The Wilmington morning star., 1946-11-28
As Pegler Sees 1t
By wEsrBROok PEGLER

myth that Labor made some contribution
to the winning of the late war, a fallacy re-
peated the other day by General Eisenhower,
we might as well make a saturation job and
level down some other monstrosltles that dis
figure our mental scene.
Labor as nobody knows better than those
who drew inflationary- pay in war industries,
'contributed'' nothing at all and, on the whole,
made a record filter for shame than pride.
There were a few exceptional individuals, 1t
is true, VINO worked with secret zeal when
the marks Of the CLIO. were drunk in the ia
verns, but even they were overpaid, so In the
common sense that a Contribution is a gift,
they Contributed nothing. Neither did the
magnates of industry who, though many OF
them worked enormously and, to their ironic
anguish, made good the late Roosevelts boast
of $4,000 planes a year, after all were slaves
OF their nature and the circumstances and no
more could have restrained themselves than a
rock rolling down hill. Even those who worked
themselves to death, as some did. would have
worked as hard in time ct peace under the
pressure o. strong competition and would have
died OF the same wear and tear.
1t is but another expression Of the same soft
soapery to speak Of the invaluable contribu-
tons Of a,particular group-but rarely, if
ever, native Anglo-Saxons to science and
art and the aggregate greatness of the United
States. Albert Einstein, tor example, whatever
it is that he has added to the sum Of human
knowledge, did what he has done not because
Of any sense of duty to mankind but because
he couldn't help it, and has received beautiful
rewards in the coin that he values most-a
posturing old fellow, delighting in a show Of
homely and spectacular modesty. He has been
consulted not merely as a scientist, which Is
his line OF work. but as a cosmic philosopher
and political sage, and sophonores and mo-
rose pilgrims from committees and the social
weeklies have troubled him delightfully."- in
journeys to his door at Princeton to touch the
~frazzles of the veritable Einstein sweaterjac k-
ct. He lives well, he keeps in print, and he is
allowed to express political opinions that
antagonize the sentiments of many young men
who lost their lives preserving his coy asy-
lum. Others like them, and holding their same
views, would guard his sheltered cot against
any who would deny him the right. He is con.
tent and the score is even. ~
OF writer's, musicians, both performers and
composers, and Of actors, the same is true,
and Of old couples who reach their golden
wedding anniversaries. AS to writer's, it should
be observed. that none Of any note these days
deal In beauty or enrich the treasury Of noble
and musical letters. The craft of writing is
employed exclusively to punish general or per-
sonal enemies, to discredit virtue, deride honor
and exalt sordidness. A literary sign of the
times is seen in the title Of a new compilation
called 1.-The Bathroom Reader" the most i'm.
pudent atfront to civilized reticence' to date.
although who would have the optimism to call
it the ultimate in filth? To saw that writer's
contribute" to literature, even though their
works occasionally should soar to the level Of
rnediocrity. would be to say with appropriate
apologies that a hen Contributes eggs, or
kline pot roast, to the veal of man. Though
not an easy. Business, writing is an ideal &C.
cupation for the indolent end vain at all times.
and especially these days for the rude and
impure. The pay, even for the submerged and
unrecognized, exceeds -ay wages for vulgar
toll. In addition to the magazine traffic, we
publish 10000 books a year. The industry Of
fers ~ book-club jackpots and, as the late
Tim Hurst. the umpire, used to say of his own
stately office. you can't beat thin hours"
Singing and acting are so absurdly overrated
as arts, now that the bars are down and per-
formers are allowed farnilarities with their
betters, that Few of us bear in mind the origins
OF these poor trades, above which the current
celebrities never rise, however we faWn upon
them. A singer emits certain sounds from his
neck causing sound effects by the expansion
and contraction of certain muscles and By
regulating the flow q air. Robert Ripley, of
Believe It Or Not knew a fellow who, by
long practice to improve a faint native gift,
had learned to flap his ears, not merely in
unison, which is difficult but not unique, but in
'oPPoo4noH. l cHJOycQ Liz personal dCQudlnC
ance o. a woman from Arkansas, at the late
cash and carry Pyle's freak show at the Cen
tury OF Progress. in Chicago, who could pull a
little cart across a stage by strings attached
to her eyelids. The actor utters recitations
written for him by a writer; he bawls, whim-
pers or whispers and stands here or there ac-
cording to minute directions after long and
patient instruction. when a seal did that in
vaudeville, and, what was more, brandished a
torch and bounced a ball on his snout, he got
a herring or a mullet, but respectable Society
drew a line and no seal ever was invited to
the better homes or to Delmonico's, the equi-
valent then of the Stork CLUB.
Does anyone seriously believe that a foreign
scientist, painter, musician of any kind, writer
or actor consciously and selelessly set out to
contribute" anything to the consum-
mate greatness of the United States or to nc
tory in the war? Selfishness, ambition and
self-expression are the only driving forces, ex
cept that we may say that during the war
there were additional compulsions of hatred,
revenge and fear.
On one hand, idolators of the late Roosevelt
insist that he took his third and fourth terms
only because he loved 1.-THE people," But the
same authorities tell LIS that he delighted in
his job and his powers, and that he felt great
and had not the slightest premonition that ne
would die in office. He could no more abandon
that office and the regal panoply and powers
with which he, alone of all the presidents, in
vested it than he could nave assembled a
watch behind his back. And to credit him