Detroit evening times., 1945-01-31
BEHIND
The NEWS
BY Paul
MaIIon
WASHINGTON Jan. 30.

NGt-haee- asked me smnps
others, TO give you some
recommendations as 10 the
scope and standard of your
proposed investigation of un-
American activities.
Well there are un-American
activities in the United States
as the newspapers and the pa
triotic organizations have fire.
qHently noted and more than
have been noted.
II seems 10 me the Dies
Committee only scratched the
surface of them, and provided
our people with what really
amounted only 10 suspicion Of
them rather than a thorough
and complete understanding of
methods and operations.
For a rather obvious example,
no one, not even American labor
leaders, has an accurate, agreed
knowledge today of the extent
10 which Communists have infiu-
enced and continue TO influence
the American labor movement.
At the recent CIO convention
in Chicago, I noticed the known
Communists were held quietly
in the background. At least
when the pictures were taken
they were.
But how much did their inten-
tions gain headway in the deci-
SionS made by the convention
To what extent was their influ-
ence reflected in the decisions Of
the convention How many are
there in CIO? How 90 they
work?
YNHE AFL and other non-CIO
t-Uhion leaders have denounced
communism. 1t would seem from
the Go pretenSes and the AFL
stand that labor leaders. them
selves might be interested in
gong right 10 the bottom of the
matter at long last not for politl-
caiTeasons or from standpoint
Of raising counter propaganda,
but for finding out definitely
what the facts are.
In short, the committee might
well drop both the whitewash
brush and the red paint brush
in favor of a judicial and COM
plete search for all the facts.
To what extent are racial
sores being rubbed in this ma
tion for un-American purposes?
So far we have been moving
along the line Of making correc-
tions of claimed injuStlces and
this, of course. is only right and
fair.
But il cannot be forgotten
that the basic original scheme
Of the Communist, and ! think
most other revolutionary ideolo-
gieS which have worked their
way into this country from
abroad, is 10 foment quietly ra-
cial uprisingS, and 10 play AL
ways toward developing racial
competition
DSYCHOLOGICALLY We are
at a disadvantage with for
eign revolutionarieS in these
and similar public matters COW
ering the whole. of diplomacy
and politics. We operate openly
and above board, discuss all our
ills in public.
Anti-American as well as all
foreign interests well know this
and Join our discussions, not
necessarily openly (for this
would defeat their purpose but
in subtle ways 10 influence our
Judgment. Our plays, movies,
literature, and art have seemed
to me often TO reflect these prop
aganda subtletieS. playing
adroitly upon the political emo
tlonS Of our people, taking ad-
vantage of their democratic
feelings
Without any direct knowl-
edge. hut Judging only from the
results | see, l would say there
is evidence of many deep-rooted
schemes developed through
many years in many ways 10
play upon our heartstrings for
un-American interests.
NOW if the postwar world is
" going 10 be what Mr.. RooSe-
welt is planning that II should
be SO much the more must we
need 10 know the whole truth
about these hidden streams of
influence.
The totalitarian way Of life
Is not going to be eXtinguished
by this war. Attempts to in
flucncc American judgment are
not going TO stop with the
peace. These streams will not
be dried up by the treaty
The totalitarianS do not oper-
ate openly and above board, do
not let their people weigh two
sides or moro of all matters.
and then decide.
Our way is 10 fight propa-
ganda with truth. The only
way YOU can Know truth is to
get the facts. What are the
factS7 I think il is up TO your