Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-07-13

filled overflowing with denunciations of the sup.
posed misery and degradation of our way of life.
VET this does not prevent the American Communists
from denouncing as IAN attempt to drive a wedge
between the Allies" "a service to Hitler" even
"fascsm," any word spoken by any American in
honest criticism of life under the Russian dictatorship
They will so denounce the present article and the
Readers Digest for printing IT, plain speaking OF
minds, however is the sole basis for lasting collabo-
ration between these two great countries II cannot
be achieved while Russians attack our civilization
hammer and tongs-and we meekly exclam as our
vice president recently did that must not double
cross Russia AS though shipping arms and provisions
free of charge TO whole planet in its fight for the
principles of civilized life sin that should make
hang heads in silence.
The kind of logic that has brought our leftsts into
this state of morbid apologetics toward Russia well
illustrated by former Ambassador Joseph K. Davies
Mr., Davies was in Russia during the notorious Mos
trials, in which the foremost leaders of the old
Boshevk Party confessed" that they had been rea,
sonaby plotting with foreign secret agents German
and Japanese or French and British according the
momentary shifts of Stains foreign policy. Those
mySterously unanimous confessions" were but a
public wind9W dressing behind which the bloody purge
of Stains CT hes was accomplished. While in Moscow
Mr.. Davies, Knocked by this purge, wrote the state
department:
THE terror here Is a horrifying fact. There Is a
fear that reaches down into, and haunts all sectans
of the community. No household, however humble,
apparently but that lives in constant fear OF noctur
nal raid by the secret police Once the person il
taken away, nothing of him il known for months
and many times, never-thereafter'
Mortified also by the mock trials, Mr. Davies de-
Scribed them in letter TO Arthur krock of the New
York Times Jan 20, 1887:
I'm any demonstration of the wisdom and desirable
ity OF the principles of AngloSaXon Jurisprudence for
the protection of the accused by the presumption of
innocence the right Of counsel the right Of refusal
to testify against oneself and the soundness Of Anglo
Saxon law were required, IL would be found In this
proceeding"
THERE is nc sane reason why Hitlers attack on
Russia, Russa's heroic resistance should have
destroyed Mr. Davies bride in Anglo-Saxon institu-
tons Yet the fact is that he is currently recommend.
iprt he hari nd pbI ella Ol1.
ter of anti-totalitarians for which they formed a
screen example for other lbery-ovng nations
10 ponder Mr.. Davies performance only points up by
extreme example the epidemic of hysterca adulation
OF a tyrant state which is sweeping many nfluen-
-tla Americans off their feet
When Mr.. Davies book Mission Moscow" was
made into movie by Warner Brothers those we'll
known friends OF Soviet Russia, Erskine Caldwell and
Jay Leyda. employed in its preparation. Every
item of the current Communist propaganda in.
serted the film 10 the distortion only OF his
torical fact but even Of the peculiar Interpretation in
Mr.. Davies own book. If this film had been made In
Moscow, or in the office of the American Communist
Party, II could be no more adept an instrument on
foreign propaganda 1t IS a compendium OF what the
Soviet government wants the American public TO be-
lievc. And yet II is put over Americans having
The Official sanction OF thelr own government by the
lngenouSly handled appearance of an actor mperSon-
ating President Roosevelt and by an opening in which
the title of the film IS drawn with Mr. Davies book
out of an official diplomatic pouch OF the United
States
John DEWEY Americas best known educator and
y philosopher and Suzanne LaFollette, formerly
editor Of The Freeman jointly in the New York
Times Of May long statement citing in detail the
tlagrant Inaccuracies OF the picture They concluded:
THE film, OMISSION to Moscow" is the first in
stance in country of totatarian propaganda which
fasifes history through distortion. omission pure
invention of facts, and whose effect can only he 10
confuse the public. Even In fconai film this
method would he disturbing. IL becomes farming in
film presented a. factual
The whole effort II to represent the Soviet die
tatorship a advanced democracy. Such gross mis-
representation only contribute to confusion in
our relations with the Soviet Union
The film is anti-Brsh anti-t ongress, anti
democratic and anti-truth. II dcepens the crisis in
morals which is the fundamental issue In the mod
world
Worker boasts Warner Brothers spending
100000 TO advertise throughout country $500 .
900 more. the party journal adds proudly than has
ever Sbeen spent on the promotion OF any other
American film
To II is bewdering that American state Off
Gals and public champions of democracy should wish
10 whtewaSh or ignore the judicial murders, mass
deporato and state planned famnes by which So
Wet tOtaaTianiSm has been established and main
tanned. The danger to foreign policy involved in
ignoring the Kremlins real purposes is small thing
compared TO such corruption OF our own democratic
habits of thought.
Democracy Is primarily as Mr. Roosevelt has con.
stantly reminded way of life has its existence
the habit Of mind and action of the whole people
In issuing books and films condonlng The totaitaran
tyranny. you strike the most deadly blow conceivable
against this way of life.
Either believe in democracy and that what
fighting for don't and it isn't While our
boys dying foreign battlefieldS in the cause Of
democracy is time for us 10 be spreading tota
tartan corruption on the home front.
Concluded Tomorrow