Detroit evening times., 1945-02-03
II H1He AI4NUOOAA Pegler

A MoNG those who dislike
Henry Wallace there is
tendency 10 despise the fellow
as one who is not too bright
and. by himself, an amiahle and
harmless bleeding heart who
wants TO do good but has
fallen into the hands OF totali-
tartan srhemers most of whom
brought their political purposes
with them in the Steerage from
the Slums of continental Eu-
rope.
This is a dangerous aSSurnp-
ton, tending TO disarm or lull
those believers in the Amerl-
can republic who thus far have
lost every round of the fight on
the home front 10 preserve I'M
I'll the day of their return the
Liberties entrusted 10 their care
by ten million men and women
gone TO war.
For fact. Wallace does seem
vague, prideleSs and even lnno-
cent Of personal ambition for
power.
His submission 70 the nasty
insult implicit in President
Roosevelt's letter nominating
him for Jesse Jones Job in the
department Of commerce Sug-
geSts a noble meekneSs that
would endure muCh for the op-
portunity 10 serve that faceleSs
nonenity described by tn
prophets Of our Nazi-commu-
nism as the common man.
LIS docile acceptance OF the
L betrayal at Chicago when
his great friend threw him out
because he had political r. O.
and took Harry Truman in
stead. and his trudglng per-
Sonal campaign for the ticket
on his own. may seem 10 be-
speak admirable humility and
devotion.
Against these outWards. how
ever, the fact must be remem-
bcred that the power Of the
American President today is
greater than II ever was before
in our history and greater than
the people ever intended II
should be and growing by the
day
The fact must also be kept in
mind that when Wallace has
had power in office he has used
II ruthlessly In cunning con-
nlvance with less subtle ene-
mics of our liberties.
And. finally. we overlook only
AT our peril the probability that
If Wallace should become presi-
dent in 194S. which is the pur-
pose Of Sidney Hlllman and all
the strange, fierce and dnScru-
pulous European ConSplrators
Of the Political Action Commit
tee, he would use that power 10
the limit and with the cold bru-
tality of all dictators.
THE mythical Wallace char
L acter which has beguiled the
people is an artificial creation
Of a small group Of Washington
journalists, some Of them inno-
cent dupes Of their own senti-
mentalism.
We have in our craft a num-
her of yearning essayiSts who
are forever seeking another
Lincoln, and in their quest.
overlook Lincoln's many faults
including his frequent contempt
for law and his unmanly sub
mission 10 the rule Of a vixen
in his home even 10 the extent
of keeping his own son safe
from war while he was round
ing up by force the sons Of
other mothers 10 die horribly
in battle.
This eagerness pounces on
any untidy man with a bang
over his eyes, not unlike Hit
ler'S if il comes TO that, knee
sprung pants and clumsy,
fumbling public manner, which
may be sheer political affecta-
ton.
Given these properties and
some generalities stolen from
Jesus Christ. such as the broth
erhood of all mankind and the
great virtue of the poor they
beat the people over the head
with adulation Of their discov-
cry and the propaganda makes
great 'headway before resist
ance sets in.
William Jennings Bryan, in
his day. enjoyed the benefit Of
a comparable cult only 10 reveal
himself in his final years as an
avaricious old con-man who did
not hesitate to preach religion