Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-07-14
WE MUST FACE THE FACTS ABOUT RUSSIA

to private assassination must be used without stint
or compunction The citadel will be stormed under
the banners OF liberty and democracy; and the
apparatus of power Is in the hands of the brother
hood, all opposition, all contrary opinions. must be
eXtinguished by death. Democracy Is but tool to
be used and afterwards broken"
TT is mistake TO imagine that this drive against
L world democracy wildly described by the
British prime minister has been abandoned by Stain.
be abandoned long he remains dictator,
He knows asswell do that liberty is contagious,
that free business enterprise is irresistible tempta
ton He knows that his revolution, like Hitlers must
be international And this too he made Enthusiastically
clear in his book when ne wrote:
what is the meaning of the impossiby Of COM
plete and final victory of socialism I'm single country
without the victory of the revolution I'm other coun-
tries: 1t means the impossibilty OF having full
guarantees against intervention and hence against
the restoration of the bourgeois order to deny
this indisputable fact Il To abandon Lennism. We
living Lenln writes, not merely In state but
in system of states; and 1t is uncomfortable that
the Soviet Republic should continue to exist for long
period side by side with imperiast states. Ultimately
the other must conquer"
Is that not clear enough? Is there any reason
why represent Stain TO ourselves as a man OF
mystery whose aims "inscrutable- except that
want TO hide from ourselves the fact that he is
a man of inflexibe and brutal will whose aim is to
overthrow by any and every means available. the
governmental, economic and social system in which
live?
If there were any military reason for hlshing all
these facts | should be the last to bring them up.
If there public oPinion in Russia which might
# we codded it, SWAY Stain to lend base in
the Pacific | should be still. But there is opinion
except state opinion in Russia any vital question;
and not word either of our praise or blame ever
reaches the Russian people unless by special provision
of the ruler
AS for that ruler himself bred and educated in
princpled contempt for the statesmen OF bourgeois
democraces' he finds only confirmation OF contempt
in their praise of him before their peoples while he
sits cyncay silent before his. II you want anything
from Stain, that is the way not TO get IT. Ihere Is
noeaipomatc military reason why we should lawn
on Russia and there is every moral, political and
patriotic why we should not.
MR. wILLKIE says that he never has understood
WI why it should be assumed that in any possible
contact between communism and democracy
mocracy should go down / agree with hlm there;
the level of life in every respect is higher under
democracy L believe il continue So agree
also l have said, that the Soviet Union IS an
effective society with which me must cooperate.
I endorse his conclusion: Learn all about them and
let them learn about us. ,
But | submit that if we confuse learning all
about Russia with learning the propaganda slogans
fed to us by those who. in blind worship of Russia.
are plotting to destroy democracy democracy will go
down If respond 10 their brutal dlSaVowal OF
moral principles with mushy pleas to believe in their
good faith. democracy will go down. H. whlle they
teach their people to sheer at democracy we
obseqiousy hush-huSh every bold word about the
purges the prison camps, the police army OF 2OOO.U)o
and the 100000 galley slaves upon which their
Sneering rests. democracy will 90 down H. Whle every
Communist carries an rnteXble purpose 10 destroy
democracy built into the conceptual framework win
which he apprehends the world democrats carry no
purpose but to appease communism and KID them
selves about it's democratic aims and the demo-
cratic rights guaranteed by its totatarian constitu-
ton, democracy will go down. If, while Communists
SUPPRESS nv police terror and execution without trial
every murrnur in favor of democracy, we passively
allow our schools newspapers, radios book and maya
zine publishing houses cinema studios. Offices OF war
informal on-any and every one Of our centers OF
education information and publicty-to be Permeated
with the agents and apologiss of communism, de-
mocraCy will 60 down.
DEMOCRACY is at a disadvantage in contact with
~ communism because IT is more civilized. II be-
eves in tolerance in free discussion IN popular en-
phtment in the value of life and the dignity OF m"
individual in honor and ruth-teng and the principles
of morality Each of these virtues OF the democratic
wav of life is weakness in It's struggle against lhe
unSculDulous power drive of a conSpratoral party
which replaces education With indoctrnaton Mods
truth secondary experience, ana TegaIdS MOI d
principles as oldfaShoned preiudices.
1t is the essence of democracy 70 be VulneraOle
to such an assault One thing, one thing only, can
save it. and that is clear and bold understanding.
Democracy must have from It's leaders lnclslNe ana
recommending exposures of the barbara nature Oh
the Communist society and the devious method oil me
Communist attack. Inc Closer ouI Hli,oiy !.
economic cooperation must be- the more ptleeS must
these exposures be. You cannot save democracy by
shutting YOUR eyes 10 the horrors OF dictatorship.
You cannot stop night from falling by turning inc
lamps down Our sole weapon against their DARKNESS
is otr-iFh