The Wilmington morning star., 1946-02-28
Fair Enough
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, 1916, by King Features syndicate)

When these living human documents re-
marked with appealing tenderness of late that
trained organizers and fomenters would be
found in the CT publications, there were some
who thought such could not be in the Ameri-
can Army and Navy.
Since then a record OF factual and circun-
stantial matter has been offered Of which to-
days piece is supplement.
A special dispatch from Tokyo on Feb. 10
reported that Is members Of the editorial staff
Of the Pacific edition of the Stars and Stripes
had protested to General Macarthur because
two of their editorial associates had been de-
tached and ordered to Okinawa because of
negative report on loyalty check
In stilted Army language that would seem
to mean that the loyalty of the two soldiers
had been impugned and one Of them placed
exactly that Interpretation on the phrase.
The soldiers were named in the dispatch
as Sergeant Ken Pettus, managing editor OF
the paper and formerly reporter in Ia
coma, and Corp Barnard Rubin, colunnist
who formerly wrote for a publication Of the
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union.
Pettus is an uncommon name and no person
named Ken Pettus is listed in the index of
the Dies committee. The index does contain
the names of Berta and Terry Pettus, both
OF Seattle and both, like Ken Pettus, identified
with publishing. Terry is named as editor and
an incorporation and Berta as associate editor
OF the New World, Of Seattle, published by
the Free Press Publishing Co.
In chapter called "Party and Party Line
publications" this congressional document
says throughout its existence in this country
the Communist Party has made a specially
Of propaganda through publications and peri
odicals." And the New World, of Seattle. is
listed as one Of them.
The index further says that on March l.
1874, the Daily Worker, Of New York, which
Is frankly communist, gave an enthusiastic
account OF meeting in Seattle arranged by
the American Committee for Free Yugo-
Slavia which was addressed by Terry Pettus.
The report describes this group as branch
OF the moscow inspired American Slav Con-
gress, operating In Seattle and vicinity. This
organization has been active in support of
the communist Yugo-Slav leader Marshal
Tito, and in condemnation OF his rival, Mix
hailovitch.
It says further that Terry Pettus was
speaker for the American peace mobilization
which was the communist front against Brit
ain and France and against American pre-
paredness during the life OF the alliance be-
tween Stain and Hitler. He is listed further
as member Of the International Labor De-
tense, another party or party-line group.
Barnard Rubin is not listed, but there are
more than 50 citations Of Reid Robinson, the
president Of the Mine, Mill and Smelter Work.
ers Union, with which the Tokyo dispatch as.
sociates this CT editor. These references. col
lected with great care during the long life
OF the Dies Committee largely from docu.
ments and announcements published by the
various groups, allege that Robinson was con.
nected with many organizations Of the COM
munist front in unionism and politics. One
was the all-California conference for defense
OF civil rights and aid to 1abors prisoners
typical mouthful. The committee says this
conference was arranged by the northern Cal
ifornia district Of the International Labor De-
tense (which, in the words of the report.
"Attorney-General Biddle characterized as the
legal arm OF the Communist Party"
Another was the American committee for
the protection Of the foreign born of which
the report says: 1T was founded by the Com.
munist Party to exploit racial divisions for
revolutionary purposes. BY protecting foreign
communists 1t has aided in enabling them to
operate here"
The Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers has
had rough career Always radical union
and usually in wild conflict with bad oper-
ators in industry 1t was involved in the found
ing of the Industrial Workers Of the World in
lS05 and Is now member union of the CLIO.
That man who would write acceptably
for the publication Of Reid Robinsons union
could become an editor Of an important CT
paper invites attention to the dsquieting DO
tentialities Of CT journalism all questions Of
his loyalty aside, if Rubin was a writer Cor
Robinson's paper, the Army should have an
arbitrary right to assign him to duties in
which he does not have an opportunity to
make propaganda.
Rubin Is said to have remarked that there
was no question OF his loyalty when he was
machine gunner on Luzon. That may be con-
ceded but the fact remains that the COM
munlst line and the American line were about
alike during the shooting. The communists
changed When the fighting ended and one of
their purposes since then has been to place
the G1s in conflict with the officers and turn
the Army into mob.
For some time during the war the Army
and Navy both kept files on persons who had
associated with the communist movement and
refused them commissions. Under mysterious
orders from Washington, the services were
forced to abandon this policy and accept the
oath of loyalty as proof of loyalty in spite of
the declared contempt of communists for all
pledges.
Recently J. Edgar Hoover has been under
attack by the communists and their allies be-
cause, with Roosevelt out of the way he made
two bold speeches against the communist con-
spiracy. Entries in the Congressional Record
report that a person who might get his lob
is the same who went through the Army and
Navy communist files and pared them down.
Incidentally CT who recently was report
ed to be melting disorder in the Philippines.
and described as a former union official.
bears the same surname, again an unusual