Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1944-08-18
On The
Beam

Fascism and sex have much
in common. The grown-ups
who are supposed to know
the political facts of life don't
like to talk about the origin
of Fascism. They shy away
and change the subject when
you ask about it.
There is a kind of con-
spiracy in high politica l
places to conceal the process
by which Fascism grows like
an ugly tumor inside the
democratic body polite.
Naughty, naughty, the big
shots tell us when we ask if
law to suppress labor unions
is not closely akin to the
Fascist labor policy.
They wave their fingers at
us, and there is that when
you grow up we'll tell you
all about it" look in their
eye.
For all we know, or can
find out, Fascism comes in a
big shots brief case in the
dark hour, just before dawn.
When you get up, there it is
grinning gruesomely at you,
like a new born dragon.
MIDWIFE TAFT
Senator Taft, for instance,
knows all the secrets of the
growth of Fascism. He is a
kind of political midwife, at
tending the abortion of So
cial system in labor pain.
Taft's law to prohibit the
circulation of political litera-
ture among soldiers and sail
ors serves as twilight sleep
medicament which eases Fas-
cism pain essly into the
American household.
OF course, the Senator
would deny this. He would
say that ne is inspired by
nothing but high and noble
motives. In other words, he
wants to keep the servicemen
from knowing things; so that
what they don't know won't
hurt them.
But, despite his denials, the
fact remains that censorship
of political literature is a
Fascist stunt pure and simple.
VERY GREAT NEED
AS a matter of fact, sol
diers and sailors have very
great need for intelligent po-
litical information. They are
facing the bullets and bombs
of Fascism. The least you can
do for a man facing death is
to let him know the political
truth about the events which
assign him to a foxhole.
But the aristocrats in Amer
lea do not want the political
truth to be generally known.
Political education always re-
suits in popular uprisings
against private power and
personal privilege. The citi-
zenry at large can get pretty
tough when it learns that a
few fat purses are blocking
the way to a better social
order.
1t is not a fascination by
pretty dancing flames that
impels the Fascists to burn
books They des troy the
works of libertarian and hu-
manitarian authors because
the writer's express ideas
which convince common men
that plutocratS are barring
the way to progress.
Senator Taft's motives are
similar to the Fascist fear of
ideas. He does not want the
servicemen to know the po-
litical score.
ANTI AMERICAN
Nothing could be more an
ti-American than the prohi-
bition of circulation of po-
litical literature among
troops.
The Unite States of
America came to life in a
Revolution that was fought by
patriots who knew their pol
itics. Tom Paine fought side
by side with the ragged revo-
lutionists; and between bat
ties he dashed of his famous
Crisis" pamphlets for the
purpose of defining the war
aims of the patriots.
Paine minced no words He
cussed out the plutocrats and
the royalists of his time for
the raScals they were. he
glorifieu freedom and inde-
pendence for the inspiration
Of his fellow soldiers.
Our servicemen of today
need democratic education
and inspiration. Nothing else
will avert political seduction