Evening star., 1945-09-15

ness. Lowell Meiiett.
Reactionary isn't the word. 1t
suggests merely a yearning for the
past and a distrust of the present
and future. Tory isn't the word
1t suggests chiefly a confidence in
the well-born and well-to-do as op-
posed to the masses. There are re-
dictionaries and tories who are not
mean in spirit, who are capable of
generous action.
The word might be illiberal In
politics we've always had liberals
and we've called them that. In
English politics it is the name taken
by one of the principal parties, but
in this country it represents a type
that is found in both parties. These
are men whose approach to public
questions is, in the language of the
dictionary, free from prejudice: not
narrowly restricted" Illiberal, say
the dictionaries, means "bigoted, un-
generous, niggardly, not broad
minded"
Plenty in Public Life.
Liberal has long been a noun
Why not illiberal? There are plenty
in public life who could wear it as
a fitting label.
Great Britain finds herself in the
somewhat humiliating situation of
having to seek financial aid again
in this country. Her plight is des-
perate. 1t is possible for us to dis
cuss calmly and reasonably the
problem she presents, even though
in the end we might find it impossi-
bic to grant the required aid. But
that is not the way of the illiberals.
They start shouting
This" cries Representative Curtis
of Nebraska, lis not loan to relieve
starving people or suffering human
ity or to defeat Hitler. The purpose
of this exploitation of the American
taxpayer is to furnish funds so that
the English government can buy the
Bank of England, their mines and
their railroads"
Representative Knutson of Min
nesota finds that a good line and
takes it up. "The American people,"
he yelps, "are being asked to finance
the socialization of the United King
dom through the forcible acquisi-
ton of business and industry. Why
should we finance this journey into
Utopia2"
Representative Gearhart of Cali
fornia demands to know what con-
stitutional authority there is for
"the levying of taxes upon the
American people to carry on the
functions of government in foreign
country"
Representative Hoffman of Michi-
gan and Representative Woodruff
of the same State leap into the one
sided wrangle to express similar
sentiments. Representative Lands
OF Indiana inquiries, ''Is it not a
fact that there will always be an
America if we do not give it away?"
and Representative Knutson replies,
Absolutely. May I say the gentle
man never uttered greater truth
in his life."
Recalls Previous Loans.
2eCP1 wOOO1 IGCdllS
previous loans to Great Britain.
They welshed on their debts" says
Knutson.
Am I correctly informed" asks
Representative Jennings of Tennes-
see, when I labor under the i'm
preston that Lord Keynes is
here now trying to put gun at our
heads on this proposition?" And
Representative Knutson, with heavy
sarcasm, replies, I'VE are such gen.
erous souls that we will probably
give them the money without being
subjected to duress of any kind"
Later in the day an ashamed
President of the United States feels
compelled to remark that the dis
cussion is perfectly silly" But that
won't be the end of it. The illib-
erals will continue to be heard on
this as on all other subjects.
They will find new ways to in
suit Russia as we'll as Great Britain;
ways to throw suspicion on every
body. excent themselves connected