The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-11-21
Under Cover
BY JOHN ROY CARLSON

avoid all the ideoicgies which
are contrary to our own good
system. Let us so live our own
lives IN world Of neighbors
that we shall be a power for
good because we have the re-
spect Of all.
This sample of infantile trust aft
err years of relentless NaZi ag-
erosion during which democracies
crumbled one by one because they,
too, believed in Hitler's promises,
remained dominant with the New
leadership. Faith in Hitler but
an unreasoning lack of faith in
the Administration-these were the
cornerstones of the Committees
policy of appeasemeat and defeat
ism which corroded our democrat
ic fibre. Il delighted NaZi COM
mentators who crooned from Ber-
lin: 1.-The america First Commit
tee is known as true Americanism
and true patriotism. as opposed
to the synthetic brand.
"Patriotic meetings of the Mo-
bilizers and the Bund fell down in
attendance, while most of the other
fascistic groups were suspended al
together as their members flocked
to America First rallies. When
ever I wanted information from
nv friends | had to go either to
America First meetings or the A.
F. C. headquarters to find them.
The Committees hackers for the
most part were sincere and we'll
meaning prototypes of those who
had backed Hitler in Germany
a small clique of industrialists,
business men and Amy officers.
Ernest T. Weir of National Steel
Corporation contributed heavily.
Thomas N. McCarter former chair
man of the Public Service Cor
poration of New Jersey, was an
other heavy donor. H. L. Stuart,
president of a leading investment
house in the Midwest, was fl
nancial supporter, ard SO was Ster-
ling Morton, president of the H.
linois Manufacturers Association.
The wealthy meat-packer, Jay
C. HORNED, gave literally, as did
Mrs. Janet Aver Fairbanks; Max
Wellington Babb, president of AL
lis Chalmers: General Wood and
General Thomas Hammond.
The idea for the Committee was
conceived in the spring of 1910
in the mind of a blond. wealthy
24-year-old Yale student, R. Doug
las Stuart, Jr., son of the first
vice president of the Quaker Oats
Co. Stuart got 20 Of his class
mates to join. The romantic story
released by the Committee went
on to say that young Douglas at
tracted the attention of Chester
Bowles, OF Benton and Bowles, Inc,
well-known New York advertising
agents.
From nowhere sta'd William r.
Castle joined the blonG youth. Then
to Stuart's growing circle of III
fluential friends came Philip La
Toilette, former Progressive Party
governor of Wisconsin, and was
quickly followed by Senator Bur-
ton K. Wheeler, General w d
(who was board chairman of Sears,
Roebuck and Coz, Henry Ford,
and Robert Bliss Of j. Wa ter
Thompson, advertising agents. Elk
perts in promotion, organization,
and public relations gathered
around young Stuart.
With Douglas and his Yale
friends serving as front, Charles
Lindbergh addressed a meeting at
Woolsey Hall. This made the head
lines even though Llndbergh, like
Neville Chamberlain, propagated
Hitler's ideas by saying: I'm Or
der to dominate the Far Eastern
situation we must make our peace
with the new powers in Europe.
After the Lindbergh speech, Gen