The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-04-15
Fair Enough
BY WEsTBRooOK PEGLER

a veteran SOlQ1eE VI Lle recent WAL, now d
student at Harvard law school, wrote me his
views of the American Veterans Committee,
one of several new organizations, and sent
a copy to Charles G. Bolte, chairman of the
| committee. Mr.. Bolte also wrote me propos-
! ing a discussion by us OF the matters men
toned in Kieran's letter. 1t occurred to me
(, that the best way to enable veterans and the
public generally to appraise this group and
| another the American veterans of World War
II, in sense rivals, would be tc invite state
ments in support of both. Accordingly, Mr.
Kieran has written an article which runs here
today and Jack W. Hardy, national COM
mander OF American Veterans of World War
II, commonly called AMVETS, has sent a
statement from the national Headquarters in
Washington which will run tomorrow
Mr.. Kieran, of course, has no need to in
woke the reputation of his 1lustrious father
but I think the reader would like to know that
he is the son of John F. Kieran, the noted
essayist annd radio pundt.
1t has been necessary to edit his article
slightly to make it fit the space, but I am
confident that he will agree that the sense of
the piece has not been impaired.
Mr.. Kieran writes
Il belong to no veterans organization and
have no complete political sympathies with
any as yet existing. constitute veterans
group of one-mysef-to which no one else
may belong, but, as a matter Of conscience
would like, temporarily, to come to the de-
tense of the AVG.
The veteran Of this war is supremely con-
scious of his nations position IN world affairs
and the VITAL undeniable importance of the
domestic problems co-extenslve with it. 1t
is his business and his right. The AVG serves
as one medium of expression for him along
this line. He is made articulate by his more
! gifted associates That of course, is typical Of
any pressure group in America.
II do not believe it fair TO label an organi-
zation without giving it a chance to manifest
its position by indisputable actions. To do this
would be to weaken it prematurely and, to
our own derriment, by keeping out the persons
we want in, sapping the effectiveness Of those
already members in whom We have faith and
driving the others to an inconsistent position,
which they must of necessity, adopt in
order to meet our attack and maintain their
pride intact. Meanwhile as the cleavage,
dissension and mutual hatred grow, the poll
teal opportunists and theological misfits, who
masquerade under every virtue known to man.
and specializing in balancing interests move
in and capture
IF that is what you want, the best way
to get it is to brand the organization with
whatever stigma you most detest.
Myself, l hate branding end hate, in
general, the name calling which has become
an insidous disease to this country in the last
several years Nor do feel 1t Is fair in this
case.
ut should be thinkable to all protessedly
! tolerant people that rational, sincere dis
agreement as to current issues can exist
among us without one attitude being assumed
threat to the existence of the other. If
we disagree with the position taken by the
ave on certain problems let us concede their
right 70 take that position without imputing
to it sinister meaning. If we cannot do this in
all sincerity, I say that we are lost. I say
we have wasted ITO years in tying to figure
out blessed system for mans relation to
man or, il you will, mans humanity to man.
THE ave has not yet given us anything
concrete to 60 on. 1t has had to work through
sketchy polls of whichever members could be
contacted and through the cabinet-type policy
making board 1t set up for seE-expression
1t has not always been an accurate reflection
OF the entire organization. So we have no real
basis for abuse. In June the voice will be heard
in formulating a platform Of detectives into
which we can sink our teeth in constructive
or destructive criticism.
1T is a heterogeneous group, containing, to
my personal knowledge, men of all creeds and
beliefs, social and political. 1t is just be-
| ginning to find itself. 1t will, after June, take
|
1 shall probably disagree violently with many
of them. But could not in my heart, deny
their right or refuse them my acknowledge
ment OF their sincerity to stand so, without,
in effect cheapening everything for which
many OF them including Bote, himself Cord
Meyer, Sherman Laird, and others, fought
voluntarily.
''They will not be consistent for I don't
think they have little mass mind. There
i: u, ~,
to assure an honest airing Of each issue. II
you examine the Legion closely or the Catho-
lie church, or either major political party,
you will find similarly many and varied ap-
proacncs to all questions. The strength of
our country is in tolerating them.
i "Charles Bolte is highly intelligent, sin
cere young man who is excellent bulWark
against communist inftration. He has been
attacked many times by the Daily Worker
Merle Miller, to whom you referred in your
column, wrote scathing de.1unciation of any
attempt to get the AVG to follow the Moscow
line.
'To the names mentioned as having been
connected with organizations rom which some
rather dubious political opinions emanated,
I can offset the names of Mr. Stassen Cord
J, Meyer, Cren Root Jr., Phil Willkie, Evans
Carlson, ETC., who seem 10 me to strike a
sturdy balance of interest and strength.
"Among personal acquaintance 1 can list
such very valuable and undangerous persons
as Laird, Peter Solbert, Kingman Brewster,
Endicott Pesbody Tom Hadley and host