
consulting the people and debating the case
should add this document as amended to the
required articles of our national devotion, then
the people no doubt would say so be it
and the Atlantic charter would take its place.
appropriately framed. in the town halls and
public schools That it might be helpfully
amended nobody but very temperamental
author would deny offhand, for the Magma
Charta itself was a limited victory with little
concern for the common man and was amend
ed much. And the United States Constitution
was unacceptable until it had first been for
titled with that Bill Of Rights of which Mr..
Henry Wallace has spoken in vague dlSpar-
agement within the last year. The len Com
mandments went as was.
And where. incidentally is til Atlantic
Charter? The actual document. itself would
be treasure beyond price II the PRESIDENT S
estimate is correct but l have no recollection
of ever having seen even reproduction In
print and, in common I suppose with most
others who are bound to revere it under pain
of the Presidents "everlasting' anger, have
no idea whether it was written by hand on
skin or parchment, or typed on bond by a
staff clerk on board a British man-of-war,
with carbons for all hands round Who got
the top copy and who the first carbon, are
they authenticated, where are they and have
the original shorthand notes, and the rough
copies with the back-tracking and corrections
been preserved for posterity? These questions
naturally present themselves and I offer them
to the Owl with deep respect.
have had much acquaintance with authors
OF one kind and another and we are, for a
fact, almost girlish in our touchy vanity about
our stuff and absurdly proud of our little meta
phors and hot ticks. Some will sulk if YOU
haven't read and don't praise their work.
winch doesn't make much difference one way
or another; but not to my knowledge has
the vainest of the tribe ever vowed anger
everlasting at those who withheld a full meas
ure of belief and praise