The Wilmington morning star., 1946-04-23
Fair Enough
BY WEsTBROoK PEGLER


can Activities whose chairman, John s. Wood,
of Georgia, has in practical effect abdlcated
the job and turned over a thankless and Dill
terly trying task to John Rankin, OF Mlsslsslp-
pi. The source of this organized propaganda
is New York, where political hysteria has
been carefully fomented over period of years
to the end that, as now, the people are in
capable of calm objective political judgment
and candidates and managers constantly flout
the principles Of the cherished fair employ
ment acts to emphasize racial and religious
division, ignoring all normal considerations, in
Guiding even loyalty to the United States and
the Constitution.
Among those who have joined this campaign
directed against Rankin, there are some in,
Guiding a few editorial voices, who should
stand by him but have unconsciousy sunk in
to a state of intellectual and political intmi-
dalton SO AFFECT that they lack the stamina
to resist certain K-ration thoughts issued by
the communists and the Political Action Com
mittee of the CLIO. This kind acquiesce to the
extent of saying that of course we do need
Committee on I'm American Activities but
that, of course, again, Mr. Rankin is impos-
sible just as Martin Dies. before him, also was
impossible in the same position.
The flat acceptance by so many Ameri-
cans, including editorial writers and package
goods commentators, of the proposition that
Mr. Dies was impossible was coWardly in
justice to man who began absolutely green,
fumbled while but, by persistent study and
through experience became really learned in
the perfidies and personalities and the inter-
locking associations of the communist con-
spiracy against the existence OF the united
States.
He did not seek the job but accepted it in
the pathetic manner of the comic strip slob
standing on a corner who agrees to mind
stolen satcael for a fugitive thief. More ex-
perenced ard less courageous congressman
would have no part of it for they foresaW
painful troubles around the corner. Dies could
not foresee. but soon learned that as soon
as he turned his attention from the consplra-
cies of the Italian fascist organizations in the
East which were more comic and contemp-
tible than dangerous, and the operations OF
the Hitler bund, to those of the communist
traitors and their accomplices, he would be-
come the object of savage, ruthless and
sustained war of personal abuse.
Few men in public life in the United States
have been beaten so wickedly for the per-
Torrance Of valuable public service.
In strict accordance with the communist
and if you WILL Nazi method, Mr.. Dies was
held up to the nation as Jew-hater although
no record ever was found OF any single utter
ance to support the charge nor any person
this sentiment. However, he had found many
persons with Jewish names among those with
Anglo-Saxon Irish and Latin names, among
the communist and fellow-travelers. Naturally, |
Mr.. Dies exposed their activities and so it fol-
lowed in the communist propaganda that he
was anti-Semitic and many Jews and others
sincerely believed that he was. Nevertheless, |
the files and reports which he accumulated
were contribution of great value, the impor-
~ olyr 11olo oI
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and,
under honest conditions the espionage serv-
ices of the Army and Navy.
He was discredted in his home district by |
the greatest money-poWer ever organized IN |
American politics, the Political Action Com
mittee, and so withdrew with recognition
of his excellent work which far outWeighed the
informalities and unimportant irregularities of
method which were charged against him.
These errors, incidentally, were trivial by
comparison with the shocking improprieties of
Hugo Black in the conduct of Senate in
vestigation but the same forces that damned
Dies embraced Black former member of a
gang of night-riding terrorists, when Roosevelt
sent him to the Supreme Court merely be-
cause he was Roosevelt man.
Upon analysis the worst offense charged to
Rankin of Mississippi is that he has the sort
of manly personal temper that most Ameri-
cans respect in their friends and fellowmen.
Call him a dirty name and he will call you a
drtier one back and keep on raising you or
see you outside if you prefer. He has been the
victim Of vile abuse, as Dies was, but, unlike
the patient and often rather forlorn member
from Texas, he takes his own personal part
and no man can say that his outbursts were
either gratuitous or incorrect. The epithets that
he has uttered in response to filthy personal
ISLANDERS have not been condemned as map
propriate or excessive but only on the ground
of indecorum.
The same propaganda has condoned, even
lauded, the totalitarian policies O.. Sena-
tor Wagner and Representative Marcantonio
of New York and has accepted as nothing
worse than amusing repartee the disgusting
obscenities without which Fiore1lo La Guardia
often finds it impossible to express himself.
However, the place TO inquire how con-
gresham stands is not in the guttersnipe Sec
tor of the radio, the press and politics, which
Is largely localized in the East, but in his
own home state. And il Mississippi, Mr.. Rank
In is highly respected, as his long record of
reflections strongly suggests, for his congress
slonal record .on many issues including an eff
tectlve fight for rural identification. This has
won him gratitude among back-country farm
ers, who also respect his stout, personal man.
mood IN controversy. They like him in Missis-
slppl as the election returns Irove and many
another congressman who has held his tongue
and resorted to personally humiliating soft
answers under abuse envies his courage in
answering personal attacks.
There can never be perfect Committee on