Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1945-05-25
The
Beam
By
Clayton w.
Fountain

indicate that We Day has not
unearthed the Atlantic Charter
or the -Four Freedoms, so far
as the Italian people are con-
cerned.
The AP report states that
British and American authori-
ties have forbidden the forma-
ton of any Italian government
which might force the erup-
ton of a political battle over
the continuation of the mon
archy.
In other words, We Day has
not brought the Italian people
enough freedom to grant them
the right to talk about kicking
out the King.
This is a strange declaration
of policy to be issued by the
American government, in view
of the fact that we are cur
rently being urged to join in
the 7th War Loan Drive for
the purpose of bringing free
dom to the world,
1t is stranger still in view of
the fact that this nation is
strong and free precisely be-
cause it had the CUTS in its
youth to kick owe the traces
and spit in George III's mon
archial eye.
NO SHAME
We ought to be the last
country in the world to tell
any nation that its people do
not have the right to talk
about tossing king out on his
ear.
Let us not be ashamed of
the fact that we got our start
as a nation in this world by
hauling off and punching a
king in the nose.
The punch that we threw at
George III in 1776 made a
good loud historical whack
that is still echoing down the
halls of history. We would be
untrue to the democratic spirit
of the Paines an Jeffersons
who steered us to independ-
ence if we were now to dis
avow the anti-monarchial sem
timents of our foun d 6
fathers.
What do we care for kings
and crowns and the trappings
of moth-eaten monarchial in
situations?
We were spawned in a polit-
/, ical atmosphere of contempt
for kings and crowns and
other feudal foloerol; so why
not stand on our record in
1945 and say that we have
small use for monarchies?
HANDS OFF
1t was only short time ago,
during the uproar about Brit
ish intervention in Greece,
that Secretary of State Stet-
tinius announced a policy of
keeping hands off the internal
political affairs of liberated
nations.
What has happened to that
"hands off" policy?
If the AP report is true, the
''hands off" policy has been
changed to one of helping
Italian nobility to keep its
"heels on" the neck of the
Italian people.
Are we to have a "heels on"
policy instead of "hands off
policy?
do not ask this question
out of cynicism or out of a
desire for perfection in diplo-
macy.
l ask it in the name of the
thousands of United Nations
fighters who have given their
lives in battle in the belief
that they were making the
great sacrifice for the cause
of universal freedom.
NO INTERFERENCE
The monarchial system in
Italy is entangled root and
branch with the foul growth
of Fascism, which flourished
and fattened on the flesh of
Italy wit ut interference
from the King.
The Italia n progressives
know this, and the majority or
the Italian people know it,
and they are no doubt deter
mined to toss the monarchy
into the ash-can, along with
the sinking corpse of Fascism.
Certainly there is a need for
order and peaceful reconstruc-
ton in Italy. But it should
be a democratic order and
reconstruction Inspired by the
faith of the people in their
ability to rule themselves.
To sustain the Italian mon
archy, on the pretense of keep
ing order, would simply en-
able a horde Of petty FaSciStS