Evening star., 1946-07-21
THE CHALLENGE OF
WORLD COMMUNISM
By Hamilton Fish. Bruce
S2.50)

SE.50.J
Some time ago Hamilton Fish
was in a decided minority in his
opposition to communism in this
country. He was so much in a
minority that in some quarters he
was considered eccentric, to put 1t
kindly.
This book is recapitulation of
Mr.. FiSh's appraisal of the menace
which communism poses for de-
mocracy today. Externally he looks
at the Red threat in Europe, in
Asia. in Latin America and the
United States. Internally he out
lines what Communistic society
holds for It's citizens-if citizens
they can be called-by treating of
its attitude toward religion, educa-
ton and civil liberties. The in
ternal survey adds up to what has
been there for any one to see for 25
years. The external one poses the
series of questions which is now
causing a series of headaches in
our State Department and emotions
of indignation in the bosoms of
Americans generally.
Communism is politics of ag-
gression. in the opinion of Mr.. Fish
quite as much so as Naziism. Its
basic tenet has always been that
it should conquer the world. AS
the Nazis made a fetch of using
trickery toward other powers, so do
the Communists. Their leaders are
trained to a religion of intolerance
toward others and boundlesS indul-
gence toward themselves. They view
other lands solely in terms of how
soon they shall attack and possess
them. Their doctrine condemns
civil liberties, free press, free speech,
freedom of religion or any religion.
1t deprives the citizen of any guar
antee of integrity before the power
of the state, even to freedom of
movement. 1t is the most reaction
airy political system in the world
today. And it proposes to conquer
the World-in the name of progress.
All this Mr.. Fish asserts. quoting
in SubStantiation from the writings
OF Ien1n and Stain and the pro-
ceedings Of the International.
Surveying. the spread of COM
munism in Europe, he condemns
our policy as one of appeasement
toward Russia. He devotes a good
Gno1 nf +n
the people in the lands now oc-
cupled by the Red Army, or ruled
by Red puppet governments. There
is little distinction, to those people,
between the conduct of the Reds
and the Nazis, he declares. De-
portations, confscations, executions
and impriSonments continue mo-
notonously.
In Asia, the Russians aim at get
ting possession of Outer Mongolia
and spreading thence over the
mainland. In Latin America the
author claims they have already
plotted a number of revolutions.
In our own country they have been
assisted by the very government,
says Mr.. Fish, in that they have
been given great number of gov
ernment jobs which they admin
lster with regard to Russian rather
than American prosperity.
Mr. Fish now calls for the crea-
ton Of Nationwide nonpartisan
antl-communist organization which
would work by educational methods
He feels that the Reds have pro-
gressed chiefly by misrepresenting
themselves as progressive. He be-
neves that, when the facts are
known. the American people will
cease to listen to Red propaganda
In the field of politics, he considers
that the liberal elements of both
parties might well combine to make
single party against the forces
OF totalltarlan reaction.
His book covers much the same
ground as is covered by those of
William Ziff and William Bullitt
ootn out recently. He documents
his text well.