Imperial Valley press., 1944-12-18

Lippman seems to have more ap-
prehension about the effect of the
world war on American thinking
than he has on anybody else's. A few
others have been increasingly en-
tertaining such ideas about the
American people. Whereas we used
TO think that nobody could cross the
English channel, let alone wide seas
and oceans, to attack and overcome
a great military power, we know
now il can be done because we have
done il ourselves. There can be no
longer any isolations, splendid or
otherwise. We are not separated
anymore from any European people
than from any South American
country. We may just as well be at
tackled by any nation, or We may
Just as we'll attack any.
Mr.. Lippman thinks that the
United States may suddenly become
one of the most dangerous of peO-
piles. Instigated by great pressure
groups of peculiar wealth, influence
and desire for power, we may even.
against our long traditional i'm
pulses, become the imperialistic
power. He does not say SO in Just so
many words, but he puts the idea
into your head if you ponder over
what he has been saying. :"
Perhaps he is jus. laying the
do g. f..ll tra t..r n
his favorite method of solving
peace problems in the future by al
liances. He thinks that we shall be
forced into offensive and defensive
alliances with such countries as
Great Britain, Russia, China and,
later on, France. If, i'm the future,
we are either to have peace for
ourselves or keep it with our neigh
bOrs. OF course, that is the old
theory of peace by alliance and inn
periaiism. That has not been the
trend Oe American thinking, eSpe-
cially since the previous sO-called
world war. We have got very much
further away from any use for i'm
perialiSm and closer to ideas of
world relationship, friendship and
cooperation than we have ever
been. 1t does not seem to most of us
at all likely that Mr.. Lippman can
be right in his expectation that we
are SO rapidly breeding another
type of mind.
nc oourco m nra onuIl ayap III; nj
of accusing Walter Lippman Of hav-
ing interested motives, of giving
himself over in the slightest degree
to the service of paid propaganda
He is too high above any such pos
sible suspicion. Nevertheless, wher
the day comes that flood tide OF
public opinion should suddenly come
sweeping over our heads and bearing
us, against our wills, into a career
of militarism, conquest and impe.
rialism in any form, it will prObabl.
come bearing words quite suggeStiv,
of those Mr.. Lippman has recent,
written. Its prOpagandists, paid OF
unpaid-and prOpagandists are gen
orally paid one way or the other
will be mouth pieces for big inter
national cartels monOpolies of on
sort and another, and special privi
legged groups in international, pOlit
ical and economic relations.
1t is worth while to listen to Wal
ter Lippman's warnings. Indeed, tn
dangers he points out are CROWN,
clearer and clearer to every thought
full citizen. But it would seem tn
part of wisdom, instead of accepting
Mr.. Lippman's conclusions, to max
every desperate effort possible t
prevent America falling too deepl
into the train Of thought which h
points out.
II would seem that we ought a
least to try the plans constructed a
the conference held at DumbartO